第三十一篇同样一个舌头，先是刺伤我，使我两颊绯红，其后又做了我的药品；我曾经听见别人说过，阿基琉斯父子所用的矛，也是有刺伤和医疗的功用呢。
我们扭转身体对着凄惨的沟，爬上环绕沟的堤岸。我们又走过堤岸，默默无言。这里不是黑夜，也不是白昼，因此我的目光看不到远处，但是我耳朵里听见很大的号角声；就是响雷也没有这般大；于是我的眼睛向着出声音的地方望去；在查理大帝圣功废尽，殿军大败的时候，罗兰的号角声也没有这样可怕。
我朝着那个方向望了去。我好像看见很多高塔，于是我说：“老师，这是什么地方？”他对我说：“因为你在昏暗之中看得太远了，你的想象错认了东西。你如果走近看，你就看得真切了，你就知道你的视觉为距离所欺骗了；那末我们跑快些吧，”于是他很亲热地拉着我的手，说：“在我们走近以前，免得实在的东西使你过于惊奇，我先告诉你，这些不是高塔，却是一群巨人；他们排列在潭子的周围，从脚到脐都在潭下面。”
如晨雾渐渐消散，远处被雾气迷蒙的东西渐渐显露清楚，同样，当我们渐渐走近深潭的边沿，目光透过浓密而昏暗的空气，我的错觉渐渐减低，可是我的恐惧也渐渐增高了。因为，像蒙泰雷乔尼城堡周围建立着岗楼一样，这里环立着很多可怕的巨人，尤比特大神从天上起一个霹雳，仍旧可以惊恐他门的，他们上半身都露在潭子外面。一个的面孔清清楚楚地出现在我的视线里，他的肩膀，他的胸膛和大部分的肚子、他的两只手臂垂着。
自从大自然舍弃制造这样的生物以来，战神失掉了强大有力的兵员，这件事真值得赞吧呢；她虽然后来又制造了象和鲸鱼之类，但是已经不那么不得可怕了，而且她也更加慎重合理了，因为智慧如果和邪恶、和野蛮结合在一起，就没有一个人类可以生存了。
这一个巨人的面孔，据我看来，是和罗马圣彼得寺的松子一样长，一样宽，其余的骨胳依此比例合成；所以那堤岸就像是他的裙子。露在堤岸外面的上身，就是三个弗里西亚人叠摞起来也触不到他的头发，因为从他的脖颈到深潭的边沿足有三丈长呢。
“拉费而、马以、亚美克、查皮、爱脱、亚而米。”那张野蛮的嘴开始这样叫喊，因为他的嘴不适合唱较和谐的诗篇。那时我的引路人对着他说：“蠢鬼！你还是用你的吹角吧，你就拿他出气吧，发泄你心里的什么恼怒。你的思绪乱了；在你的脖颈上有一根皮带子，在你宽大的胸膛前面挂看你的吹角呢。”于是他对我说：“他责备自己了；这是宁录，因为他那歪门邪道的计划，世界上于是有了一种不通行的语言。我们让他站在这里吧，跟他说话是没有用处的。因为他既听不懂别人的话，别人也听不懂他的话。”
我们于是转身向左边走去，行了一箭之地，我们看见第二个巨人，比前面一个更是可怕、更是长大。把他束缚在这里，我不知道这究竟是那一位主人的力量；实际是他的左臂在前，右臂在后，都用链条锁住，而且链条在他露着的身体上绕了五圈。我的引路人说：“这个傲谩的灵魂想和尤比特大神比力量，因此得着这个果报。厄菲阿尔特斯是他的名字；在巨人们威吓神灵的时候，他是最卖力的一个；那时乱动的臂膀，现在永远不动了。”于是我对他说：“假如可能的话，我希望我的眼睛对于无限大的布里阿留斯所认识呢。”他回答道：“安泰俄斯靠近身边了，你将看见他，他没有锁链，他能够说话，他将把我们送到万恶之渊。你所希望看见的那一个站在远处呢；他也被捆绑着，形态和这里的一个差不多，里一个差不多形状，不过面貌更加凶悍些罢了。”厄菲阿尔特斯听了这句话以后，他把身子摇晃，从来没有那一次地震能把一个高塔摇晃得这样厉害。那时我觉得他比死神还要可怕，如果我不知道他是被绑着，也许我吓死在那里了。
于是我们又向前走去，到了安泰俄斯身边；除头以外，他露在潭外的身子有五个张开臂膀的人排起来那么长。我的老师对他说：“你呀！在那荣幸的山谷里——那里后来西庇阿推翻了汉尼拔——你曾经捕捉了一千只狮子；众人相信，如果你帮助你的兄弟，加入抗神大战也许“地之诸子”可以获得胜利呢。请你不要蔑视我们，把我们放到结冰的科奇土斯湖上面。不要叫我们去请求提替俄斯和提佛乌斯；这一个人能够给你们所需要的东西呢；所以，请你弯一弯腰吧。不要歪着嘴唇来骂人。其实，他能够复活你在世的英名；他还活着，如果天下夺去他的恩惠太早，他的寿命还长呢。”
我的老师说完以后，安泰俄斯立刻把手臂伸出来赫拉克勒斯早已觉得他们的力量了，他把我的引路人握在手掌里。维吉尔觉得坐稳当了，他对我说：“你快些来吧，我可以抱住你。”于是我和他合成一团。
当一个人站立在斜塔卡里森达倾侧的一面，仰望着向前飘去的一朵白云，那时他感觉到的幻象正类似于这时安泰俄斯给我的，我注视他怎样弯腰，有一段时间我十分害怕，很懊悔没另择一条路径；但是他将我们轻轻地放到深渊之底，那里吞灭了卢奇菲罗和犹大；他并没有长久地弯着腰，他自己站了起来、好像船上竖起桅竿一样。
Had wounded me, that either cheek was stain'd,
Now minister'd my cure. So have I heard,
Achilles and his father's javelin caus'd
Pain first, and then the boon of health restor'd.
Turning our back upon the vale of woe,
W cross'd th' encircled mound in silence. There
Was twilight dim, that far long the gloom
Mine eye advanc'd not: but I heard a horn
Sounded aloud. The peal it blew had made
The thunder feeble. Following its course
The adverse way, my strained eyes were bent
On that one spot. So terrible a blast
Orlando blew not, when that dismal rout
O'erthrew the host of Charlemagne, and quench'd
His saintly warfare. Thitherward not long
My head was rais'd, when many lofty towers
Methought I spied. "Master," said I, "what land
Is this?" He answer'd straight: "Too long a space
Of intervening darkness has thine eye
To traverse: thou hast therefore widely err'd
In thy imagining. Thither arriv'd
Thou well shalt see, how distance can delude
The sense. A little therefore urge thee on."
Then tenderly he caught me by the hand;
"Yet know," said he, "ere farther we advance,
That it less strange may seem, these are not towers,
But giants. In the pit they stand immers'd,
Each from his navel downward, round the bank."
As when a fog disperseth gradually,
Our vision traces what the mist involves
Condens'd in air; so piercing through the gross
And gloomy atmosphere, as more and more
We near'd toward the brink, mine error fled,
And fear came o'er me. As with circling round
Of turrets, Montereggion crowns his walls,
E'en thus the shore, encompassing th' abyss,
Was turreted with giants, half their length
Uprearing, horrible, whom Jove from heav'n
Yet threatens, when his mutt'ring thunder rolls.
Of one already I descried the face,
Shoulders, and breast, and of the belly huge
Great part, and both arms down along his ribs.
All-teeming nature, when her plastic hand
Left framing of these monsters, did display
Past doubt her wisdom, taking from mad War
Such slaves to do his bidding; and if she
Repent her not of th' elephant and whale,
Who ponders well confesses her therein
Wiser and more discreet; for when brute force
And evil will are back'd with subtlety,
Resistance none avails. His visage seem'd
In length and bulk, as doth the pine, that tops
Saint Peter's Roman fane; and th' other bones
Of like proportion, so that from above
The bank, which girdled him below, such height
Arose his stature, that three Friezelanders
Had striv'n in vain to reach but to his hair.
Full thirty ample palms was he expos'd
Downward from whence a man his garments loops.
"Raphel bai ameth sabi almi,"
So shouted his fierce lips, which sweeter hymns
Became not; and my guide address'd him thus:
"O senseless spirit! let thy horn for thee
Interpret: therewith vent thy rage, if rage
Or other passion wring thee. Search thy neck,
There shalt thou find the belt that binds it on.
Wild spirit! lo, upon thy mighty breast
Where hangs the baldrick!" Then to me he spake:
"He doth accuse himself. Nimrod is this,
Through whose ill counsel in the world no more
One tongue prevails. But pass we on, nor waste
Our words; for so each language is to him,
As his to others, understood by none."
Then to the leftward turning sped we forth,
And at a sling's throw found another shade
Far fiercer and more huge. I cannot say
What master hand had girt him; but he held
Behind the right arm fetter'd, and before
The other with a chain, that fasten'd him
From the neck down, and five times round his form
Apparent met the wreathed links. "This proud one
Would of his strength against almighty Jove
Make trial," said my guide; "whence he is thus
Requited: Ephialtes him they call.
"Great was his prowess, when the giants brought
Fear on the gods: those arms, which then he piled,
Now moves he never." Forthwith I return'd:
"Fain would I, if 't were possible, mine eyes
Of Briareus immeasurable gain'd
Experience next." He answer'd: "Thou shalt see
Not far from hence Antaeus, who both speaks
And is unfetter'd, who shall place us there
Where guilt is at its depth. Far onward stands
Whom thou wouldst fain behold, in chains, and made
Like to this spirit, save that in his looks
More fell he seems." By violent earthquake rock'd
Ne'er shook a tow'r, so reeling to its base,
As Ephialtes. More than ever then
I dreaded death, nor than the terror more
Had needed, if I had not seen the cords
That held him fast. We, straightway journeying on,
Came to Antaeus, who five ells complete
Without the head, forth issued from the cave.
"O thou, who in the fortunate vale, that made
Great Scipio heir of glory, when his sword
Drove back the troop of Hannibal in flight,
Who thence of old didst carry for thy spoil
An hundred lions; and if thou hadst fought
In the high conflict on thy brethren's side,
Seems as men yet believ'd, that through thine arm
The sons of earth had conquer'd, now vouchsafe
To place us down beneath, where numbing cold
Locks up Cocytus. Force not that we crave
Or Tityus' help or Typhon's. Here is one
Can give what in this realm ye covet. Stoop
Therefore, nor scornfully distort thy lip.
He in the upper world can yet bestow
Renown on thee, for he doth live, and looks
For life yet longer, if before the time
Grace call him not unto herself." Thus spake
The teacher. He in haste forth stretch'd his hands,
And caught my guide. Alcides whilom felt
That grapple straighten'd score. Soon as my guide
Had felt it, he bespake me thus: "This way
That I may clasp thee;" then so caught me up,
That we were both one burden. As appears
The tower of Carisenda, from beneath
Where it doth lean, if chance a passing cloud
So sail across, that opposite it hangs,
Such then Antaeus seem'd, as at mine ease
I mark'd him stooping. I were fain at times
T' have pass'd another way. Yet in th' abyss,
That Lucifer with Judas low ingulfs,
lightly he plac'd us; nor there leaning stay'd,
But rose as in a bark the stately mast.