As you finish reading those words upon the top of the gate some sort of meaning comes forth to you. You look upon Virgil as he speaks upon you: "Here it behooves to leave every fear; it behooves that all cowardice should here be dead. We have come to the place where I have told thee that thou shall see the woeful people, who have lost the good of the understanding." He then leads you within the deep secret gate. You hear sighs, laments, and deep wailing resounding throughout the starless air. Strange tongues, horrible utterances, words of woe, accents of anger, voices high and faint, and sounds of hands with them were making a tumult in the forever dark air, like the sand when the whirlwind breathes. As you walk through the darkness with a hand upon Virgil's shoulders to guild you, he speaks among you: "The wretched souls of those who lived without infamy and without praise main laid this miserable mode. They are mingled with that caitiff choir of the angels, who were not rebels, nor faithful to god, but were for themselves. The heavens chased them out in order to be not less beautiful, nor does the deep hell receive them, for the damned would have some boast of them." You reply in fear: "What is so grievous to them, that makes them lament so bitterly?" "These have no hope of death, and their blind life is so debased, that they are envious of every other lot. Fame of them the world permits not to be; mercy and justice disdain them."
Cont.....
