Canto XXII
CANTO XXII
The half score of demons sets out with Barbariccia in the lead while the wary Dante keeps his eyes trained on the pitchy bog. From time to time one of the submersed sinners arches his back above the surface, like a dolphin, to relieve his pain, then plunges down again lightning quick. On every side the transgressors dare only to stick out their snouts, like frogs in a pond, withdrawing them as soon as their demonic guards approach (1–30). One lingers this time, however, and Graffiacane snags his tar-matted hair, hauling him up like a fresh-speared otter. When the other devils egg on Rubicante to mutilate their captured prey, Virgil steps in at the Pilgrim’s request to learn his identity. The sticky shade barely has time to answer that he fell into grafting in the service of King Thibault of Navarre, when Ciriatto rips him with a tusk. Enfolding him within his protective wings, Barbariccia orders the others to stand back so that Virgil may finish his questioning. The ancient Lombard asks if any Italians are simmering in the tar, and no sooner has the wounded wretch answered in the affirmative than Libicocco grapples his arm, tearing out a hunk of flesh, while Draghinazzo moves to hook his legs below. Again the glaring Barbariccia wheels around and stares his devils down (31–75). Virgil quickly resumes his question and hears the story of two Sardinian barrators, Fra Gomita and Michele Zanche. Yet the maimed grafter stops short on seeing the snarling Farfarello set to attack. For the third time Barbariccia must stay their sadistic urges (76–96). At last, the menaced rascal offers to whistle for his comrades, if the bloodthirsty fiends will only step out of sight a moment. Cagnazzo suspects a ruse, and Alichino threatens a chase, should the jobber try to escape, but all turn their eyes away to look for anyone answering his call. Seizing his moment, the crafty rogue pries loose, leaping back into the gluey marsh. Alichino flies in pursuit, like a hawk after a duck, but is too late (97–132). Enraged at the escape, Calcabrina takes to flight and locks claws with Alichino in revenge. As they plummet into the viscous swamp, they are unclutched by the heat. Unable to extricate themselves, the two roasted birds must be pulled out by their cohorts, as Virgil and Dante leave them to their wrangling (133–151).
1 I’ve seen before how horsemen move their camp,
Commence assault, and muster in a band,
And sometimes too, to make escape, decamp.
4 I’ve seen the scouting parties in your land,
O Aretines, and seen your raiders fare,[326]
Your tourneys clashing, and your joustings manned,
7 At times with bells, at times with trumpets’ blare,
With drums and castle-signals from afar,
With native things as well as foreign ware.
10 But never to a bugle so bizarre[327]
Have I seen footmen march or horsemen ride,
Or vessel sail by sign of land or star.
13 With those ten demons we went on in stride.
Ah, goodness me! What savage company!
But “saints in church and drunks in pubs abide.”
16 I was intent upon that pitch to see
The every feature of the basin there
And of the people burning in its sea.
19 As dolphins will make signals to beware
To sailors by the arching of the back
That they might spare their ships, so, I declare,
22 Here too, from time to time, to ease his rack,
A sinner showed his spine above the pitch,
Then hid more quickly than the lightning’s crack.
25 As at the water’s border in a ditch
The frogs will stand with just their snouts outside,
With feet and body hidden in their niche,
28 So stood the sinners here on every side;
But just as Barbariccia would draw near,
They plunged beneath the boiling tar to hide.
31 I saw—and still my heart must quake in fear—
One linger just as when it is the case
One frog remains while others disappear.
34 And Graffiacane, nearest to his place,
Ensnared him by the hair besmeared with slough;
On being raised, his seemed an otter’s face.
37 I knew the names of all of them by now:
I noted them when they were singled out
And, when they called each other, listened how.
40 “O Rubicante, see you set about
To claw his back and tear his flesh away!”
Together all the damned began to shout.
43 I said: “My Master, if you can, I pray,
Find out for me whose is that wretched head
That’s fallen into adverse hands as prey.”
46 My Guide went up beside him, and he pled
With him to tell his birthplace; he, implored,
Said: “In Navarra’s kingdom I was bred.[328]
49 My mother settled me to serve a lord,
For she had borne me to a ribald cheat,
Who would destroy himself and all his hoard.
52 Good King Thibault retained me in his suite,[329]
And there I set myself to graft the more,
For which I make my payment in this heat.”
55 Now Cirïatto had, just like a boar,
A jaw with tusks protruding on each side;
He let him feel just one, and how it tore!
58 Among the evil cats the mouse had hied;
But Barbariccia said, who had embraced
Him there: “While I enfork him, stand aside!”[330]
61 “Now ask,” he charged, on having turned and faced
My Master, “if there’s more you wish to know,
Before another lays this one to waste.”
64 “Say if of sinners in the pitch below
You know some shade of our Italian race,”
My Leader asked. And he: “A while ago,
67 I parted from a neighbor of that place;[331]
Were I still covered with him in this stuff,
No claw or hook would scare me in that case!”
70 Then Libicocco: “We have had enough!”
He grappled on his arm, and with his crook
He snatched a hunk of flesh by tearing rough.
73 And Draghinazzo made as if to hook
His legs below, so he who led the ten
Wheeled round on them with such an evil look.
76 When they were somewhat pacified again,
My Guide inquired of him without delay,
Who still was scanning his impairment then:
79 “Now tell me who he was from whom you say
The leave you took to come ashore was flawed.”
He answered: “Fra Gomita, he whose clay[332]
82 Was of Gallura, vessel of all fraud;
He held in hand the foemen of his chief
But dealt with them such that they sing his laud.
85 And once he took their gold, discharge was brief,
As he will tell; in other matters too,
He was a sovran grafter, no small thief.
88 With him is Don Michele Zanche, who [333]
Ruled Logodoro; and when they discuss
Sardegna, no one’s tongue is tired when through.
91 Ah me! See him who grinds his teeth at us!
I would tell more but fear that he no doubt
Prepares himself to scratch my scurf.” And thus
94 Their chief turned round, saw Farfarello’s clout
Was ready, for his eyes rolled with a leer,
And so exclaimed: “You wicked bird, get out!”
97 “But if some Tuscans you would see or hear,
Or Lombards too,” that soul, with frightened face,
Began again, “I’ll have a few appear.
100 But let those evil claws step back a pace
Lest they should fear the demons’ vengeful scourge;
And while I’m sitting in this very place,
103 Although I am alone here, I shall urge
Yet seven more to come by whistle blows,
As is our custom, should a shade emerge.”
106 At that Cagnazzo raised his currish nose
And shook his head to say: “Now hear the guile
He has contrived, then back below he goes!”
109 And he, who harbored many such a wile,
Replied: “How full of tricks I am indeed,
If mine are more tormented in a while.”
112 Fed up by now, despite the demon breed,
That Alichino said: “If you dive back,
I will not follow at a gallop’s speed
115 But beat my wings above the pitchy black.
We’ll leave this height; the bank will be our shield,
To see if you stand up to our attack.”
118 Now, Reader, you shall hear new sport afield:
Each turned his eyes out to the other side,
He first, who’d been the most unripe to yield.[334]
121 The Navarrese chose well his time; he spied
—With feet well planted—just the instant sought
And leapt to pry loose from that demon guide.[335]
124 With pangs of guilt were all of them distraught,
But more the blunder’s cause than all the rest,[336]
At which he started out and cried: “You’re caught!”
127 It did no good, for wings could not arrest
His frightened flight. The sinner plunged below;
The other, flying, upwards turned his breast.
130 The duck will suddenly dive down just so
The moment that the hawk draws near enough,
Which flies back upwards—vexed and flouted, though.
133 But Calcabrina, raging at the bluff,
Flew after him, though glad he’d taken flight,[337]
In order to provoke a fisticuff.
136 And when the grafter disappeared from sight,
He turned his claws upon his mate in Hell,[338]
And just above the ditch he clutched him tight.
139 The other, Alichino, clawed him well,
Just like a full-grown hawk; and thus the two
Fell in the ditch’s boiling midst pell-mell.
142 The heat at once unclutched them in the brew;
But they could now get out of it no more,
For so their wings were covered with the glue.
145 Thus Barbariccia, grieving with his corps,
Dispatched to fly off to the other coast,
Each one with fork in hand, a group of four.
148 And quickly, here and there, each took his post;
They stretched their hooks down to the slimy pair,
Who in the crust by now were made a roast.
151 And thus we left them still encumbered there.