The Sixth Circle. Heresy
Heretics
Now wends his way along a narrow path,
between the torments and the city’s wall,
my Teacher and, behind his shoulders, I.
“O lofty Virtue,” I began, “that leadst me
around the impious circles at thy pleasure,
converse with me and satisfy my wishes.
The people that are lying in the tombs,
could they be seen? For all the lids are raised,
it seems, and there is no one keeping guard.”
And he to me: “They all will be locked in,
when from Jehoshaphat they here return
together with the bodies they have left
above. On this side have their burial-place
with Epicurus all his followers,
who claim that with the body dies the soul.
To the request, however, which thou makest
thou ’lt soon receive a due reply in here,
as also to the wish thou keepest from me.”
And I: “Good Leader, I but keep my heart
concealed from thee, in order to speak little;
nor hast thou only now thereto disposed me.”
“O Tuscan, thou that through the town of fire
dost go alive with such respectful speech,
in this place be thou pleased to stay thy steps.
Thy very language makes thee manifest
a native of that noble fatherland,
to which I was, perhaps, too great a bane.”
All of a sudden issued forth these words
from one of those ark-tombs; hence I, in fear,
a little closer to my Leader drew.
And he said: “Turn around; what doest thou?
See Farinata who has risen there;
thou ’lt see him wholly from his girdle up.”
Already had I fixed mine eyes on his;
and he was standing up with chest and head
erect, as if he had great scorn for Hell.
My Leader then with bold and ready hands
pushed me between the sepulchers toward him,
saying: “Now let thy words be frank and clear.”
When I was ’neath his tomb, he looked at me
awhile, and then, as though disdainfully,
he asked of me: “Who were thine ancestors?”
And I, who was desirous to obey,
hid it not from him, but revealed it all;
whereat he slightly raised his brows, and said:
“So bitterly were they opposed to me,
and to mine ancestors, and to my party,
that I on two occasions scattered them.”
“If they were driven out,” I answered him,
“from all directions they returned both times;
your people, though, have not well learned that art.”
A shade then at the tomb’s uncovered mouth
rose at his side as far up as his chin;
I think that he had risen upon his knees.
Round me he looked, as if he wished to see
whether some other one were with me there;
but when his doubt had wholly spent itself,
weeping he said: “If thou through this blind prison
dost go by reason of highmindedness,
where is my son? and why is he not with thee?”
And I to him: “I come not by myself;
he who is waiting…
