第十七篇“要註視這個有細長尾巴的野獸，他能夠超越山嶺，穿破墻壁，折斷兵器；註視這個毒害全世界的怪物！”我的引路人這樣開始對我說；他做着手勢叫那野獸上岸，接近我們走着的石路之一端。於是那個“欺詐的醜像”嚮前移動了；他的頭，他的胸部都上了岸，衹有尾巴拖在後面。他的面孔是一個正直人的面孔，外貌非常和善，但是其餘的身體就和蛇一樣了。他有兩個爪子，長看毛直到腋下；他的背上，胸下，腰部都畫滿糾纏的結的和各種的圈兒；就是韃靼人或突厥人所用的布匹，也沒有那麽多顔色和花紋；就是阿拉科的織布機上面，也織不出來。他像一條劃子，半段擱在岸上，半段還在河裏；又像“貪吃的日耳曼人”那裏的水獺，把尾巴放在水裏釣魚。這個最壞的野獸就是那樣爬在石岸上，那石岸正攔住了赤熱的沙地。他那細長尾巴在空中搖動，尾巴尖端似乎裝着一把有毒的鈎子，和蝎子的尾巴差不多。
老師對我說：“我們現在必須靠近這個兇惡的野獸，他正趴在那裏呢。”於是我們降到右邊，站着離開深淵有十步的光景，這一方面也不踏着沙，觸着火。我們走近他的時候，看見一群坐在熱沙上的靈魂。那時老師對我說：“你應當看遍這一圈，也可以去訪問他們。但是，要少說幾句話；等你回來的時候，我就要嚮這個野獸藉用他強壯的背脊了。”
因此我順着第七圈的邊界走去，一路看到的，都是那些坐着的可憐人。從他們的眼睛裏，噴出他們苦惱的淚水；在上面，要揮開那天火，在下面，要撇開那熱沙；好比那夏天的狗了，不耐煩地用爪，用嘴去趕走他身上的蚤虱或蒼蠅一般。我看看他們的臉，一個都不認識；但是我看見他們的胸前都挂着一個袋子，袋子有各種顔色，上面印着多種花紋，他們的眼睛似乎衹盯着袋子。我看見一個黃色的袋子，上面畫着一隻藍色的獅子。我走過去幾步，又看見一個鮮紅如血的袋子，上面畫着一隻潔白的鵝。最後有一個，他那銀色的袋子上面畫着藍色的大肚子母野豬；他對我說：“你到這個潭子裏來幹什麽？你快些回去罷；因為你是活人，請你帶一個信兒給我的鄰居維塔利阿諾，他就要來坐在我的左邊。我是和這些佛羅倫薩人在一起的，帕多瓦人。我不時被他們叫聲震得耳聾，他們喊道：“騎士的王來罷，他的袋子上面畫着三衹山羊呢！’”說罷他扭歪他的嘴，吐出他的舌頭，像牛用舌頭舐自己的鼻孔一樣。
我恐怕停留的時間太久，我的引路人要怪我，所以我離開這群可詛咒的靈魂，急着回來。我看見我的引路人已經坐在那怪物的背上了；他對我說：”現在要顯示出你的勇氣，我們必須用這個做梯子，纔可以下降；你坐在他的前部，我坐在他的中部，這樣他的尾巴纔不致傷害了你。”我聽了他的這番話，好比得了瘧疾一樣，指甲已經變成灰白色了，全身已經發抖了，衹等那寒冷的來臨；但是，我要是膽怯，就太可恥了，英明的主人應該有勇敢的僕人呢。於是我爬上那怪物的闊肩上，我心裏想說：“請你抱住我！”可是嘴裏沒有說出。但是，他從前有好幾次救我脫險，現在我一坐上去，他早已用雙手抱任我的腰了；於是他說：“格呂翁，現在你可以動了！把圈子兜得大一些，慢慢地下降。請你記牢。這次不是平常的重量。”
好比劃子嚮後退一般，那怪物漸漸離開了堤岸；當他覺得全身鬆動以後，他掉轉他的首尾，像鰻魚一條，開始遊泳，用他兩個爪鼓動空氣。從前法厄同放鬆繮繩的時候，因此而燒毀的一部分天空，現在還看得見呢，還有可憐的伊卡洛斯覺得蠟比羽落，他父親叫喊“你走錯路了！”的時候，我相信都沒有我在這個時候的害怕，那時候我的四周除怪物以外一物不辨。他緩緩地遊泳，兜着圈子，慢慢地下降，可是我都不知道，當時衹覺得寒風打在我的臉上和腳下。在我的右邊，我已經聽見從下面傳來飛瀑衝擊的聲音；因此我伸頭下望，當時我更覺得害怕了。因為我看見下面的火光，聽見下面的悲聲了，於是我全身發抖，縮做一團。後來纔看見，起初沒有看見，我們的下降，我們的蠃旋運動，使一切罪大惡極的都從四面接近我們了。好比一隻老鷹，他飛得長久了，卻沒有尋着一隻獵物，因此放鷹的叫道：“呀！你下來了麽？”但是他疲倦了，他已經飛了幾百個圈子，他衹能慚愧地停止下來，遠遠地離開他的主人。格呂翁也是這樣地降落下來，正在石壁的腳旁；後來，我們跳下他的背脊，他就如箭離弦，轉眼就不見了。
Who passes mountains, breaks through fenced walls
And firm embattled spears, and with his filth
Taints all the world!" Thus me my guide address'd,
And beckon'd him, that he should come to shore,
Near to the stony causeway's utmost edge.
Forthwith that image vile of fraud appear'd,
His head and upper part expos'd on land,
But laid not on the shore his bestial train.
His face the semblance of a just man's wore,
So kind and gracious was its outward cheer;
The rest was serpent all: two shaggy claws
Reach'd to the armpits, and the back and breast,
And either side, were painted o'er with nodes
And orbits. Colours variegated more
Nor Turks nor Tartars e'er on cloth of state
With interchangeable embroidery wove,
Nor spread Arachne o'er her curious loom.
As ofttimes a light skiff, moor'd to the shore,
Stands part in water, part upon the land;
Or, as where dwells the greedy German boor,
The beaver settles watching for his prey;
So on the rim, that fenc'd the sand with rock,
Sat perch'd the fiend of evil. In the void
Glancing, his tail upturn'd its venomous fork,
With sting like scorpion's arm'd. Then thus my guide:
"Now need our way must turn few steps apart,
Far as to that ill beast, who couches there."
Thereat toward the right our downward course
We shap'd, and, better to escape the flame
And burning marle, ten paces on the verge
Proceeded. Soon as we to him arrive,
A little further on mine eye beholds
A tribe of spirits, seated on the sand
Near the wide chasm. Forthwith my master spake:
"That to the full thy knowledge may extend
Of all this round contains, go now, and mark
The mien these wear: but hold not long discourse.
Till thou returnest, I with him meantime
Will parley, that to us he may vouchsafe
The aid of his strong shoulders." Thus alone
Yet forward on the' extremity I pac'd
Of that seventh circle, where the mournful tribe
Were seated. At the eyes forth gush'd their pangs.
Against the vapours and the torrid soil
Alternately their shifting hands they plied.
Thus use the dogs in summer still to ply
Their jaws and feet by turns, when bitten sore
By gnats, or flies, or gadflies swarming round.
Noting the visages of some, who lay
Beneath the pelting of that dolorous fire,
One of them all I knew not; but perceiv'd,
That pendent from his neck each bore a pouch
With colours and with emblems various mark'd,
On which it seem'd as if their eye did feed.
And when amongst them looking round I came,
A yellow purse I saw with azure wrought,
That wore a lion's countenance and port.
Then still my sight pursuing its career,
Another I beheld, than blood more red.
A goose display of whiter wing than curd.
And one, who bore a fat and azure swine
Pictur'd on his white scrip, addressed me thus:
"What dost thou in this deep? Go now and know,
Since yet thou livest, that my neighbour here
Vitaliano on my left shall sit.
A Paduan with these Florentines am I.
Ofttimes they thunder in mine ears, exclaiming
'O haste that noble knight! he who the pouch
With the three beaks will bring!'" This said, he writh'd
The mouth, and loll'd the tongue out, like an ox
That licks his nostrils. I, lest longer stay
He ill might brook, who bade me stay not long,
Backward my steps from those sad spirits turn'd.
My guide already seated on the haunch
Of the fierce animal I found; and thus
He me encourag'd. "Be thou stout; be bold.
Down such a steep flight must we now descend!
Mount thou before: for that no power the tail
May have to harm thee, I will be i' th' midst."
As one, who hath an ague fit so near,
His nails already are turn'd blue, and he
Quivers all o'er, if he but eye the shade;
Such was my cheer at hearing of his words.
But shame soon interpos'd her threat, who makes
The servant bold in presence of his lord.
I settled me upon those shoulders huge,
And would have said, but that the words to aid
My purpose came not, "Look thou clasp me firm!"
But he whose succour then not first I prov'd,
Soon as I mounted, in his arms aloft,
Embracing, held me up, and thus he spake:
"Geryon! now move thee! be thy wheeling gyres
Of ample circuit, easy thy descent.
Think on th' unusual burden thou sustain'st."
As a small vessel, back'ning out from land,
Her station quits; so thence the monster loos'd,
And when he felt himself at large, turn'd round
There where the breast had been, his forked tail.
Thus, like an eel, outstretch'd at length he steer'd,
Gath'ring the air up with retractile claws.
Not greater was the dread when Phaeton
The reins let drop at random, whence high heaven,
Whereof signs yet appear, was wrapt in flames;
Nor when ill-fated Icarus perceiv'd,
By liquefaction of the scalded wax,
The trusted pennons loosen'd from his loins,
His sire exclaiming loud, "Ill way thou keep'st!"
Than was my dread, when round me on each part
The air I view'd, and other object none
Save the fell beast. He slowly sailing, wheels
His downward motion, unobserv'd of me,
But that the wind, arising to my face,
Breathes on me from below. Now on our right
I heard the cataract beneath us leap
With hideous crash; whence bending down to' explore,
New terror I conceiv'd at the steep plunge:
For flames I saw, and wailings smote mine ear:
So that all trembling close I crouch'd my limbs,
And then distinguish'd, unperceiv'd before,
By the dread torments that on every side
Drew nearer, how our downward course we wound.
As falcon, that hath long been on the wing,
But lure nor bird hath seen, while in despair
The falconer cries, "Ah me! thou stoop'st to earth!"
Wearied descends, and swiftly down the sky
In many an orbit wheels, then lighting sits
At distance from his lord in angry mood;
So Geryon lighting places us on foot
Low down at base of the deep-furrow'd rock,
And, of his burden there discharg'd, forthwith
Sprang forward, like an arrow from the string.