第十八篇在地狱中，有一块地方名叫马勒勃尔介，四周环绕着铁色的石壁。在这块地方的中心部分，深深地塌陷下去，像一个很大的井；对于井里的构造，以后再说。从井边向外到高高的石壁脚旁，是一块圆环地面，这地面分做十条沟。好像保护一座城墙，需要有几条沟环绕它；这里的地形仿佛就是这样。而且，从城门出去，需要几座桥跨在每条沟上。这里也是如此，从石壁直到井边，有岩石堆成的山脊，横过每条沟和他们的堤岸。我们从格吕翁背上下来，就是在这里，在石壁脚旁；诗人向着左边走去，我跟在后面。
在我的右边，我看见新的苦恼，新的刑罚，新的罪人，他们都装满在第一条沟里。在沟底那些罪人都是裸着身体；罪人分为两行：靠近这边的一行，面向着我们走来；靠近那边的一行，和我们同方向前进，不过步子大得多了。好比在那大赦之年，罗马到了众多观光者，在一座桥上，立下行路的规则：向着城堡往圣彼得去的走这一边；向着山来的走那一边，此地，在这一边和那一边，我看见许多他们魔鬼头上生角，手里拿着大鞭子，在那些灵魂的背上残酷地抽打着。只要一鞭打下去，罪人的脚会立即跳动起来，我相信没有那一个再敢尝试那第二鞭或第三鞭了！
当我向前走的时候，我的眼光遇见其中一个人，我马上说：“这一个人我从前看见过。”于是我站下来注视他，我和善的引导人也陪着我停下来，并且允许我略微后退几步。那个被鞭打的灵魂想躲避我的目光，忙把头低下，但是已经来不及了。我对他说：”你把眼睛望在地上就算完了么？假使你的一付苦丧的脸不欺骗我，那末你就是卡洽奈米科；你犯了什么罪才到此幽谷呢？”他答道：“我实在不愿意说；但是你的话使我回想起过去的时光，使我不得不吐露几句。引诱吉佐拉贝拉和侯爵通奸的是我，虽然外界有不准确的传闻。波伦亚人在这里的不止我一个，多着呢，就是在萨维纳和雷诺两河之间说”西巴’的也没有这里多，假使你要求我给你证据，那末请你回想到我们的贪心罢。”他正说到这里，那魔鬼打他一鞭子，对他说：“快走，龟奴，这里没有女人给你做买卖呀！”
我走近我的引路人；又走了几步，我们登上一块岩石；向右转，到了一座锯齿形的桥上，于是我们离开那永劫的石壁。当我们走在桥上的时候，灵魂们在桥洞下面穿过，我的引路人对我说：“站下，再瞧瞧另一行的罪人，因为方才他们和我们同方向行进，他们的面目还没有给你看见，”从古桥上，我们看见这边一行幽灵向我们走来，和去的一行同样受着鞭打。我没有问他，善良的老师对我说：“你看那走来的一个大灵魂，他似乎对于痛苦不洒眼。你看他的神气多么高贵！这个就是伊阿宋，他靠了自己的聪明和勇气，夺去了科尔喀斯的金羊毛。他经过楞诺斯岛的时候在那些凶悍的妇人杀死了全岛男人之后，用他的花言巧语、欺骗了少女许普西皮勒的心，她却先欺骗了众人。她怀了孕，他抛弃了她；就是这种罪恶，使他受这种刑罚；同时美狄亚也报了她的仇，其余和他有同样行为的都跟他在一起。关于第一沟，他的罪人，他的刑罚，我们看得够了。”
我们走过第一座桥，到了第二条堤岸，这条堤岸又是里面那座桥的支点。这里我们听见从第二条沟里的灵魂发出的悲声，他们打着喷嚏，自己打自己的嘴巴。堤岸上淌着他们的涎水，这都是从沟底下喷上来的，这些东西不但眼见不快，而且气味难闻。这条沟很深，除非登到第二座桥顶上，我们才能见他的底部。我们走到顶上，看到沟底，才知道那些罪人都好像在粪溺坑中。我竭力用眼力注视下面，看见一个满头污秽的人，不知道他是教士还是俗人。他叫道：“为什么你专门看着我，难道我比别人更加肮脏么？”我回答他道：“因为，假使我记得清楚，我曾经看见过你，那时你的头发是干着的；我知道你叫做殷特尔米奈伊，所以我要特别注意看你。”于是这个灵魂掌击他自己的头颅，说：“我的舌头从来不倦于阿谀奉承，因此我堕落在这一条沟里！”
当时我的引路人对我说：“请你略微看前一些，你可以望见一个污秽的蓬头散发的女人，她用她的指甲抓破她自己的面孔，一会儿蹲下去，一会儿又站起来：这个就是妓女塔伊斯。当她的情人对她说：‘你感谢我么？”她口答道：‘是呀，感谢到不可思议！’……够了，我们去罢。”
Call'd Malebolge, all of rock dark-stain'd
With hue ferruginous, e'en as the steep
That round it circling winds. ?Right in the midst
Of that abominable region, yawns
A spacious gulf profound, whereof the frame
Due time shall tell. ?The circle, that remains,
Throughout its round, between the gulf and base
Of the high craggy banks, successive forms
Ten trenches, in its hollow bottom sunk.
As where to guard the walls, full many a foss
Begirds some stately castle, sure defence
Affording to the space within, so here
Were model'd these; and as like fortresses
E'en from their threshold to the brink without,
Are flank'd with bridges; from the rock's low base
Thus flinty paths advanc'd, that 'cross the moles
And dikes, struck onward far as to the gulf,
That in one bound collected cuts them off.
Such was the place, wherein we found ourselves
From Geryon's back dislodg'd. The bard to left
Held on his way, and I behind him mov'd.
On our right hand new misery I saw,
New pains, new executioners of wrath,
That swarming peopled the first chasm. ?Below
Were naked sinners. ?Hitherward they came,
Meeting our faces from the middle point,
With us beyond but with a larger stride.
E'en thus the Romans, when the year returns
Of Jubilee, with better speed to rid
The thronging multitudes, their means devise
For such as pass the bridge; that on one side
All front toward the castle, and approach
Saint Peter's fane, on th' other towards the mount.
Each divers way along the grisly rock,
Horn'd demons I beheld, with lashes huge,
That on their back unmercifully smote.
Ah! how they made them bound at the first stripe!
None for the second waited nor the third.
Meantime as on I pass'd, one met my sight
Whom soon as view'd; "Of him," cried I, "not yet
Mine eye hath had his fill." ?With fixed gaze
I therefore scann'd him. ?Straight the teacher kind
Paus'd with me, and consented I should walk
Backward a space, and the tormented spirit,
Who thought to hide him, bent his visage down.
But it avail'd him nought; for I exclaim'd:
"Thou who dost cast thy eye upon the ground,
Unless thy features do belie thee much,
Venedico art thou. ?But what brings thee
Into this bitter seas'ning?" ?He replied:
"Unwillingly I answer to thy words.
But thy clear speech, that to my mind recalls
The world I once inhabited, constrains me.
Know then 'twas I who led fair Ghisola
To do the Marquis' will, however fame
The shameful tale have bruited. ?Nor alone
Bologna hither sendeth me to mourn
Rather with us the place is so o'erthrong'd
That not so many tongues this day are taught,
Betwixt the Reno and Savena's stream,
To answer SIPA in their country's phrase.
And if of that securer proof thou need,
Remember but our craving thirst for gold."
Him speaking thus, a demon with his thong
Struck, and exclaim'd, "Away! corrupter! here
Women are none for sale." ?Forthwith I join'd
My escort, and few paces thence we came
To where a rock forth issued from the bank.
That easily ascended, to the right
Upon its splinter turning, we depart
From those eternal barriers. When arriv'd,
Where underneath the gaping arch lets pass
The scourged souls: "Pause here," the teacher said,
"And let these others miserable, now
Strike on thy ken, faces not yet beheld,
For that together they with us have walk'd."
From the old bridge we ey'd the pack, who came
From th' other side towards us, like the rest,
Excoriate from the lash. ?My gentle guide,
By me unquestion'd, thus his speech resum'd:
"Behold that lofty shade, who this way tends,
And seems too woe-begone to drop a tear.
How yet the regal aspect he retains!
Jason is he, whose skill and prowess won
The ram from Colchos. To the Lemnian isle
His passage thither led him, when those bold
And pitiless women had slain all their males.
There he with tokens and fair witching words
Hypsipyle beguil'd, a virgin young,
Who first had all the rest herself beguil'd.
Impregnated he left her there forlorn.
Such is the guilt condemns him to this pain.
Here too Medea's inj'ries are avenged.
All bear him company, who like deceit
To his have practis'd. ?And thus much to know
Of the first vale suffice thee, and of those
Whom its keen torments urge." ?Now had we come
Where, crossing the next pier, the straighten'd path
Bestrides its shoulders to another arch.
Hence in the second chasm we heard the ghosts,
Who jibber in low melancholy sounds,
With wide-stretch'd nostrils snort, and on themselves
Smite with their palms. ?Upon the banks a scurf
From the foul steam condens'd, encrusting hung,
That held sharp combat with the sight and smell.
So hollow is the depth, that from no part,
Save on the summit of the rocky span,
Could I distinguish aught. ?Thus far we came;
And thence I saw, within the foss below,
A crowd immers'd in ordure, that appear'd
Draff of the human body. ?There beneath
Searching with eye inquisitive, I mark'd
One with his head so grim'd, 't were hard to deem,
If he were clerk or layman. ?Loud he cried:
"Why greedily thus bendest more on me,
Than on these other filthy ones, thy ken?"
"Because if true my mem'ry," I replied,
"I heretofore have seen thee with dry locks,
And thou Alessio art of Lucca sprung.
Therefore than all the rest I scan thee more."
Then beating on his brain these words he spake:
"Me thus low down my flatteries have sunk,
Wherewith I ne'er enough could glut my tongue."
My leader thus: "A little further stretch
Thy face, that thou the visage well mayst note
Of that besotted, sluttish courtezan,
Who there doth rend her with defiled nails,
Now crouching down, now risen on her feet.
"Thais is this, the harlot, whose false lip
Answer'd her doting paramour that ask'd,
'Thankest me much!'—'Say rather wondrously,'
And seeing this here satiate be our view."