第五篇我从第一圈下降到第二圈，这里地面狭小，痛苦较大，更使人哀伤。
这里坐着一个咬牙切齿的可怕的米诺斯，他审查进来的灵魂，审判他们的罪名，遣送到受刑的地点。一个灵魂进来的时候，不得不把自己的过失一一招供出来，于是那判官用尾巴绕他的身子，绕的圈数就是犯人应到的地狱圈数，许多犯入拥在他的前面，他们一一自承过错，旁边的人听着；最后，一个个地被旋风卷下去了。
米诺斯看见我以后，他就停止办公，对我说：“你也到这个痛苦地方来么！是怎样进来的？你得了谁的允许？你不要以为地狱门很大，可以随便闯进。”我的引路人答道：“为什么这样大惊小怪？你不要阻止他，这是为所欲为者的命令，不必多问了。”
于是我们开始听见悲惨的声音，遇着哭泣的袭击。我到了一块没有光的地方，那里好比海上，狂风正在吹着。地狱的风波永不停息，很多幽魂在风浪中飘荡，颠之倒之，有时撞在断崖绝壁的上，呼号痛哭，因而诅咒神的权力。我知道这种刑罚是加于荒淫之人的，他们都是屈服于肉欲而忘记了理性的。他们好象冬日天空里被寒风所吹的乌鸦，那些罪恶的灵魂东飘西荡不能静止。他们又像一阵远离故乡的秋雁，声声哀鸣，刺人心肺。因此我说：“我的老师，这些被幽暗空气所鞭挞的是谁呢？”
他答道：“这里面第一个是女皇帝，她有广土众民；她因为荒淫无度，恐怕有人指摘，她便说她做她所愿意做的，这就是天经地义，不准旁人指责。她名叫塞米拉密斯，她继续她的丈夫尼诺做亚述王。另一个是因恋爱而自杀的，她忘记了与旧人希凯斯生前的盟誓，而钟情于新人；再一个就是荒淫的克利奥帕利拉。”他一个一个用手指着给我看：因她而血流成河的海伦；因恋爱而最后中人暗算的英雄阿基琉斯；还有帕里斯和特里斯丹，我都看见了；此外还有为恋受而牺牲性命的幽灵，真是数不胜数。我的老师历述古代后妃和古代勇士之后，我心头忽生怜惜，为之叹息不已。
稍后，我说：“诗人呀！我愿意对这两个合在一起的灵魂说几句话呢，他们在风中似乎是很轻的。他对我说：“你等他们接近的时候，用爱神的名义请求他们停留一会，他们是可以来的。”不一会，风把他们吹向我们这里，我高声叫道：“困倦的灵魂呀！假使没有人阻碍你们，请来这里和我们说几句话罢。”好像鸽子被召唤张翼归巢一样，这两个灵魂离开狄多的队伍，从险恶的风波里面飞向我们，我的请求竟产生了效应。那女的灵魂向我们说：“宽厚的、善良的活人呀！你穿过了这样的幽暗地方，来看我们，曾经用血污秽了地面的我们。假使宇宙之主听从我们，我们愿意请求他给你太平日子。因为你对于我们的不幸有着同情爱怜之心呀！趁现在风浪平静的时刻，我们可以听你的说话，并且回答你的问题。我出生在大海之滨，那里波河会合群流而注入。爱，很快地打动了一颗软弱的心，使他迷恋于一个漂亮的肉体，因而使我失去了他，这是言之伤心呀！爱，不轻易放过了被爱的，使我很炙热地喜欢上他，就是现在他也不离开我呀！爱使我们死到同时同地；该隐环里等着那索取我门生命的凶手呢。”
我听了这些受伤害的灵魂的话以后，我把头低下，直到诗人对我说：“你想什么？”我答道：“唉！什么一种甜蜜的思想和热诚的愿望。引诱他们走上了这条悲惨的道路呢？”于是我又回转头来对这两个灵魂说：“弗兰齐斯嘉，你的苦恼使我哀伤而生怜惜。但是我还要问你：你们怎样会各自知道对方隐于心而未出于口的爱呢？”那幽魂答道：“在不幸之日，回忆过去欢乐之时。是一个天大的痛苦；这种痛苦是你的老师所知道的。不过，假使你愿意知道我们恋爱的根苗，我将含泪诉说给你听。有一天，我们在消闲中，共读着朗斯洛的恋爱故事，我们只有两个人在那里，全无一点疑惧。有好几次这本书使我们抬头相望，因而视线交错，并且使我门面色忽变；最后有一刻，就决定了我们的命运。当我们读到那微笑的嘴唇怎样被她的情人所亲吻的时候，他将永不离开我了！他颤动着亲了我的嘴唇由我表示。这本书和他的著作者倒做了我们的加勒奥托，从那一天起，我们不再读这一本书了。”
这一个灵魂正在诉说的时候，那一个痛苦地哭着；我一时也被他们情感感动了，竟昏晕倒地，好像断了呼吸。
Down to the second, which, a lesser space
Embracing, so much more of grief contains
Provoking bitter moans. There, Minos stands
Grinning with ghastly feature: he, of all
Who enter, strict examining the crimes,
Gives sentence, and dismisses them beneath,
According as he foldeth him around:
For when before him comes th' ill fated soul,
It all confesses; and that judge severe
Of sins, considering what place in hell
Suits the transgression, with his tail so oft
Himself encircles, as degrees beneath
He dooms it to descend. Before him stand
Always a num'rous throng; and in his turn
Each one to judgment passing, speaks, and hears
His fate, thence downward to his dwelling hurl'd.
"O thou! who to this residence of woe
Approachest?" when he saw me coming, cried
Minos, relinquishing his dread employ,
"Look how thou enter here; beware in whom
Thou place thy trust; let not the entrance broad
Deceive thee to thy harm." To him my guide:
"Wherefore exclaimest? Hinder not his way
By destiny appointed; so 'tis will'd
Where will and power are one. Ask thou no more."
Now 'gin the rueful wailings to be heard.
Now am I come where many a plaining voice
Smites on mine ear. Into a place I came
Where light was silent all. Bellowing there groan'd
A noise as of a sea in tempest torn
By warring winds. The stormy blast of hell
With restless fury drives the spirits on
Whirl'd round and dash'd amain with sore annoy.
When they arrive before the ruinous sweep,
There shrieks are heard, there lamentations, moans,
And blasphemies 'gainst the good Power in heaven.
I understood that to this torment sad
The carnal sinners are condemn'd, in whom
Reason by lust is sway'd. As in large troops
And multitudinous, when winter reigns,
The starlings on their wings are borne abroad;
So bears the tyrannous gust those evil souls.
On this side and on that, above, below,
It drives them: hope of rest to solace them
Is none, nor e'en of milder pang. As cranes,
Chanting their dol'rous notes, traverse the sky,
Stretch'd out in long array: so I beheld
Spirits, who came loud wailing, hurried on
By their dire doom. Then I: "Instructor! who
Are these, by the black air so scourg'd?"—"The first
'Mong those, of whom thou question'st," he replied,
"O'er many tongues was empress. She in vice
Of luxury was so shameless, that she made
Liking be lawful by promulg'd decree,
To clear the blame she had herself incurr'd.
This is Semiramis, of whom 'tis writ,
That she succeeded Ninus her espous'd;
And held the land, which now the Soldan rules.
The next in amorous fury slew herself,
And to Sicheus' ashes broke her faith:
Then follows Cleopatra, lustful queen."
There mark'd I Helen, for whose sake so long
The time was fraught with evil; there the great
Achilles, who with love fought to the end.
Paris I saw, and Tristan; and beside
A thousand more he show'd me, and by name
Pointed them out, whom love bereav'd of life.
When I had heard my sage instructor name
Those dames and knights of antique days, o'erpower'd
By pity, well-nigh in amaze my mind
Was lost; and I began: "Bard! willingly
I would address those two together coming,
Which seem so light before the wind." He thus:
"Note thou, when nearer they to us approach.
"Then by that love which carries them along,
Entreat; and they will come." Soon as the wind
Sway'd them toward us, I thus fram'd my speech:
"O wearied spirits! come, and hold discourse
With us, if by none else restrain'd." As doves
By fond desire invited, on wide wings
And firm, to their sweet nest returning home,
Cleave the air, wafted by their will along;
Thus issu'd from that troop, where Dido ranks,
They through the ill air speeding; with such force
My cry prevail'd by strong affection urg'd.
"O gracious creature and benign! who go'st
Visiting, through this element obscure,
Us, who the world with bloody stain imbru'd;
If for a friend the King of all we own'd,
Our pray'r to him should for thy peace arise,
Since thou hast pity on our evil plight.
()f whatsoe'er to hear or to discourse
It pleases thee, that will we hear, of that
Freely with thee discourse, while e'er the wind,
As now, is mute. The land, that gave me birth,
Is situate on the coast, where Po descends
To rest in ocean with his sequent streams.
"Love, that in gentle heart is quickly learnt,
Entangled him by that fair form, from me
Ta'en in such cruel sort, as grieves me still:
Love, that denial takes from none belov'd,
Caught me with pleasing him so passing well,
That, as thou see'st, he yet deserts me not.
"Love brought us to one death: Caina waits
The soul, who spilt our life." Such were their words;
At hearing which downward I bent my looks,
And held them there so long, that the bard cried:
"What art thou pond'ring?" I in answer thus:
"Alas! by what sweet thoughts, what fond desire
Must they at length to that ill pass have reach'd!"
Then turning, I to them my speech address'd.
And thus began: "Francesca! your sad fate
Even to tears my grief and pity moves.
But tell me; in the time of your sweet sighs,
By what, and how love granted, that ye knew
Your yet uncertain wishes?" She replied:
"No greater grief than to remember days
Of joy, when mis'ry is at hand! That kens
Thy learn'd instructor. Yet so eagerly
If thou art bent to know the primal root,
From whence our love gat being, I will do,
As one, who weeps and tells his tale. One day
For our delight we read of Lancelot,
How him love thrall'd. Alone we were, and no
Suspicion near us. Ofttimes by that reading
Our eyes were drawn together, and the hue
Fled from our alter'd cheek. But at one point
Alone we fell. When of that smile we read,
The wished smile, rapturously kiss'd
By one so deep in love, then he, who ne'er
From me shall separate, at once my lips
All trembling kiss'd. The book and writer both
Were love's purveyors. In its leaves that day
We read no more." While thus one spirit spake,
The other wail'd so sorely, that heartstruck
I through compassion fainting, seem'd not far
From death, and like a corpse fell to the ground.