"Look at the monster with the pointed tail,
who cuts through mountains and shatters walls and weapons—
look at the one who poisons the entire world."
This is how my guide began to speak to me,
and he motioned for the creature to come to shore,
near the edge of the stone walkway where we stood.
And that filthy embodiment of fraud
rose up and pushed its head and chest onto land,
but kept its tail hanging over the edge.
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GERYON—SYMBOL OF DECEIT
“And that filthy embodiment of fraud / rose up and pushed its head and chest onto land,”
The beast's tail swept free through empty air. Its face appeared
as gentle as a righteous man's, benevolent in every feature,
but from the neck down stretched a serpent's body.
Two forepaws reached up, thick with hair to the shoulders.
The back and chest and flanks were decorated
with intricate patterns—knots and shields intertwined.
Never did Tartar or Turkish weavers create such colors,
such elaborate designs in their finest fabrics.
Never did Arachne spin such complex threads.
Like boats pulled halfway up on shore,
part in water, part on land,
or like the beaver among the gluttonous Germans,
positioning himself for war—
so this vile creature sprawled along the border
where stone wall meets the burning sand.
His tail writhed completely in the void,
twisting upward its venomous fork
that ended in a scorpion's barbed point.
My Guide said: "Now we must turn our path aside
to reach that malevolent beast
crouching over there."
We descended on the right side
and took ten steps along the outer edge
to avoid completely the sand and flames.
When we approached the creature, I could see
a little farther on, upon the sand,
people sitting near the precipice.
Then my Master said: "So that you carry away
complete experience of this circle,
go now and see their condition.
Keep your conversation brief—
while you're gone I'll speak with him
to win the use of his strong shoulders."
So I continued alone along the outermost
rim of that seventh circle,
where the sorrowful people sat.
Anguish poured from their eyes.
They helped themselves with their hands
against the flames and burning ground—
now here, now there, defending themselves.
Just as dogs do in summer,
scratching now with paw, now with muzzle,
when fleas or flies or horseflies bite them.
When I turned my gaze upon the faces
of some on whom this grievous fire falls,
I recognized none of them, but I noticed
that from each neck hung a pouch
of distinct color and design,
and their eyes seemed to feed upon these purses.
As I moved among them, looking around,
I saw on a yellow pouch azure markings
showing a lion's face and bearing.
Then, following the path of my sight,
I saw another, red as blood,
displaying a goose whiter than butter.
And one whose little white pouch
was emblazoned with a blue pregnant sow
said to me: "What are you doing in this ditch?
Get out of here. Since you're still alive,
know that my neighbor Vitaliano
will take his seat here at my left side.
I'm from Padua, among these Florentines
who constantly thunder in my ears,
shouting, 'Let the sovereign knight come,
he who will carry the purse with three goats!'"
Then he twisted his mouth and stuck out
his tongue like an ox licking its nose.
Fearing that a longer stay might anger
the one who warned me not to linger,
I turned back from those weary souls.
I found my Guide already mounted
on the back of that savage beast.
He said to me: "Now be strong and bold.
This is how we descend from here—
climb on in front, I'll sit between us
so the tail cannot harm you."
Like someone so close to quartan fever
that his nails are already blue
and he trembles just looking at shade—
that's how I became at his words.
But shame stirred me at his urging,
which makes a servant brave before a good master.
I climbed onto those monstrous shoulders.
I wanted to say—but my voice wouldn't come
as I intended—"Make sure you hold me tight."
But he who had rescued me before
in other dangers, as soon as I mounted,
encircled and supported me in his arms,
saying: "Now, Geryon, move yourself.
Make wide circles, descend slowly—
remember the strange burden you carry."
As a small boat pushes back from shore,
back and back, so the beast withdrew.
When he felt himself completely free,
he turned his tail to where his chest had been,
extended it and moved like an eel,
drawing air toward himself with his paws.
I don't think there was greater fear
when Phaethon abandoned the reins
and scorched the sky, as still shows,
or when wretched Icarus felt
his sides stripped of feathers by melting wax,
his father crying "You're going the wrong way!"—
than mine when I found myself
suspended in air on all sides,
seeing nothing but the monster.
Onward he goes, swimming slowly, slowly,
wheeling and descending. I sense this only
by wind on my face and from below.
Already I could hear on our right
the whirlpool making horrible sounds beneath us.
I thrust my head out, looking downward.
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THE DESCENT ON THE MONSTER
“seeing nothing but the monster. / Onward he goes, swimming slowly, slowly,”
Then I was even more terrified of the abyss,
because I saw fires and heard laments.
Trembling, I clung closer still.
I saw then—what I hadn't seen before—
our turning and descending, by the great horrors
approaching from all sides.
Like a falcon long on the wing
who, seeing neither lure nor prey,
makes the falconer cry "You're falling!"
and descends weary from his swift start,
through a hundred circles, landing
far from his master, sullen and disdainful—
so Geryon set us down at the bottom,
close to the foot of the jagged rock face.
Unburdened of our bodies,
he shot away like an arrow from the string.