第十一篇走到悬崖的边缘，这里是由大块断石叠成的一个圈子，我们望见下面众多的灵魂，比以前的更加凄惨。因为那里有一股呛人的臭味，从深渊底部冲上来，我们暂时躲避到一块大石碑的前面，碑上刻着：“教皇阿纳斯塔修斯，曾因浮提努斯而离正道，葬于此处”
我的老师说：“我们不如在这里站一会，等我们习惯了这种可怕的臭味之后，我们再往下走，那时就不必担心了。”我对他说：“那末不要把时间错过，趁这个机会，请你把下面的罪恶概述一下。”他说：“这正合我意，我的孩子！”
于是他开始说：“从这里绝壁以下，还有三个圈子，都是和以前的一样，越到下面越小，挤满着可诅咒的幽灵。若要知道他们所犯何罪，受何刑罚，你到那里一见就明白了。
“一切罪恶，因为他的目的终是损害别人都遭大怒。或用强力，或用诈骗，以达此目的。不过，诈骗是人类恃有的恶性更为上帝所痛恨；所以欺骗的人还在强暴的人下层，受苦更大。
“第一圈是容纳强暴的人；这一层又分为三个环，强暴可施于三种人。可施于上帝，施于自己，施于邻人；施于他们的自身，或是他们的所有，这些你将来部要明白的。
“强暴施于邻人，使他受伤，使他丧命；施于他的所有，或蹂躏，或放火，或强占：这些杀人犯，强盗，放火之徒都在第一环分别受刑。
“在第二环受刑的是那些自己离开有光的世界，后来悔恨莫及之徒；会对于自己和自己的所有施以强暴；里面还有因赌博而倾家荡产的，本应欢乐而空自悲泣的。
“强暴可施于上帝，否认他的存在，毁谤他；轻蔑自然和他的恩惠。所以在最狭的第三环的是那些带了所多玛人和卡奥尔人记号的，还有那些在心里和嘴里侮辱上帝的。
“至于诈骗，就是腐蚀了良心，可以施于已经信任他的人，或是施于还没有信任他的人。后面一种，切断了人和人之间自然所造的爱链、所以在这第二圈住着些魔法师骗子，伪君子，阿谀人，窃贼，买卖官职者，淫媒等等。其他一种，忘记自然所造的爱，人类的友情，彼此的信任，所以在这最小的一圈，在宇宙的中心；狄斯的座位也在那里，那里使忘恩负义之徒永受痛苦。”
于是我说：“主人，你的说话真是非常清楚，把这深渊和这里的幽灵分别得极有条理。但是，请你告诉我：既然上帝因为他们而震怒？在那污池里的，在那给风吹的，给雨打的，在那里互相撞击的，为什么他们不放到红城里面受苦呢，假使不然，为什么他们也在那种痛苦的境界呢？”
他说：“你为什么精神不贯注？你忘记了你在《伦理学》中所学得的么？那书上依了天意分罪恶为三种：不能节制的，有恶意的，有暴行的。你忘记了不能节制的人罪过较轻，上帝，给他们的刑罚也较轻么？你若把这种道理弄清楚、再回想前面所经过的几圈，你就懂得这些犯人为什么要和那些分开，为什么神的正义对于前面的宽和一些。”
我说：“哦，太阳呀！他把我昏暗的精神照明亮了；从解开疑问中学到不少知识，我是多么快活呀！不过，我心里还有一团疑云，要请你为我吹散，就是重利盘剥者为上帝所深恶这一点。”
他回答我道：“研究哲学的大概都知道：自然取法乎神智和神意。假使你留意你所学的《物理学》，你马上可以知道：艺术取法自然，好比学生取之于教师。所以你可以说：艺术是上帝的宠儿。假使你记得《创世记》中开头几处说的话，你就知道：自然和艺术是人类赖以取得食粮，并因此而繁荣的。因为重利盘剥者的取径不同，他轻蔑自然和取法乎他的艺术，却在别处寻找他的希望。……但是现在我们可以走了，因为双鱼宫已从地平面透出来了，北斗星已经向着西北风去了；略微远一些，那里山路似乎平坦一点，我们就可以走下去了。”
By craggy rocks environ'd round, we came,
Where woes beneath more cruel yet were stow'd:
And here to shun the horrible excess
Of fetid exhalation, upward cast
From the profound abyss, behind the lid
Of a great monument we stood retir'd,
Whereon this scroll I mark'd: "I have in charge
Pope Anastasius, whom Photinus drew
From the right path.—Ere our descent behooves
We make delay, that somewhat first the sense,
To the dire breath accustom'd, afterward
Regard it not." My master thus; to whom
Answering I spake: "Some compensation find
That the time past not wholly lost." He then:
"Lo! how my thoughts e'en to thy wishes tend!
My son! within these rocks," he thus began,
"Are three close circles in gradation plac'd,
As these which now thou leav'st. Each one is full
Of spirits accurs'd; but that the sight alone
Hereafter may suffice thee, listen how
And for what cause in durance they abide.
"Of all malicious act abhorr'd in heaven,
The end is injury; and all such end
Either by force or fraud works other's woe
But fraud, because of man peculiar evil,
To God is more displeasing; and beneath
The fraudulent are therefore doom'd to' endure
Severer pang. The violent occupy
All the first circle; and because to force
Three persons are obnoxious, in three rounds
Hach within other sep'rate is it fram'd.
To God, his neighbour, and himself, by man
Force may be offer'd; to himself I say
And his possessions, as thou soon shalt hear
At full. Death, violent death, and painful wounds
Upon his neighbour he inflicts; and wastes
By devastation, pillage, and the flames,
His substance. Slayers, and each one that smites
In malice, plund'rers, and all robbers, hence
The torment undergo of the first round
In different herds. Man can do violence
To himself and his own blessings: and for this
He in the second round must aye deplore
With unavailing penitence his crime,
Whoe'er deprives himself of life and light,
In reckless lavishment his talent wastes,
And sorrows there where he should dwell in joy.
To God may force be offer'd, in the heart
Denying and blaspheming his high power,
And nature with her kindly law contemning.
And thence the inmost round marks with its seal
Sodom and Cahors, and all such as speak
Contemptuously' of the Godhead in their hearts.
"Fraud, that in every conscience leaves a sting,
May be by man employ'd on one, whose trust
He wins, or on another who withholds
Strict confidence. Seems as the latter way
Broke but the bond of love which Nature makes.
Whence in the second circle have their nest
Dissimulation, witchcraft, flatteries,
Theft, falsehood, simony, all who seduce
To lust, or set their honesty at pawn,
With such vile scum as these. The other way
Forgets both Nature's general love, and that
Which thereto added afterwards gives birth
To special faith. Whence in the lesser circle,
Point of the universe, dread seat of Dis,
The traitor is eternally consum'd."
I thus: "Instructor, clearly thy discourse
Proceeds, distinguishing the hideous chasm
And its inhabitants with skill exact.
But tell me this: they of the dull, fat pool,
Whom the rain beats, or whom the tempest drives,
Or who with tongues so fierce conflicting meet,
Wherefore within the city fire-illum'd
Are not these punish'd, if God's wrath be on them?
And if it be not, wherefore in such guise
Are they condemned?" He answer thus return'd:
"Wherefore in dotage wanders thus thy mind,
Not so accustom'd? or what other thoughts
Possess it? Dwell not in thy memory
The words, wherein thy ethic page describes
Three dispositions adverse to Heav'n's will,
Incont'nence, malice, and mad brutishness,
And how incontinence the least offends
God, and least guilt incurs? If well thou note
This judgment, and remember who they are,
Without these walls to vain repentance doom'd,
Thou shalt discern why they apart are plac'd
From these fell spirits, and less wreakful pours
Justice divine on them its vengeance down."
"O Sun! who healest all imperfect sight,
Thou so content'st me, when thou solv'st my doubt,
That ignorance not less than knowledge charms.
Yet somewhat turn thee back," I in these words
Continu'd, "where thou saidst, that usury
Offends celestial Goodness; and this knot
Perplex'd unravel." He thus made reply:
"Philosophy, to an attentive ear,
Clearly points out, not in one part alone,
How imitative nature takes her course
From the celestial mind and from its art:
And where her laws the Stagyrite unfolds,
Not many leaves scann'd o'er, observing well
Thou shalt discover, that your art on her
Obsequious follows, as the learner treads
In his instructor's step, so that your art
Deserves the name of second in descent
From God. These two, if thou recall to mind
Creation's holy book, from the beginning
Were the right source of life and excellence
To human kind. But in another path
The usurer walks; and Nature in herself
And in her follower thus he sets at nought,
Placing elsewhere his hope. But follow now
My steps on forward journey bent; for now
The Pisces play with undulating glance
Along the' horizon, and the Wain lies all
O'er the north-west; and onward there a space
Is our steep passage down the rocky height."