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5: Minos. Doom of Adulterers

1 Descending to the second ledge of Hell,

a smaller circle of intenser pain,

I heard again the sound of sorrowing.

4 Here demon Minos with his dragon tail

grins as he passes judgement on the dead

then sends them down to their due punishment.

7 Each ghost before him gibbers out its crimes.

The times he winds his tail around himself

show to which depths the wicked ghost must go.

10 Hell has ten rings. The demon’s tail is long.

The throng of souls, ceaselessly pouring in,

are never slow in blurting out their sin,

13 then hurl themselves down through appalling space

onto the right ledge of the hellish pit

that is forever now their dwelling place.

16 “YOU have no place here!” Minos bawled at me,

seeing we did not pause but walked straight through,

not stopping to be judged, “Take care! Beware!

19 Hell’s open door is not kept wide for you!”

“Minos,” my guide replied, “forces too high

for you to know insist this man may go

unhurt through every door there is in Hell. 22

Our business is not yours, and so farewell.”

New sounds of lamentation reached my ear,

a rushing tumult mixed with howling yell. 25

We entered darkness – darkness bellowing

like ocean tempests combating together.

A hurricane of ghosts went wailing past 28

under the lofty cliff that was their coast.

I saw lost souls tossed, spinning in the blast

and buffeted again, again, again, 31

against the granite wall that penned them in.

I knew this endless storm of sorry souls

must be the just and proper doom of all 34

who sin because their overwhelming lust

quelled reason’s light. A rockslide in the cliff

had formed the gap we came through. Seeing us 37

the storm of fleeing, yelling ghosts blasphemed

much louder, wheeled like starlings in their flight,

screaming onwards like cranes hopeless of rest 40

or lesser pains. “Master,” cried I, “name some

so mercilessly whipped by this dark air.”

He said, “There’s one whose history you know – 43

wife of a king who made her empress queen

of all the lands now ruled by the Sultan.

Her sexual appetites were so obscene 46

she legalised all kinds of viciousness.

Her name is Semiramis. Dido there

49 swore she would only wed one man. Him dead,

she took instead another mate and then

committed suicide when he escaped –

52 Helen of Troy, so opportunely raped –

Cleopatra whose expertise in love

was legend – see too the many men –

55 Paris – Achilles – Tristan – Lancelot—”

He pointed out so many souls condemned

for fleshly lust, it filled me with dismay

58 to see such noble people led astray

by love that ought to be our greatest joy.

“Poet,” I said, “let me talk with that pair

61 who seem more gently carried by the air.”

Said he, “If they come near enough to hear

Invite them by the love they clearly share.”

64 The wind now tossed them close. “O harried souls,”

I cried, “if none forbid, please talk to me!”

Like homing doves they glided to my side.

67 One said, “Dear good and kindly living soul

who frees us briefly from our storm-tossed state,

if we could pray we’d pray that you find rest –

70 that blessed rest that cannot be our fate.

The only way to show our gratitude

for these few moments out of whirling Hell

73 is telling you all that you wish to know.

My birthplace was a town where River Po

enters the sea. I married lovelessly

a hard old man. His brother at my side 76

whom I love still, had youth and gentleness.

As he enjoyed my body we were found

and slain. Our killer’s place in Hell will be 79

among the murderers who followed Cain.”

Sighing, I bowed my head. My guide enquired,

“What thought distresses you?” “Sorrow for youth 82

and what befalls youth’s sweetness,”

I replied, “Francesca, please believe I pity you,

but tell me what occurred that led you to 85

the deed you knew was sin.”

“Worst grief,” said she,

“is happiness recalled in misery.

Your master knows this well and if you need 88

to understand, I’ll tell as you command.

To pass an idle hour one afternoon

we chanced to read of how Sir Lancelot 91

was overcome by love of Guinevere.

This youth who never shall depart from me

trembling all over, dared to kiss my mouth. 94

That book seduced us. There’s no more to say

except, of course, we read no more that day.”

She wept. The other spirit wept – me too. 97

The three of us shed tears without restraint.

Because I could not give them any help

I clutched my head and fell down in a faint. 100