Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v1.djvu/90

70 The world ofttimes converted into chaos;

And at that moment this primeval crag

Both here and elsewhere made such overthrow.

But fix thine eyes below; for draweth near

The river of blood, within which boiling is

Whoe'er by violence doth injure others."

O blind cupidity, O wrath insane,

That spurs us onward so in our short life,

And in the eternal then so badly steeps us!

I saw an ample moat bent like a bow,

As one which all the plain encompasses,

Conformable to what my Guide had said.

And between this and the embankment's foot

Centaurs in file were running, armed with arrows,

As in the world they used the chase to follow.

Beholding us descend, each one stood still,

And from the squadron three detached themselves,

With bows and arrows in advance selected;

And from afar one cried: "Unto what torment

Come ye, who down the hillside are descending?

Tell us from there; if not, I draw the bow."

My Master said: "Our answer will we make

To Chiron, near you there; in evil hour,

That will of thine was evermore so hasty."