Project Dante

Canto IX

I frosted white in growing fright 1
As sat we there in absent light
My guide beside me troubled seemed
While I beside him lost in dream 4
'Does anyone from Limbo come,'
I asked him then in halting tongue
'As deep as We from Lion's Gate
And so down through this Land of Hate?' 8
And answered me and tale he telled
Of journey to the deeps of Hell
That he had made when new born shade
To Judas Ring, a soul to save 12
'My worthy guide!' I gladly cried
'My road is blessed with you beside!'
And then I choked in sudden fear
As saw I Furies standing clear 16
And screamed they down from highest peak
As cowered I in muck and reek.
'If you would live then shade your eyes
Or always here as boulder lie 20
For Gorgon with her deadly gaze
Will petrify!' My Guide then raves.
And all my knowledge, all my knowing
Couldn't stop blind terror growing 24
And all the things that I believed
Right then weren't worth the fog I breath.
And having nothing left but hearing
Heard I sounds most horrid nearing 28
Then facing fast this coming storm
That sounded like a demon swarm
As spirits screamed in mewling fright
And ever louder grew the blight. 30
My guide then he releases me
And raise myself so I can see
I saw there Angel crossing fast
All shining like a lightning blast 34
His blessed feet not touching water
And all around He demons slaughtered.
Breaks he down the cities door's
His face wrapped up in other chores 38
He barely seemed to notice us
As hung we low with heads like thus
So stands he wide and belows loud
'O You Cast Out, O Hated Crowd! 40
Why do you Fallen listen not
When Betters tell you what is what?
Why do you rail against the fates
That told you to unlock that gate?' 44
My bind could hardly take the strain
As entered we the Land of Pain
At every point I cast my gaze
I see ten thousand burning graves 48
And tortured moans and piteous wails
Sailed past me as we walk this trail. 50
'Who can all these people be?'
I asked in awe at what I see. 52
My master said with steely breath
'Those heretics who dared mock death
They looked at world and thought they saw
A kingdom made without God's Law 56
And so they fry as heretics
In burning graves beyond the styx.' 58
So walking on he gestures right
As toil we through torment and fright. 60