第七篇普鲁托口中格格作声：“摆贝撤但，摆贝撒但，阿莱伯！”我们和善的智者，他什么都知道，他安慰我说：“你不要害怕：无论他有什么权力，他也不能阻挡住你从这里走下去。”于是他回转头去对涨着脸的魔鬼说：“住口，你这可恶的狼！你的怒火只能烧着你自己。我们走人深渊不是没理由的！这是天上的意思，在那里术迦勒曾讨伐过叛徒。”好象风吹断桅杆，帆布落地一祥，那个可怕的魔鬼瘫在地上了。
于是我们走到地狱的第四圈，下去愈深，则所见愈凄惨，正义的神啊！谁能描摹在我眼前凄苦的景象呢？为什么这些罪人得了这样的刑罚呢？好比卡里勃底斯的波浪，这边冲过去，那边又迎上来，相互撞击；这里的罪人就是这样彼此对击着。我看见一处的人特别拥挤他们分为对立的两组，他们各自大叫大喊，胸膛前面推滚着一个重物，面对面挺进；他们相逢的时候，互相冲撞了一阵，然后各自滚着重物回转头再走，这一组的幽魂叫着：“为什么你执着？”那一组的叫着：“为什么你摔下？”这两组各自向左向右在幽暗的圈子上走，片刻又在圈子的对方相撞，他们照样地打，骂一阵，再回转头来走。就是这样反覆来往，没有穷尽。我看见了这种景象，心里非常哀痛，说：“我的老师，请你告诉我，他们是什么人？在我们左边这一组里，那些剃光头的是教土么？”他回答我道：“在世的时候，他们都糊着住心，他们对财产挥霍无度。他们冲撞的时候，他们嘴里的对骂，就很明白地表示出他们的罪过，那些顶上精光没有头发的是教士，是主教，是教皇，因为他们是特别的贪得无厌。”
于是我又说，老师，在这个罪人堆里，我可以认识几个罢？”他答道：“这不可能；他们的苦痛生活使他们改变了形状。你无法辨认他们。他们永远在那里冲撞着；就是将来他们从坟墓里爬起来，这一组是紧握着拳头，那一组是精光着脑袋。浪费和吝啬，使他们失去了光明的世界，陷入永远的冲突中；我不愿意再多说他们了，不过，我的孩子，从这里大概你可以知道，命运给人类财富是多么的愚弄他们，而人们对财富的追逐又是多么的剧烈！月亮下面的金钱，从没有使劳碌的人们有片刻的安宁。”
我又说：“请老师告诉我：你所说的命运究竟是什么？他为什么要把地球上的财富都牢牢地握在手里呢？”他答道：“唉，地球上的造物多么愚蠢呀！我愿意对你说个明白。无上智慧者创造了天体和他们的引路人，使他们轮流照耀地面，平分光彩；同样，他创造了管理地面繁荣的神，使金钱川流不息，从这一双手里转到那一双手，从这一个民族转到那一个民族，并非人力所能转移。这一个做了主人翁，那一个做了奴隶儿，都是他的玩物。他在冥茫之中，好比躲在草丛里的蛇。你的智力敌不过他，他维持他的国度，判决他的人民，宣布他的命令，都和别的神一样。他的变化莫测，完全不受一点阻碍，必需使他的运动加快；他常常使一个人从这一端跌到那一端。你诅咒他的时候，安知不是应当称颂他的时候。他一竟孤行，笑骂由人，不但不加申辩，并且充耳不闻。他欢喜安然地旋转他的轮盘。和别的天使一样享着幸福。——现在，我们可以下降到更苦痛的一圈了；我们出发时候上升的星宿，现在已经向下落了，我们不能够逗留得太长时间。”
我们走过了这一圈，到了一个水源的旁边；那水源沸腾着，流成一条沟；水色深黑；我们沿着那条沟，走在崎岖的路上。这条凶恶的水在他的尽头，积成一个池沼，名叫斯提克斯。我站在岸上，看见池沼里面满身污泥的灵魂，他们都是赤身露体，满面怒容。他们互相打斗，手和手打，头和头拚，胸和胸撞，脚踢嘴咬，弄得皮破肉烂。
和善的引路人对我说：“孩子，你看这些怒发冲冠的灵魂罢！我要使你相信：就是在水底里，也有灵魂在那里呜咽呢；从水面上的气泡看来，你就可以知道了。他们被埋没在污泥里面，他们说：‘我们在世的时候，那里空气温和，阳光普照，但是我们与人落落难合，心中藏看一股火气；现在我们惨淡地埋没在黑水污泥之中。’这就是他们在喉咙里哼的调子，因为他们从来不会把一句话说得明白。”
我们在池沼边上逗留了一刻，眼睛看着落在池沼里面的灵魂，后来我们到了一个堡楼脚下。
Plutus, in accent hoarse of wild alarm:
And the kind sage, whom no event surpris'd,
To comfort me thus spake: "Let not thy fear
Harm thee, for power in him, be sure, is none
To hinder down this rock thy safe descent."
Then to that sworn lip turning, "Peace!" he cried,
"Curs'd wolf! thy fury inward on thyself
Prey, and consume thee! Through the dark profound
Not without cause he passes. So 't is will'd
On high, there where the great Archangel pour'd
Heav'n's vengeance on the first adulterer proud."
As sails full spread and bellying with the wind
Drop suddenly collaps'd, if the mast split;
So to the ground down dropp'd the cruel fiend.
Thus we, descending to the fourth steep ledge,
Gain'd on the dismal shore, that all the woe
Hems in of all the universe. Ah me!
Almighty Justice! in what store thou heap'st
New pains, new troubles, as I here beheld!
Wherefore doth fault of ours bring us to this?
E'en as a billow, on Charybdis rising,
Against encounter'd billow dashing breaks;
Such is the dance this wretched race must lead,
Whom more than elsewhere numerous here I found,
From one side and the other, with loud voice,
Both roll'd on weights by main forge of their breasts,
Then smote together, and each one forthwith
Roll'd them back voluble, turning again,
Exclaiming these, "Why holdest thou so fast?"
Those answering, "And why castest thou away?"
So still repeating their despiteful song,
They to the opposite point on either hand
Travers'd the horrid circle: then arriv'd,
Both turn'd them round, and through the middle space
Conflicting met again. At sight whereof
I, stung with grief, thus spake: "O say, my guide!
What race is this? Were these, whose heads are shorn,
On our left hand, all sep'rate to the church?"
He straight replied: "In their first life these all
In mind were so distorted, that they made,
According to due measure, of their wealth,
No use. This clearly from their words collect,
Which they howl forth, at each extremity
Arriving of the circle, where their crime
Contrary' in kind disparts them. To the church
Were separate those, that with no hairy cowls
Are crown'd, both Popes and Cardinals, o'er whom
Av'rice dominion absolute maintains."
I then: "Mid such as these some needs must be,
Whom I shall recognize, that with the blot
Of these foul sins were stain'd." He answering thus:
"Vain thought conceiv'st thou. That ignoble life,
Which made them vile before, now makes them dark,
And to all knowledge indiscernible.
Forever they shall meet in this rude shock:
These from the tomb with clenched grasp shall rise,
Those with close-shaven locks. That ill they gave,
And ill they kept, hath of the beauteous world
Depriv'd, and set them at this strife, which needs
No labour'd phrase of mine to set if off.
Now may'st thou see, my son! how brief, how vain,
The goods committed into fortune's hands,
For which the human race keep such a coil!
Not all the gold, that is beneath the moon,
Or ever hath been, of these toil-worn souls
Might purchase rest for one." I thus rejoin'd:
"My guide! of thee this also would I learn;
This fortune, that thou speak'st of, what it is,
Whose talons grasp the blessings of the world?"
He thus: "O beings blind! what ignorance
Besets you? Now my judgment hear and mark.
He, whose transcendent wisdom passes all,
The heavens creating, gave them ruling powers
To guide them, so that each part shines to each,
Their light in equal distribution pour'd.
By similar appointment he ordain'd
Over the world's bright images to rule.
Superintendence of a guiding hand
And general minister, which at due time
May change the empty vantages of life
From race to race, from one to other's blood,
Beyond prevention of man's wisest care:
Wherefore one nation rises into sway,
Another languishes, e'en as her will
Decrees, from us conceal'd, as in the grass
The serpent train. Against her nought avails
Your utmost wisdom. She with foresight plans,
Judges, and carries on her reign, as theirs
The other powers divine. Her changes know
Nore intermission: by necessity
She is made swift, so frequent come who claim
Succession in her favours. This is she,
So execrated e'en by those, whose debt
To her is rather praise; they wrongfully
With blame requite her, and with evil word;
But she is blessed, and for that recks not:
Amidst the other primal beings glad
Rolls on her sphere, and in her bliss exults.
Now on our way pass we, to heavier woe
Descending: for each star is falling now,
That mounted at our entrance, and forbids
Too long our tarrying." We the circle cross'd
To the next steep, arriving at a well,
That boiling pours itself down to a foss
Sluic'd from its source. Far murkier was the wave
Than sablest grain: and we in company
Of the' inky waters, journeying by their side,
Enter'd, though by a different track, beneath.
Into a lake, the Stygian nam'd, expands
The dismal stream, when it hath reach'd the foot
Of the grey wither'd cliffs. Intent I stood
To gaze, and in the marish sunk descried
A miry tribe, all naked, and with looks
Betok'ning rage. They with their hands alone
Struck not, but with the head, the breast, the feet,
Cutting each other piecemeal with their fangs.
The good instructor spake; "Now seest thou, son!
The souls of those, whom anger overcame.
This too for certain know, that underneath
The water dwells a multitude, whose sighs
Into these bubbles make the surface heave,
As thine eye tells thee wheresoe'er it turn.
Fix'd in the slime they say: 'Sad once were we
In the sweet air made gladsome by the sun,
Carrying a foul and lazy mist within:
Now in these murky settlings are we sad.'
Such dolorous strain they gurgle in their throats.
But word distinct can utter none." Our route
Thus compass'd we, a segment widely stretch'd
Between the dry embankment, and the core
Of the loath'd pool, turning meanwhile our eyes
Downward on those who gulp'd its muddy lees;
Nor stopp'd, till to a tower's low base we came.