续窃贼：人形和蛇形的混合；人形和蛇形的互变。
　　　
　　 那个盗贼说完之后，举起一只手，手指做着污辱别人的手势，叫道：“上帝呀！我敢冒犯你！”从这个时候起，蛇类已经成为我的朋友，因为有一条蛇紧紧缠绕着罪人的脖颈，似乎说：“我不愿意你再多说！”还有一条蛇缚住罪人的手臂，又紧围着他的上身，使他不能动弹。
　　　
　　 皮斯托亚！皮斯托亚！你为什么不把自己烧毁，化为灰烬呢？因为你藏纳污垢，他们的罪恶胜过了你的祖先。
　　　
　　 走遍了地狱的各圈，我没有看见一个灵魂敢这样公开反抗上帝，就是从忒拜城墙上面摔下去的那个，也没有到这样地步。
　　　
　　 那个罪入不敢多说，忽然逃走了；随后我看见一只肯陶尔，忿怒着跑来。叫道：“他在那里，那个混账东西？”就是在马屡马卑湿之地，我相信也不会有这么多蛇，可以和在肯陶尔屁股上的相比拟。在他的头后面肩上，有一条展翅站立着的飞龙，飞龙接触到东西立即着火。我的老师说：“这是卡库斯，他在阿汶提努斯山石之下，常常造成功血湖。他不跟他的兄弟们走一条路，因为他曾经用诈术偷窃了一批接近他的家畜，他就死在赫拉克勒斯的棍子下面；棍子打了他有一百下，可是他觉得只有十下。”
　　　
　　 当他这样说的时候，肯陶尔跑过去了；在我们下面，来了三个灵魂，那时我和我的引路人都没有在意，直到他们叫道：“你们是准？”于是我们停止了谈话，专心注视他们。我不认识他们；可是他们偶然提起了另一个的姓名；一个说：“钱法在那里躺着呢？”当时我为了使我的引路人用心听着，我把一个指头放在嘴唇上面。
　　　
　　 诸位读者，如果我后面写的不能使你们立刻相信，这也不能怪你们，因为我是亲眼目睹的人，我还不轻易相信呢。
　　　
　　 当我专注地看这三个罪人的时候，来了一条六只脚的蛇，窜到其中一个人的身上，紧紧地抱住他：中脚搂住他的腰，前脚抓住他的两臂，牙齿咬住他的面孔，后脚放在他的屁股两旁，尾巴从他的两腿之间，弯到他的背后。就是长青藤缠绕一棵树，也不如这个丑陋的怪物用肢体把那个灵魂身子缠得如此紧。稍后，他们粘合在一起了，好似两支蜡，受热融化了。这一块和那一块的颜色，和原来都不同了，好像一张纸，受热即将燃烧前变为褐色，与尚未生出的黑色以及已经消灭的白色都不一样。另外两个灵魂看着他们，大家都叫道：“哦！阿尔，你变成什么东西了！”看吧。说你是一个既不对，说你是两个也不成呀！”
　　　
　　 两个头现在已经变成一个：两头自行消灭，合并成一个混合体了。两只臂膀由四个零件合成的；蛇的后脚和灵魂的腿合成一家；其余如胸部，腹部，都变成不曾见过的奇形怪状。总而言之，以前各自的形状都消失了，在这个混合的肢体上面，似乎各个部位还存在，但是又不能分辨清楚；这个混合物慢步爬走了。
　　　
　　 好像在湿暑时候的蜥蜴，从这个草原跑到另一个草原，他从我们面前经过，如同闪电一般；这时有一条小蛇，铅色和黑色杂交。看上去很像胡椒粉，怒视着向其他两个灵魂冲来。这条蛇咬着其中之一个，正咬在我们最初吸收营养之处，以后他仍旧伏在地上。被咬的罪人看着他，一声不哼，甚至一动也不动，不停地打着呵欠。好似睡瘾或疟疾要降临一般。他看着蛇，蛇看着他；从一个的伤口里和另一个的嘴里，冒出一股浓烈的烟雾，他们的烟雾在空中会合了。
　　　
　　 请卢卡努斯住口吧，他曾经讲给我们可怜的萨贝卢斯和纳席底乌斯的故事，现在再听更加新奇的了。奥维德讲给我们卡德木斯和阿列图莎的故事，请他也住口吧；并不是因为在他的诗里把一个变为蛇，另一个变为泉水，使我产生了妒忌心；事实是因为他没有讲述过互变的实例：两样东西合在一起，这个变成了那个，那个变成了这个。
　　　
　　 这里的互变是这样：蛇的尾巴开了叉，而被咬的罪人合并了两条腿。合并的不留一点痕迹，开叉的形成了脚和腿的形状。一个的皮肤变得坚硬，别一个的变得柔软。我看见一个的手臂收缩到腋窝里去，另一个的前脚本来短到难于看见伸长出来，一个收缩得怎样快，另一个就伸长得怎样快。于是蛇的一付后脚拧成了男子们要遮盖起来的那份部份，罪人的那部分变成了两只脚，当时浓烈的烟掩蔽着他们，一个头上失掉了头发，另一个头上长了出来；一个卧倒下去，另一个站了起来；但是他们一直交换着可怕的眼神。站着的新人，把尖嘴向后收缩到太阳穴，剩余的肉变成了凸出的耳朵；留在前面的长出了一个大鼻子，嘴唇也放大到同样大。卧着的新蛇，把他的嘴向前尖突了出去，把他的耳朵移到头顶上去，真像是蜗牛的触角。从前说话用的舌头，现在分为两叉；从前分枝的，现在合并起来。这时浓烟也消失了。变为爬行动物的沿着沟底叫着逃走；另一个在他后面说着话，涎沫飞溅；稍后，扭转他的身体，向另一个灵魂说：“现在轮到卜奥索代替我爬行了！”
　　　
　　 这些是我在第七条沟里所看见的，全都在些变来变去。假如我的笔太烂漫了一点，那是因为太新奇的缘故，是否可以得到诸位读者的原谅。
　　　
　　 我的眼睛已经疲惫了，我的精神已经焕散了，但是在这些逃窜的灵魂之中，我还认得清普乔：这是原来三个灵魂之中没有变化的一个；至于这一个最近变了人形的，他使加维勒人流泪。

　　WHEN he had spoke, the sinner rais'd his hands
　　Pointed in mockery, and cried: "Take them, God!
　　I level them at thee!" From that day forth
　　The serpents were my friends; for round his neck
　　One of then rolling twisted, as it said,
　　"Be silent, tongue!" Another to his arms
　　Upgliding, tied them, riveting itself
　　So close, it took from them the power to move.
　　
　　Pistoia! Ah Pistoia! why dost doubt
　　To turn thee into ashes, cumb'ring earth
　　No longer, since in evil act so far
　　Thou hast outdone thy seed? I did not mark,
　　Through all the gloomy circles of the' abyss,
　　Spirit, that swell'd so proudly 'gainst his God,
　　Not him, who headlong fell from Thebes. He fled,
　　Nor utter'd more; and after him there came
　　A centaur full of fury, shouting, "Where
　　Where is the caitiff?" On Maremma's marsh
　　Swarm not the serpent tribe, as on his haunch
　　They swarm'd, to where the human face begins.
　　Behind his head upon the shoulders lay,
　　With open wings, a dragon breathing fire
　　On whomsoe'er he met. To me my guide:
　　"Cacus is this, who underneath the rock
　　Of Aventine spread oft a lake of blood.
　　He, from his brethren parted, here must tread
　　A different journey, for his fraudful theft
　　Of the great herd, that near him stall'd; whence found
　　His felon deeds their end, beneath the mace
　　Of stout Alcides, that perchance laid on
　　A hundred blows, and not the tenth was felt."
　　
　　While yet he spake, the centaur sped away:
　　And under us three spirits came, of whom
　　Nor I nor he was ware, till they exclaim'd;
　　"Say who are ye?" We then brake off discourse,
　　Intent on these alone. I knew them not;
　　But, as it chanceth oft, befell, that one
　　Had need to name another. "Where," said he,
　　"Doth Cianfa lurk?" I, for a sign my guide
　　Should stand attentive, plac'd against my lips
　　The finger lifted. If, O reader! now
　　Thou be not apt to credit what I tell,
　　No marvel; for myself do scarce allow
　　The witness of mine eyes. But as I looked
　　Toward them, lo! a serpent with six feet
　　Springs forth on one, and fastens full upon him:
　　His midmost grasp'd the belly, a forefoot
　　Seiz'd on each arm (while deep in either cheek
　　He flesh'd his fangs); the hinder on the thighs
　　Were spread, 'twixt which the tail inserted curl'd
　　Upon the reins behind. Ivy ne'er clasp'd
　　A dodder'd oak, as round the other's limbs
　　The hideous monster intertwin'd his own.
　　Then, as they both had been of burning wax,
　　Each melted into other, mingling hues,
　　That which was either now was seen no more.
　　Thus up the shrinking paper, ere it burns,
　　A brown tint glides, not turning yet to black,
　　And the clean white expires. The other two
　　Look'd on exclaiming: "Ah, how dost thou change,
　　Agnello! See! Thou art nor double now,
　　
　　
　　"Nor only one." The two heads now became
　　One, and two figures blended in one form
　　Appear'd, where both were lost. Of the four lengths
　　Two arms were made: the belly and the chest
　　The thighs and legs into such members chang'd,
　　As never eye hath seen. Of former shape
　　All trace was vanish'd. Two yet neither seem'd
　　That image miscreate, and so pass'd on
　　With tardy steps. As underneath the scourge
　　Of the fierce dog-star, that lays bare the fields,
　　Shifting from brake to brake, the lizard seems
　　A flash of lightning, if he thwart the road,
　　So toward th' entrails of the other two
　　Approaching seem'd, an adder all on fire,
　　As the dark pepper-grain, livid and swart.
　　In that part, whence our life is nourish'd first,
　　One he transpierc'd; then down before him fell
　　Stretch'd out. The pierced spirit look'd on him
　　But spake not; yea stood motionless and yawn'd,
　　As if by sleep or fev'rous fit assail'd.
　　He ey'd the serpent, and the serpent him.
　　One from the wound, the other from the mouth
　　Breath'd a thick smoke, whose vap'ry columns join'd.
　　
　　Lucan in mute attention now may hear,
　　Nor thy disastrous fate, Sabellus! tell,
　　Nor shine, Nasidius! Ovid now be mute.
　　What if in warbling fiction he record
　　Cadmus and Arethusa, to a snake
　　Him chang'd, and her into a fountain clear,
　　I envy not; for never face to face
　　Two natures thus transmuted did he sing,
　　Wherein both shapes were ready to assume
　　The other's substance. They in mutual guise
　　So answer'd, that the serpent split his train
　　Divided to a fork, and the pierc'd spirit
　　Drew close his steps together, legs and thighs
　　Compacted, that no sign of juncture soon
　　Was visible: the tail disparted took
　　The figure which the spirit lost, its skin
　　Soft'ning, his indurated to a rind.
　　The shoulders next I mark'd, that ent'ring join'd
　　The monster's arm-pits, whose two shorter feet
　　So lengthen'd, as the other's dwindling shrunk.
　　The feet behind then twisting up became
　　That part that man conceals, which in the wretch
　　Was cleft in twain. While both the shadowy smoke
　　With a new colour veils, and generates
　　Th' excrescent pile on one, peeling it off
　　From th' other body, lo! upon his feet
　　One upright rose, and prone the other fell.
　　Not yet their glaring and malignant lamps
　　Were shifted, though each feature chang'd beneath.
　　Of him who stood erect, the mounting face
　　Retreated towards the temples, and what there
　　Superfluous matter came, shot out in ears
　　From the smooth cheeks, the rest, not backward dragg'd,
　　Of its excess did shape the nose; and swell'd
　　Into due size protuberant the lips.
　　He, on the earth who lay, meanwhile extends
　　His sharpen'd visage, and draws down the ears
　　Into the head, as doth the slug his horns.
　　His tongue continuous before and apt
　　For utt'rance, severs; and the other's fork
　　Closing unites. That done the smoke was laid.
　　The soul, transform'd into the brute, glides off,
　　Hissing along the vale, and after him
　　The other talking sputters; but soon turn'd
　　His new-grown shoulders on him, and in few
　　Thus to another spake: "Along this path
　　Crawling, as I have done, speed Buoso now!"
　　
　　So saw I fluctuate in successive change
　　Th' unsteady ballast of the seventh hold:
　　And here if aught my tongue have swerv'd, events
　　So strange may be its warrant. O'er mine eyes
　　Confusion hung, and on my thoughts amaze.
　　
　　Yet 'scap'd they not so covertly, but well
　　I mark'd Sciancato: he alone it was
　　Of the three first that came, who chang'd not: thou,
　　The other's fate, Gaville, still dost rue.