Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v1.djvu/161

Rh Then said to me: "Tuscan, who to the college

Of miserable hypocrites art come,

Do not disdain to tell us who thou art."

And I to them: "Born was I, and grew up

In the great town on the fair river of Arno,

And with the body am I've always had.

But who are ye, in whom there trickles down

Along your cheeks such grief as I behold?

And what pain is upon you, that so sparkles?"

And one replied to me: "These orange cloaks

Are made of lead so heavy, that the weights

Cause in this way their balances to creak.

Frati Gaudenti were we, and Bolognese;

I Catalano, and he Loderingo

Named, and together taken by thy city,

As the wont is to take one man alone,

For maintenance of its peace; and we were such

That still it is apparent round Gardingo."

"O Friars," began I, "your iniquitous "

But said no more; for to mine eyes there rushed

One crucified with three stakes on the ground.

When me he saw, he writhed himself all over,

Blowing into his beard with suspirations;

And the Friar Catalan, who noticed this,