But if I here could see the tristful soul Of Guido, or Alessandro, or their brother, For Branda's fount I would not give the sight.
One is within already, if the raving Shades that are going round about speak truth;
But what avails it me, whose limbs are tied?
If I were only still so light, that in A hundred years I could advance one inch, I had already started on the way, Seeking him out among this squalid folk, Although the circuit be eleven miles, And be not less than half a mile across.
For them am I in such a family;
They did induce me into coining florins, Which had three carats of impurity."
And I to him: "Who are the two poor wretches That smoke like unto a wet hand in winter, Lying there close upon thy right-hand confines?"
"I found them here," replied he, "when I rained Into this chasm, and since they have not turned, Nor do I think they will for evermore.
One the false woman is who accused Joseph, The other the false Sinon, Greek of Troy;
From acute fever they send forth such reek."
And one of them, who felt himself annoyed At being, peradventure, named so darkly, Smote with the fist upon his hardened paunch.
It gave a sound, as if it were a drum;
And Master Adam smote him in the face, With arm that did not seem to be less hard, Saying to him: "Although be taken from me All motion, for my limbs that heavy are, I have an arm unfettered for such need."
Whereat he answer made: "When thou didst go Unto the fire, thou hadst it not so ready:
But hadst it so and more when thou wast coining."
The dropsical: "Thou sayest true in that;
But thou wast not so true a witness there, Where thou wast questioned of the truth at Troy."
"If I spake false, thou falsifiedst the coin,"
Said Sinon; "and for one fault I am here, And thou for more than any other demon."
"Remember, perjurer, about the horse,"
He made reply who had the swollen belly, "And rueful be it thee the whole world knows it."
"Rueful to thee the thirst be wherewith cracks Thy tongue," the Greek said, "and the putrid water That hedges so thy paunch before thine eyes."
Then the false-coiner: "So is gaping wide Thy mouth for speaking evil, as 'tis wont;
Because if I have thirst, and humour stuff me Thou hast the burning and the head that aches, And to lick up the mirror of Narcissus Thou wouldst not want words many to invite thee."
In listening to them was I wholly fixed, When said the Master to me: "Now just look, For little wants it that I quarrel with thee."
When him I heard in anger speak to me, I turned me round towards him with such shame That still it eddies through my memory.
And as he is who dreams of his own harm, Who dreaming wishes it may be a dream, So that he craves what is, as if it were not;
Such I became, not having power to speak, For to excuse myself I wished, and still Excused myself, and did not think I did it.
"Less shame doth wash away a greater fault,"
The Master said, "than this of thine has been;
Therefore thyself disburden of all sadness, And make account that I am aye beside thee, If e'er it come to pass that fortune bring thee Where there are people in a like dispute;
For a base wish it is to wish to hear it."
