Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v1.djvu/171



T the conclusion of his words, the thief

Lifted his hands aloft with both the figs,

Crying: "Take that, God, for at thee I aim them."

From that time forth the serpents were my friends;

For one entwined itself about his neck

As if it said: "I will not thou speak more";

And round his arms another, and rebound him,

Clinching itself together so in front,

That with them he could not a motion make.

Pistoia, ah, Pistoia! why resolve not

To burn thyself to ashes and so perish,

Since in ill-doing thou thy seed excellest?

Through all the sombre circles of this Hell,

Spirit I saw not against God so proud,

Not he who fell at Thebes down from the walls!

He fled away, and spake no further word;

And I beheld a Centaur full of rage

Come crying out: "Where is, where is the scoffer?"