Inferno Canto 01 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABA CAC BCB DAB AEA BBF BAG AAH AIA JKB KAK AAL AAA AAA AEA MNA ELE ELE LAL KOL AAA LPA AGA AAG GKG QRA KGK AGQ GLG GAG LSL BBA SLS ALA LAL AOO ALA LLA LLL ATL LAL AAL AKA LAG EAA GAA AAA ALL AAA LBA GAA LAB AAA GUB ABA LEB BLB VVA LLL ABB LAL LLL AAA BLM

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vitaA
mi ritrovai per una selva oscuraB
ch la diritta via era smarritaA
-
When I had journeyed half of our life's wayC
I found myself within a shadowed forestA
for I had lost the path that does not strayC
-
-
Ahi quanto a dir qual era cosa duraB
esta selva selvaggia e aspra e forteC
che nel pensier rinova la pauraB
-
Ah it is hard to speak of what it wasD
that savage forest dense and difficultA
which even in recall renews my fearB
-
-
Tant' amara che poco pi morteA
ma per trattar del ben ch'i' vi trovaiE
dir de l'altre cose ch'i' v'ho scorteA
-
so bitter death is hardly more severeB
But to retell the good discovered thereB
I'll also tell the other things I sawF
-
-
Io non so ben ridir com'i' v'intraiB
tant'era pien di sonno a quel puntoA
che la verace via abbandonaiG
-
I cannot clearly say how I had enteredA
the wood I was so full of sleep just atA
the point where I abandoned the true pathH
-
-
Ma poi ch'i' fui al pi d'un colle giuntoA
l dove terminava quella valleI
che m'avea di paura il cor compuntoA
-
But when I'd reached the bottom of a hillJ
it rose along the boundary of the valleyK
that had harassed my heart with so much fearB
-
-
guardai in alto e vidi le sue spalleK
vestite gi de' raggi del pianetaA
che mena dritto altrui per ogne calleK
-
I looked on high and saw its shoulders clothedA
already by the rays of that same planetA
which serves to lead men straight along all roadsL
-
-
Allor fu la paura un poco quetaA
che nel lago del cor m'era durataA
la notte ch'i' passai con tanta pietaA
-
At this my fear was somewhat quietedA
for through the night of sorrow I had spentA
the lake within my heart felt terror presentA
-
-
E come quei che con lena affannataA
uscito fuor del pelago a la rivaE
si volge a l'acqua perigliosa e guataA
-
And just as he who with exhausted breathM
having escaped from sea to shore turns backN
to watch the dangerous waters he has quitA
-
-
cos l'animo mio ch'ancor fuggivaE
si volse a retro a rimirar lo passoL
che non lasci gi mai persona vivaE
-
so did my spirit still a fugitiveE
turn back to look intently at the passL
that never has let any man surviveE
-
-
Poi ch' i posato un poco il corpo lassoL
ripresi via per la piaggia disertaA
s che 'l pi fermo sempre era 'l pi bassoL
-
I let my tired body rest awhileK
Moving again I tried the lonely slopeO
my firm foot always was the one belowL
-
-
Ed ecco quasi al cominciar de l'ertaA
una lonza leggera e presta moltoA
che di pel macolato era covertaA
-
And almost where the hillside starts to riseL
look there a leopard very quick and litheP
a leopard covered with a spotted hideA
-
-
e non mi si partia dinanzi al voltoA
anzi 'mpediva tanto il mio camminoG
ch'i' fui per ritornar pi volte v ltoA
-
He did not disappear from sight but stayedA
indeed he so impeded my ascentA
that I had often to turn back againG
-
-
Temp'era dal principio del mattinoG
e 'l sol montava 'n s con quelle stelleK
ch'eran con lui quando l'amor divinoG
-
The time was the beginning of the morningQ
the sun was rising now in fellowshipR
with the same stars that had escorted itA
-
-
mosse di prima quelle cose belleK
s ch'a bene sperar m'era cagioneG
di quella fiera a la gaetta pelleK
-
when Divine Love first moved those things of beautyA
so that the hour and the gentle seasonG
gave me good cause for hopefulness on seeingQ
-
-
l'ora del tempo e la dolce stagioneG
ma non s che paura non mi desseL
la vista che m'apparve d'un leoneG
-
that beast before me with his speckled skinG
but hope was hardly able to preventA
the fear I felt when I beheld a lionG
-
-
Questi parea che contra me venisseL
con la test'alta e con rabbiosa fameS
s che parea che l'aere ne tremesseL
-
His head held high and ravenous with hungerB
even the air around him seemed to shudderB
this lion seemed to make his way against meA
-
-
Ed una lupa che di tutte brameS
sembiava carca ne la sua magrezzaL
e molte genti f gi viver grameS
-
And then a she wolf showed herself she seemedA
to carry every craving in her leannessL
she had already brought despair to manyA
-
-
questa mi porse tanto di gravezzaL
con la paura ch'uscia di sua vistaA
ch'io perdei la speranza de l'altezzaL
-
The very sight of her so weighted meA
with fearfulness that I abandoned hopeO
of ever climbing up that mountain slopeO
-
-
E qual quei che volontieri acquistaA
e giugne 'l tempo che perder lo faceL
che 'n tutt'i suoi pensier piange e s'attristaA
-
Even as he who glories while he gainsL
will when the time has come to tally lossL
lament with every thought and turn despondentA
-
-
tal mi fece la bestia sanza paceL
che venendomi 'ncontro a poco a pocoL
mi ripigneva l dove 'l sol taceL
-
so was I when I faced that restless beastA
which even as she stalked me step by stepT
had thrust me back to where the sun is speechlessL
-
-
Mentre ch'i' rovinava in basso locoL
dinanzi a li occhi mi si fu offertoA
chi per lungo silenzio parea fiocoL
-
While I retreated down to lower groundA
before my eyes there suddenly appearedA
one who seemed faint because of the long silenceL
-
-
Quando vidi costui nel gran disertoA
Miserere di me gridai a luiK
qual che tu sii od ombra od omo certoA
-
When I saw him in that vast wildernessL
Have pity on me were the words I criedA
whatever you may be a shade a manG
-
-
Rispuosemi Non omo omo gi fuiE
e li parenti miei furon lombardiA
mantoani per patria ambeduiA
-
He answered me Not man I once was manG
Both of my parents came from LombardyA
and both claimed Mantua as native cityA
-
-
Nacqui sub Iulio ancor che fosse tardiA
e vissi a Roma sotto 'l buono AugustoA
nel tempo de li d i falsi e bugiardiA
-
And I was born though late sub JulioA
and lived in Rome under the good AugustusL
the season of the false and lying godsL
-
-
Poeta fui e cantai di quel giustoA
figliuol d'Anchise che venne di TroiaA
poi che 'l superbo Ili n fu combustoA
-
I was a poet and I sang the righteousL
son of Anchises who had come from TroyB
when flames destroyed the pride of IliumA
-
-
Ma tu perch ritorni a tanta noiaG
perch non sali il dilettoso monteA
ch' principio e cagion di tutta gioiaA
-
But why do you return to wretchednessL
Why not climb up the mountain of delightA
the origin and cause of every joyB
-
-
Or se' tu quel Virgilio e quella fonteA
che spandi di parlar s largo fiumeA
rispuos'io lui con vergognosa fronteA
-
And are you then that Virgil you the fountainG
that freely pours so rich a stream of speechU
I answered him with shame upon my browB
-
-
O de li altri poeti onore e lumeA
vagliami 'l lungo studio e 'l grande amoreB
che m'ha fatto cercar lo tuo volumeA
-
O light and honor of all other poetsL
may my long study and the intense loveE
that made me search your volume serve me nowB
-
-
Tu se' lo mio maestro e 'l mio autoreB
tu se' solo colui da cu' io tolsiL
lo bello stilo che m'ha fatto onoreB
-
You are my master and my author youV
the only one from whom my writing drewV
the noble style for which I have been honoredA
-
-
Vedi la bestia per cu' io mi volsiL
aiutami da lei famoso saggioL
ch'ella mi fa tremar le vene e i polsiL
-
You see the beast that made me turn asideA
help me o famous sage to stand against herB
for she has made my blood and pulses shudderB
-
-
A te convien tenere altro viaggioL
rispuose poi che lagrimar mi videA
se vuo' campar d'esto loco selvaggioL
-
It is another path that you must takeL
he answered when he saw my tearfulnessL
if you would leave this savage wildernessL
-
-
ch questa bestia per la qual tu grideA
non lascia altrui passar per la sua viaA
ma tanto lo 'mpedisce che l'uccideA
-
the beast that is the cause of your outcryB
allows no man to pass along her trackL
but blocks him even to the point of deathM

Dante Alighieri



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Inferno Canto 01 poem by Dante Alighieri


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 3 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets