第十七篇“要注视这个有细长尾巴的野兽，他能够超越山岭，穿破墙壁，折断兵器；注视这个毒害全世界的怪物！”我的引路人这样开始对我说；他做着手势叫那野兽上岸，接近我们走着的石路之一端。于是那个“欺诈的丑像”向前移动了；他的头，他的胸部都上了岸，只有尾巴拖在后面。他的面孔是一个正直人的面孔，外貌非常和善，但是其余的身体就和蛇一样了。他有两个爪子，长看毛直到腋下；他的背上，胸下，腰部都画满纠缠的结的和各种的圈儿；就是鞑靼人或突厥人所用的布匹，也没有那么多颜色和花纹；就是阿拉科的织布机上面，也织不出来。他像一条划子，半段搁在岸上，半段还在河里；又像“贪吃的日耳曼人”那里的水獭，把尾巴放在水里钓鱼。这个最坏的野兽就是那样爬在石岸上，那石岸正拦住了赤热的沙地。他那细长尾巴在空中摇动，尾巴尖端似乎装着一把有毒的钩子，和蝎子的尾巴差不多。
老师对我说：“我们现在必须靠近这个凶恶的野兽，他正趴在那里呢。”于是我们降到右边，站着离开深渊有十步的光景，这一方面也不踏着沙，触着火。我们走近他的时候，看见一群坐在热沙上的灵魂。那时老师对我说：“你应当看遍这一圈，也可以去访问他们。但是，要少说几句话；等你回来的时候，我就要向这个野兽借用他强壮的背脊了。”
因此我顺着第七圈的边界走去，一路看到的，都是那些坐着的可怜人。从他们的眼睛里，喷出他们苦恼的泪水；在上面，要挥开那天火，在下面，要撇开那热沙；好比那夏天的狗了，不耐烦地用爪，用嘴去赶走他身上的蚤虱或苍蝇一般。我看看他们的脸，一个都不认识；但是我看见他们的胸前都挂着一个袋子，袋子有各种颜色，上面印着多种花纹，他们的眼睛似乎只盯着袋子。我看见一个黄色的袋子，上面画着一只蓝色的狮子。我走过去几步，又看见一个鲜红如血的袋子，上面画着一只洁白的鹅。最后有一个，他那银色的袋子上面画着蓝色的大肚子母野猪；他对我说：“你到这个潭子里来干什么？你快些回去罢；因为你是活人，请你带一个信儿给我的邻居维塔利阿诺，他就要来坐在我的左边。我是和这些佛罗伦萨人在一起的，帕多瓦人。我不时被他们叫声震得耳聋，他们喊道：“骑士的王来罢，他的袋子上面画着三只山羊呢！’”说罢他扭歪他的嘴，吐出他的舌头，像牛用舌头舐自己的鼻孔一样。
我恐怕停留的时间太久，我的引路人要怪我，所以我离开这群可诅咒的灵魂，急着回来。我看见我的引路人已经坐在那怪物的背上了；他对我说：”现在要显示出你的勇气，我们必须用这个做梯子，才可以下降；你坐在他的前部，我坐在他的中部，这样他的尾巴才不致伤害了你。”我听了他的这番话，好比得了疟疾一样，指甲已经变成灰白色了，全身已经发抖了，只等那寒冷的来临；但是，我要是胆怯，就太可耻了，英明的主人应该有勇敢的仆人呢。于是我爬上那怪物的阔肩上，我心里想说：“请你抱住我！”可是嘴里没有说出。但是，他从前有好几次救我脱险，现在我一坐上去，他早已用双手抱任我的腰了；于是他说：“格吕翁，现在你可以动了！把圈子兜得大一些，慢慢地下降。请你记牢。这次不是平常的重量。”
好比划子向后退一般，那怪物渐渐离开了堤岸；当他觉得全身松动以后，他掉转他的首尾，像鳗鱼一条，开始游泳，用他两个爪鼓动空气。从前法厄同放松缰绳的时候，因此而烧毁的一部分天空，现在还看得见呢，还有可怜的伊卡洛斯觉得蜡比羽落，他父亲叫喊“你走错路了！”的时候，我相信都没有我在这个时候的害怕，那时候我的四周除怪物以外一物不辨。他缓缓地游泳，兜着圈子，慢慢地下降，可是我都不知道，当时只觉得寒风打在我的脸上和脚下。在我的右边，我已经听见从下面传来飞瀑冲击的声音；因此我伸头下望，当时我更觉得害怕了。因为我看见下面的火光，听见下面的悲声了，于是我全身发抖，缩做一团。后来才看见，起初没有看见，我们的下降，我们的螺旋运动，使一切罪大恶极的都从四面接近我们了。好比一只老鹰，他飞得长久了，却没有寻着一只猎物，因此放鹰的叫道：“呀！你下来了么？”但是他疲倦了，他已经飞了几百个圈子，他只能惭愧地停止下来，远远地离开他的主人。格吕翁也是这样地降落下来，正在石壁的脚旁；后来，我们跳下他的背脊，他就如箭离弦，转眼就不见了。
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.