第十二篇我们预备下降之处是崎岖险恶的山岩，那里占踞的怪兽又使人不敢注视。
山石由于地震，或由于重压；从山顶起，乱石残岩奔突而下，或留于卡山，或直达平地，好比从特兰托下泻的山崩，直趋阿迪杰河滨，因此壁立的山崖成为略可上下的山路；
在山路之口，克里特岛上污秽的怪兽横躺在那里，他是一条假母牛生的；他像一个心中怀着忿怒的人一样，见了我们，他就咬自己的肉。我聪明的引路人喊道：“你以为雅典的公民在地上处死你的人到了么？你错了，滚开些！现在来者并非受了你姊姊的教训，他不过走来看看你们所受的刑罚罢了。”好比受了打击而拉断绳索的公牛，一时不知道往那儿跑，只在那里乱跳；我看见米诺涛尔听了这几句话以后也是这样。勇敢的诗人向我叫道：“快些走过去罢！当他正在狂怒的时候，这是下降的好机会了。”于是我们从那里急忙走下，因为我特别笨重，我脚下所踏的石头都不时滑动。
我一边走一边想着；维吉尔对我说：“或者你是想着这个怪兽管理的山坡罢？我要告诉你，我从前到过这里，那时山岩还没有坍下去。但是，假使我记得清楚，在他到地狱最上一圈里来提取光荣的灵魂以前不久，所有这里的山谷都震动着，似乎可以使人相信宇宙觉着爱的时候，我们又要堕入混沌这句话；因此，当时这里和别处的古崖旧岩都倒下去了。现在请你看看山脚下的血沟吧，在那里面正煮着用暴力伤人的幽灵呢。”
唉，盲目的贪欲！唉，愚蠢的忿怒！在短促的人生，他煽动着我们，到后来却永远地使我们受着酷刑！
当时我依着我引路人的指示，看见一条弧形的宽阔的，占满了全平面。在山脚和血沟之间，有许多马身人相的怪物，在那里结队跑着，他们都带着弓箭，和他们在地面上打猎的光景一样。他们看见我们走下山坡，都站定了，随后有三个从队伍里走出来，瞄准着他们的箭头，其中有一个远远地叫道：“你们从山坡走下来的，站住，说说你们犯了何罪？否则，我要放箭了。”我的老师说：“我们要和你们的头子奇隆说话，不必回答你；真可怜，你总是这样躁急的性子。”于是他触着我说：“这一个是索斯，他曾因美人得伊阿尼拉而死，他自己又为自己报了仇；在中间的一个，他看着自己的胸膛，他就是大奇隆，他曾养育阿基琉斯；其他一个为福罗斯，他是那样的怒着。在沟的四周，他们共有几千，都拿着弓箭；如果沟里有一个犯人，不依照应有的尺寸没入河面，他们就要射他。”我们走近这些跑得极快的怪兽；奇隆拿他的箭尾，拨开他的胡须，向左右分披；于是露出他的大嘴，对他的同伴说：“你们看见后面那一个，他的脚踩着了东西，那东西就要移动么？死人的脚没有这样的力量。”我善良的引路人已经站在奇隆的胸前，那里是两种自然结合之处，他回答道：“不错，他是活人，我担任引导他经历幽谷的职务；他为需要所迫，不得不如此，并不是来玩的。她离开她的赞美歌，来给我新使命；他既不是强盗，我也不是贼魂。因为她的力量，我才能够走到这种昏暗之地。现在要请你助成此行，借你同伴的背脊，使他渡过这条血沟，因为他不是能够在空中来去的精灵，”于是奇隆转向右边，对索斯说：“你去引导他们罢；假使逢着别的幽灵，你叫他们站开。不要来阻拦。”
我们跟着这个引导人，走在紫水的边上，在水里面受煮的喊叫得真可怜。我看见其中有几个没到眉毛；那个马身人面的怪物悦：“这些都是杀人劫财的暴君，现在都在这里忍气吞声：这里是亚历山大；这里是残暴的狄奥尼西奥斯，他使西西里有多年的悲哀；还有那个黑色头发的是阿佐利诺；黄色头发的是奥庇佐，他实在是被他的不幸子杀死的。”于是我转向诗人望了一眼，他对我说：“现在他是第一个引路人，我是第二个。”
再走下去一段路，那怪物停在一群幽灵之前。他们的头都露在血水上面，那血水似乎还冒着烟气呢。他指着一个孤立在一处的幽灵说：“这一个，当着上帝的面，刺了一个心。这一个心如今还在泰晤十河上受人家的敬礼呢。”于是我看见许多有头露在外面的，有胸膛露在外面的，其中为我认识的也不少。血水的深度渐见减低，直到仅没脚面，我们就从那里渡过了血沟。那时马身人面的怪物说：“你看这个沸水，向这一边逐渐变，向那一边逐渐变深，直到暴君受刑之处，那里是最深的了。这一边神的正义施刑给阿提拉，他在世上是一条鞭子；此外有皮鲁惭有赛克斯图斯，还有科尔奈托和帕佐，他们都因在大路上和旅客们厮杀而被罚，在这沸着的沟中终古流泪。”
我们到了彼岸，那怪物仍从血水浅处回去了。
We came, was rough as Alp, and on its verge
Such object lay, as every eye would shun.
As is that ruin, which Adice's stream
On this side Trento struck, should'ring the wave,
Or loos'd by earthquake or for lack of prop;
For from the mountain's summit, whence it mov'd
To the low level, so the headlong rock
Is shiver'd, that some passage it might give
To him who from above would pass; e'en such
Into the chasm was that descent: and there
At point of the disparted ridge lay stretch'd
The infamy of Crete, detested brood
Of the feign'd heifer: and at sight of us
It gnaw'd itself, as one with rage distract.
To him my guide exclaim'd: "Perchance thou deem'st
The King of Athens here, who, in the world
Above, thy death contriv'd. Monster! avaunt!
He comes not tutor'd by thy sister's art,
But to behold your torments is he come."
Like to a bull, that with impetuous spring
Darts, at the moment when the fatal blow
Hath struck him, but unable to proceed
Plunges on either side; so saw I plunge
The Minotaur; whereat the sage exclaim'd:
"Run to the passage! while he storms, 't is well
That thou descend." Thus down our road we took
Through those dilapidated crags, that oft
Mov'd underneath my feet, to weight like theirs
Unus'd. I pond'ring went, and thus he spake:
"Perhaps thy thoughts are of this ruin'd steep,
Guarded by the brute violence, which I
Have vanquish'd now. Know then, that when I erst
Hither descended to the nether hell,
This rock was not yet fallen. But past doubt
(If well I mark) not long ere He arrived,
Who carried off from Dis the mighty spoil
Of the highest circle, then through all its bounds
Such trembling seiz'd the deep concave and foul,
I thought the universe was thrill'd with love,
Whereby, there are who deem, the world hath oft
Been into chaos turn'd: and in that point,
Here, and elsewhere, that old rock toppled down.
But fix thine eyes beneath: the river of blood
Approaches, in the which all those are steep'd,
Who have by violence injur'd." O blind lust!
O foolish wrath! who so dost goad us on
In the brief life, and in the eternal then
Thus miserably o'erwhelm us. I beheld
An ample foss, that in a bow was bent,
As circling all the plain; for so my guide
Had told. Between it and the rampart's base
On trail ran Centaurs, with keen arrows arm'd,
As to the chase they on the earth were wont.
At seeing us descend they each one stood;
And issuing from the troop, three sped with bows
And missile weapons chosen first; of whom
One cried from far: "Say to what pain ye come
Condemn'd, who down this steep have journied? Speak
From whence ye stand, or else the bow I draw."
To whom my guide: "Our answer shall be made
To Chiron, there, when nearer him we come.
Ill was thy mind, thus ever quick and rash."
Then me he touch'd, and spake: "Nessus is this,
Who for the fair Deianira died,
And wrought himself revenge for his own fate.
He in the midst, that on his breast looks down,
Is the great Chiron who Achilles nurs'd;
That other Pholus, prone to wrath." Around
The foss these go by thousands, aiming shafts
At whatsoever spirit dares emerge
From out the blood, more than his guilt allows.
We to those beasts, that rapid strode along,
Drew near, when Chiron took an arrow forth,
And with the notch push'd back his shaggy beard
To the cheek-bone, then his great mouth to view
Exposing, to his fellows thus exclaim'd:
"Are ye aware, that he who comes behind
Moves what he touches? The feet of the dead
Are not so wont." My trusty guide, who now
Stood near his breast, where the two natures join,
Thus made reply: "He is indeed alive,
And solitary so must needs by me
Be shown the gloomy vale, thereto induc'd
By strict necessity, not by delight.
She left her joyful harpings in the sky,
Who this new office to my care consign'd.
He is no robber, no dark spirit I.
But by that virtue, which empowers my step
To treat so wild a path, grant us, I pray,
One of thy band, whom we may trust secure,
Who to the ford may lead us, and convey
Across, him mounted on his back; for he
Is not a spirit that may walk the air."
Then on his right breast turning, Chiron thus
To Nessus spake: "Return, and be their guide.
And if ye chance to cross another troop,
Command them keep aloof." Onward we mov'd,
The faithful escort by our side, along
The border of the crimson-seething flood,
Whence from those steep'd within loud shrieks arose.
Some there I mark'd, as high as to their brow
Immers'd, of whom the mighty Centaur thus:
"These are the souls of tyrants, who were given
To blood and rapine. Here they wail aloud
Their merciless wrongs. Here Alexander dwells,
And Dionysius fell, who many a year
Of woe wrought for fair Sicily. That brow
Whereon the hair so jetty clust'ring hangs,
Is Azzolino; that with flaxen locks
Obizzo' of Este, in the world destroy'd
By his foul step-son." To the bard rever'd
I turned me round, and thus he spake; "Let him
Be to thee now first leader, me but next
To him in rank." Then farther on a space
The Centaur paus'd, near some, who at the throat
Were extant from the wave; and showing us
A spirit by itself apart retir'd,
Exclaim'd: "He in God's bosom smote the heart,
Which yet is honour'd on the bank of Thames."
A race I next espied, who held the head,
And even all the bust above the stream.
'Midst these I many a face remember'd well.
Thus shallow more and more the blood became,
So that at last it but imbru'd the feet;
And there our passage lay athwart the foss.
"As ever on this side the boiling wave
Thou seest diminishing," the Centaur said,
"So on the other, be thou well assur'd,
It lower still and lower sinks its bed,
Till in that part it reuniting join,
Where 't is the lot of tyranny to mourn.
There Heav'n's stern justice lays chastising hand
On Attila, who was the scourge of earth,
On Sextus, and on Pyrrhus, and extracts
Tears ever by the seething flood unlock'd
From the Rinieri, of Corneto this,
Pazzo the other nam'd, who fill'd the ways
With violence and war." This said, he turn'd,
And quitting us, alone repass'd the ford.