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Title: Hell
       The Inferno from The Divine Comedy

Author: Dante Alighieri

Release Date: August 7, 2004 [EBook #1005]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELL ***




Produced by Judith Smith and Natalie Salter




HELL

OR THE INFERNO FROM THE DIVINE COMEDY

BY

DANTE ALIGHIERI



TRANSLATED BY

THE REV. H. F. CARY, M.A.





HELL


Cantos 1 - 34



CANTO I


IN the midway of this our mortal life,
I found me in a gloomy wood, astray
Gone from the path direct: and e'en to tell
It were no easy task, how savage wild
That forest, how robust and rough its growth,
Which to remember only, my dismay
Renews, in bitterness not far from death.
Yet to discourse of what there good befell,
All else will I relate discover'd there.
How first I enter'd it I scarce can say,
Such sleepy dullness in that instant weigh'd
My senses down, when the true path I left,
But when a mountain's foot I reach'd, where clos'd
The valley, that had pierc'd my heart with dread,
I look'd aloft, and saw his shoulders broad
Already vested with that planet's beam,
Who leads all wanderers safe through every way.

Then was a little respite to the fear,
That in my heart's recesses deep had lain,
All of that night, so pitifully pass'd:
And as a man, with difficult short breath,
Forespent with toiling, 'scap'd from sea to shore,
Turns to the perilous wide waste, and stands
At gaze; e'en so my spirit, that yet fail'd
Struggling with terror, turn'd to view the straits,
That none hath pass'd and liv'd.  My weary frame
After short pause recomforted, again
I journey'd on over that lonely steep,

The hinder foot still firmer.  Scarce the ascent
Began, when, lo! a panther, nimble, light,
And cover'd with a speckled skin, appear'd,
Nor, when it saw me, vanish'd, rather strove
To check my onward going; that ofttimes
With purpose to retrace my steps I turn'd.

The hour was morning's prime, and on his way
Aloft the sun ascended with those stars,
That with him rose, when Love divine first mov'd
Those its fair works: so that with joyous hope
All things conspir'd to fill me, the gay skin
Of that swift animal, the matin dawn
And the sweet season.  Soon that joy was chas'd,
And by new dread succeeded, when in view
A lion came, 'gainst me, as it appear'd,

With his head held aloft and hunger-mad,
That e'en the air was fear-struck.  A she-wolf
Was at his heels, who in her leanness seem'd
Full of all wants, and many a land hath made
Disconsolate ere now.  She with such fear
O'erwhelmed me, at the sight of her appall'd,
That of the height all hope I lost.  As one,
Who with his gain elated, sees the time
When all unwares is gone, he inwardly
Mourns with heart-griping anguish; such was I,
Haunted by that fell beast, never at peace,
Who coming o'er against me, by degrees
Impell'd me where the sun in silence rests.

While to the lower space with backward step
I fell, my ken discern'd the form one of one,
Whose voice seem'd faint through long disuse of speech.
When him in that great desert I espied,
"Have mercy on me!" cried I out aloud,
"Spirit! or living man! what e'er thou be!"

He answer'd: "Now not man, man once I was,
And born of Lombard parents, Mantuana both
By country, when the power of Julius yet
Was scarcely firm.  At Rome my life was past
Beneath the mild Augustus, in the time
Of fabled deities and false.  A bard
Was I, and made Anchises' upright son
The subject of my song, who came from Troy,
When the flames prey'd on Ilium's haughty towers.
But thou, say wherefore to such perils past
Return'st thou?  wherefore not this pleasant mount
Ascendest, cause and source of all delight?"
"And art thou then that Virgil, that well-spring,
From which such copious floods of eloquence
Have issued?"  I with front abash'd replied.
"Glory and light of all the tuneful train!
May it avail me that I long with zeal
Have sought thy volume, and with love immense
Have conn'd it o'er.  My master thou and guide!
Thou he from whom alone I have deriv'd
That style, which for its beauty into fame
Exalts me.  See the beast, from whom I fled.
O save me from her, thou illustrious sage!"

"For every vein and pulse throughout my frame
She hath made tremble."  He, soon as he saw
That I was weeping, answer'd, "Thou must needs
Another way pursue, if thou wouldst 'scape
From out that savage wilderness.  This beast,
At whom thou criest, her way will suffer none
To pass, and no less hindrance makes than death:
So bad and so accursed in her kind,
That never sated is her ravenous will,
Still after food more craving than before.
To many an animal in wedlock vile
She fastens, and shall yet to many more,
Until that greyhound come, who shall destroy
Her with sharp pain.  He will not life support
By earth nor its base metals, but by love,
Wisdom, and virtue, and his land shall be
The land 'twixt either Feltro.  In his might
Shall safety to Italia's plains arise,
For whose fair realm, Camilla, virgin pure,
Nisus, Euryalus, and Turnus fell.
He with incessant chase through every town
Shall worry, until he to hell at length
Restore her, thence by envy first let loose.
I for thy profit pond'ring now devise,
That thou mayst follow me, and I thy guide
Will lead thee hence through an eternal space,
Where thou shalt hear despairing shrieks, and see
Spirits of old tormented, who invoke
A second death; and those next view, who dwell
Content in fire, for that they hope to come,
Whene'er the time may be, among the blest,
Into whose regions if thou then desire
T' ascend, a spirit worthier then I
Must lead thee, in whose charge, when I depart,
Thou shalt be left: for that Almighty King,
Who reigns above, a rebel to his law,
Adjudges me, and therefore hath decreed,
That to his city none through me should come.
He in all parts hath sway; there rules, there holds
His citadel and throne.  O happy those,
Whom there he chooses!"  I to him in few:
"Bard! by that God, whom thou didst not adore,
I do beseech thee (that this ill and worse
I may escape) to lead me, where thou saidst,
That I Saint Peter's gate may view, and those
Who as thou tell'st, are in such dismal plight."

Onward he mov'd, I close his steps pursu'd.




CANTO II

NOW was the day departing, and the air,
Imbrown'd with shadows, from their toils releas'd
All animals on earth; and I alone
Prepar'd myself the conflict to sustain,
Both of sad pity, and that perilous road,
Which my unerring memory shall retrace.

O Muses!  O high genius! now vouchsafe
Your aid!  O mind! that all I saw hast kept
Safe in a written record, here thy worth
And eminent endowments come to proof.

I thus began: "Bard! thou who art my guide,
Consider well, if virtue be in me
Sufficient, ere to this high enterprise
Thou trust me.  Thou hast told that Silvius' sire,
Yet cloth'd in corruptible flesh, among
Th' immortal tribes had entrance, and was there
Sensible present.  Yet if heaven's great Lord,
Almighty foe to ill, such favour shew'd,
In contemplation of the high effect,
Both what and who from him should issue forth,
It seems in reason's judgment well deserv'd:
Sith he of Rome, and of Rome's empire wide,
In heaven's empyreal height was chosen sire:
Both which, if truth be spoken, were ordain'd
And 'stablish'd for the holy place, where sits
Who to great Peter's sacred chair succeeds.
He from this journey, in thy song renown'd,
Learn'd things, that to his victory gave rise
And to the papal robe.  In after-times
The chosen vessel also travel'd there,
To bring us back assurance in that faith,
Which is the entrance to salvation's way.
But I, why should I there presume?  or who
Permits it?  not, Aeneas I nor Paul.
Myself I deem not worthy, and none else
Will deem me.  I, if on this voyage then
I venture, fear it will in folly end.
Thou, who art wise, better my meaning know'st,
Than I can speak."  As one, who unresolves
What he hath late resolv'd, and with new thoughts
Changes his purpose, from his first intent
Remov'd; e'en such was I on that dun coast,
Wasting in thought my enterprise, at first
So eagerly embrac'd.  "If right thy words
I scan," replied that shade magnanimous,
"Thy soul is by vile fear assail'd, which oft
So overcasts a man, that he recoils
From noblest resolution, like a beast
At some false semblance in the twilight gloom.
That from this terror thou mayst free thyself,
I will instruct thee why I came, and what
I heard in that same instant, when for thee
Grief touch'd me first.  I was among the tribe,
Who rest suspended, when a dame, so blest
And lovely, I besought her to command,
Call'd me; her eyes were brighter than the star
Of day; and she with gentle voice and soft
Angelically tun'd her speech address'd:
"O courteous shade of Mantua! thou whose fame
Yet lives, and shall live long as nature lasts!
A friend, not of my fortune but myself,
On the wide desert in his road has met
Hindrance so great, that he through fear has turn'd.
Now much I dread lest he past help have stray'd,
And I be ris'n too late for his relief,
From what in heaven of him I heard.  Speed now,
And by thy eloquent persuasive tongue,
And by all means for his deliverance meet,
Assist him.  So to me will comfort spring.
I who now bid thee on this errand forth
Am Beatrice; from a place I come

(Note: Beatrice.  I use this word, as it is
pronounced in the Italian, as consisting of four
syllables, of which the third is a long one.)

Revisited with joy.  Love brought me thence,
Who prompts my speech.  When in my Master's sight
I stand, thy praise to him I oft will tell."

She then was silent, and I thus began:
"O Lady! by whose influence alone,
Mankind excels whatever is contain'd
Within that heaven which hath the smallest orb,
So thy command delights me, that to obey,
If it were done already, would seem late.
No need hast thou farther to speak thy will;
Yet tell the reason, why thou art not loth
To leave that ample space, where to return
Thou burnest, for this centre here beneath."

She then: "Since thou so deeply wouldst inquire,
I will instruct thee briefly, why no dread
Hinders my entrance here.  Those things alone
Are to be fear'd, whence evil may proceed,
None else, for none are terrible beside.
I am so fram'd by God, thanks to his grace!
That any suff'rance of your misery
Touches me not, nor flame of that fierce fire
Assails me.  In high heaven a blessed dame
Besides, who mourns with such effectual grief
That hindrance, which I send thee to remove,
That God's stern judgment to her will inclines."
To Lucia calling, her she thus bespake:
"Now doth thy faithful servant need thy aid
And I commend him to thee."  At her word
Sped Lucia, of all cruelty the foe,
And coming to the place, where I abode
Seated with Rachel, her of ancient days,
She thus address'd me: "Thou true praise of God!
Beatrice! why is not thy succour lent
To him, who so much lov'd thee, as to leave
For thy sake all the multitude admires?
Dost thou not hear how pitiful his wail,
Nor mark the death, which in the torrent flood,
Swoln mightier than a sea, him struggling holds?"
"Ne'er among men did any with such speed
Haste to their profit, flee from their annoy,
As when these words were spoken, I came here,
Down from my blessed seat, trusting the force
Of thy pure eloquence, which thee, and all
Who well have mark'd it, into honour brings."

"When she had ended, her bright beaming eyes
Tearful she turn'd aside; whereat I felt
Redoubled zeal to serve thee.  As she will'd,
Thus am I come: I sav'd thee from the beast,
Who thy near way across the goodly mount
Prevented.  What is this comes o'er thee then?
Why, why dost thou hang back?  why in thy breast
Harbour vile fear?  why hast not courage there
And noble daring?  Since three maids so blest
Thy safety plan, e'en in the court of heaven;
And so much certain good my words forebode."

As florets, by the frosty air of night
Bent down and clos'd, when day has blanch'd their leaves,
Rise all unfolded on their spiry stems;
So was my fainting vigour new restor'd,
And to my heart such kindly courage ran,
That I as one undaunted soon replied:
"O full of pity she, who undertook
My succour! and thou kind who didst perform
So soon her true behest!  With such desire
Thou hast dispos'd me to renew my voyage,
That my first purpose fully is resum'd.
Lead on: one only will is in us both.
Thou art my guide, my master thou, and lord."

So spake I; and when he had onward mov'd,
I enter'd on the deep and woody way.




CANTO III

"THROUGH me you pass into the city of woe:
Through me you pass into eternal pain:
Through me among the people lost for aye.
Justice the founder of my fabric mov'd:
To rear me was the task of power divine,
Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.
Before me things create were none, save things
Eternal, and eternal I endure.

"All hope abandon ye who enter here."

Such characters in colour dim I mark'd
Over a portal's lofty arch inscrib'd:
Whereat I thus: "Master, these words import
Hard meaning."  He as one prepar'd replied:
"Here thou must all distrust behind thee leave;
Here be vile fear extinguish'd. We are come
Where I have told thee we shall see the souls
To misery doom'd, who intellectual good
Have lost."  And when his hand he had stretch'd forth
To mine, with pleasant looks, whence I was cheer'd,
Into that secret place he led me on.

Here sighs with lamentations and loud moans
Resounded through the air pierc'd by no star,
That e'en I wept at entering.  Various tongues,
Horrible languages, outcries of woe,
Accents of anger, voices deep and hoarse,
With hands together smote that swell'd the sounds,
Made up a tumult, that for ever whirls
Round through that air with solid darkness stain'd,
Like to the sand that in the whirlwind flies.

I then, with error yet encompass'd, cried:
"O master!  What is this I hear?  What race
Are these, who seem so overcome with woe?"

He thus to me: "This miserable fate
Suffer the wretched souls of those, who liv'd
Without or praise or blame, with that ill band
Of angels mix'd, who nor rebellious prov'd
Nor yet were true to God, but for themselves
Were only.  From his bounds Heaven drove them forth,
Not to impair his lustre, nor the depth
Of Hell receives them, lest th' accursed tribe
Should glory thence with exultation vain."

I then: "Master! what doth aggrieve them thus,
That they lament so loud?"  He straight replied:
"That will I tell thee briefly.  These of death
No hope may entertain: and their blind life
So meanly passes, that all other lots
They envy.  Fame of them the world hath none,
Nor suffers; mercy and justice scorn them both.
Speak not of them, but look, and pass them by."

And I, who straightway look'd, beheld a flag,
Which whirling ran around so rapidly,
That it no pause obtain'd: and following came
Such a long train of spirits, I should ne'er
Have thought, that death so many had despoil'd.

When some of these I recogniz'd, I saw
And knew the shade of him, who to base fear
Yielding, abjur'd his high estate.  Forthwith
I understood for certain this the tribe
Of those ill spirits both to God displeasing
And to his foes.  These wretches, who ne'er lived,
Went on in nakedness, and sorely stung
By wasps and hornets, which bedew'd their cheeks
With blood, that mix'd with tears dropp'd to their feet,
And by disgustful worms was gather'd there.

Then looking farther onwards I beheld
A throng upon the shore of a great stream:
Whereat I thus: "Sir! grant me now to know
Whom here we view, and whence impell'd they seem
So eager to pass o'er, as I discern
Through the blear light?"  He thus to me in few:
"This shalt thou know, soon as our steps arrive
Beside the woeful tide of Acheron."

Then with eyes downward cast and fill'd with shame,
Fearing my words offensive to his ear,
Till we had reach'd the river, I from speech
Abstain'd.  And lo! toward us in a bark
Comes on an old man hoary white with eld,

Crying, "Woe to you wicked spirits! hope not
Ever to see the sky again.  I come
To take you to the other shore across,
Into eternal darkness, there to dwell
In fierce heat and in ice.  And thou, who there
Standest, live spirit! get thee hence, and leave
These who are dead."  But soon as he beheld
I left them not, "By other way," said he,
"By other haven shalt thou come to shore,
Not by this passage; thee a nimbler boat
Must carry."  Then to him thus spake my guide:
"Charon! thyself torment not: so 't is will'd,
Where will and power are one: ask thou no more."

Straightway in silence fell the shaggy cheeks
Of him the boatman o'er the livid lake,
Around whose eyes glar'd wheeling flames.  Meanwhile
Those spirits, faint and naked, color chang'd,
And gnash'd their teeth, soon as the cruel words
They heard.  God and their parents they blasphem'd,
The human kind, the place, the time, and seed
That did engender them and give them birth.

Then all together sorely wailing drew
To the curs'd strand, that every man must pass
Who fears not God.  Charon, demoniac form,
With eyes of burning coal, collects them all,
Beck'ning, and each, that lingers, with his oar
Strikes.  As fall off the light autumnal leaves,
One still another following, till the bough
Strews all its honours on the earth beneath;

E'en in like manner Adam's evil brood
Cast themselves one by one down from the shore,
Each at a beck, as falcon at his call.

Thus go they over through the umber'd wave,
And ever they on the opposing bank
Be landed, on this side another throng
Still gathers.  "Son," thus spake the courteous guide,
"Those, who die subject to the wrath of God,
All here together come from every clime,
And to o'erpass the river are not loth:
For so heaven's justice goads them on, that fear
Is turn'd into desire.  Hence ne'er hath past
Good spirit.  If of thee Charon complain,
Now mayst thou know the import of his words."

This said, the gloomy region trembling shook
So terribly, that yet with clammy dews
Fear chills my brow.  The sad earth gave a blast,
That, lightening, shot forth a vermilion flame,
Which all my senses conquer'd quite, and I
Down dropp'd, as one with sudden slumber seiz'd.




CANTO IV

BROKE the deep slumber in my brain a crash
Of heavy thunder, that I shook myself,
As one by main force rous'd.  Risen upright,
My rested eyes I mov'd around, and search'd
With fixed ken to know what place it was,
Wherein I stood.  For certain on the brink
I found me of the lamentable vale,
The dread abyss, that joins a thund'rous sound
Of plaints innumerable.  Dark and deep,
And thick with clouds o'erspread, mine eye in vain
Explor'd its bottom, nor could aught discern.

"Now let us to the blind world there beneath
Descend;" the bard began all pale of look:
"I go the first, and thou shalt follow next."

Then I his alter'd hue perceiving, thus:
"How may I speed, if thou yieldest to dread,
Who still art wont to comfort me in doubt?"

He then: "The anguish of that race below
With pity stains my cheek, which thou for fear
Mistakest.  Let us on.  Our length of way
Urges to haste."  Onward, this said, he mov'd;
And ent'ring led me with him on the bounds
Of the first circle, that surrounds th' abyss.
Here, as mine ear could note, no plaint was heard
Except of sighs, that made th' eternal air
Tremble, not caus'd by tortures, but from grief
Felt by those multitudes, many and vast,
Of men, women, and infants.  Then to me
The gentle guide: "Inquir'st thou not what spirits
Are these, which thou beholdest?  Ere thou pass
Farther, I would thou know, that these of sin
Were blameless; and if aught they merited,
It profits not, since baptism was not theirs,
The portal to thy faith.  If they before
The Gospel liv'd, they serv'd not God aright;
And among such am I. For these defects,
And for no other evil, we are lost;"

"Only so far afflicted, that we live
Desiring without hope."  So grief assail'd
My heart at hearing this, for well I knew
Suspended in that Limbo many a soul
Of mighty worth.  "O tell me, sire rever'd!
Tell me, my master!"  I began through wish
Of full assurance in that holy faith,
Which vanquishes all error; "say, did e'er
Any, or through his own or other's merit,
Come forth from thence, whom afterward was blest?"

Piercing the secret purport of my speech,
He answer'd: "I was new to that estate,
When I beheld a puissant one arrive
Amongst us, with victorious trophy crown'd.
He forth the shade of our first parent drew,
Abel his child, and Noah righteous man,
Of Moses lawgiver for faith approv'd,
Of patriarch Abraham, and David king,
Israel with his sire and with his sons,
Nor without Rachel whom so hard he won,
And others many more, whom he to bliss
Exalted.  Before these, be thou assur'd,
No spirit of human kind was ever sav'd."

We, while he spake, ceas'd not our onward road,
Still passing through the wood; for so I name
Those spirits thick beset.  We were not far
On this side from the summit, when I kenn'd
A flame, that o'er the darken'd hemisphere
Prevailing shin'd.  Yet we a little space
Were distant, not so far but I in part
Discover'd, that a tribe in honour high
That place possess'd.  "O thou, who every art
And science valu'st! who are these, that boast
Such honour, separate from all the rest?"

He answer'd: "The renown of their great names
That echoes through your world above, acquires
Favour in heaven, which holds them thus advanc'd."
Meantime a voice I heard: "Honour the bard
Sublime! his shade returns that left us late!"
No sooner ceas'd the sound, than I beheld
Four mighty spirits toward us bend their steps,
Of semblance neither sorrowful nor glad.

When thus my master kind began: "Mark him,
Who in his right hand bears that falchion keen,
The other three preceding, as their lord.
This is that Homer, of all bards supreme:
Flaccus the next in satire's vein excelling;
The third is Naso; Lucan is the last.
Because they all that appellation own,
With which the voice singly accosted me,
Honouring they greet me thus, and well they judge."

So I beheld united the bright school
Of him the monarch of sublimest song,
That o'er the others like an eagle soars.
When they together short discourse had held,
They turn'd to me, with salutation kind
Beck'ning me; at the which my master smil'd:
Nor was this all; but greater honour still
They gave me, for they made me of their tribe;
And I was sixth amid so learn'd a band.

Far as the luminous beacon on we pass'd
Speaking of matters, then befitting well
To speak, now fitter left untold.  At foot
Of a magnificent castle we arriv'd,
Seven times with lofty walls begirt, and round
Defended by a pleasant stream.  O'er this
As o'er dry land we pass'd.  Next through seven gates
I with those sages enter'd, and we came
Into a mead with lively verdure fresh.

There dwelt a race, who slow their eyes around
Majestically mov'd, and in their port
Bore eminent authority; they spake
Seldom, but all their words were tuneful sweet.

We to one side retir'd, into a place
Open and bright and lofty, whence each one
Stood manifest to view.  Incontinent
There on the green enamel of the plain
Were shown me the great spirits, by whose sight
I am exalted in my own esteem.

Electra there I saw accompanied
By many, among whom Hector I knew,
Anchises' pious son, and with hawk's eye
Caesar all arm'd, and by Camilla there
Penthesilea.  On the other side
Old King Latinus, seated by his child
Lavinia, and that Brutus I beheld,
Who Tarquin chas'd, Lucretia, Cato's wife
Marcia, with Julia and Cornelia there;
And sole apart retir'd, the Soldan fierce.

Then when a little more I rais'd my brow,
I spied the master of the sapient throng,
Seated amid the philosophic train.
Him all admire, all pay him rev'rence due.
There Socrates and Plato both I mark'd,
Nearest to him in rank; Democritus,
Who sets the world at chance, Diogenes,
With Heraclitus, and Empedocles,
And Anaxagoras, and Thales sage,
Zeno, and Dioscorides well read
In nature's secret lore.  Orpheus I mark'd
And Linus, Tully and moral Seneca,
Euclid and Ptolemy, Hippocrates,
Galenus, Avicen, and him who made
That commentary vast, Averroes.

Of all to speak at full were vain attempt;
For my wide theme so urges, that ofttimes
My words fall short of what bechanc'd.  In two
The six associates part.  Another way
My sage guide leads me, from that air serene,
Into a climate ever vex'd with storms:
And to a part I come where no light shines.




CANTO V

FROM the first circle I descended thus
Down to the second, which, a lesser space
Embracing, so much more of grief contains
Provoking bitter moans.  There, Minos stands
Grinning with ghastly feature: he, of all
Who enter, strict examining the crimes,

Gives sentence, and dismisses them beneath,
According as he foldeth him around:
For when before him comes th' ill fated soul,
It all confesses; and that judge severe
Of sins, considering what place in hell
Suits the transgression, with his tail so oft
Himself encircles, as degrees beneath
He dooms it to descend.  Before him stand
Always a num'rous throng; and in his turn
Each one to judgment passing, speaks, and hears
His fate, thence downward to his dwelling hurl'd.

"O thou! who to this residence of woe
Approachest?"  when he saw me coming, cried
Minos, relinquishing his dread employ,
"Look how thou enter here; beware in whom
Thou place thy trust; let not the entrance broad
Deceive thee to thy harm."  To him my guide:
"Wherefore exclaimest?  Hinder not his way
By destiny appointed; so 'tis will'd
Where will and power are one.  Ask thou no more."

Now 'gin the rueful wailings to be heard.
Now am I come where many a plaining voice
Smites on mine ear.  Into a place I came
Where light was silent all.  Bellowing there groan'd
A noise as of a sea in tempest torn
By warring winds.  The stormy blast of hell
With restless fury drives the spirits on
Whirl'd round and dash'd amain with sore annoy.

When they arrive before the ruinous sweep,
There shrieks are heard, there lamentations, moans,
And blasphemies 'gainst the good Power in heaven.

I understood that to this torment sad
The carnal sinners are condemn'd, in whom
Reason by lust is sway'd.  As in large troops
And multitudinous, when winter reigns,
The starlings on their wings are borne abroad;
So bears the tyrannous gust those evil souls.
On this side and on that, above, below,
It drives them: hope of rest to solace them
Is none, nor e'en of milder pang.  As cranes,
Chanting their dol'rous notes, traverse the sky,
Stretch'd out in long array: so I beheld
Spirits, who came loud wailing, hurried on
By their dire doom.  Then I: "Instructor! who
Are these, by the black air so scourg'd?"--"The first
'Mong those, of whom thou question'st," he replied,
"O'er many tongues was empress.  She in vice
Of luxury was so shameless, that she made
Liking be lawful by promulg'd decree,
To clear the blame she had herself incurr'd.
This is Semiramis, of whom 'tis writ,
That she succeeded Ninus her espous'd;
And held the land, which now the Soldan rules.
The next in amorous fury slew herself,
And to Sicheus' ashes broke her faith:
Then follows Cleopatra, lustful queen."

There mark'd I Helen, for whose sake so long
The time was fraught with evil; there the great
Achilles, who with love fought to the end.
Paris I saw, and Tristan; and beside
A thousand more he show'd me, and by name
Pointed them out, whom love bereav'd of life.

When I had heard my sage instructor name
Those dames and knights of antique days, o'erpower'd
By pity, well-nigh in amaze my mind
Was lost; and I began: "Bard! willingly
I would address those two together coming,
Which seem so light before the wind."  He thus:
"Note thou, when nearer they to us approach."

"Then by that love which carries them along,
Entreat; and they will come."  Soon as the wind
Sway'd them toward us, I thus fram'd my speech:
"O wearied spirits! come, and hold discourse
With us, if by none else restrain'd."  As doves
By fond desire invited, on wide wings
And firm, to their sweet nest returning home,
Cleave the air, wafted by their will along;
Thus issu'd from that troop, where Dido ranks,
They through the ill air speeding; with such force
My cry prevail'd by strong affection urg'd.

"O gracious creature and benign! who go'st
Visiting, through this element obscure,
Us, who the world with bloody stain imbru'd;
If for a friend the King of all we own'd,
Our pray'r to him should for thy peace arise,
Since thou hast pity on our evil plight.
()f whatsoe'er to hear or to discourse
It pleases thee, that will we hear, of that
Freely with thee discourse, while e'er the wind,
As now, is mute.  The land, that gave me birth,
Is situate on the coast, where Po descends
To rest in ocean with his sequent streams.

"Love, that in gentle heart is quickly learnt,
Entangled him by that fair form, from me
Ta'en in such cruel sort, as grieves me still:
Love, that denial takes from none belov'd,
Caught me with pleasing him so passing well,
That, as thou see'st, he yet deserts me not.

"Love brought us to one death: Caina waits
The soul, who spilt our life."  Such were their words;
At hearing which downward I bent my looks,
And held them there so long, that the bard cried:
"What art thou pond'ring?"  I in answer thus:
"Alas! by what sweet thoughts, what fond desire
Must they at length to that ill pass have reach'd!"

Then turning, I to them my speech address'd.
And thus began: "Francesca! your sad fate
Even to tears my grief and pity moves.
But tell me; in the time of your sweet sighs,
By what, and how love granted, that ye knew
Your yet uncertain wishes?"  She replied:
"No greater grief than to remember days
Of joy, when mis'ry is at hand!  That kens
Thy learn'd instructor.  Yet so eagerly
If thou art bent to know the primal root,
From whence our love gat being, I will do,
As one, who weeps and tells his tale.  One day
For our delight we read of Lancelot,
How him love thrall'd.  Alone we were, and no
Suspicion near us.  Ofttimes by that reading
Our eyes were drawn together, and the hue
Fled from our alter'd cheek.  But at one point
Alone we fell.  When of that smile we read,
The wished smile, rapturously kiss'd
By one so deep in love, then he, who ne'er
From me shall separate, at once my lips
All trembling kiss'd.  The book and writer both
Were love's purveyors.  In its leaves that day
We read no more."  While thus one spirit spake,
The other wail'd so sorely, that heartstruck
I through compassion fainting, seem'd not far
From death, and like a corpse fell to the ground.

CANTO VI

MY sense reviving, that erewhile had droop'd
With pity for the kindred shades, whence grief
O'ercame me wholly, straight around I see
New torments, new tormented souls, which way
Soe'er I move, or turn, or bend my sight.
In the third circle I arrive, of show'rs
Ceaseless, accursed, heavy, and cold, unchang'd
For ever, both in kind and in degree.
Large hail, discolour'd water, sleety flaw
Through the dun midnight air stream'd down amain:
Stank all the land whereon that tempest fell.

Cerberus, cruel monster, fierce and strange,
Through his wide threefold throat barks as a dog
Over the multitude immers'd beneath.
His eyes glare crimson, black his unctuous beard,
His belly large, and claw'd the hands, with which
He tears the spirits, flays them, and their limbs
Piecemeal disparts.  Howling there spread, as curs,
Under the rainy deluge, with one side
The other screening, oft they roll them round,
A wretched, godless crew.  When that great worm
Descried us, savage Cerberus, he op'd
His jaws, and the fangs show'd us; not a limb
Of him but trembled.  Then my guide, his palms
Expanding on the ground, thence filled with earth
Rais'd them, and cast it in his ravenous maw.

E'en as a dog, that yelling bays for food
His keeper, when the morsel comes, lets fall
His fury, bent alone with eager haste
To swallow it; so dropp'd the loathsome cheeks
Of demon Cerberus, who thund'ring stuns
The spirits, that they for deafness wish in vain.

We, o'er the shades thrown prostrate by the brunt
Of the heavy tempest passing, set our feet
Upon their emptiness, that substance seem'd.

They all along the earth extended lay
Save one, that sudden rais'd himself to sit,
Soon as that way he saw us pass.  "O thou!"
He cried, "who through the infernal shades art led,
Own, if again thou know'st me.  Thou wast fram'd
Or ere my frame was broken."  I replied:
"The anguish thou endur'st perchance so takes
Thy form from my remembrance, that it seems
As if I saw thee never.  But inform
Me who thou art, that in a place so sad
Art set, and in such torment, that although
Other be greater, more disgustful none
Can be imagin'd."  He in answer thus:

"Thy city heap'd with envy to the brim,
Ay that the measure overflows its bounds,
Held me in brighter days.  Ye citizens
Were wont to name me Ciacco.  For the sin
Of glutt'ny, damned vice, beneath this rain,
E'en as thou see'st, I with fatigue am worn;
Nor I sole spirit in this woe: all these
Have by like crime incurr'd like punishment."

No more he said, and I my speech resum'd:
"Ciacco! thy dire affliction grieves me much,
Even to tears.  But tell me, if thou know'st,
What shall at length befall the citizens
Of the divided city; whether any just one
Inhabit there: and tell me of the cause,
Whence jarring discord hath assail'd it thus?"

He then: "After long striving they will come
To blood; and the wild party from the woods
Will chase the other with much injury forth.
Then it behoves, that this must fall, within
Three solar circles; and the other rise
By borrow'd force of one, who under shore
Now rests.  It shall a long space hold aloof
Its forehead, keeping under heavy weight
The other oppress'd, indignant at the load,
And grieving sore.  The just are two in number,
But they neglected.  Av'rice, envy, pride,
Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all
On fire."  Here ceas'd the lamentable sound;
And I continu'd thus: "Still would I learn
More from thee, farther parley still entreat.
Of Farinata and Tegghiaio say,
They who so well deserv'd, of Giacopo,
Arrigo, Mosca, and the rest, who bent
Their minds on working good.  Oh! tell me where
They bide, and to their knowledge let me come.
For I am press'd with keen desire to hear,
If heaven's sweet cup or poisonous drug of hell
Be to their lip assign'd."   He answer'd straight:
"These are yet blacker spirits.  Various crimes
Have sunk them deeper in the dark abyss.
If thou so far descendest, thou mayst see them.
But to the pleasant world when thou return'st,
Of me make mention, I entreat thee, there.
No more I tell thee, answer thee no more."

This said, his fixed eyes he turn'd askance,
A little ey'd me, then bent down his head,
And 'midst his blind companions with it fell.

When thus my guide: "No more his bed he leaves,
Ere the last angel-trumpet blow.  The Power
Adverse to these shall then in glory come,
Each one forthwith to his sad tomb repair,
Resume his fleshly vesture and his form,
And hear the eternal doom re-echoing rend
The vault."  So pass'd we through that mixture foul
Of spirits and rain, with tardy steps; meanwhile
Touching, though slightly, on the life to come.
For thus I question'd: "Shall these tortures, Sir!
When the great sentence passes, be increas'd,
Or mitigated, or as now severe?"

He then: "Consult thy knowledge; that decides
That as each thing to more perfection grows,
It feels more sensibly both good and pain.
Though ne'er to true perfection may arrive
This race accurs'd, yet nearer then than now
They shall approach it."  Compassing that path
Circuitous we journeyed, and discourse
Much more than I relate between us pass'd:
Till at the point, where the steps led below,
Arriv'd, there Plutus, the great foe, we found.




CANTO VII

"AH me!  O Satan!  Satan!" loud exclaim'd
Plutus, in accent hoarse of wild alarm:
And the kind sage, whom no event surpris'd,
To comfort me thus spake: "Let not thy fear
Harm thee, for power in him, be sure, is none
To hinder down this rock thy safe descent."
Then to that sworn lip turning, "Peace!"  he cried,

"Curs'd wolf! thy fury inward on thyself
Prey, and consume thee!  Through the dark profound
Not without cause he passes.  So 't is will'd
On high, there where the great Archangel pour'd
Heav'n's vengeance on the first adulterer proud."

As sails full spread and bellying with the wind
Drop suddenly collaps'd, if the mast split;
So to the ground down dropp'd the cruel fiend.

Thus we, descending to the fourth steep ledge,
Gain'd on the dismal shore, that all the woe
Hems in of all the universe.  Ah me!
Almighty Justice! in what store thou heap'st
New pains, new troubles, as I here beheld!
Wherefore doth fault of ours bring us to this?

E'en as a billow, on Charybdis rising,
Against encounter'd billow dashing breaks;
Such is the dance this wretched race must lead,
Whom more than elsewhere numerous here I found,
From one side and the other, with loud voice,
Both roll'd on weights by main forge of their breasts,
Then smote together, and each one forthwith
Roll'd them back voluble, turning again,
Exclaiming these, "Why holdest thou so fast?"
Those answering, "And why castest thou away?"
So still repeating their despiteful song,
They to the opposite point on either hand
Travers'd the horrid circle: then arriv'd,
Both turn'd them round, and through the middle space
Conflicting met again.  At sight whereof
I, stung with grief, thus spake: "O say, my guide!
What race is this?  Were these, whose heads are shorn,
On our left hand, all sep'rate to the church?"

He straight replied: "In their first life these all
In mind were so distorted, that they made,
According to due measure, of their wealth,
No use.  This clearly from their words collect,
Which they howl forth, at each extremity
Arriving of the circle, where their crime
Contrary' in kind disparts them.  To the church
Were separate those, that with no hairy cowls
Are crown'd, both Popes and Cardinals, o'er whom
Av'rice dominion absolute maintains."

I then: "Mid such as these some needs must be,
Whom I shall recognize, that with the blot
Of these foul sins were stain'd."  He answering thus:
"Vain thought conceiv'st thou.  That ignoble life,
Which made them vile before, now makes them dark,
And to all knowledge indiscernible.
Forever they shall meet in this rude shock:
These from the tomb with clenched grasp shall rise,
Those with close-shaven locks.  That ill they gave,
And ill they kept, hath of the beauteous world
Depriv'd, and set them at this strife, which needs
No labour'd phrase of mine to set if off.
Now may'st thou see, my son! how brief, how vain,
The goods committed into fortune's hands,
For which the human race keep such a coil!
Not all the gold, that is beneath the moon,
Or ever hath been, of these toil-worn souls
Might purchase rest for one."  I thus rejoin'd:

"My guide! of thee this also would I learn;
This fortune, that thou speak'st of, what it is,
Whose talons grasp the blessings of the world?"

He thus: "O beings blind! what ignorance
Besets you?  Now my judgment hear and mark.
He, whose transcendent wisdom passes all,
The heavens creating, gave them ruling powers
To guide them, so that each part shines to each,
Their light in equal distribution pour'd.
By similar appointment he ordain'd
Over the world's bright images to rule.
Superintendence of a guiding hand
And general minister, which at due time
May change the empty vantages of life
From race to race, from one to other's blood,
Beyond prevention of man's wisest care:
Wherefore one nation rises into sway,
Another languishes, e'en as her will
Decrees, from us conceal'd, as in the grass
The serpent train.  Against her nought avails
Your utmost wisdom.  She with foresight plans,
Judges, and carries on her reign, as theirs
The other powers divine.  Her changes know
Nore intermission: by necessity
She is made swift, so frequent come who claim
Succession in her favours.  This is she,
So execrated e'en by those, whose debt
To her is rather praise; they wrongfully
With blame requite her, and with evil word;
But she is blessed, and for that recks not:
Amidst the other primal beings glad
Rolls on her sphere, and in her bliss exults.
Now on our way pass we, to heavier woe
Descending: for each star is falling now,
That mounted at our entrance, and forbids
Too long our tarrying."  We the circle cross'd
To the next steep, arriving at a well,
That boiling pours itself down to a foss
Sluic'd from its source.  Far murkier was the wave
Than sablest grain: and we in company
Of the' inky waters, journeying by their side,
Enter'd, though by a different track, beneath.
Into a lake, the Stygian nam'd, expands
The dismal stream, when it hath reach'd the foot
Of the grey wither'd cliffs.  Intent I stood
To gaze, and in the marish sunk descried
A miry tribe, all naked, and with looks
Betok'ning rage.  They with their hands alone
Struck not, but with the head, the breast, the feet,
Cutting each other piecemeal with their fangs.

The good instructor spake; "Now seest thou, son!
The souls of those, whom anger overcame.
This too for certain know, that underneath
The water dwells a multitude, whose sighs
Into these bubbles make the surface heave,
As thine eye tells thee wheresoe'er it turn."
Fix'd in the slime they say: "Sad once were we
In the sweet air made gladsome by the sun,
Carrying a foul and lazy mist within:
Now in these murky settlings are we sad."
Such dolorous strain they gurgle in their throats.
But word distinct can utter none."  Our route
Thus compass'd we, a segment widely stretch'd
Between the dry embankment, and the core
Of the loath'd pool, turning meanwhile our eyes
Downward on those who gulp'd its muddy lees;
Nor stopp'd, till to a tower's low base we came.




CANTO VIII

MY theme pursuing, I relate that ere
We reach'd the lofty turret's base, our eyes
Its height ascended, where two cressets hung
We mark'd, and from afar another light
Return the signal, so remote, that scarce
The eye could catch its beam.  I turning round
To the deep source of knowledge, thus inquir'd:
"Say what this means?  and what that other light
In answer set?  what agency doth this?"

"There on the filthy waters," he replied,
"E'en now what next awaits us mayst thou see,
If the marsh-gender'd fog conceal it not."

Never was arrow from the cord dismiss'd,
That ran its way so nimbly through the air,
As a small bark, that through the waves I spied
Toward us coming, under the sole sway
Of one that ferried it, who cried aloud:
"Art thou arriv'd, fell spirit?"--"Phlegyas, Phlegyas,
This time thou criest in vain," my lord replied;
"No longer shalt thou have us, but while o'er
The slimy pool we pass."  As one who hears
Of some great wrong he hath sustain'd, whereat
Inly he pines; so Phlegyas inly pin'd
In his fierce ire.  My guide descending stepp'd
Into the skiff, and bade me enter next
Close at his side; nor till my entrance seem'd
The vessel freighted.  Soon as both embark'd,
Cutting the waves, goes on the ancient prow,
More deeply than with others it is wont.

While we our course o'er the dead channel held.
One drench'd in mire before me came, and said;
"Who art thou, that thou comest ere thine hour?"

I answer'd: "Though I come, I tarry not;
But who art thou, that art become so foul?"

"One, as thou seest, who mourn:" he straight replied.

To which I thus: "In mourning and in woe,
Curs'd spirit! tarry thou.g I know thee well,
E'en thus in filth disguis'd."  Then stretch'd he forth
Hands to the bark; whereof my teacher sage
Aware, thrusting him back: "Away! down there;

"To the' other dogs!" then, with his arms my neck
Encircling, kiss'd my cheek, and spake: "O soul
Justly disdainful! blest was she in whom
Thou was conceiv'd!  He in the world was one
For arrogance noted; to his memory
No virtue lends its lustre; even so
Here is his shadow furious.  There above
How many now hold themselves mighty kings
Who here like swine shall wallow in the mire,
Leaving behind them horrible dispraise!"

I then: "Master! him fain would I behold
Whelm'd in these dregs, before we quit the lake."

He thus: "Or ever to thy view the shore
Be offer'd, satisfied shall be that wish,
Which well deserves completion."  Scarce his words
Were ended, when I saw the miry tribes
Set on him with such violence, that yet
For that render I thanks to God and praise
"To Filippo Argenti:" cried they all:
And on himself the moody Florentine
Turn'd his avenging fangs.  Him here we left,
Nor speak I of him more.  But on mine ear
Sudden a sound of lamentation smote,
Whereat mine eye unbarr'd I sent abroad.

And thus the good instructor: "Now, my son!
Draws near the city, that of Dis is nam'd,
With its grave denizens, a mighty throng."

I thus: "The minarets already, Sir!
There certes in the valley I descry,
Gleaming vermilion, as if they from fire
Had issu'd."  He replied: "Eternal fire,
That inward burns, shows them with ruddy flame
Illum'd; as in this nether hell thou seest."

We came within the fosses deep, that moat
This region comfortless.  The walls appear'd
As they were fram'd of iron.  We had made
Wide circuit, ere a place we reach'd, where loud
The mariner cried vehement: "Go forth!
The' entrance is here!"  Upon the gates I spied
More than a thousand, who of old from heaven
Were hurl'd.  With ireful gestures, "Who is this,"
They cried, "that without death first felt, goes through
The regions of the dead?"  My sapient guide
Made sign that he for secret parley wish'd;
Whereat their angry scorn abating, thus
They spake: "Come thou alone; and let him go
Who hath so hardily enter'd this realm.
Alone return he by his witless way;
If well he know it, let him prove.  For thee,
Here shalt thou tarry, who through clime so dark
Hast been his escort." Now bethink thee, reader!
What cheer was mine at sound of those curs'd words.
I did believe I never should return.

"O my lov'd guide! who more than seven times
Security hast render'd me, and drawn
From peril deep, whereto I stood expos'd,
Desert me not," I cried, "in this extreme.
And if our onward going be denied,
Together trace we back our steps with speed."

My liege, who thither had conducted me,
Replied: "Fear not: for of our passage none
Hath power to disappoint us, by such high
Authority permitted.  But do thou
Expect me here; meanwhile thy wearied spirit
Comfort, and feed with kindly hope, assur'd
I will not leave thee in this lower world."

This said, departs the sire benevolent,
And quits me.  Hesitating I remain
At war 'twixt will and will not in my thoughts.

I could not hear what terms he offer'd them,
But they conferr'd not long, for all at once
To trial fled within.  Clos'd were the gates
By those our adversaries on the breast
Of my liege lord: excluded he return'd
To me with tardy steps.  Upon the ground
His eyes were bent, and from his brow eras'd
All confidence, while thus with sighs he spake:
"Who hath denied me these abodes of woe?"
Then thus to me: "That I am anger'd, think
No ground of terror: in this trial I
Shall vanquish, use what arts they may within
For hindrance.  This their insolence, not new,
Erewhile at gate less secret they display'd,
Which still is without bolt; upon its arch
Thou saw'st the deadly scroll: and even now
On this side of its entrance, down the steep,
Passing the circles, unescorted, comes
One whose strong might can open us this land."




CANTO IX

THE hue, which coward dread on my pale cheeks
Imprinted, when I saw my guide turn back,
Chas'd that from his which newly they had worn,
And inwardly restrain'd it.  He, as one
Who listens, stood attentive: for his eye
Not far could lead him through the sable air,
And the thick-gath'ring cloud.  "It yet behooves
We win this fight"--thus he began--"if not--
Such aid to us is offer'd.--Oh, how long
Me seems it, ere the promis'd help arrive!"

I noted, how the sequel of his words
Clok'd their beginning; for the last he spake
Agreed not with the first.  But not the less
My fear was at his saying; sith I drew
To import worse perchance, than that he held,
His mutilated speech.  "Doth ever any
Into this rueful concave's extreme depth
Descend, out of the first degree, whose pain
Is deprivation merely of sweet hope?"

Thus I inquiring. "Rarely," he replied,
"It chances, that among us any makes
This journey, which I wend.  Erewhile 'tis true
Once came I here beneath, conjur'd by fell
Erictho, sorceress, who compell'd the shades
Back to their bodies.  No long space my flesh
Was naked of me, when within these walls
She made me enter, to draw forth a spirit
From out of Judas' circle.  Lowest place
Is that of all, obscurest, and remov'd
Farthest from heav'n's all-circling orb.  The road
Full well I know: thou therefore rest secure.
That lake, the noisome stench exhaling, round
The city' of grief encompasses, which now
We may not enter without rage."  Yet more
He added: but I hold it not in mind,
For that mine eye toward the lofty tower
Had drawn me wholly, to its burning top.
Where in an instant I beheld uprisen
At once three hellish furies stain'd with blood:
In limb and motion feminine they seem'd;
Around them greenest hydras twisting roll'd
Their volumes; adders and cerastes crept
Instead of hair, and their fierce temples bound.

He knowing well the miserable hags
Who tend the queen of endless woe, thus spake:

"Mark thou each dire Erinnys. To the left
This is Megaera; on the right hand she,
Who wails, Alecto; and Tisiphone
I' th' midst."  This said, in silence he remain'd
Their breast they each one clawing tore; themselves
Smote with their palms, and such shrill clamour rais'd,
That to the bard I clung, suspicion-bound.
"Hasten Medusa: so to adamant
Him shall we change;" all looking down exclaim'd.
"E'en when by Theseus' might assail'd, we took
No ill revenge."  "Turn thyself round, and keep
Thy count'nance hid; for if the Gorgon dire
Be shown, and thou shouldst view it, thy return
Upwards would be for ever lost."  This said,
Himself my gentle master turn'd me round,
Nor trusted he my hands, but with his own
He also hid me.  Ye of intellect
Sound and entire, mark well the lore conceal'd
Under close texture of the mystic strain!

And now there came o'er the perturbed waves
Loud-crashing, terrible, a sound that made
Either shore tremble, as if of a wind
Impetuous, from conflicting vapours sprung,
That 'gainst some forest driving all its might,
Plucks off the branches, beats them down and hurls
Afar; then onward passing proudly sweeps
Its whirlwind rage, while beasts and shepherds fly.

Mine eyes he loos'd, and spake: "And now direct
Thy visual nerve along that ancient foam,
There, thickest where the smoke ascends." As frogs
Before their foe the serpent, through the wave
Ply swiftly all, till at the ground each one
Lies on a heap; more than a thousand spirits
Destroy'd, so saw I fleeing before one
Who pass'd with unwet feet the Stygian sound.
He, from his face removing the gross air,
Oft his left hand forth stretch'd, and seem'd alone
By that annoyance wearied.  I perceiv'd
That he was sent from heav'n, and to my guide
Turn'd me, who signal made that I should stand
Quiet, and bend to him. Ah me! how full
Of noble anger seem'd he!  To the gate
He came, and with his wand touch'd it, whereat
Open without impediment it flew.

"Outcasts of heav'n!  O abject race and scorn'd!"
Began he on the horrid grunsel standing,
"Whence doth this wild excess of insolence
Lodge in you? wherefore kick you 'gainst that will
Ne'er frustrate of its end, and which so oft
Hath laid on you enforcement of your pangs?
What profits at the fays to but the horn?
Your Cerberus, if ye remember, hence
Bears still, peel'd of their hair, his throat and maw."

This said, he turn'd back o'er the filthy way,
And syllable to us spake none, but wore
The semblance of a man by other care
Beset, and keenly press'd, than thought of him
Who in his presence stands.  Then we our steps
Toward that territory mov'd, secure
After the hallow'd words.  We unoppos'd
There enter'd; and my mind eager to learn
What state a fortress like to that might hold,
I soon as enter'd throw mine eye around,
And see on every part wide-stretching space
Replete with bitter pain and torment ill.

As where Rhone stagnates on the plains of Arles,
Or as at Pola, near Quarnaro's gulf,
That closes Italy and laves her bounds,
The place is all thick spread with sepulchres;
So was it here, save what in horror here
Excell'd: for 'midst the graves were scattered flames,
Wherewith intensely all throughout they burn'd,
That iron for no craft there hotter needs.

Their lids all hung suspended, and beneath
From them forth issu'd lamentable moans,
Such as the sad and tortur'd well might raise.

I thus: "Master! say who are these, interr'd
Within these vaults, of whom distinct we hear
The dolorous sighs?"  He answer thus return'd:

"The arch-heretics are here, accompanied
By every sect their followers; and much more,
Than thou believest, tombs are freighted: like
With like is buried; and the monuments
Are different in degrees of heat."  This said,
He to the right hand turning, on we pass'd
Betwixt the afflicted and the ramparts high.




CANTO X

NOW by a secret pathway we proceed,
Between the walls, that hem the region round,
And the tormented souls: my master first,
I close behind his steps.  "Virtue supreme!"
I thus began; "who through these ample orbs
In circuit lead'st me, even as thou will'st,
Speak thou, and satisfy my wish.  May those,
Who lie within these sepulchres, be seen?
Already all the lids are rais'd, and none
O'er them keeps watch."  He thus in answer spake
"They shall be closed all, what-time they here
From Josaphat return'd shall come, and bring
Their bodies, which above they now have left.
The cemetery on this part obtain
With Epicurus all his followers,
Who with the body make the spirit die.
Here therefore satisfaction shall be soon
Both to the question ask'd, and to the wish,
Which thou conceal'st in silence."  I replied:
"I keep not, guide belov'd! from thee my heart
Secreted, but to shun vain length of words,
A lesson erewhile taught me by thyself."

"O Tuscan! thou who through the city of fire
Alive art passing, so discreet of speech!
Here please thee stay awhile. Thy utterance
Declares the place of thy nativity
To be that noble land, with which perchance
I too severely dealt."  Sudden that sound
Forth issu'd from a vault, whereat in fear
I somewhat closer to my leader's side
Approaching, he thus spake: "What dost thou?  Turn.
Lo, Farinata, there! who hath himself
Uplifted: from his girdle upwards all
Expos'd behold him."  On his face was mine
Already fix'd; his breast and forehead there
Erecting, seem'd as in high scorn he held
E'en hell.  Between the sepulchres to him
My guide thrust me with fearless hands and prompt,
This warning added: "See thy words be clear!"

He, soon as there I stood at the tomb's foot,
Ey'd me a space, then in disdainful mood
Address'd me: "Say, what ancestors were thine?"

I, willing to obey him, straight reveal'd
The whole, nor kept back aught: whence he, his brow
Somewhat uplifting, cried: "Fiercely were they
Adverse to me, my party, and the blood
From whence I sprang: twice therefore I abroad
Scatter'd them."  "Though driv'n out, yet they each time
From all parts," answer'd I, "return'd; an art
Which yours have shown, they are not skill'd to learn."

Then, peering forth from the unclosed jaw,
Rose from his side a shade, high as the chin,
Leaning, methought, upon its knees uprais'd.
It look'd around, as eager to explore
If there were other with me; but perceiving
That fond imagination quench'd, with tears
Thus spake: "If thou through this blind prison go'st.
Led by thy lofty genius and profound,
Where is my son? and wherefore not with thee?"

I straight replied: "Not of myself I come,
By him, who there expects me, through this clime
Conducted, whom perchance Guido thy son
Had in contempt."  Already had his words
And mode of punishment read me his name,
Whence I so fully answer'd.  He at once
Exclaim'd, up starting, "How! said'st thou he HAD?
No longer lives he?  Strikes not on his eye
The blessed daylight?"  Then of some delay
I made ere my reply aware, down fell
Supine, not after forth appear'd he more.

Meanwhile the other, great of soul, near whom
I yet was station'd, chang'd not count'nance stern,
Nor mov'd the neck, nor bent his ribbed side.
"And if," continuing the first discourse,
"They in this art," he cried, "small skill have shown,
That doth torment me more e'en than this bed.
But not yet fifty times shall be relum'd
Her aspect, who reigns here Queen of this realm,
Ere thou shalt know the full weight of that art.
So to the pleasant world mayst thou return,
As thou shalt tell me, why in all their laws,
Against my kin this people is so fell?"

"The slaughter and great havoc," I replied,
"That colour'd Arbia's flood with crimson stain--
To these impute, that in our hallow'd dome
Such orisons ascend."  Sighing he shook
The head, then thus resum'd: "In that affray
I stood not singly, nor without just cause
Assuredly should with the rest have stirr'd;
But singly there I stood, when by consent
Of all, Florence had to the ground been raz'd,
The one who openly forbad the deed."

"So may thy lineage find at last repose,"
I thus adjur'd him, "as thou solve this knot,
Which now involves my mind.  If right I hear,
Ye seem to view beforehand, that which time
Leads with him, of the present uninform'd."

"We view, as one who hath an evil sight,"
He answer'd, "plainly, objects far remote:
So much of his large spendour yet imparts
The' Almighty Ruler; but when they approach
Or actually exist, our intellect
Then wholly fails, nor of your human state
Except what others bring us know we aught.
Hence therefore mayst thou understand, that all
Our knowledge in that instant shall expire,
When on futurity the portals close."

Then conscious of my fault, and by remorse
Smitten, I added thus: "Now shalt thou say
To him there fallen, that his offspring still
Is to the living join'd; and bid him know,
That if from answer silent I abstain'd,
'Twas that my thought was occupied intent
Upon that error, which thy help hath solv'd."

But now my master summoning me back
I heard, and with more eager haste besought
The spirit to inform me, who with him
Partook his lot.  He answer thus return'd:

"More than a thousand with me here are laid
Within is Frederick, second of that name,
And the Lord Cardinal, and of the rest
I speak not."  He, this said, from sight withdrew.
But I my steps towards the ancient bard
Reverting, ruminated on the words
Betokening me such ill.  Onward he mov'd,
And thus in going question'd: "Whence the' amaze
That holds thy senses wrapt?"  I satisfied
The' inquiry, and the sage enjoin'd me straight:
"Let thy safe memory store what thou hast heard
To thee importing harm; and note thou this,"
With his rais'd finger bidding me take heed,

"When thou shalt stand before her gracious beam,
Whose bright eye all surveys, she of thy life
The future tenour will to thee unfold."

Forthwith he to the left hand turn'd his feet:
We left the wall, and tow'rds the middle space
Went by a path, that to a valley strikes;
Which e'en thus high exhal'd its noisome steam.




CANTO XI

UPON the utmost verge of a high bank,
By craggy rocks environ'd round, we came,
Where woes beneath more cruel yet were stow'd:
And here to shun the horrible excess
Of fetid exhalation, upward cast
From the profound abyss, behind the lid
Of a great monument we stood retir'd,

Whereon this scroll I mark'd: "I have in charge
Pope Anastasius, whom Photinus drew
From the right path.--Ere our descent behooves
We make delay, that somewhat first the sense,
To the dire breath accustom'd, afterward
Regard it not."  My master thus; to whom
Answering I spake: "Some compensation find
That the time past not wholly lost."  He then:
"Lo! how my thoughts e'en to thy wishes tend!
My son! within these rocks," he thus began,
"Are three close circles in gradation plac'd,
As these which now thou leav'st. Each one is full
Of spirits accurs'd; but that the sight alone
Hereafter may suffice thee, listen how
And for what cause in durance they abide.

"Of all malicious act abhorr'd in heaven,
The end is injury; and all such end
Either by force or fraud works other's woe
But fraud, because of man peculiar evil,
To God is more displeasing; and beneath
The fraudulent are therefore doom'd to' endure
Severer pang.  The violent occupy
All the first circle; and because to force
Three persons are obnoxious, in three rounds
Hach within other sep'rate is it fram'd.
To God, his neighbour, and himself, by man
Force may be offer'd; to himself I say
And his possessions, as thou soon shalt hear
At full.  Death, violent death, and painful wounds
Upon his neighbour he inflicts; and wastes
By devastation, pillage, and the flames,
His substance.  Slayers, and each one that smites
In malice, plund'rers, and all robbers, hence
The torment undergo of the first round
In different herds.  Man can do violence
To himself and his own blessings: and for this
He in the second round must aye deplore
With unavailing penitence his crime,
Whoe'er deprives himself of life and light,
In reckless lavishment his talent wastes,
And sorrows there where he should dwell in joy.
To God may force be offer'd, in the heart
Denying and blaspheming his high power,
And nature with her kindly law contemning.
And thence the inmost round marks with its seal
Sodom and Cahors, and all such as speak
Contemptuously' of the Godhead in their hearts.

"Fraud, that in every conscience leaves a sting,
May be by man employ'd on one, whose trust
He wins, or on another who withholds
Strict confidence.  Seems as the latter way
Broke but the bond of love which Nature makes.
Whence in the second circle have their nest
Dissimulation, witchcraft, flatteries,
Theft, falsehood, simony, all who seduce
To lust, or set their honesty at pawn,
With such vile scum as these.  The other way
Forgets both Nature's general love, and that
Which thereto added afterwards gives birth
To special faith.  Whence in the lesser circle,
Point of the universe, dread seat of Dis,
The traitor is eternally consum'd."

I thus: "Instructor, clearly thy discourse
Proceeds, distinguishing the hideous chasm
And its inhabitants with skill exact.
But tell me this: they of the dull, fat pool,
Whom the rain beats, or whom the tempest drives,
Or who with tongues so fierce conflicting meet,
Wherefore within the city fire-illum'd
Are not these punish'd, if God's wrath be on them?
And if it be not, wherefore in such guise
Are they condemned?"  He answer thus return'd:
"Wherefore in dotage wanders thus thy mind,
Not so accustom'd? or what other thoughts
Possess it?  Dwell not in thy memory
The words, wherein thy ethic page describes
Three dispositions adverse to Heav'n's will,
Incont'nence, malice, and mad brutishness,
And how incontinence the least offends
God, and least guilt incurs?  If well thou note
This judgment, and remember who they are,
Without these walls to vain repentance doom'd,
Thou shalt discern why they apart are plac'd
From these fell spirits, and less wreakful pours
Justice divine on them its vengeance down."

"O Sun! who healest all imperfect sight,
Thou so content'st me, when thou solv'st my doubt,
That ignorance not less than knowledge charms.
Yet somewhat turn thee back," I in these words
Continu'd, "where thou saidst, that usury
Offends celestial Goodness; and this knot
Perplex'd unravel."  He thus made reply:
"Philosophy, to an attentive ear,
Clearly points out, not in one part alone,
How imitative nature takes her course
From the celestial mind and from its art:
And where her laws the Stagyrite unfolds,
Not many leaves scann'd o'er, observing well
Thou shalt discover, that your art on her
Obsequious follows, as the learner treads
In his instructor's step, so that your art
Deserves the name of second in descent
From God.  These two, if thou recall to mind
Creation's holy book, from the beginning
Were the right source of life and excellence
To human kind.  But in another path
The usurer walks; and Nature in herself
And in her follower thus he sets at nought,
Placing elsewhere his hope.  But follow now
My steps on forward journey bent; for now
The Pisces play with undulating glance
Along the' horizon, and the Wain lies all
O'er the north-west; and onward there a space
Is our steep passage down the rocky height."




CANTO XII

THE place where to descend the precipice
We came, was rough as Alp, and on its verge
Such object lay, as every eye would shun.

As is that ruin, which Adice's stream
On this side Trento struck, should'ring the wave,
Or loos'd by earthquake or for lack of prop;
For from the mountain's summit, whence it mov'd
To the low level, so the headlong rock
Is shiver'd, that some passage it might give
To him who from above would pass; e'en such
Into the chasm was that descent: and there
At point of the disparted ridge lay stretch'd
The infamy of Crete, detested brood
Of the feign'd heifer: and at sight of us
It gnaw'd itself, as one with rage distract.

To him my guide exclaim'd: "Perchance thou deem'st
The King of Athens here, who, in the world
Above, thy death contriv'd.  Monster! avaunt!
He comes not tutor'd by thy sister's art,
But to behold your torments is he come."

Like to a bull, that with impetuous spring
Darts, at the moment when the fatal blow
Hath struck him, but unable to proceed
Plunges on either side; so saw I plunge
The Minotaur; whereat the sage exclaim'd:
"Run to the passage! while he storms, 't is well
That thou descend."  Thus down our road we took
Through those dilapidated crags, that oft
Mov'd underneath my feet, to weight like theirs
Unus'd.  I pond'ring went, and thus he spake:

"Perhaps thy thoughts are of this ruin'd steep,
Guarded by the brute violence, which I
Have vanquish'd now. Know then, that when I erst
Hither descended to the nether hell,
This rock was not yet fallen.  But past doubt
(If well I mark) not long ere He arrived,
Who carried off from Dis the mighty spoil
Of the highest circle, then through all its bounds
Such trembling seiz'd the deep concave and foul,
I thought the universe was thrill'd with love,
Whereby, there are who deem, the world hath oft
Been into chaos turn'd: and in that point,
Here, and elsewhere, that old rock toppled down.
But fix thine eyes beneath: the river of blood
Approaches, in the which all those are steep'd,
Who have by violence injur'd."  O blind lust!
O foolish wrath! who so dost goad us on
In the brief life, and in the eternal then
Thus miserably o'erwhelm us.  I beheld
An ample foss, that in a bow was bent,
As circling all the plain; for so my guide
Had told.  Between it and the rampart's base
On trail ran Centaurs, with keen arrows arm'd,
As to the chase they on the earth were wont.

At seeing us descend they each one stood;
And issuing from the troop, three sped with bows
And missile weapons chosen first; of whom
One cried from far: "Say to what pain ye come
Condemn'd, who down this steep have journied?  Speak
From whence ye stand, or else the bow I draw."

To whom my guide: "Our answer shall be made
To Chiron, there, when nearer him we come.
Ill was thy mind, thus ever quick and rash."

Then me he touch'd, and spake: "Nessus is this,
Who for the fair Deianira died,
And wrought himself revenge for his own fate.
He in the midst, that on his breast looks down,
Is the great Chiron who Achilles nurs'd;
That other Pholus, prone to wrath."  Around
The foss these go by thousands, aiming shafts
At whatsoever spirit dares emerge
From out the blood, more than his guilt allows.

We to those beasts, that rapid strode along,
Drew near, when Chiron took an arrow forth,
And with the notch push'd back his shaggy beard
To the cheek-bone, then his great mouth to view
Exposing, to his fellows thus exclaim'd:
"Are ye aware, that he who comes behind
Moves what he touches?  The feet of the dead
Are not so wont."  My trusty guide, who now
Stood near his breast, where the two natures join,
Thus made reply: "He is indeed alive,
And solitary so must needs by me
Be shown the gloomy vale, thereto induc'd
By strict necessity, not by delight.
She left her joyful harpings in the sky,
Who this new office to my care consign'd.
He is no robber, no dark spirit I.
But by that virtue, which empowers my step
To treat so wild a path, grant us, I pray,
One of thy band, whom we may trust secure,
Who to the ford may lead us, and convey
Across, him mounted on his back; for he
Is not a spirit that may walk the air."

Then on his right breast turning, Chiron thus
To Nessus spake: "Return, and be their guide.
And if ye chance to cross another troop,
Command them keep aloof."  Onward we mov'd,
The faithful escort by our side, along
The border of the crimson-seething flood,
Whence from those steep'd within loud shrieks arose.

Some there I mark'd, as high as to their brow
Immers'd, of whom the mighty Centaur thus:
"These are the souls of tyrants, who were given
To blood and rapine.  Here they wail aloud
Their merciless wrongs.  Here Alexander dwells,
And Dionysius fell, who many a year
Of woe wrought for fair Sicily.  That brow
Whereon the hair so jetty clust'ring hangs,
Is Azzolino; that with flaxen locks
Obizzo' of Este, in the world destroy'd
By his foul step-son."  To the bard rever'd
I turned me round, and thus he spake; "Let him
Be to thee now first leader, me but next
To him in rank."  Then farther on a space
The Centaur paus'd, near some, who at the throat
Were extant from the wave; and showing us
A spirit by itself apart retir'd,
Exclaim'd: "He in God's bosom smote the heart,
Which yet is honour'd on the bank of Thames."

A race I next espied, who held the head,
And even all the bust above the stream.
'Midst these I many a face remember'd well.
Thus shallow more and more the blood became,
So that at last it but imbru'd the feet;
And there our passage lay athwart the foss.

"As ever on this side the boiling wave
Thou seest diminishing," the Centaur said,
"So on the other, be thou well assur'd,
It lower still and lower sinks its bed,
Till in that part it reuniting join,
Where 't is the lot of tyranny to mourn.
There Heav'n's stern justice lays chastising hand
On Attila, who was the scourge of earth,
On Sextus, and on Pyrrhus, and extracts
Tears ever by the seething flood unlock'd
From the Rinieri, of Corneto this,
Pazzo the other nam'd, who fill'd the ways
With violence and war."  This said, he turn'd,
And quitting us, alone repass'd the ford.




CANTO XIII

ERE Nessus yet had reach'd the other bank,
We enter'd on a forest, where no track
Of steps had worn a way.  Not verdant there
The foliage, but of dusky hue; not light
The boughs and tapering, but with knares deform'd
And matted thick: fruits there were none, but thorns
Instead, with venom fill'd. Less sharp than these,
Less intricate the brakes, wherein abide
Those animals, that hate the cultur'd fields,
Betwixt Corneto and Cecina's stream.

Here the brute Harpies make their nest, the same
Who from the Strophades the Trojan band
Drove with dire boding of their future woe.
Broad are their pennons, of the human form
Their neck and count'nance, arm'd with talons keen
The feet, and the huge belly fledge with wings
These sit and wail on the drear mystic wood.

The kind instructor in these words began:
"Ere farther thou proceed, know thou art now
I' th' second round, and shalt be, till thou come
Upon the horrid sand: look therefore well
Around thee, and such things thou shalt behold,
As would my speech discredit."  On all sides
I heard sad plainings breathe, and none could see
From whom they might have issu'd.  In amaze
Fast bound I stood.  He, as it seem'd, believ'd,
That I had thought so many voices came
From some amid those thickets close conceal'd,
And thus his speech resum'd: "If thou lop off
A single twig from one of those ill plants,
The thought thou hast conceiv'd shall vanish quite."

Thereat a little stretching forth my hand,
From a great wilding gather'd I a branch,
And straight the trunk exclaim'd: "Why pluck'st thou me?"

Then as the dark blood trickled down its side,
These words it added: "Wherefore tear'st me thus?
Is there no touch of mercy in thy breast?
Men once were we, that now are rooted here.
Thy hand might well have spar'd us, had we been
The souls of serpents."  As a brand yet green,
That burning at one end from the' other sends
A groaning sound, and hisses with the wind
That forces out its way, so burst at once,
Forth from the broken splinter words and blood.

I, letting fall the bough, remain'd as one
Assail'd by terror, and the sage replied:
"If he, O injur'd spirit! could have believ'd
What he hath seen but in my verse describ'd,
He never against thee had stretch'd his hand.
But I, because the thing surpass'd belief,
Prompted him to this deed, which even now
Myself I rue.  But tell me, who thou wast;
That, for this wrong to do thee some amends,
In the upper world (for thither to return
Is granted him) thy fame he may revive."

"That pleasant word of thine," the trunk replied
"Hath so inveigled me, that I from speech
Cannot refrain, wherein if I indulge
A little longer, in the snare detain'd,
Count it not grievous.  I it was, who held
Both keys to Frederick's heart, and turn'd the wards,
Opening and shutting, with a skill so sweet,
That besides me, into his inmost breast
Scarce any other could admittance find.
The faith I bore to my high charge was such,
It cost me the life-blood that warm'd my veins.
The harlot, who ne'er turn'd her gloating eyes
From Caesar's household, common vice and pest
Of courts, 'gainst me inflam'd the minds of all;
And to Augustus they so spread the flame,
That my glad honours chang'd to bitter woes.
My soul, disdainful and disgusted, sought
Refuge in death from scorn, and I became,
Just as I was, unjust toward myself.
By the new roots, which fix this stem, I swear,
That never faith I broke to my liege lord,
Who merited such honour; and of you,
If any to the world indeed return,
Clear he from wrong my memory, that lies
Yet prostrate under envy's cruel blow."

First somewhat pausing, till the mournful words
Were ended, then to me the bard began:
"Lose not the time; but speak and of him ask,
If more thou wish to learn."  Whence I replied:
"Question thou him again of whatsoe'er
Will, as thou think'st, content me; for no power
Have I to ask, such pity' is at my heart."

He thus resum'd; "So may he do for thee
Freely what thou entreatest, as thou yet
Be pleas'd, imprison'd Spirit! to declare,
How in these gnarled joints the soul is tied;
And whether any ever from such frame
Be loosen'd, if thou canst, that also tell."

Thereat the trunk breath'd hard, and the wind soon
Chang'd into sounds articulate like these;

"Briefly ye shall be answer'd.  When departs
The fierce soul from the body, by itself
Thence torn asunder, to the seventh gulf
By Minos doom'd, into the wood it falls,
No place assign'd, but wheresoever chance
Hurls it, there sprouting, as a grain of spelt,
It rises to a sapling, growing thence
A savage plant.  The Harpies, on its leaves
Then feeding, cause both pain and for the pain
A vent to grief.  We, as the rest, shall come
For our own spoils, yet not so that with them
We may again be clad; for what a man
Takes from himself it is not just he have.
Here we perforce shall drag them; and throughout
The dismal glade our bodies shall be hung,
Each on the wild thorn of his wretched shade."

Attentive yet to listen to the trunk
We stood, expecting farther speech, when us
A noise surpris'd, as when a man perceives
The wild boar and the hunt approach his place
Of station'd watch, who of the beasts and boughs
Loud rustling round him hears.  And lo! there came
Two naked, torn with briers, in headlong flight,
That they before them broke each fan o' th' wood.
"Haste now," the foremost cried, "now haste thee death!"

The' other, as seem'd, impatient of delay
Exclaiming, "Lano! not so bent for speed
Thy sinews, in the lists of Toppo's field."
And then, for that perchance no longer breath
Suffic'd him, of himself and of a bush
One group he made.  Behind them was the wood
Full of black female mastiffs, gaunt and fleet,
As greyhounds that have newly slipp'd the leash.
On him, who squatted down, they stuck their fangs,
And having rent him piecemeal bore away
The tortur'd limbs.  My guide then seiz'd my hand,
And led me to the thicket, which in vain
Mourn'd through its bleeding wounds: "O Giacomo
Of Sant' Andrea! what avails it thee,"
It cried, "that of me thou hast made thy screen?
For thy ill life what blame on me recoils?"

When o'er it he had paus'd, my master spake:
"Say who wast thou, that at so many points
Breath'st out with blood thy lamentable speech?"

He answer'd: "Oh, ye spirits: arriv'd in time
To spy the shameful havoc, that from me
My leaves hath sever'd thus, gather them up,
And at the foot of their sad parent-tree
Carefully lay them.  In that city' I dwelt,
Who for the Baptist her first patron chang'd,
Whence he for this shall cease not with his art
To work her woe: and if there still remain'd not
On Arno's passage some faint glimpse of him,
Those citizens, who rear'd once more her walls
Upon the ashes left by Attila,
Had labour'd without profit of their toil.
I slung the fatal noose from my own roof."




CANTO XIV

SOON as the charity of native land
Wrought in my bosom, I the scatter'd leaves
Collected, and to him restor'd, who now
Was hoarse with utt'rance.  To the limit thence
We came, which from the third the second round
Divides, and where of justice is display'd
Contrivance horrible.  Things then first seen
Clearlier to manifest, I tell how next
A plain we reach'd, that from its sterile bed
Each plant repell'd. The mournful wood waves round
Its garland on all sides, as round the wood
Spreads the sad foss.  There, on the very edge,
Our steps we stay'd.  It was an area wide
Of arid sand and thick, resembling most
The soil that erst by Cato's foot was trod.

Vengeance of Heav'n!  Oh! how shouldst thou be fear'd
By all, who read what here my eyes beheld!

Of naked spirits many a flock I saw,
All weeping piteously, to different laws
Subjected: for on the' earth some lay supine,
Some crouching close were seated, others pac'd
Incessantly around; the latter tribe,
More numerous, those fewer who beneath
The torment lay, but louder in their grief.

O'er all the sand fell slowly wafting down
Dilated flakes of fire, as flakes of snow
On Alpine summit, when the wind is hush'd.
As in the torrid Indian clime, the son
Of Ammon saw upon his warrior band
Descending, solid flames, that to the ground
Came down: whence he bethought him with his troop
To trample on the soil; for easier thus
The vapour was extinguish'd, while alone;
So fell the eternal fiery flood, wherewith
The marble glow'd underneath, as under stove
The viands, doubly to augment the pain.

Unceasing was the play of wretched hands,
Now this, now that way glancing, to shake off
The heat, still falling fresh.  I thus began:
"Instructor! thou who all things overcom'st,
Except the hardy demons, that rush'd forth
To stop our entrance at the gate, say who
Is yon huge spirit, that, as seems, heeds not
The burning, but lies writhen in proud scorn,
As by the sultry tempest immatur'd?"

Straight he himself, who was aware I ask'd
My guide of him, exclaim'd: "Such as I was
When living, dead such now I am.  If Jove
Weary his workman out, from whom in ire
He snatch'd the lightnings, that at my last day
Transfix'd me, if the rest be weary out
At their black smithy labouring by turns
In Mongibello, while he cries aloud;
"Help, help, good Mulciber!" as erst he cried
In the Phlegraean warfare, and the bolts
Launch he full aim'd at me with all his might,
He never should enjoy a sweet revenge."

Then thus my guide, in accent higher rais'd
Than I before had heard him: "Capaneus!
Thou art more punish'd, in that this thy pride
Lives yet unquench'd: no torrent, save thy rage,
Were to thy fury pain proportion'd full."

Next turning round to me with milder lip
He spake: "This of the seven kings was one,
Who girt the Theban walls with siege, and held,
As still he seems to hold, God in disdain,
And sets his high omnipotence at nought.
But, as I told him, his despiteful mood
Is ornament well suits the breast that wears it.
Follow me now; and look thou set not yet
Thy foot in the hot sand, but to the wood
Keep ever close."  Silently on we pass'd
To where there gushes from the forest's bound
A little brook, whose crimson'd wave yet lifts
My hair with horror.  As the rill, that runs
From Bulicame, to be portion'd out
Among the sinful women; so ran this
Down through the sand, its bottom and each bank
Stone-built, and either margin at its side,
Whereon I straight perceiv'd our passage lay.

"Of all that I have shown thee, since that gate
We enter'd first, whose threshold is to none
Denied, nought else so worthy of regard,
As is this river, has thine eye discern'd,
O'er which the flaming volley all is quench'd."

So spake my guide; and I him thence besought,
That having giv'n me appetite to know,
The food he too would give, that hunger crav'd.

"In midst of ocean," forthwith he began,
"A desolate country lies, which Crete is nam'd,
Under whose monarch in old times the world
Liv'd pure and chaste.  A mountain rises there,
Call'd Ida, joyous once with leaves and streams,
Deserted now like a forbidden thing.
It was the spot which Rhea, Saturn's spouse,
Chose for the secret cradle of her son;
And better to conceal him, drown'd in shouts
His infant cries.  Within the mount, upright
An ancient form there stands and huge, that turns
His shoulders towards Damiata, and at Rome
As in his mirror looks.  Of finest gold
His head is shap'd, pure silver are the breast
And arms; thence to the middle is of brass.
And downward all beneath well-temper'd steel,
Save the right foot of potter's clay, on which
Than on the other more erect he stands,
Each part except the gold, is rent throughout;
And from the fissure tears distil, which join'd
Penetrate to that cave.  They in their course
Thus far precipitated down the rock
Form Acheron, and Styx, and Phlegethon;
Then by this straiten'd channel passing hence
Beneath, e'en to the lowest depth of all,
Form there Cocytus, of whose lake (thyself
Shall see it) I here give thee no account."

Then I to him: "If from our world this sluice
Be thus deriv'd; wherefore to us but now
Appears it at this edge?"  He straight replied:
"The place, thou know'st, is round; and though great part
Thou have already pass'd, still to the left
Descending to the nethermost, not yet
Hast thou the circuit made of the whole orb.
Wherefore if aught of new to us appear,
It needs not bring up wonder in thy looks."

Then I again inquir'd: "Where flow the streams
Of Phlegethon and Lethe? for of one
Thou tell'st not, and the other of that shower,
Thou say'st, is form'd."  He answer thus return'd:
"Doubtless thy questions all well pleas'd I hear.
Yet the red seething wave might have resolv'd
One thou proposest.  Lethe thou shalt see,
But not within this hollow, in the place,
Whither to lave themselves the spirits go,
Whose blame hath been by penitence remov'd."
He added: "Time is now we quit the wood.
Look thou my steps pursue: the margins give
Safe passage, unimpeded by the flames;
For over them all vapour is extinct."




CANTO XV

One of the solid margins bears us now
Envelop'd in the mist, that from the stream
Arising, hovers o'er, and saves from fire
Both piers and water.  As the Flemings rear
Their mound, 'twixt Ghent and Bruges, to chase back
The ocean, fearing his tumultuous tide
That drives toward them, or the Paduans theirs
Along the Brenta, to defend their towns
And castles, ere the genial warmth be felt
On Chiarentana's top; such were the mounds,
So fram'd, though not in height or bulk to these
Made equal, by the master, whosoe'er
He was, that rais'd them here.  We from the wood
Were not so far remov'd, that turning round
I might not have discern'd it, when we met
A troop of spirits, who came beside the pier.

They each one ey'd us, as at eventide
One eyes another under a new moon,
And toward us sharpen'd their sight as keen,
As an old tailor at his needle's eye.

Thus narrowly explor'd by all the tribe,
I was agniz'd of one, who by the skirt
Caught me, and cried, "What wonder have we here!"

And I, when he to me outstretch'd his arm,
Intently fix'd my ken on his parch'd looks,
That although smirch'd with fire, they hinder'd not
But I remember'd him; and towards his face
My hand inclining, answer'd: "Sir!  Brunetto!

"And art thou here?"  He thus to me: "My son!
Oh let it not displease thee, if Brunetto
Latini but a little space with thee
Turn back, and leave his fellows to proceed."

I thus to him replied: "Much as I can,
I thereto pray thee; and if thou be willing,
That I here seat me with thee, I consent;
His leave, with whom I journey, first obtain'd."

"O son!" said he, "whoever of this throng
One instant stops, lies then a hundred years,
No fan to ventilate him, when the fire
Smites sorest.  Pass thou therefore on.  I close
Will at thy garments walk, and then rejoin
My troop, who go mourning their endless doom."

I dar'd not from the path descend to tread
On equal ground with him, but held my head
Bent down, as one who walks in reverent guise.

"What chance or destiny," thus he began,
"Ere the last day conducts thee here below?
And who is this, that shows to thee the way?"

"There up aloft," I answer'd, "in the life
Serene, I wander'd in a valley lost,
Before mine age had to its fullness reach'd.
But yester-morn I left it: then once more
Into that vale returning, him I met;
And by this path homeward he leads me back."

"If thou," he answer'd, "follow but thy star,
Thou canst not miss at last a glorious haven:
Unless in fairer days my judgment err'd.
And if my fate so early had not chanc'd,
Seeing the heav'ns thus bounteous to thee, I
Had gladly giv'n thee comfort in thy work.
But that ungrateful and malignant race,
Who in old times came down from Fesole,
Ay and still smack of their rough mountain-flint,
Will for thy good deeds shew thee enmity.
Nor wonder; for amongst ill-savour'd crabs
It suits not the sweet fig-tree lay her fruit.
Old fame reports them in the world for blind,
Covetous, envious, proud.  Look to it well:
Take heed thou cleanse thee of their ways.  For thee
Thy fortune hath such honour in reserve,
That thou by either party shalt be crav'd
With hunger keen: but be the fresh herb far
From the goat's tooth.  The herd of Fesole
May of themselves make litter, not touch the plant,
If any such yet spring on their rank bed,
In which the holy seed revives, transmitted
From those true Romans, who still there remain'd,
When it was made the nest of so much ill."

"Were all my wish fulfill'd," I straight replied,
"Thou from the confines of man's nature yet
Hadst not been driven forth; for in my mind
Is fix'd, and now strikes full upon my heart
The dear, benign, paternal image, such
As thine was, when so lately thou didst teach me
The way for man to win eternity;
And how I priz'd the lesson, it behooves,
That, long as life endures, my tongue should speak,
What of my fate thou tell'st, that write I down:
And with another text to comment on
For her I keep it, the celestial dame,
Who will know all, if I to her arrive.
This only would I have thee clearly note:
That so my conscience have no plea against me;
Do fortune as she list, I stand prepar'd.
Not new or strange such earnest to mine ear.
Speed fortune then her wheel, as likes her best,
The clown his mattock; all things have their course."

Thereat my sapient guide upon his right
Turn'd himself back, then look'd at me and spake:
"He listens to good purpose who takes note."

I not the less still on my way proceed,
Discoursing with Brunetto, and inquire
Who are most known and chief among his tribe.

"To know of some is well;" thus he replied,
"But of the rest silence may best beseem.
Time would not serve us for report so long.
In brief I tell thee, that all these were clerks,
Men of great learning and no less renown,
By one same sin polluted in the world.
With them is Priscian, and Accorso's son
Francesco herds among that wretched throng:
And, if the wish of so impure a blotch
Possess'd thee, him thou also might'st have seen,
Who by the servants' servant was transferr'd
From Arno's seat to Bacchiglione, where
His ill-strain'd nerves he left.  I more would add,
But must from farther speech and onward way
Alike desist, for yonder I behold
A mist new-risen on the sandy plain.
A company, with whom I may not sort,
Approaches.  I commend my TREASURE to thee,
Wherein I yet survive; my sole request."

This said he turn'd, and seem'd as one of those,
Who o'er Verona's champain try their speed
For the green mantle, and of them he seem'd,
Not he who loses but who gains the prize.




CANTO XVI

NOW came I where the water's din was heard,
As down it fell into the other round,
Resounding like the hum of swarming bees:
When forth together issu'd from a troop,
That pass'd beneath the fierce tormenting storm,
Three spirits, running swift.  They towards us came,
And each one cried aloud, "Oh do thou stay!
Whom by the fashion of thy garb we deem
To be some inmate of our evil land."

Ah me! what wounds I mark'd upon their limbs,
Recent and old, inflicted by the flames!
E'en the remembrance of them grieves me yet.

Attentive to their cry my teacher paus'd,
And turn'd to me his visage, and then spake;
"Wait now! our courtesy these merit well:
And were 't not for the nature of the place,
Whence glide the fiery darts, I should have said,
That haste had better suited thee than them."

They, when we stopp'd, resum'd their ancient wail,
And soon as they had reach'd us, all the three
Whirl'd round together in one restless wheel.
As naked champions, smear'd with slippery oil,
Are wont intent to watch their place of hold
And vantage, ere in closer strife they meet;
Thus each one, as he wheel'd, his countenance
At me directed, so that opposite
The neck mov'd ever to the twinkling feet.

"If misery of this drear wilderness,"
Thus one began, "added to our sad cheer
And destitute, do call forth scorn on us
And our entreaties, let our great renown
Incline thee to inform us who thou art,
That dost imprint with living feet unharm'd
The soil of Hell.  He, in whose track thou see'st
My steps pursuing, naked though he be
And reft of all, was of more high estate
Than thou believest; grandchild of the chaste
Gualdrada, him they Guidoguerra call'd,
Who in his lifetime many a noble act
Achiev'd, both by his wisdom and his sword.
The other, next to me that beats the sand,
Is Aldobrandi, name deserving well,
In the' upper world, of honour; and myself
Who in this torment do partake with them,
Am Rusticucci, whom, past doubt, my wife
Of savage temper, more than aught beside
Hath to this evil brought."  If from the fire
I had been shelter'd, down amidst them straight
I then had cast me, nor my guide, I deem,
Would have restrain'd my going; but that fear
Of the dire burning vanquish'd the desire,
Which made me eager of their wish'd embrace.

I then began: "Not scorn, but grief much more,
Such as long time alone can cure, your doom
Fix'd deep within me, soon as this my lord
Spake words, whose tenour taught me to expect
That such a race, as ye are, was at hand.
I am a countryman of yours, who still
Affectionate have utter'd, and have heard
Your deeds and names renown'd.  Leaving the gall
For the sweet fruit I go, that a sure guide
Hath promis'd to me.  But behooves, that far
As to the centre first I downward tend."

"So may long space thy spirit guide thy limbs,"
He answer straight return'd; "and so thy fame
Shine bright, when thou art gone; as thou shalt tell,
If courtesy and valour, as they wont,
Dwell in our city, or have vanish'd clean?
For one amidst us late condemn'd to wail,
Borsiere, yonder walking with his peers,
Grieves us no little by the news he brings."

"An upstart multitude and sudden gains,
Pride and excess, O Florence! have in thee
Engender'd, so that now in tears thou mourn'st!"
Thus cried I with my face uprais'd, and they
All three, who for an answer took my words,
Look'd at each other, as men look when truth
Comes to their ear.  "If thou at other times,"
They all at once rejoin'd, "so easily
Satisfy those, who question, happy thou,
Gifted with words, so apt to speak thy thought!
Wherefore if thou escape this darksome clime,
Returning to behold the radiant stars,
When thou with pleasure shalt retrace the past,
See that of us thou speak among mankind."

This said, they broke the circle, and so swift
Fled, that as pinions seem'd their nimble feet.

Not in so short a time might one have said
"Amen," as they had vanish'd. Straight my guide
Pursu'd his track.  I follow'd; and small space
Had we pass'd onward, when the water's sound
Was now so near at hand, that we had scarce
Heard one another's speech for the loud din.

E'en as the river, that holds on its course
Unmingled, from the mount of Vesulo,
On the left side of Apennine, toward
The east, which Acquacheta higher up
They call, ere it descend into the vale,
At Forli by that name no longer known,
Rebellows o'er Saint Benedict, roll'd on
From the' Alpine summit down a precipice,
Where space enough to lodge a thousand spreads;
Thus downward from a craggy steep we found,
That this dark wave resounded, roaring loud,
So that the ear its clamour soon had stunn'd.

I had a cord that brac'd my girdle round,
Wherewith I erst had thought fast bound to take
The painted leopard.  This when I had all
Unloosen'd from me (so my master bade)
I gather'd up, and stretch'd it forth to him.
Then to the right he turn'd, and from the brink
Standing few paces distant, cast it down
Into the deep abyss.  "And somewhat strange,"
Thus to myself I spake, "signal so strange
Betokens, which my guide with earnest eye
Thus follows."  Ah! what caution must men use
With those who look not at the deed alone,
But spy into the thoughts with subtle skill!

"Quickly shall come," he said, "what I expect,
Thine eye discover quickly, that whereof
Thy thought is dreaming."  Ever to that truth,
Which but the semblance of a falsehood wears,
A man, if possible, should bar his lip;
Since, although blameless, he incurs reproach.
But silence here were vain; and by these notes
Which now I sing, reader!  I swear to thee,
So may they favour find to latest times!
That through the gross and murky air I spied
A shape come swimming up, that might have quell'd
The stoutest heart with wonder, in such guise
As one returns, who hath been down to loose
An anchor grappled fast against some rock,
Or to aught else that in the salt wave lies,
Who upward springing close draws in his feet.




CANTO XVII

"LO! the fell monster with the deadly sting!
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.




CANTO XVIII

THERE is a place within the depths of hell
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."




CANTO XIX

WOE to thee, Simon Magus! woe to you,
His wretched followers! who the things of God,
Which should be wedded unto goodness, them,
Rapacious as ye are, do prostitute
For gold and silver in adultery!
Now must the trumpet sound for you, since yours
Is the third chasm.  Upon the following vault
We now had mounted, where the rock impends
Directly o'er the centre of the foss.

Wisdom Supreme! how wonderful the art,
Which thou dost manifest in heaven, in earth,
And in the evil world, how just a meed
Allotting by thy virtue unto all!

I saw the livid stone, throughout the sides
And in its bottom full of apertures,
All equal in their width, and circular each,
Nor ample less nor larger they appear'd
Than in Saint John's fair dome of me belov'd
Those fram'd to hold the pure baptismal streams,
One of the which I brake, some few years past,
To save a whelming infant; and be this
A seal to undeceive whoever doubts
The motive of my deed.  From out the mouth
Of every one, emerg'd a sinner's feet
And of the legs high upward as the calf
The rest beneath was hid.  On either foot
The soles were burning, whence the flexile joints
Glanc'd with such violent motion, as had snapt
Asunder cords or twisted withs.  As flame,
Feeding on unctuous matter, glides along
The surface, scarcely touching where it moves;
So here, from heel to point, glided the flames.

"Master! say who is he, than all the rest
Glancing in fiercer agony, on whom
A ruddier flame doth prey?"  I thus inquir'd.

"If thou be willing," he replied, "that I
Carry thee down, where least the slope bank falls,
He of himself shall tell thee and his wrongs."

I then: "As pleases thee to me is best.
Thou art my lord; and know'st that ne'er I quit
Thy will: what silence hides that knowest thou."
Thereat on the fourth pier we came, we turn'd,
And on our left descended to the depth,
A narrow strait and perforated close.
Nor from his side my leader set me down,
Till to his orifice he brought, whose limb
Quiv'ring express'd his pang.  "Whoe'er thou art,
Sad spirit! thus revers'd, and as a stake
Driv'n in the soil!"  I in these words began,
"If thou be able, utter forth thy voice."

There stood I like the friar, that doth shrive
A wretch for murder doom'd, who e'en when fix'd,
Calleth him back, whence death awhile delays.

He shouted: "Ha! already standest there?
Already standest there, O Boniface!
By many a year the writing play'd me false.
So early dost thou surfeit with the wealth,
For which thou fearedst not in guile to take
The lovely lady, and then mangle her?"

I felt as those who, piercing not the drift
Of answer made them, stand as if expos'd
In mockery, nor know what to reply,
When Virgil thus admonish'd: "Tell him quick,
I am not he, not he, whom thou believ'st."

And I, as was enjoin'd me, straight replied.

That heard, the spirit all did wrench his feet,
And sighing next in woeful accent spake:
"What then of me requirest?  If to know
So much imports thee, who I am, that thou
Hast therefore down the bank descended, learn
That in the mighty mantle I was rob'd,
And of a she-bear was indeed the son,
So eager to advance my whelps, that there
My having in my purse above I stow'd,
And here myself.  Under my head are dragg'd
The rest, my predecessors in the guilt
Of simony.  Stretch'd at their length they lie
Along an opening in the rock.  'Midst them
I also low shall fall, soon as he comes,
For whom I took thee, when so hastily
I question'd.  But already longer time
Hath pass'd, since my souls kindled, and I thus
Upturn'd have stood, than is his doom to stand
Planted with fiery feet.  For after him,
One yet of deeds more ugly shall arrive,
From forth the west, a shepherd without law,
Fated to cover both his form and mine.
He a new Jason shall be call'd, of whom
In Maccabees we read; and favour such
As to that priest his king indulgent show'd,
Shall be of France's monarch shown to him."

I know not if I here too far presum'd,
But in this strain I answer'd: "Tell me now,
What treasures from St. Peter at the first
Our Lord demanded, when he put the keys
Into his charge?  Surely he ask'd no more
But, Follow me!  Nor Peter nor the rest
Or gold or silver of Matthias took,
When lots were cast upon the forfeit place
Of the condemned soul.  Abide thou then;
Thy punishment of right is merited:
And look thou well to that ill-gotten coin,
Which against Charles thy hardihood inspir'd.
If reverence of the keys restrain'd me not,
Which thou in happier time didst hold, I yet
Severer speech might use.  Your avarice
O'ercasts the world with mourning, under foot
Treading the good, and raising bad men up.
Of shepherds, like to you, th' Evangelist
Was ware, when her, who sits upon the waves,
With kings in filthy whoredom he beheld,
She who with seven heads tower'd at her birth,
And from ten horns her proof of glory drew,
Long as her spouse in virtue took delight.
Of gold and silver ye have made your god,
Diff'ring wherein from the idolater,
But he that worships one, a hundred ye?
Ah, Constantine! to how much ill gave birth,
Not thy conversion, but that plenteous dower,
Which the first wealthy Father gain'd from thee!"

Meanwhile, as thus I sung, he, whether wrath
Or conscience smote him, violent upsprang
Spinning on either sole.  I do believe
My teacher well was pleas'd, with so compos'd
A lip, he listen'd ever to the sound
Of the true words I utter'd.  In both arms
He caught, and to his bosom lifting me
Upward retrac'd the way of his descent.

Nor weary of his weight he press'd me close,
Till to the summit of the rock we came,
Our passage from the fourth to the fifth pier.
His cherish'd burden there gently he plac'd
Upon the rugged rock and steep, a path
Not easy for the clamb'ring goat to mount.

Thence to my view another vale appear'd




CANTO XX

AND now the verse proceeds to torments new,
Fit argument of this the twentieth strain
Of the first song, whose awful theme records
The spirits whelm'd in woe.  Earnest I look'd
Into the depth, that open'd to my view,
Moisten'd with tears of anguish, and beheld
A tribe, that came along the hollow vale,
In silence weeping: such their step as walk
Quires chanting solemn litanies on earth.

As on them more direct mine eye descends,
Each wondrously seem'd to be revers'd
At the neck-bone, so that the countenance
Was from the reins averted: and because
None might before him look, they were compell'd
To' advance with backward gait.  Thus one perhaps
Hath been by force of palsy clean transpos'd,
But I ne'er saw it nor believe it so.

Now, reader! think within thyself, so God
Fruit of thy reading give thee! how I long
Could keep my visage dry, when I beheld
Near me our form distorted in such guise,
That on the hinder parts fall'n from the face
The tears down-streaming roll'd.  Against a rock
I leant and wept, so that my guide exclaim'd:
"What, and art thou too witless as the rest?
Here pity most doth show herself alive,
When she is dead.  What guilt exceedeth his,
Who with Heaven's judgment in his passion strives?
Raise up thy head, raise up, and see the man,
Before whose eyes earth gap'd in Thebes, when all
Cried out, 'Amphiaraus, whither rushest?
'Why leavest thou the war?'  He not the less
Fell ruining far as to Minos down,
Whose grapple none eludes.  Lo! how he makes
The breast his shoulders, and who once too far
Before him wish'd to see, now backward looks,
And treads reverse his path.  Tiresias note,
Who semblance chang'd, when woman he became
Of male, through every limb transform'd, and then
Once more behov'd him with his rod to strike
The two entwining serpents, ere the plumes,
That mark'd the better sex, might shoot again.

"Aruns, with more his belly facing, comes.
On Luni's mountains 'midst the marbles white,
Where delves Carrara's hind, who wons beneath,
A cavern was his dwelling, whence the stars
And main-sea wide in boundless view he held.

"The next, whose loosen'd tresses overspread
Her bosom, which thou seest not (for each hair
On that side grows) was Manto, she who search'd
Through many regions, and at length her seat
Fix'd in my native land, whence a short space
My words detain thy audience.  When her sire
From life departed, and in servitude
The city dedicate to Bacchus mourn'd,
Long time she went a wand'rer through the world.
Aloft in Italy's delightful land
A lake there lies, at foot of that proud Alp,
That o'er the Tyrol locks Germania in,
Its name Benacus, which a thousand rills,
Methinks, and more, water between the vale
Camonica and Garda and the height
Of Apennine remote.  There is a spot
At midway of that lake, where he who bears
Of Trento's flock the past'ral staff, with him
Of Brescia, and the Veronese, might each
Passing that way his benediction give.
A garrison of goodly site and strong
Peschiera stands, to awe with front oppos'd
The Bergamese and Brescian, whence the shore
More slope each way descends.  There, whatsoev'er
Benacus' bosom holds not, tumbling o'er
Down falls, and winds a river flood beneath
Through the green pastures.  Soon as in his course
The steam makes head, Benacus then no more
They call the name, but Mincius, till at last
Reaching Governo into Po he falls.
Not far his course hath run, when a wide flat
It finds, which overstretchmg as a marsh
It covers, pestilent in summer oft.
Hence journeying, the savage maiden saw
'Midst of the fen a territory waste
And naked of inhabitants.  To shun
All human converse, here she with her slaves
Plying her arts remain'd, and liv'd, and left
Her body tenantless.  Thenceforth the tribes,
Who round were scatter'd, gath'ring to that place
Assembled; for its strength was great, enclos'd
On all parts by the fen.  On those dead bones
They rear'd themselves a city, for her sake,
Calling it Mantua, who first chose the spot,
Nor ask'd another omen for the name,
Wherein more numerous the people dwelt,
Ere Casalodi's madness by deceit
Was wrong'd of Pinamonte.  If thou hear
Henceforth another origin assign'd
Of that my country, I forewarn thee now,
That falsehood none beguile thee of the truth."

I answer'd: "Teacher, I conclude thy words
So certain, that all else shall be to me
As embers lacking life.  But now of these,
Who here proceed, instruct me, if thou see
Any that merit more especial note.
For thereon is my mind alone intent."

He straight replied: "That spirit, from whose cheek
The beard sweeps o'er his shoulders brown, what time
Graecia was emptied of her males, that scarce
The cradles were supplied, the seer was he
In Aulis, who with Calchas gave the sign
When first to cut the cable.  Him they nam'd
Eurypilus: so sings my tragic strain,
In which majestic measure well thou know'st,
Who know'st it all.  That other, round the loins
So slender of his shape, was Michael Scot,
Practis'd in ev'ry slight of magic wile.

"Guido Bonatti see: Asdente mark,
Who now were willing, he had tended still
The thread and cordwain; and too late repents.

"See next the wretches, who the needle left,
The shuttle and the spindle, and became
Diviners: baneful witcheries they wrought
With images and herbs.  But onward now:
For now doth Cain with fork of thorns confine
On either hemisphere, touching the wave
Beneath the towers of Seville.  Yesternight
The moon was round.  Thou mayst remember well:
For she good service did thee in the gloom
Of the deep wood."  This said, both onward mov'd.




CANTO XXI

THUS we from bridge to bridge, with other talk,
The which my drama cares not to rehearse,
Pass'd on; and to the summit reaching, stood
To view another gap, within the round
Of Malebolge, other bootless pangs.

Marvelous darkness shadow'd o'er the place.

In the Venetians' arsenal as boils
Through wintry months tenacious pitch, to smear
Their unsound vessels; for th' inclement time
Sea-faring men restrains, and in that while
His bark one builds anew, another stops
The ribs of his, that hath made many a voyage;
One hammers at the prow, one at the poop;
This shapeth oars, that other cables twirls,
The mizen one repairs and main-sail rent
So not by force of fire but art divine
Boil'd here a glutinous thick mass, that round
Lim'd all the shore beneath.  I that beheld,
But therein nought distinguish'd, save the surge,
Rais'd by the boiling, in one mighty swell
Heave, and by turns subsiding and fall.  While there
I fix'd my ken below, "Mark! mark!" my guide
Exclaiming, drew me towards him from the place,
Wherein I stood.  I turn'd myself as one,
Impatient to behold that which beheld
He needs must shun, whom sudden fear unmans,
That he his flight delays not for the view.
Behind me I discern'd a devil black,
That running, up advanc'd along the rock.
Ah! what fierce cruelty his look bespake!
In act how bitter did he seem, with wings
Buoyant outstretch'd and feet of nimblest tread!
His shoulder proudly eminent and sharp
Was with a sinner charg'd; by either haunch
He held him, the foot's sinew griping fast.

"Ye of our bridge!" he cried, "keen-talon'd fiends!
Lo! one of Santa Zita's elders!  Him
Whelm ye beneath, while I return for more.
That land hath store of such.  All men are there,
Except Bonturo, barterers: of 'no'
For lucre there an 'aye' is quickly made."

Him dashing down, o'er the rough rock he turn'd,
Nor ever after thief a mastiff loos'd
Sped with like eager haste.  That other sank
And forthwith writing to the surface rose.
But those dark demons, shrouded by the bridge,
Cried "Here the hallow'd visage saves not: here
Is other swimming than in Serchio's wave.
Wherefore if thou desire we rend thee not,
Take heed thou mount not o'er the pitch."  This said,
They grappled him with more than hundred hooks,
And shouted: "Cover'd thou must sport thee here;
So, if thou canst, in secret mayst thou filch."

E'en thus the cook bestirs him, with his grooms,
To thrust the flesh into the caldron down
With flesh-hooks, that it float not on the top.

Me then my guide bespake: "Lest they descry,
That thou art here, behind a craggy rock
Bend low and screen thee; and whate'er of force
Be offer'd me, or insult, fear thou not:
For I am well advis'd, who have been erst
In the like fray."  Beyond the bridge's head
Therewith he pass'd, and reaching the sixth pier,
Behov'd him then a forehead terror-proof.

With storm and fury, as when dogs rush forth
Upon the poor man's back, who suddenly
From whence he standeth makes his suit; so rush'd
Those from beneath the arch, and against him
Their weapons all they pointed.  He aloud:
"Be none of you outrageous: ere your time
Dare seize me, come forth from amongst you one,

"Who having heard my words, decide he then
If he shall tear these limbs."  They shouted loud,
"Go, Malacoda!"  Whereat one advanc'd,
The others standing firm, and as he came,
"What may this turn avail him?" he exclaim'd.

"Believ'st thou, Malacoda!  I had come
Thus far from all your skirmishing secure,"
My teacher answered, "without will divine
And destiny propitious?  Pass we then
For so Heaven's pleasure is, that I should lead
Another through this savage wilderness."

Forthwith so fell his pride, that he let drop
The instrument of torture at his feet,
And to the rest exclaim'd: "We have no power
To strike him."  Then to me my guide: "O thou!
Who on the bridge among the crags dost sit
Low crouching, safely now to me return."

I rose, and towards him moved with speed: the fiends
Meantime all forward drew: me terror seiz'd
Lest they should break the compact they had made.
Thus issuing from Caprona, once I saw
Th' infantry dreading, lest his covenant
The foe should break; so close he hemm'd them round.

I to my leader's side adher'd, mine eyes
With fixt and motionless observance bent
On their unkindly visage.  They their hooks
Protruding, one the other thus bespake:
"Wilt thou I touch him on the hip?"  To whom
Was answer'd: "Even so; nor miss thy aim."

But he, who was in conf'rence with my guide,
Turn'd rapid round, and thus the demon spake:
"Stay, stay thee, Scarmiglione!"  Then to us
He added: "Further footing to your step
This rock affords not, shiver'd to the base
Of the sixth arch.  But would you still proceed,
Up by this cavern go: not distant far,
Another rock will yield you passage safe.
Yesterday, later by five hours than now,
Twelve hundred threescore years and six had fill'd
The circuit of their course, since here the way
Was broken.  Thitherward I straight dispatch
Certain of these my scouts, who shall espy
If any on the surface bask.  With them
Go ye: for ye shall find them nothing fell.
Come Alichino forth," with that he cried,
"And Calcabrina, and Cagnazzo thou!
The troop of ten let Barbariccia lead.
With Libicocco Draghinazzo haste,
Fang'd Ciriatto, Grafflacane fierce,
And Farfarello, and mad Rubicant.
Search ye around the bubbling tar.  For these,
In safety lead them, where the other crag
Uninterrupted traverses the dens."

I then: "O master! what a sight is there!
Ah! without escort, journey we alone,
Which, if thou know the way, I covet not.
Unless thy prudence fail thee, dost not mark
How they do gnarl upon us, and their scowl
Threatens us present tortures?"  He replied:
"I charge thee fear not: let them, as they will,
Gnarl on: 't is but in token of their spite
Against the souls, who mourn in torment steep'd."

To leftward o'er the pier they turn'd; but each
Had first between his teeth prest close the tongue,
Toward their leader for a signal looking,
Which he with sound obscene triumphant gave.




CANTO XXII

IT hath been heretofore my chance to see
Horsemen with martial order shifting camp,
To onset sallying, or in muster rang'd,
Or in retreat sometimes outstretch'd for flight;
Light-armed squadrons and fleet foragers
Scouring thy plains, Arezzo! have I seen,
And clashing tournaments, and tilting jousts,
Now with the sound of trumpets, now of bells,
Tabors, or signals made from castled heights,
And with inventions multiform, our own,
Or introduc'd from foreign land; but ne'er
To such a strange recorder I beheld,
In evolution moving, horse nor foot,
Nor ship, that tack'd by sign from land or star.

With the ten demons on our way we went;
Ah fearful company! but in the church
With saints, with gluttons at the tavern's mess.

Still earnest on the pitch I gaz'd, to mark
All things whate'er the chasm contain'd, and those
Who burn'd within.  As dolphins, that, in sign
To mariners, heave high their arched backs,
That thence forewarn'd they may advise to save
Their threaten'd vessels; so, at intervals,
To ease the pain his back some sinner show'd,
Then hid more nimbly than the lightning glance.

E'en as the frogs, that of a wat'ry moat
Stand at the brink, with the jaws only out,
Their feet and of the trunk all else concealed,
Thus on each part the sinners stood, but soon
As Barbariccia was at hand, so they
Drew back under the wave.  I saw, and yet
My heart doth stagger, one, that waited thus,
As it befalls that oft one frog remains,
While the next springs away: and Graffiacan,
Who of the fiends was nearest, grappling seiz'd
His clotted locks, and dragg'd him sprawling up,
That he appear'd to me an otter.  Each
Already by their names I knew, so well
When they were chosen, I observ'd, and mark'd
How one the other call'd. "O Rubicant!
See that his hide thou with thy talons flay,"
Shouted together all the cursed crew.

Then I: "Inform thee, master! if thou may,
What wretched soul is this, on whom their hand
His foes have laid."  My leader to his side
Approach'd, and whence he came inquir'd, to whom
Was answer'd thus: "Born in Navarre's domain
My mother plac'd me in a lord's retinue,
For she had borne me to a losel vile,
A spendthrift of his substance and himself.
The good king Thibault after that I serv'd,
To peculating here my thoughts were turn'd,
Whereof I give account in this dire heat."

Straight Ciriatto, from whose mouth a tusk
Issued on either side, as from a boar,
Ript him with one of these.  'Twixt evil claws
The mouse had fall'n: but Barbariccia cried,
Seizing him with both arms: "Stand thou apart,
While I do fix him on my prong transpierc'd."
Then added, turning to my guide his face,
"Inquire of him, if more thou wish to learn,
Ere he again be rent."  My leader thus:
"Then tell us of the partners in thy guilt;
Knowest thou any sprung of Latian land
Under the tar?"--"I parted," he replied,
"But now from one, who sojourn'd not far thence;
So were I under shelter now with him!
Nor hook nor talon then should scare me more."--.

"Too long we suffer," Libicocco cried,
Then, darting forth a prong, seiz'd on his arm,
And mangled bore away the sinewy part.
Him Draghinazzo by his thighs beneath
Would next have caught, whence angrily their chief,
Turning on all sides round, with threat'ning brow
Restrain'd them.  When their strife a little ceas'd,
Of him, who yet was gazing on his wound,
My teacher thus without delay inquir'd:
"Who was the spirit, from whom by evil hap
Parting, as thou has told, thou cam'st to shore?"--

"It was the friar Gomita," he rejoin'd,
"He of Gallura, vessel of all guile,
Who had his master's enemies in hand,
And us'd them so that they commend him well.
Money he took, and them at large dismiss'd.
So he reports: and in each other charge
Committed to his keeping, play'd the part
Of barterer to the height: with him doth herd
The chief of Logodoro, Michel Zanche.
Sardinia is a theme, whereof their tongue
Is never weary.  Out! alas! behold
That other, how he grins!  More would I say,
But tremble lest he mean to maul me sore."

Their captain then to Farfarello turning,
Who roll'd his moony eyes in act to strike,
Rebuk'd him thus: "Off! cursed bird!  Avaunt!"--

"If ye desire to see or hear," he thus
Quaking with dread resum'd, "or Tuscan spirits
Or Lombard, I will cause them to appear.
Meantime let these ill talons bate their fury,
So that no vengeance they may fear from them,
And I, remaining in this self-same place,
Will for myself but one, make sev'n appear,
When my shrill whistle shall be heard; for so
Our custom is to call each other up."

Cagnazzo at that word deriding grinn'd,
Then wagg'd the head and spake: "Hear his device,
Mischievous as he is, to plunge him down."

Whereto he thus, who fail'd not in rich store
Of nice-wove toils; "Mischief forsooth extreme,
Meant only to procure myself more woe!"

No longer Alichino then refrain'd,
But thus, the rest gainsaying, him bespake:
"If thou do cast thee down, I not on foot
Will chase thee, but above the pitch will beat
My plumes.  Quit we the vantage ground, and let
The bank be as a shield, that we may see
If singly thou prevail against us all."

Now, reader, of new sport expect to hear!

They each one turn'd his eyes to the' other shore,
He first, who was the hardest to persuade.
The spirit of Navarre chose well his time,
Planted his feet on land, and at one leap
Escaping disappointed their resolve.

Them quick resentment stung, but him the most,
Who was the cause of failure; in pursuit
He therefore sped, exclaiming; "Thou art caught."

But little it avail'd: terror outstripp'd
His following flight: the other plung'd beneath,
And he with upward pinion rais'd his breast:
E'en thus the water-fowl, when she perceives
The falcon near, dives instant down, while he
Enrag'd and spent retires.  That mockery
In Calcabrina fury stirr'd, who flew
After him, with desire of strife inflam'd;
And, for the barterer had 'scap'd, so turn'd
His talons on his comrade. O'er the dyke
In grapple close they join'd; but the' other prov'd
A goshawk able to rend well his foe;

And in the boiling lake both fell.  The heat
Was umpire soon between them, but in vain
To lift themselves they strove, so fast were glued
Their pennons.  Barbariccia, as the rest,
That chance lamenting, four in flight dispatch'd
From the' other coast, with all their weapons arm'd.
They, to their post on each side speedily
Descending, stretch'd their hooks toward the fiends,
Who flounder'd, inly burning from their scars:
And we departing left them to that broil.




CANTO XXIII

IN silence and in solitude we went,
One first, the other following his steps,
As minor friars journeying on their road.

The present fray had turn'd my thoughts to muse
Upon old Aesop's fable, where he told
What fate unto the mouse and frog befell.
For language hath not sounds more like in sense,
Than are these chances, if the origin
And end of each be heedfully compar'd.
And as one thought bursts from another forth,
So afterward from that another sprang,
Which added doubly to my former fear.
For thus I reason'd: "These through us have been
So foil'd, with loss and mock'ry so complete,
As needs must sting them sore.  If anger then
Be to their evil will conjoin'd, more fell
They shall pursue us, than the savage hound
Snatches the leveret, panting 'twixt his jaws."

Already I perceiv'd my hair stand all
On end with terror, and look'd eager back.

"Teacher," I thus began, "if speedily
Thyself and me thou hide not, much I dread
Those evil talons.  Even now behind
They urge us: quick imagination works
So forcibly, that I already feel them."

He answer'd: "Were I form'd of leaded glass,
I should not sooner draw unto myself
Thy outward image, than I now imprint
That from within.  This moment came thy thoughts
Presented before mine, with similar act
And count'nance similar, so that from both
I one design have fram'd.  If the right coast
Incline so much, that we may thence descend
Into the other chasm, we shall escape
Secure from this imagined pursuit."

He had not spoke his purpose to the end,
When I from far beheld them with spread wings
Approach to take us.  Suddenly my guide
Caught me, ev'n as a mother that from sleep
Is by the noise arous'd, and near her sees
The climbing fires, who snatches up her babe
And flies ne'er pausing, careful more of him
Than of herself, that but a single vest
Clings round her limbs.  Down from the jutting beach
Supine he cast him, to that pendent rock,
Which closes on one part the other chasm.

Never ran water with such hurrying pace
Adown the tube to turn a landmill's wheel,
When nearest it approaches to the spokes,
As then along that edge my master ran,
Carrying me in his bosom, as a child,
Not a companion.  Scarcely had his feet
Reach'd to the lowest of the bed beneath,

When over us the steep they reach'd; but fear
In him was none; for that high Providence,
Which plac'd them ministers of the fifth foss,
Power of departing thence took from them all.

There in the depth we saw a painted tribe,
Who pac'd with tardy steps around, and wept,
Faint in appearance and o'ercome with toil.
Caps had they on, with hoods, that fell low down
Before their eyes, in fashion like to those
Worn by the monks in Cologne.  Their outside
Was overlaid with gold, dazzling to view,
But leaden all within, and of such weight,
That Frederick's compar'd to these were straw.
Oh, everlasting wearisome attire!

We yet once more with them together turn'd
To leftward, on their dismal moan intent.
But by the weight oppress'd, so slowly came
The fainting people, that our company
Was chang'd at every movement of the step.

Whence I my guide address'd: "See that thou find
Some spirit, whose name may by his deeds be known,
And to that end look round thee as thou go'st."

Then one, who understood the Tuscan voice,
Cried after us aloud: "Hold in your feet,
Ye who so swiftly speed through the dusk air.
Perchance from me thou shalt obtain thy wish."

Whereat my leader, turning, me bespake:
"Pause, and then onward at their pace proceed."

I staid, and saw two Spirits in whose look
Impatient eagerness of mind was mark'd
To overtake me; but the load they bare
And narrow path retarded their approach.

Soon as arriv'd, they with an eye askance
Perus'd me, but spake not: then turning each
To other thus conferring said: "This one
Seems, by the action of his throat, alive.
And, be they dead, what privilege allows
They walk unmantled by the cumbrous stole?"

Then thus to me: "Tuscan, who visitest
The college of the mourning hypocrites,
Disdain not to instruct us who thou art."

"By Arno's pleasant stream," I thus replied,
"In the great city I was bred and grew,
And wear the body I have ever worn.
but who are ye, from whom such mighty grief,
As now I witness, courseth down your cheeks?
What torment breaks forth in this bitter woe?"
"Our bonnets gleaming bright with orange hue,"
One of them answer'd, "are so leaden gross,
That with their weight they make the balances
To crack beneath them.  Joyous friars we were,
Bologna's natives, Catalano I,
He Loderingo nam'd, and by thy land
Together taken, as men used to take
A single and indifferent arbiter,
To reconcile their strifes.  How there we sped,
Gardingo's vicinage can best declare."

"O friars!"  I began, "your miseries--"
But there brake off, for one had caught my eye,
Fix'd to a cross with three stakes on the ground:
He, when he saw me, writh'd himself, throughout
Distorted, ruffling with deep sighs his beard.
And Catalano, who thereof was 'ware,

Thus spake: "That pierced spirit, whom intent
Thou view'st, was he who gave the Pharisees
Counsel, that it were fitting for one man
To suffer for the people.  He doth lie
Transverse; nor any passes, but him first
Behoves make feeling trial how each weighs.
In straits like this along the foss are plac'd
The father of his consort, and the rest
Partakers in that council, seed of ill
And sorrow to the Jews."  I noted then,
How Virgil gaz'd with wonder upon him,
Thus abjectly extended on the cross
In banishment eternal.  To the friar
He next his words address'd: "We pray ye tell,
If so be lawful, whether on our right
Lies any opening in the rock, whereby
We both may issue hence, without constraint
On the dark angels, that compell'd they come
To lead us from this depth."  He thus replied:
"Nearer than thou dost hope, there is a rock
From the next circle moving, which o'ersteps
Each vale of horror, save that here his cope
Is shatter'd.  By the ruin ye may mount:
For on the side it slants, and most the height
Rises below."  With head bent down awhile
My leader stood, then spake: "He warn'd us ill,
Who yonder hangs the sinners on his hook."

To whom the friar: At Bologna erst
"I many vices of the devil heard,
Among the rest was said, 'He is a liar,
And the father of lies!'"  When he had spoke,
My leader with large strides proceeded on,
Somewhat disturb'd with anger in his look.

I therefore left the spirits heavy laden,
And following, his beloved footsteps mark'd.




CANTO XXIV

IN the year's early nonage, when the sun
Tempers his tresses in Aquarius' urn,
And now towards equal day the nights recede,
When as the rime upon the earth puts on
Her dazzling sister's image, but not long
Her milder sway endures, then riseth up
The village hind, whom fails his wintry store,
And looking out beholds the plain around
All whiten'd, whence impatiently he smites
His thighs, and to his hut returning in,
There paces to and fro, wailing his lot,
As a discomfited and helpless man;
Then comes he forth again, and feels new hope
Spring in his bosom, finding e'en thus soon
The world hath chang'd its count'nance, grasps his crook,
And forth to pasture drives his little flock:
So me my guide dishearten'd when I saw
His troubled forehead, and so speedily
That ill was cur'd; for at the fallen bridge
Arriving, towards me with a look as sweet,
He turn'd him back, as that I first beheld
At the steep mountain's foot.  Regarding well
The ruin, and some counsel first maintain'd
With his own thought, he open'd wide his arm
And took me up.  As one, who, while he works,
Computes his labour's issue, that he seems
Still to foresee the' effect, so lifting me
Up to the summit of one peak, he fix'd
His eye upon another.  "Grapple that,"
Said he, "but first make proof, if it be such
As will sustain thee."  For one capp'd with lead
This were no journey.  Scarcely he, though light,
And I, though onward push'd from crag to crag,
Could mount.  And if the precinct of this coast
Were not less ample than the last, for him
I know not, but my strength had surely fail'd.
But Malebolge all toward the mouth
Inclining of the nethermost abyss,
The site of every valley hence requires,
That one side upward slope, the other fall.

At length the point of our descent we reach'd
From the last flag: soon as to that arriv'd,
So was the breath exhausted from my lungs,
I could no further, but did seat me there.

"Now needs thy best of man;" so spake my guide:
"For not on downy plumes, nor under shade
Of canopy reposing, fame is won,
Without which whosoe'er consumes his days
Leaveth such vestige of himself on earth,
As smoke in air or foam upon the wave.
Thou therefore rise: vanish thy weariness
By the mind's effort, in each struggle form'd
To vanquish, if she suffer not the weight
Of her corporeal frame to crush her down.
A longer ladder yet remains to scale.
From these to have escap'd sufficeth not.
If well thou note me, profit by my words."

I straightway rose, and show'd myself less spent
Than I in truth did feel me.  "On," I cried,
"For I am stout and fearless."  Up the rock
Our way we held, more rugged than before,
Narrower and steeper far to climb.  From talk
I ceas'd not, as we journey'd, so to seem
Least faint; whereat a voice from the other foss
Did issue forth, for utt'rance suited ill.
Though on the arch that crosses there I stood,
What were the words I knew not, but who spake
Seem'd mov'd in anger.  Down I stoop'd to look,
But my quick eye might reach not to the depth
For shrouding darkness; wherefore thus I spake:
"To the next circle, Teacher, bend thy steps,
And from the wall dismount we; for as hence
I hear and understand not, so I see
Beneath, and naught discern."--"I answer not,"
Said he, "but by the deed.  To fair request
Silent performance maketh best return."

We from the bridge's head descended, where
To the eighth mound it joins, and then the chasm
Opening to view, I saw a crowd within
Of serpents terrible, so strange of shape
And hideous, that remembrance in my veins
Yet shrinks the vital current.  Of her sands
Let Lybia vaunt no more: if Jaculus,
Pareas and Chelyder be her brood,
Cenchris and Amphisboena, plagues so dire
Or in such numbers swarming ne'er she shew'd,
Not with all Ethiopia, and whate'er
Above the Erythraean sea is spawn'd.

Amid this dread exuberance of woe
Ran naked spirits wing'd with horrid fear,
Nor hope had they of crevice where to hide,
Or heliotrope to charm them out of view.
With serpents were their hands behind them bound,
Which through their reins infix'd the tail and head
Twisted in folds before.  And lo! on one
Near to our side, darted an adder up,
And, where the neck is on the shoulders tied,
Transpierc'd him.  Far more quickly than e'er pen
Wrote O or I, he kindled, burn'd, and chang'd
To ashes, all pour'd out upon the earth.
When there dissolv'd he lay, the dust again
Uproll'd spontaneous, and the self-same form
Instant resumed.  So mighty sages tell,
The' Arabian Phoenix, when five hundred years
Have well nigh circled, dies, and springs forthwith
Renascent.  Blade nor herb throughout his life
He tastes, but tears of frankincense alone
And odorous amomum: swaths of nard
And myrrh his funeral shroud.  As one that falls,
He knows not how, by force demoniac dragg'd
To earth, or through obstruction fettering up
In chains invisible the powers of man,
Who, risen from his trance, gazeth around,
Bewilder'd with the monstrous agony
He hath endur'd, and wildly staring sighs;
So stood aghast the sinner when he rose.

Oh! how severe God's judgment, that deals out
Such blows in stormy vengeance!  Who he was
My teacher next inquir'd, and thus in few
He answer'd: "Vanni Fucci am I call'd,
Not long since rained down from Tuscany
To this dire gullet.  Me the beastial life
And not the human pleas'd, mule that I was,
Who in Pistoia found my worthy den."

I then to Virgil: "Bid him stir not hence,
And ask what crime did thrust him hither: once
A man I knew him choleric and bloody."

The sinner heard and feign'd not, but towards me
His mind directing and his face, wherein
Was dismal shame depictur'd, thus he spake:
"It grieves me more to have been caught by thee
In this sad plight, which thou beholdest, than
When I was taken from the other life.
I have no power permitted to deny
What thou inquirest.  I am doom'd thus low
To dwell, for that the sacristy by me
Was rifled of its goodly ornaments,
And with the guilt another falsely charged.
But that thou mayst not joy to see me thus,
So as thou e'er shalt 'scape this darksome realm
Open thine ears and hear what I forebode.
Reft of the Neri first Pistoia pines,
Then Florence changeth citizens and laws.
From Valdimagra, drawn by wrathful Mars,
A vapour rises, wrapt in turbid mists,
And sharp and eager driveth on the storm
With arrowy hurtling o'er Piceno's field,
Whence suddenly the cloud shall burst, and strike
Each helpless Bianco prostrate to the ground.
This have I told, that grief may rend thy heart."




CANTO XXV

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.




CANTO XXVI

FLORENCE exult! for thou so mightily
Hast thriven, that o'er land and sea thy wings
Thou beatest, and thy name spreads over hell!
Among the plund'rers such the three I found
Thy citizens, whence shame to me thy son,
And no proud honour to thyself redounds.

But if our minds, when dreaming near the dawn,
Are of the truth presageful, thou ere long
Shalt feel what Prato, (not to say the rest)
Would fain might come upon thee; and that chance
Were in good time, if it befell thee now.
Would so it were, since it must needs befall!
For as time wears me, I shall grieve the more.

We from the depth departed; and my guide
Remounting scal'd the flinty steps, which late
We downward trac'd, and drew me up the steep.
Pursuing thus our solitary way
Among the crags and splinters of the rock,
Sped not our feet without the help of hands.

Then sorrow seiz'd me, which e'en now revives,
As my thought turns again to what I saw,
And, more than I am wont, I rein and curb
The powers of nature in me, lest they run
Where Virtue guides not; that if aught of good
My gentle star, or something better gave me,
I envy not myself the precious boon.

As in that season, when the sun least veils
His face that lightens all, what time the fly
Gives way to the shrill gnat, the peasant then
Upon some cliff reclin'd, beneath him sees
Fire-flies innumerous spangling o'er the vale,
Vineyard or tilth, where his day-labour lies:
With flames so numberless throughout its space
Shone the eighth chasm, apparent, when the depth
Was to my view expos'd. As he, whose wrongs
The bears aveng'd, at its departure saw
Elijah's chariot, when the steeds erect
Rais'd their steep flight for heav'n; his eyes meanwhile,
Straining pursu'd them, till the flame alone
Upsoaring like a misty speck he kenn'd;
E'en thus along the gulf moves every flame,
A sinner so enfolded close in each,
That none exhibits token of the theft.

Upon the bridge I forward bent to look,
And grasp'd a flinty mass, or else had fall'n,
Though push'd not from the height.  The guide, who mark'd
How I did gaze attentive, thus began:

"Within these ardours are the spirits, each
Swath'd in confining fire."--"Master, thy word,"
I answer'd, "hath assur'd me; yet I deem'd
Already of the truth, already wish'd
To ask thee, who is in yon fire, that comes
So parted at the summit, as it seem'd
Ascending from that funeral pile, where lay
The Theban brothers?"  He replied: "Within
Ulysses there and Diomede endure
Their penal tortures, thus to vengeance now
Together hasting, as erewhile to wrath.
These in the flame with ceaseless groans deplore
The ambush of the horse, that open'd wide
A portal for that goodly seed to pass,
Which sow'd imperial Rome; nor less the guile
Lament they, whence of her Achilles 'reft
Deidamia yet in death complains.
And there is rued the stratagem, that Troy
Of her Palladium spoil'd."--"If they have power
Of utt'rance from within these sparks," said I,
"O master! think my prayer a thousand fold
In repetition urg'd, that thou vouchsafe
To pause, till here the horned flame arrive.
See, how toward it with desire I bend."

He thus: "Thy prayer is worthy of much praise,
And I accept it therefore: but do thou
Thy tongue refrain: to question them be mine,
For I divine thy wish: and they perchance,
For they were Greeks, might shun discourse with thee."

When there the flame had come, where time and place
Seem'd fitting to my guide, he thus began:
"O ye, who dwell two spirits in one fire!
If living I of you did merit aught,
Whate'er the measure were of that desert,
When in the world my lofty strain I pour'd,
Move ye not on, till one of you unfold
In what clime death o'ertook him self-destroy'd."

Of the old flame forthwith the greater horn
Began to roll, murmuring, as a fire
That labours with the wind, then to and fro
Wagging the top, as a tongue uttering sounds,
Threw out its voice, and spake: "When I escap'd
From Circe, who beyond a circling year
Had held me near Caieta, by her charms,
Ere thus Aeneas yet had nam'd the shore,
Nor fondness for my son, nor reverence
Of my old father, nor return of love,
That should have crown'd Penelope with joy,
Could overcome in me the zeal I had
T' explore the world, and search the ways of life,
Man's evil and his virtue.  Forth I sail'd
Into the deep illimitable main,
With but one bark, and the small faithful band
That yet cleav'd to me.  As Iberia far,
Far as Morocco either shore I saw,
And the Sardinian and each isle beside
Which round that ocean bathes.  Tardy with age
Were I and my companions, when we came
To the strait pass, where Hercules ordain'd
The bound'ries not to be o'erstepp'd by man.
The walls of Seville to my right I left,
On the' other hand already Ceuta past.

"O brothers!"  I began, "who to the west
Through perils without number now have reach'd,
To this the short remaining watch, that yet
Our senses have to wake, refuse not proof
Of the unpeopled world, following the track
Of Phoebus. Call to mind from whence we sprang:
Ye were not form'd to live the life of brutes
But virtue to pursue and knowledge high.
With these few words I sharpen'd for the voyage
The mind of my associates, that I then
Could scarcely have withheld them.  To the dawn
Our poop we turn'd, and for the witless flight
Made our oars wings, still gaining on the left.
Each star of the' other pole night now beheld,
And ours so low, that from the ocean-floor
It rose not.  Five times re-illum'd, as oft
Vanish'd the light from underneath the moon
Since the deep way we enter'd, when from far
Appear'd a mountain dim, loftiest methought
Of all I e'er beheld.  Joy seiz'd us straight,
But soon to mourning changed.  From the new land
A whirlwind sprung, and at her foremost side
Did strike the vessel.  Thrice it whirl'd her round
With all the waves, the fourth time lifted up
The poop, and sank the prow: so fate decreed:
And over us the booming billow clos'd."




CANTO XVII

NOW upward rose the flame, and still'd its light
To speak no more, and now pass'd on with leave
From the mild poet gain'd, when following came
Another, from whose top a sound confus'd,
Forth issuing, drew our eyes that way to look.

As the Sicilian bull, that rightfully
His cries first echoed, who had shap'd its mould,
Did so rebellow, with the voice of him
Tormented, that the brazen monster seem'd
Pierc'd through with pain; thus while no way they found
Nor avenue immediate through the flame,
Into its language turn'd the dismal words:
But soon as they had won their passage forth,
Up from the point, which vibrating obey'd
Their motion at the tongue, these sounds we heard:
"O thou! to whom I now direct my voice!
That lately didst exclaim in Lombard phrase,

"Depart thou, I solicit thee no more,
Though somewhat tardy I perchance arrive
Let it not irk thee here to pause awhile,
And with me parley: lo! it irks not me
And yet I burn.  If but e'en now thou fall
into this blind world, from that pleasant land
Of Latium, whence I draw my sum of guilt,
Tell me if those, who in Romagna dwell,
Have peace or war.  For of the mountains there
Was I, betwixt Urbino and the height,
Whence Tyber first unlocks his mighty flood."

Leaning I listen'd yet with heedful ear,
When, as he touch'd my side, the leader thus:
"Speak thou: he is a Latian."  My reply
Was ready, and I spake without delay:

"O spirit! who art hidden here below!
Never was thy Romagna without war
In her proud tyrants' bosoms, nor is now:
But open war there left I none.  The state,
Ravenna hath maintain'd this many a year,
Is steadfast.  There Polenta's eagle broods,
And in his broad circumference of plume
O'ershadows Cervia. The green talons grasp
The land, that stood erewhile the proof so long,
And pil'd in bloody heap the host of France.

"The' old mastiff of Verruchio and the young,
That tore Montagna in their wrath, still make,
Where they are wont, an augre of their fangs.

"Lamone's city and Santerno's range
Under the lion of the snowy lair.
Inconstant partisan! that changeth sides,
Or ever summer yields to winter's frost.
And she, whose flank is wash'd of Savio's wave,
As 'twixt the level and the steep she lies,
Lives so 'twixt tyrant power and liberty.

"Now tell us, I entreat thee, who art thou?
Be not more hard than others.  In the world,
So may thy name still rear its forehead high."

Then roar'd awhile the fire, its sharpen'd point
On either side wav'd, and thus breath'd at last:
"If I did think, my answer were to one,
Who ever could return unto the world,
This flame should rest unshaken.  But since ne'er,
If true be told me, any from this depth
Has found his upward way, I answer thee,
Nor fear lest infamy record the words.

"A man of arms at first, I cloth'd me then
In good Saint Francis' girdle, hoping so
T' have made amends.  And certainly my hope
Had fail'd not, but that he, whom curses light on,
The' high priest again seduc'd me into sin.
And how and wherefore listen while I tell.
Long as this spirit mov'd the bones and pulp
My mother gave me, less my deeds bespake
The nature of the lion than the fox.
All ways of winding subtlety I knew,
And with such art conducted, that the sound
Reach'd the world's limit.  Soon as to that part
Of life I found me come, when each behoves
To lower sails and gather in the lines;
That which before had pleased me then I rued,
And to repentance and confession turn'd;
Wretch that I was! and well it had bested me!
The chief of the new Pharisees meantime,
Waging his warfare near the Lateran,
Not with the Saracens or Jews (his foes
All Christians were, nor against Acre one
Had fought, nor traffic'd in the Soldan's land),
He his great charge nor sacred ministry
In himself, rev'renc'd, nor in me that cord,
Which us'd to mark with leanness whom it girded.
As in Socrate, Constantine besought
To cure his leprosy Sylvester's aid,
So me to cure the fever of his pride
This man besought: my counsel to that end
He ask'd: and I was silent: for his words
Seem'd drunken: but forthwith he thus resum'd:
'From thy heart banish fear: of all offence
I hitherto absolve thee.  In return,
Teach me my purpose so to execute,
That Penestrino cumber earth no more.
Heav'n, as thou knowest, I have power to shut
And open: and the keys are therefore twain,
The which my predecessor meanly priz'd.'"

Then, yielding to the forceful arguments,
Of silence as more perilous I deem'd,
And answer'd: "Father! since thou washest me
Clear of that guilt wherein I now must fall,
Large promise with performance scant, be sure,
Shall make thee triumph in thy lofty seat."

"When I was number'd with the dead, then came
Saint Francis for me; but a cherub dark
He met, who cried: 'Wrong me not; he is mine,
And must below to join the wretched crew,
For the deceitful counsel which he gave.
E'er since I watch'd him, hov'ring at his hair,
No power can the impenitent absolve;
Nor to repent and will at once consist,
By contradiction absolute forbid.'"
Oh mis'ry! how I shook myself, when he
Seiz'd me, and cried, "Thou haply thought'st me not
A disputant in logic so exact."
To Minos down he bore me, and the judge
Twin'd eight times round his callous back the tail,
Which biting with excess of rage, he spake:
"This is a guilty soul, that in the fire
Must vanish.  Hence perdition-doom'd I rove
A prey to rankling sorrow in this garb."

When he had thus fulfill'd his words, the flame
In dolour parted, beating to and fro,
And writhing its sharp horn.  We onward went,
I and my leader, up along the rock,
Far as another arch, that overhangs
The foss, wherein the penalty is paid
Of those, who load them with committed sin.




CANTO XXVIII

WHO, e'en in words unfetter'd, might at full
Tell of the wounds and blood that now I saw,
Though he repeated oft the tale? No tongue
So vast a theme could equal, speech and thought
Both impotent alike.  If in one band
Collected, stood the people all, who e'er
Pour'd on Apulia's happy soil their blood,
Slain by the Trojans, and in that long war
When of the rings the measur'd booty made
A pile so high, as Rome's historian writes
Who errs not, with the multitude, that felt
The grinding force of Guiscard's Norman steel,
And those the rest, whose bones are gather'd yet
At Ceperano, there where treachery
Branded th' Apulian name, or where beyond
Thy walls, O Tagliacozzo, without arms
The old Alardo conquer'd; and his limbs
One were to show transpierc'd, another his
Clean lopt away; a spectacle like this
Were but a thing of nought, to the' hideous sight
Of the ninth chasm.  A rundlet, that hath lost
Its middle or side stave, gapes not so wide,
As one I mark'd, torn from the chin throughout
Down to the hinder passage: 'twixt the legs
Dangling his entrails hung, the midriff lay
Open to view, and wretched ventricle,
That turns th' englutted aliment to dross.

Whilst eagerly I fix on him my gaze,
He ey'd me, with his hands laid his breast bare,
And cried; "Now mark how I do rip me! lo!

"How is Mohammed mangled! before me
Walks Ali weeping, from the chin his face
Cleft to the forelock; and the others all
Whom here thou seest, while they liv'd, did sow
Scandal and schism, and therefore thus are rent.
A fiend is here behind, who with his sword
Hacks us thus cruelly, slivering again
Each of this ream, when we have compast round
The dismal way, for first our gashes close
Ere we repass before him.  But say who
Art thou, that standest musing on the rock,
Haply so lingering to delay the pain
Sentenc'd upon thy crimes?"--"Him death not yet,"
My guide rejoin'd, "hath overta'en, nor sin
Conducts to torment; but, that he may make
Full trial of your state, I who am dead
Must through the depths of hell, from orb to orb,
Conduct him.  Trust my words, for they are true."

More than a hundred spirits, when that they heard,
Stood in the foss to mark me, through amazed,
Forgetful of their pangs.  "Thou, who perchance
Shalt shortly view the sun, this warning thou
Bear to Dolcino: bid him, if he wish not
Here soon to follow me, that with good store
Of food he arm him, lest impris'ning snows
Yield him a victim to Novara's power,
No easy conquest else."  With foot uprais'd
For stepping, spake Mohammed, on the ground
Then fix'd it to depart.  Another shade,
Pierc'd in the throat, his nostrils mutilate
E'en from beneath the eyebrows, and one ear
Lopt off, who with the rest through wonder stood
Gazing, before the rest advanc'd, and bar'd
His wind-pipe, that without was all o'ersmear'd
With crimson stain.  "O thou!" said he, "whom sin
Condemns not, and whom erst (unless too near
Resemblance do deceive me) I aloft
Have seen on Latian ground, call thou to mind
Piero of Medicina, if again
Returning, thou behold'st the pleasant land
That from Vercelli slopes to Mercabo;

"And there instruct the twain, whom Fano boasts
Her worthiest sons, Guido and Angelo,
That if 't is giv'n us here to scan aright
The future, they out of life's tenement
Shall be cast forth, and whelm'd under the waves
Near to Cattolica, through perfidy
Of a fell tyrant.  'Twixt the Cyprian isle
And Balearic, ne'er hath Neptune seen
An injury so foul, by pirates done
Or Argive crew of old.  That one-ey'd traitor
(Whose realm there is a spirit here were fain
His eye had still lack'd sight of) them shall bring
To conf'rence with him, then so shape his end,
That they shall need not 'gainst Focara's wind
Offer up vow nor pray'r."  I answering thus:

"Declare, as thou dost wish that I above
May carry tidings of thee, who is he,
In whom that sight doth wake such sad remembrance?"

Forthwith he laid his hand on the cheek-bone
Of one, his fellow-spirit, and his jaws
Expanding, cried: "Lo! this is he I wot of;
He speaks not for himself: the outcast this
Who overwhelm'd the doubt in Caesar's mind,
Affirming that delay to men prepar'd
Was ever harmful."  Oh  how terrified
Methought was Curio, from whose throat was cut
The tongue, which spake that hardy word.  Then one
Maim'd of each hand, uplifted in the gloom
The bleeding stumps, that they with gory spots
Sullied his face, and cried: "'Remember thee
Of Mosca, too, I who, alas! exclaim'd,
'The deed once done there is an end,' that prov'd
A seed of sorrow to the Tuscan race."

I added: "Ay, and death to thine own tribe."

Whence heaping woe on woe he hurried off,
As one grief stung to madness.  But I there
Still linger'd to behold the troop, and saw
Things, such as I may fear without more proof
To tell of, but that conscience makes me firm,
The boon companion, who her strong breast-plate
Buckles on him, that feels no guilt within
And bids him on and fear not.  Without doubt
I saw, and yet it seems to pass before me,
A headless trunk, that even as the rest
Of the sad flock pac'd onward.  By the hair
It bore the sever'd member, lantern-wise
Pendent in hand, which look'd at us and said,

"Woe's me!"  The spirit lighted thus himself,
And two there were in one, and one in two.
How that may be he knows who ordereth so.

When at the bridge's foot direct he stood,
His arm aloft he rear'd, thrusting the head
Full in our view, that nearer we might hear
The words, which thus it utter'd: "Now behold
This grievous torment, thou, who breathing go'st
To spy the dead; behold if any else
Be terrible as this.  And that on earth
Thou mayst bear tidings of me, know that I
Am Bertrand, he of Born, who gave King John
The counsel mischievous.  Father and son
I set at mutual war.  For Absalom
And David more did not Ahitophel,
Spurring them on maliciously to strife.
For parting those so closely knit, my brain
Parted, alas!  I carry from its source,
That in this trunk inhabits.  Thus the law
Of retribution fiercely works in me."




CANTO XXIX

SO were mine eyes inebriate with view
Of the vast multitude, whom various wounds
Disfigur'd, that they long'd to stay and weep.

But Virgil rous'd me: "What yet gazest on?
Wherefore doth fasten yet thy sight below
Among the maim'd and miserable shades?
Thou hast not shewn in any chasm beside
This weakness.  Know, if thou wouldst number them
That two and twenty miles the valley winds
Its circuit, and already is the moon
Beneath our feet: the time permitted now
Is short, and more not seen remains to see."

"If thou," I straight replied, "hadst weigh'd the cause
For which I look'd, thou hadst perchance excus'd
The tarrying still."  My leader part pursu'd
His way, the while I follow'd, answering him,
And adding thus: "Within that cave I deem,
Whereon so fixedly I held my ken,
There is a spirit dwells, one of my blood,
Wailing the crime that costs him now so dear."

Then spake my master: "Let thy soul no more
Afflict itself for him.  Direct elsewhere
Its thought, and leave him.  At the bridge's foot
I mark'd how he did point with menacing look
At thee, and heard him by the others nam'd
Geri of Bello.  Thou so wholly then
Wert busied with his spirit, who once rul'd
The towers of Hautefort, that thou lookedst not
That way, ere he was gone."--"O guide belov'd!
His violent death yet unaveng'd," said I,
"By any, who are partners in his shame,
Made him contemptuous: therefore, as I think,
He pass'd me speechless by; and doing so
Hath made me more compassionate his fate."

So we discours'd to where the rock first show'd
The other valley, had more light been there,
E'en to the lowest depth.  Soon as we came
O'er the last cloister in the dismal rounds
Of Malebolge, and the brotherhood
Were to our view expos'd, then many a dart
Of sore lament assail'd me, headed all
With points of thrilling pity, that I clos'd
Both ears against the volley with mine hands.

As were the torment, if each lazar-house
Of Valdichiana, in the sultry time
'Twixt July and September, with the isle
Sardinia and Maremma's pestilent fen,
Had heap'd their maladies all in one foss
Together; such was here the torment: dire
The stench, as issuing steams from fester'd limbs.

We on the utmost shore of the long rock
Descended still to leftward.  Then my sight
Was livelier to explore the depth, wherein
The minister of the most mighty Lord,
All-searching Justice, dooms to punishment
The forgers noted on her dread record.

More rueful was it not methinks to see
The nation in Aegina droop, what time
Each living thing, e'en to the little worm,
All fell, so full of malice was the air
(And afterward, as bards of yore have told,
The ancient people were restor'd anew
From seed of emmets) than was here to see
The spirits, that languish'd through the murky vale
Up-pil'd on many a stack.  Confus'd they lay,
One o'er the belly, o'er the shoulders one
Roll'd of another; sideling crawl'd a third
Along the dismal pathway.  Step by step
We journey'd on, in silence looking round
And list'ning those diseas'd, who strove in vain
To lift their forms.  Then two I mark'd, that sat
Propp'd 'gainst each other, as two brazen pans
Set to retain the heat.  From head to foot,
A tetter bark'd them round. Nor saw I e'er
Groom currying so fast, for whom his lord
Impatient waited, or himself perchance
Tir'd with long watching, as of these each one
Plied quickly his keen nails, through furiousness
Of ne'er abated pruriency.  The crust
Came drawn from underneath in flakes, like scales
Scrap'd from the bream or fish of broader mail.

"O thou, who with thy fingers rendest off
Thy coat of proof," thus spake my guide to one,
"And sometimes makest tearing pincers of them,
Tell me if any born of Latian land
Be among these within: so may thy nails
Serve thee for everlasting to this toil."

"Both are of Latium," weeping he replied,
"Whom tortur'd thus thou seest: but who art thou
That hast inquir'd of us?"  To whom my guide:
"One that descend with this man, who yet lives,
From rock to rock, and show him hell's abyss."

Then started they asunder, and each turn'd
Trembling toward us, with the rest, whose ear
Those words redounding struck.  To me my liege
Address'd him: "Speak to them whate'er thou list."

And I therewith began: "So may no time
Filch your remembrance from the thoughts of men
In th' upper world, but after many suns
Survive it, as ye tell me, who ye are,
And of what race ye come.  Your punishment,
Unseemly and disgustful in its kind,
Deter you not from opening thus much to me."

"Arezzo was my dwelling," answer'd one,
"And me Albero of Sienna brought
To die by fire; but that, for which I died,
Leads me not here.  True is in sport I told him,
That I had learn'd to wing my flight in air.
And he admiring much, as he was void
Of wisdom, will'd me to declare to him
The secret of mine art: and only hence,
Because I made him not a Daedalus,
Prevail'd on one suppos'd his sire to burn me.
But Minos to this chasm last of the ten,
For that I practis'd alchemy on earth,
Has doom'd me.  Him no subterfuge eludes."

Then to the bard I spake: "Was ever race
Light as Sienna's?  Sure not France herself
Can show a tribe so frivolous and vain."

The other leprous spirit heard my words,
And thus return'd: "Be Stricca from this charge
Exempted, he who knew so temp'rately
To lay out fortune's gifts; and Niccolo
Who first the spice's costly luxury
Discover'd in that garden, where such seed
Roots deepest in the soil: and be that troop
Exempted, with whom Caccia of Asciano
Lavish'd his vineyards and wide-spreading woods,
And his rare wisdom Abbagliato show'd
A spectacle for all.  That thou mayst know
Who seconds thee against the Siennese
Thus gladly, bend this way thy sharpen'd sight,
That well my face may answer to thy ken;
So shalt thou see I am Capocchio's ghost,
Who forg'd transmuted metals by the power
Of alchemy; and if I scan thee right,
Thus needs must well remember how I aped
Creative nature by my subtle art."




CANTO XXX

WHAT time resentment burn'd in Juno's breast
For Semele against the Theban blood,
As more than once in dire mischance was rued,
Such fatal frenzy seiz'd on Athamas,
That he his spouse beholding with a babe
Laden on either arm, "Spread out," he cried,
"The meshes, that I take the lioness
And the young lions at the pass:" then forth
Stretch'd he his merciless talons, grasping one,
One helpless innocent, Learchus nam'd,
Whom swinging down he dash'd upon a rock,
And with her other burden self-destroy'd
The hapless mother plung'd: and when the pride
Of all-presuming Troy fell from its height,
By fortune overwhelm'd, and the old king
With his realm perish'd, then did Hecuba,
A wretch forlorn and captive, when she saw
Polyxena first slaughter'd, and her son,
Her Polydorus, on the wild sea-beach
Next met the mourner's view, then reft of sense
Did she run barking even as a dog;
Such mighty power had grief to wrench her soul.
Bet ne'er the Furies or of Thebes or Troy
With such fell cruelty were seen, their goads
Infixing in the limbs of man or beast,
As now two pale and naked ghost I saw
That gnarling wildly scamper'd, like the swine
Excluded from his stye.  One reach'd Capocchio,
And in the neck-joint sticking deep his fangs,
Dragg'd him, that o'er the solid pavement rubb'd
His belly stretch'd out prone.  The other shape,
He of Arezzo, there left trembling, spake;
"That sprite of air is Schicchi; in like mood
Of random mischief vent he still his spite."

To whom I answ'ring: "Oh! as thou dost hope,
The other may not flesh its jaws on thee,
Be patient to inform us, who it is,
Ere it speed hence."--"That is the ancient soul
Of wretched Myrrha," he replied, "who burn'd
With most unholy flame for her own sire,

"And a false shape assuming, so perform'd
The deed of sin; e'en as the other there,
That onward passes, dar'd to counterfeit
Donati's features, to feign'd testament
The seal affixing, that himself might gain,
For his own share, the lady of the herd."

When vanish'd the two furious shades, on whom
Mine eye was held, I turn'd it back to view
The other cursed spirits.  One I saw
In fashion like a lute, had but the groin
Been sever'd, where it meets the forked part.
Swoln dropsy, disproportioning the limbs
With ill-converted moisture, that the paunch
Suits not the visage, open'd wide his lips
Gasping as in the hectic man for drought,
One towards the chin, the other upward curl'd.

"O ye, who in this world of misery,
Wherefore I know not, are exempt from pain,"
Thus he began, "attentively regard
Adamo's woe.  When living, full supply
Ne'er lack'd me of what most I coveted;
One drop of water now, alas!  I crave.
The rills, that glitter down the grassy slopes
Of Casentino, making fresh and soft
The banks whereby they glide to Arno's stream,
Stand ever in my view; and not in vain;
For more the pictur'd semblance dries me up,
Much more than the disease, which makes the flesh
Desert these shrivel'd cheeks.  So from the place,
Where I transgress'd, stern justice urging me,
Takes means to quicken more my lab'ring sighs.
There is Romena, where I falsified
The metal with the Baptist's form imprest,
For which on earth I left my body burnt.
But if I here might see the sorrowing soul
Of Guido, Alessandro, or their brother,
For Branda's limpid spring I would not change
The welcome sight.  One is e'en now within,
If truly the mad spirits tell, that round
Are wand'ring.  But wherein besteads me that?
My limbs are fetter'd.  Were I but so light,
That I each hundred years might move one inch,
I had set forth already on this path,
Seeking him out amidst the shapeless crew,
Although eleven miles it wind, not more
Than half of one across.  They brought me down
Among this tribe; induc'd by them I stamp'd
The florens with three carats of alloy."

"Who are that abject pair," I next inquir'd,
"That closely bounding thee upon thy right
Lie smoking, like a band in winter steep'd
In the chill stream?"--"When to this gulf I dropt,"
He answer'd, "here I found them; since that hour
They have not turn'd, nor ever shall, I ween,
Till time hath run his course.  One is that dame
The false accuser of the Hebrew youth;
Sinon the other, that false Greek from Troy.
Sharp fever drains the reeky moistness out,
In such a cloud upsteam'd."  When that he heard,
One, gall'd perchance to be so darkly nam'd,
With clench'd hand smote him on the braced paunch,
That like a drum resounded: but forthwith
Adamo smote him on the face, the blow
Returning with his arm, that seem'd as hard.

"Though my o'erweighty limbs have ta'en from me
The power to move," said he, "I have an arm
At liberty for such employ."  To whom
Was answer'd: "When thou wentest to the fire,
Thou hadst it not so ready at command,
Then readier when it coin'd th' impostor gold."

And thus the dropsied: "Ay, now speak'st thou true.
But there thou gav'st not such true testimony,
When thou wast question'd of the truth, at Troy."

"If I spake false, thou falsely stamp'dst the coin,"
Said Sinon; "I am here but for one fault,
And thou for more than any imp beside."

"Remember," he replied, "O perjur'd one,
The horse remember, that did teem with death,
And all the world be witness to thy guilt."

"To thine," return'd the Greek, "witness the thirst
Whence thy tongue cracks, witness the fluid mound,
Rear'd by thy belly up before thine eyes,
A mass corrupt."  To whom the coiner thus:
"Thy mouth gapes wide as ever to let pass
Its evil saying.  Me if thirst assails,
Yet I am stuff'd with moisture.  Thou art parch'd,
Pains rack thy head, no urging would'st thou need
To make thee lap Narcissus' mirror up."

I was all fix'd to listen, when my guide
Admonish'd: "Now beware: a little more.
And I do quarrel with thee."  I perceiv'd
How angrily he spake, and towards him turn'd
With shame so poignant, as remember'd yet
Confounds me.  As a man that dreams of harm
Befall'n him, dreaming wishes it a dream,
And that which is, desires as if it were not,
Such then was I, who wanting power to speak
Wish'd to excuse myself, and all the while
Excus'd me, though unweeting that I did.

"More grievous fault than thine has been, less shame,"
My master cried, "might expiate.  Therefore cast
All sorrow from thy soul; and if again
Chance bring thee, where like conference is held,
Think I am ever at thy side.  To hear
Such wrangling is a joy for vulgar minds."




CANTO XXXI

THE very tongue, whose keen reproof before
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.




CANTO XXXII

COULD I command rough rhimes and hoarse, to suit
That hole of sorrow, o'er which ev'ry rock
His firm abutment rears, then might the vein
Of fancy rise full springing: but not mine
Such measures, and with falt'ring awe I touch
The mighty theme; for to describe the depth
Of all the universe, is no emprize
To jest with, and demands a tongue not us'd
To infant babbling.  But let them assist
My song, the tuneful maidens, by whose aid
Amphion wall'd in Thebes, so with the truth
My speech shall best accord.  Oh ill-starr'd folk,
Beyond all others wretched! who abide
In such a mansion, as scarce thought finds words
To speak of, better had ye here on earth
Been flocks or mountain goats.  As down we stood
In the dark pit beneath the giants' feet,
But lower far than they, and I did gaze
Still on the lofty battlement, a voice
Bespoke me thus: "Look how thou walkest.  Take
Good heed, thy soles do tread not on the heads
Of thy poor brethren."  Thereupon I turn'd,
And saw before and underneath my feet
A lake, whose frozen surface liker seem'd
To glass than water.  Not so thick a veil
In winter e'er hath Austrian Danube spread
O'er his still course, nor Tanais far remote
Under the chilling sky.  Roll'd o'er that mass
Had Tabernich or Pietrapana fall'n,

Not e'en its rim had creak'd. As peeps the frog
Croaking above the wave, what time in dreams
The village gleaner oft pursues her toil,
So, to where modest shame appears, thus low
Blue pinch'd and shrin'd in ice the spirits stood,
Moving their teeth in shrill note like the stork.
His face each downward held; their mouth the cold,
Their eyes express'd the dolour of their heart.

A space I look'd around, then at my feet
Saw two so strictly join'd, that of their head
The very hairs were mingled.  "Tell me ye,
Whose bosoms thus together press," said I,
"Who are ye?"  At that sound their necks they bent,
And when their looks were lifted up to me,
Straightway their eyes, before all moist within,
Distill'd upon their lips, and the frost bound
The tears betwixt those orbs and held them there.
Plank unto plank hath never cramp clos'd up
So stoutly.  Whence like two enraged goats
They clash'd together; them such fury seiz'd.

And one, from whom the cold both ears had reft,
Exclaim'd, still looking downward: "Why on us
Dost speculate so long?  If thou wouldst know
Who are these two, the valley, whence his wave
Bisenzio slopes, did for its master own
Their sire Alberto, and next him themselves.
They from one body issued; and throughout
Caina thou mayst search, nor find a shade
More worthy in congealment to be fix'd,
Not him, whose breast and shadow Arthur's land
At that one blow dissever'd, not Focaccia,
No not this spirit, whose o'erjutting head
Obstructs my onward view: he bore the name
Of Mascheroni: Tuscan if thou be,
Well knowest who he was: and to cut short
All further question, in my form behold
What once was Camiccione.  I await
Carlino here my kinsman, whose deep guilt
Shall wash out mine."  A thousand visages
Then mark'd I, which the keen and eager cold
Had shap'd into a doggish grin; whence creeps
A shiv'ring horror o'er me, at the thought
Of those frore shallows.  While we journey'd on
Toward the middle, at whose point unites
All heavy substance, and I trembling went
Through that eternal chillness, I know not
If will it were or destiny, or chance,
But, passing 'midst the heads, my foot did strike
With violent blow against the face of one.

"Wherefore dost bruise me?" weeping, he exclaim'd,
"Unless thy errand be some fresh revenge
For Montaperto, wherefore troublest me?"

I thus: "Instructor, now await me here,
That I through him may rid me of my doubt.
Thenceforth what haste thou wilt."  The teacher paus'd,
And to that shade I spake, who bitterly
Still curs'd me in his wrath.  "What art thou, speak,
That railest thus on others?"  He replied:
"Now who art thou, that smiting others' cheeks
Through Antenora roamest, with such force
As were past suff'rance, wert thou living still?"

"And I am living, to thy joy perchance,"
Was my reply, "if fame be dear to thee,
That with the rest I may thy name enrol."

"The contrary of what I covet most,"
Said he, "thou tender'st: hence; nor vex me more.
Ill knowest thou to flatter in this vale."

Then seizing on his hinder scalp, I cried:
"Name thee, or not a hair shall tarry here."

"Rend all away," he answer'd, "yet for that
I will not tell nor show thee who I am,
Though at my head thou pluck a thousand times."

Now I had grasp'd his tresses, and stript off
More than one tuft, he barking, with his eyes
Drawn in and downward, when another cried,
"What ails thee, Bocca?  Sound not loud enough
Thy chatt'ring teeth, but thou must bark outright?
What devil wrings thee?"--"Now," said I, "be dumb,
Accursed traitor! to thy shame of thee
True tidings will I bear."--"Off," he replied,
"Tell what thou list; but as thou escape from hence
To speak of him whose tongue hath been so glib,
Forget not: here he wails the Frenchman's gold.
'Him of Duera,' thou canst say, 'I mark'd,
Where the starv'd sinners pine.'  If thou be ask'd
What other shade was with them, at thy side
Is Beccaria, whose red gorge distain'd
The biting axe of Florence.  Farther on,
If I misdeem not, Soldanieri bides,
With Ganellon, and Tribaldello, him
Who op'd Faenza when the people slept."

We now had left him, passing on our way,
When I beheld two spirits by the ice
Pent in one hollow, that the head of one
Was cowl unto the other; and as bread
Is raven'd up through hunger, th' uppermost
Did so apply his fangs to th' other's brain,
Where the spine joins it.  Not more furiously
On Menalippus' temples Tydeus gnaw'd,
Than on that skull and on its garbage he.

"O thou who show'st so beastly sign of hate
'Gainst him thou prey'st on, let me hear," said I
"The cause, on such condition, that if right
Warrant thy grievance, knowing who ye are,
And what the colour of his sinning was,
I may repay thee in the world above,
If that, wherewith I speak be moist so long."




CANTO XXXIII

HIS jaws uplifting from their fell repast,
That sinner wip'd them on the hairs o' th' head,
Which he behind had mangled, then began:
"Thy will obeying, I call up afresh
Sorrow past cure, which but to think of wrings
My heart, or ere I tell on't. But if words,
That I may utter, shall prove seed to bear
Fruit of eternal infamy to him,
The traitor whom I gnaw at, thou at once
Shalt see me speak and weep.  Who thou mayst be
I know not, nor how here below art come:
But Florentine thou seemest of a truth,
When I do hear thee.  Know I was on earth
Count Ugolino, and th' Archbishop he
Ruggieri.  Why I neighbour him so close,
Now list.  That through effect of his ill thoughts
In him my trust reposing, I was ta'en
And after murder'd, need is not I tell.
What therefore thou canst not have heard, that is,
How cruel was the murder, shalt thou hear,
And know if he have wrong'd me.  A small grate
Within that mew, which for my sake the name
Of famine bears, where others yet must pine,
Already through its opening sev'ral moons
Had shown me, when I slept the evil sleep,
That from the future tore the curtain off.
This one, methought, as master of the sport,
Rode forth to chase the gaunt wolf and his whelps
Unto the mountain, which forbids the sight
Of Lucca to the Pisan.  With lean brachs
Inquisitive and keen, before him rang'd
Lanfranchi with Sismondi and Gualandi.
After short course the father and the sons
Seem'd tir'd and lagging, and methought I saw
The sharp tusks gore their sides.  When I awoke
Before the dawn, amid their sleep I heard
My sons (for they were with me) weep and ask
For bread.  Right cruel art thou, if no pang
Thou feel at thinking what my heart foretold;
And if not now, why use thy tears to flow?
Now had they waken'd; and the hour drew near
When they were wont to bring us food; the mind
Of each misgave him through his dream, and I
Heard, at its outlet underneath lock'd up
The' horrible tower: whence uttering not a word
I look'd upon the visage of my sons.
I wept not: so all stone I felt within.
They wept: and one, my little Anslem, cried:
"Thou lookest so!  Father what ails thee?"  Yet
I shed no tear, nor answer'd all that day
Nor the next night, until another sun
Came out upon the world.  When a faint beam
Had to our doleful prison made its way,
And in four countenances I descry'd
The image of my own, on either hand
Through agony I bit, and they who thought
I did it through desire of feeding, rose
O' th' sudden, and cried, 'Father, we should grieve
Far less, if thou wouldst eat of us: thou gav'st
These weeds of miserable flesh we wear,

'And do thou strip them off from us again.'
Then, not to make them sadder, I kept down
My spirit in stillness.  That day and the next
We all were silent.  Ah, obdurate earth!
Why open'dst not upon us?  When we came
To the fourth day, then Geddo at my feet
Outstretch'd did fling him, crying, 'Hast no help
For me, my father!'  There he died, and e'en
Plainly as thou seest me, saw I the three
Fall one by one 'twixt the fifth day and sixth:

"Whence I betook me now grown blind to grope
Over them all, and for three days aloud
Call'd on them who were dead.  Then fasting got
The mastery of grief."  Thus having spoke,

Once more upon the wretched skull his teeth
He fasten'd, like a mastiff's 'gainst the bone
Firm and unyielding.  Oh thou Pisa! shame
Of all the people, who their dwelling make
In that fair region, where th' Italian voice
Is heard, since that thy neighbours are so slack
To punish, from their deep foundations rise
Capraia and Gorgona, and dam up
The mouth of Arno, that each soul in thee
May perish in the waters!  What if fame
Reported that thy castles were betray'd
By Ugolino, yet no right hadst thou
To stretch his children on the rack.  For them,
Brigata, Ugaccione, and the pair
Of gentle ones, of whom my song hath told,
Their tender years, thou modern Thebes! did make
Uncapable of guilt.  Onward we pass'd,
Where others skarf'd in rugged folds of ice
Not on their feet were turn'd, but each revers'd.

There very weeping suffers not to weep;
For at their eyes grief seeking passage finds
Impediment, and rolling inward turns
For increase of sharp anguish: the first tears
Hang cluster'd, and like crystal vizors show,
Under the socket brimming all the cup.

Now though the cold had from my face dislodg'd
Each feeling, as 't were callous, yet me seem'd
Some breath of wind I felt.  "Whence cometh this,"
Said I, "my master?  Is not here below
All vapour quench'd?"--"'Thou shalt be speedily,"
He answer'd, "where thine eye shall tell thee whence
The cause descrying of this airy shower."

Then cried out one in the chill crust who mourn'd:
"O souls so cruel! that the farthest post
Hath been assign'd you, from this face remove
The harden'd veil, that I may vent the grief
Impregnate at my heart, some little space
Ere it congeal again!"  I thus replied:
"Say who thou wast, if thou wouldst have mine aid;
And if I extricate thee not, far down
As to the lowest ice may I descend!"

"The friar Alberigo," answered he,
"Am I, who from the evil garden pluck'd
Its fruitage, and am here repaid, the date
More luscious for my fig."--"Hah!"  I exclaim'd,
"Art thou too dead!"--"How in the world aloft
It fareth with my body," answer'd he,
"I am right ignorant.  Such privilege
Hath Ptolomea, that ofttimes the soul
Drops hither, ere by Atropos divorc'd.
And that thou mayst wipe out more willingly
The glazed tear-drops that o'erlay mine eyes,
Know that the soul, that moment she betrays,
As I did, yields her body to a fiend
Who after moves and governs it at will,
Till all its time be rounded; headlong she
Falls to this cistern.  And perchance above
Doth yet appear the body of a ghost,
Who here behind me winters.  Him thou know'st,
If thou but newly art arriv'd below.
The years are many that have pass'd away,
Since to this fastness Branca Doria came."

"Now," answer'd I, "methinks thou mockest me,
For Branca Doria never yet hath died,
But doth all natural functions of a man,
Eats, drinks, and sleeps, and putteth raiment on."

He thus: "Not yet unto that upper foss
By th' evil talons guarded, where the pitch
Tenacious boils, had Michael Zanche reach'd,
When this one left a demon in his stead
In his own body, and of one his kin,
Who with him treachery wrought.  But now put forth
Thy hand, and ope mine eyes."  I op'd them not.
Ill manners were best courtesy to him.

Ah Genoese! men perverse in every way,
With every foulness stain'd, why from the earth
Are ye not cancel'd?  Such an one of yours
I with Romagna's darkest spirit found,
As for his doings even now in soul
Is in Cocytus plung'd, and yet doth seem
In body still alive upon the earth.




CANTO XXXIV

"THE banners of Hell's Monarch do come forth
Towards us; therefore look," so spake my guide,
"If thou discern him."  As, when breathes a cloud
Heavy and dense, or when the shades of night
Fall on our hemisphere, seems view'd from far
A windmill, which the blast stirs briskly round,
Such was the fabric then methought I saw,

To shield me from the wind, forthwith I drew
Behind my guide: no covert else was there.

Now came I (and with fear I bid my strain
Record the marvel) where the souls were all
Whelm'd underneath, transparent, as through glass
Pellucid the frail stem.  Some prone were laid,
Others stood upright, this upon the soles,
That on his head, a third with face to feet
Arch'd like a bow.  When to the point we came,
Whereat my guide was pleas'd that I should see
The creature eminent in beauty once,
He from before me stepp'd and made me pause.

"Lo!"  he exclaim'd, "lo Dis! and lo the place,
Where thou hast need to arm thy heart with strength."

How frozen and how faint I then became,
Ask me not, reader! for I write it not,
Since words would fail to tell thee of my state.
I was not dead nor living.  Think thyself
If quick conception work in thee at all,
How I did feel.  That emperor, who sways
The realm of sorrow, at mid breast from th' ice
Stood forth; and I in stature am more like
A giant, than the giants are in his arms.
Mark now how great that whole must be, which suits
With such a part.  If he were beautiful
As he is hideous now, and yet did dare
To scowl upon his Maker, well from him
May all our mis'ry flow.  Oh what a sight!
How passing strange it seem'd, when I did spy
Upon his head three faces: one in front
Of hue vermilion, th' other two with this
Midway each shoulder join'd and at the crest;
The right 'twixt wan and yellow seem'd: the left
To look on, such as come from whence old Nile
Stoops to the lowlands.  Under each shot forth
Two mighty wings, enormous as became
A bird so vast.  Sails never such I saw
Outstretch'd on the wide sea.  No plumes had they,
But were in texture like a bat, and these
He flapp'd i' th' air, that from him issued still
Three winds, wherewith Cocytus to its depth
Was frozen.  At six eyes he wept: the tears
Adown three chins distill'd with bloody foam.
At every mouth his teeth a sinner champ'd
Bruis'd as with pond'rous engine, so that three
Were in this guise tormented.  But far more
Than from that gnawing, was the foremost pang'd
By the fierce rending, whence ofttimes the back
Was stript of all its skin.  "That upper spirit,
Who hath worse punishment," so spake my guide,
"Is Judas, he that hath his head within
And plies the feet without.  Of th' other two,
Whose heads are under, from the murky jaw
Who hangs, is Brutus: lo! how he doth writhe
And speaks not!  Th' other Cassius, that appears
So large of limb.  But night now re-ascends,
And it is time for parting.  All is seen."

I clipp'd him round the neck, for so he bade;
And noting time and place, he, when the wings
Enough were op'd, caught fast the shaggy sides,
And down from pile to pile descending stepp'd
Between the thick fell and the jagged ice.

Soon as he reach'd the point, whereat the thigh
Upon the swelling of the haunches turns,
My leader there with pain and struggling hard
Turn'd round his head, where his feet stood before,
And grappled at the fell, as one who mounts,
That into hell methought we turn'd again.

"Expect that by such stairs as these," thus spake
The teacher, panting like a man forespent,
"We must depart from evil so extreme."
Then at a rocky opening issued forth,
And plac'd me on a brink to sit, next join'd
With wary step my side.  I rais'd mine eyes,
Believing that I Lucifer should see
Where he was lately left, but saw him now
With legs held upward.  Let the grosser sort,
Who see not what the point was I had pass'd,
Bethink them if sore toil oppress'd me then.

"Arise," my master cried, "upon thy feet.
The way is long, and much uncouth the road;
And now within one hour and half of noon
The sun returns."  It was no palace-hall
Lofty and luminous wherein we stood,
But natural dungeon where ill footing was
And scant supply of light.  "Ere from th' abyss
I sep'rate," thus when risen I began,
"My guide! vouchsafe few words to set me free
From error's thralldom.  Where is now the ice?
How standeth he in posture thus revers'd?
And how from eve to morn in space so brief
Hath the sun made his transit?"  He in few
Thus answering spake: "Thou deemest thou art still
On th' other side the centre, where I grasp'd
Th' abhorred worm, that boreth through the world.
Thou wast on th' other side, so long as I
Descended; when I turn'd, thou didst o'erpass
That point, to which from ev'ry part is dragg'd
All heavy substance.  Thou art now arriv'd
Under the hemisphere opposed to that,
Which the great continent doth overspread,
And underneath whose canopy expir'd
The Man, that was born sinless, and so liv'd.
Thy feet are planted on the smallest sphere,
Whose other aspect is Judecca.  Morn
Here rises, when there evening sets: and he,
Whose shaggy pile was scal'd, yet standeth fix'd,
As at the first.  On this part he fell down
From heav'n; and th' earth, here prominent before,
Through fear of him did veil her with the sea,
And to our hemisphere retir'd.  Perchance
To shun him was the vacant space left here
By what of firm land on this side appears,
That sprang aloof."  There is a place beneath,
From Belzebub as distant, as extends
The vaulted tomb, discover'd not by sight,
But by the sound of brooklet, that descends
This way along the hollow of a rock,
Which, as it winds with no precipitous course,
The wave hath eaten.  By that hidden way
My guide and I did enter, to return
To the fair world: and heedless of repose
We climbed, he first, I following his steps,
Till on our view the beautiful lights of heav'n
Dawn'd through a circular opening in the cave:
Thus issuing we again beheld the stars.





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Please join us now and allow our web site to become one of the most 
important Christian resources in your daily life.

If this whole concept of the New World Order is new to you, may we 
suggest that you begin with the selected transcripts from our radio 
show.

This ministry is dedicated to searching out the news behind the news to 
provide you with insights which you cannot get anywhere else. No other 
ministry provides this unique comprehensive service designed to protect 
you, your loved ones and your friends.

We provide you with this important information and insight in three 
ways:

   By making available approximately 100 transcripts from our 
extremely popular former radio show
   By providing analysis of current news events in a totally 
different way than any other fundamental Christian ministry.
   Through cassette tape versions of our seminars

The most exciting aspect of our ministry is that through our teaching 
process, we show you that all of the New World Order plans, when 
completed, will fulfill dozens of Bible prophecies to the letter!

From the beginning of my research, when I felt the Holy Spirit driving 
me to research the occult side of the plan to produce Antichrist, I 
realized that Satan is a liar; therefore, how would I recognize when 
parts of his plan is for real and when they were false? I concluded that 
the only safe way to proceed would be to adopt the practice of mariner 
captains in the days before sophisticated navigation.

When they were bringing their vessel in to port, they would select three 
(3) distinct physical markers they could line up to direct them to the 
dock. Two markers would not be reliable, because you can incorrectly 
line up any two points; only lining up three points provided the mariner 
captain safety as he brought his vessel into the dock.

Therefore, I decided to always line up three (3) points. They are:

    The specific point of the Illuminati Plan
    Bible doctrine
    Bible prophecy

If a specific part of the Illuminati plan does not line up with Biblical 
doctrine and prophecy, I discard it and never report it. Many such parts 
of the plan I have rejected on that basis. I have never taken their word 
for anything!! But, the exciting part was that when I adopted this 
philosophy, I realized a very exciting truth: the Illuminati plan which 
does line up, when enacted, very precisely fulfills God ps prophecy, 
in multiple dozens of instances. Their plan is the greatest proof of the 
Omnipotence and Omnipresence of our Jesus!

In communicating this to you,

   Our primary focus is on your children and your family.
   We always endeavor to inform you based on knowledge and fact and 
not by fear.
   We do not believe there is a conspiracy behind every bush, nor do 
teach violence in any situation, nor do we teach any uprising or revolt 
against any government authority.
   We teach based on the premise that once you understand the plans 
of the New World Order, you will be able to see its progress towards 
completion in the daily news.
   We do not set dates by which things will happen; rather we hold to 
the Biblical teaching that believers who know their Scriptural prophecy 
may only know the broad picture, i.e., that we are generally in the time 
of the End of the Age.
   We do not teach that the world is about to end or be destroyed. 
The Bible does not teach that either. Rather, it teaches that Messiah 
will return a second time to judge the unbelievers and to set up His 
Kingdom on earth, and will rule for 1,000 years.
   And finally, we do believe this time is close at hand. Israel is 
back in her land and all the other prophecies are coming to pass.

And this is the Cutting Edge, a radio program dedicated to warning and 
informing God's people. This program is committed to the study and 
exposition of the inerrant, inspired and authoritative Word of God. The 
views expressed belong to us, and are not necessarily shared by this 
station.

We are committed to the study and exposition of the inerrant, inspired 
and authoritative Word of God.

Our society is deteriorating, and Bible-believing Christians are 
ill-prepared to face that deterioration. This radio program is dedicated 
to preparing God's people to meet the challenges of the Day, and to 
encourage obedience to the Word of God in being separated from 
worldliness and false doctrine.

The moral bankruptcy of our society is well-documented.

Few people understand why we have become morally bankrupt. However, when 
we look at society through the eyes of God, through the Bible, we can 
easily see why we are facing the unprecedented troubles today. This 
study of America through the eyes of God is what we will always do try 
to here; stay with us for some eye-opening truths.

Now consider the following news briefs:
America is suffering unprecedented murder and bloodshed.

"Item: Homicide rate among young American men is world's highest ." 
Providence Journal.

"Item: Julia Parker, from East New York City, was brazenly and publicly 
shot to death while she was sitting on a car with a group of friends. A 
gunman strode up, put a gun to the back of her head and opened 
fire. "That's the code of East New York", said a detective, "you talk to 
the cops and you're a rat." Police believe Julia was killed because she 
was seen talking to police about the murder of her friend and thought 
she was cooperating." New York Daily News.

Item: Abortion is now the most common surgical procedure in 
America...for every 1,000 live births, there are 353 abortions." Point 
of View Radio Talk Show .

America is experiencing highest ever rates of Drug Abuse And Addiction.

"Item: The scope of this epidemic is enormous. Every bill in circulation 
bears microscopic traces of cocaine. That amounts to 12 billion bills 
worth $230 billion. Why is this happening? Because these bills have, at 
one time or another, been used in the street purchase of cocaine. US 
NEWS AND WORLD REPORT.
America is abusing children in an unprecedented manner.

    "Item: Reported cases are now over 2 million, resulting in an 
estimated 5,000 deaths. Child abuse, which has increased over 700% since 
1972, is now the fifth most common cause of death for children."

America's teens are now committing suicide at a rate triple that of 30 
years ago.

Pornography has now degenerated into the pit of Hell, with all 
imaginable sexual perversions now being readily available in Adult 
Bookstores and in Mass Media.

In Washington State, a Euthanasia bill was almost passed to allow 
medically-assisted suicides. Additionally, the current best-selling book 
on the New York Times best-seller Non-fiction list is a book on how to 
commit suicide.

Americans clearly have devalued human life, to the point where the 
killing of the physically or mentally handicapped, the elderly, or sick, 
is no longer unthinkable and is being accepted by many in our society.

DEFINING AND EQUATING SATANISM, HUMANISM, PAGANISM, AND NEW AGE 
MOVEMENT.

These horrors are occurring daily, as we are only too aware. What is 
happening to our society, that would cause such unbelievable problems? 
Is there one root cause, or are there many un-related causes? There is 
one root cause. Consider this: When America was founded in 1776-89, our 
Forefathers created the Government according to Christian principles. 
This is not to say that our major political leaders were born-again 
Christians. What we are saying is that Puritan Christianity was so 
prevalent among the American population that it influenced all of 
society, and that political leaders held its views, even though they 
were not personally saved. Also, many of the leaders immediately below 
the top echelon were born-again believers.

The net result was that our major fundamental documents which created 
our system of Government contained Christian precepts from beginning to 
end. Our Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, and our Bill of 
Rights were all products of Christian doctrine. Most people do not 
realize that the Constitutional Congress created a 5-man committee to 
write the Declaration of Independence. One of these men was a 
fundamentalist preacher of great standing in the Colonies. His active 
presence on the committee ensured that the dominant Christian viewpoint 
was amply expressed.

The American Government was created with a Christian foundation, 
resulting in a series of Governments who, in varying degrees, reflected 
Christian concerns, compassions, and direction. The American people born 
in succeeding generations also have been influenced in their attitudes 
and actions by this Christian foundation.

However, since the mid-1960's, this Christian foundation has been 
rejected and a Satanic-Values foundation has been laid. Since attitudes 
and actions of both Governments and its people flow from their 
foundational base, we should expect that American society would 
immediately undergo a dramatic transformation from a Christian to a 
Satanic orientation. If this theory is correct, we should see evidences 
throughout society of individuals and the Government acting in 
accordance with Satanic values. What are the predominate Satanic values? 
The Satanic Bible lists them:

INDULGENCE IN:

    Personal selfishness,i.e., greed and pride.
    Physical lust.
    Anger
    Gluttony
    Laziness 

The elevation of these Satanic values to the level of encouraging its 
members to deliberately indulge in them has produced tremendous societal 
effects:

    Strong desire for power over others
    Strong desire for accumulation of wealth and material possessions
    Strong sexual desires, to be satisfied
    Life becomes cheapened, losing its God-given sanctity.
    Obsession with violence and murder.
    Lack of compassion or empathy for those individuals who are 
handicapped or who are ill.
    Obsession with death. Death symbols begin to appear in society, 
and followers begin to fix their minds on death. Remember, hard-core 
Satanism demands human sacrifice, the younger the better. If our theory 
is correct, we should be able to see our society killing these 
innocents. In fact, since Satanists view the sacrifice of humans as the 
highest sacrifice, and the younger the better, we should see our society 
killing many babies at the youngest age possible? Do we see this 
occurring in American society? Of course!! We are killing over 1,500,000 
babies yearly, most of them in such a way that physically tears them 
apart in the womb. 

And, President Clinton has just vetoed a bill that would prohibit the 
killing of babies that are full term, killing them in such a way as to 
remove their brains! Truly, Satan is alive and well in the United States 
today, and truly, we have changed over to a national Satanic Foundation.

But, there are more evidences that America has replaced its formerly 
Christian Values Foundation with a Satanic Values Foundation! Satanists 
hate any one who is imperfect in any way, like the elderly. If our 
theory is correct, we should see evidences of the killing of this group 
in America today.

We certainly do see news about the killing of the Elderly, called 
Euthanasia. Dr. Jack Kevorkian is leading the charge in this matter, 
trying to force America to change its beliefs to support "assisted 
suicide". Right now, Dr. Kevorkian is pushing for personal physician 
assisted suicide, but once that is accomplished, the next step will be 
for the state to step in to provide the doctors that will "assist" the 
"suicide". This exact sequence occurred in Germany in the 1920's-1930's, 
in such a way as to enable that dedicated Satanist, Adolf Hitler, to 
move National Germany to the point where they would accept, and assist 
in, the murder of 6 million Jews and 12 million others. We will cover 
this subject in greater detail in later programs, as we will also 
discuss the proven plan by which the attitudes of people can be changed 
over a period of time, in such a way that the change is absolutely 
invisible! The title of this process is the Six-Step Attitudinal Change 
Plan. It is being carried out daily in America, impacting you and your 
families, without your being aware that you are being manipulated! But, 
more about that later.

Do we see all these types of attitudes and actions in our society? YES!! 
If fact, these are precisely the kinds of crimes that are filling our 
daily newspapers and TV programs, that are devastating our country! 
Consider some more of our problems in light our change to a national 
Satanic foundation.

    Divorce has doubled since 1965. Satanists have always hated the 
God-ordained family.
    Alcoholism is one of Satan's best tools to destroy both 
individuals and the traditional Family.
    Drug Addiction can be understood if we understand that Satanists 
and occultists always depended upon drugs to expand their consciousness. 
Drugs are critical to the prac-tice of Satanism and the New Age. (Alice 
Bailey, The Light Of The Soul, p. 377)
    Suicide has always been associated with Satanism, as adherents 
feel spiritually drawn toward Lord Satan. (Satanic Bible, p. 144)
    The Satanic Bible boldly states, on page 67, "Satanism condones 
any type of sexual activity which properly satisfies your individual 
desires --be it heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or even asexual... 
Satanism also sanction any fetish or deviation which will enhance your 
sex-life...Transvestism, sadism, masochism, exhibitionism, to name only 
a few..."
    Satanism has always demanded human sacrifice, the younger the 
better. In October, 1985, the TV Program, 20/20 reported the phenomenon 
of Satanism in America today. Their last segment showed several women 
who were giving birth for the express purpose of sacrificing the babies 
soon after birth. Since Satan highly values young, innocent baby 
sacrifice, think how very pleased he must be in the sacrificial 
slaughter of millions of unborn babies yearly in this country. 

You can thus see how this perception that America has replaced its 
national Christian foundation with a Satanic one, truly answers the 
question of "why" we are experiencing these many serious problems in an 
unprecedented manner. Keep this principle in mind, for it will further 
enlighten you as you proceed throughout our seminar material.

DEMONSTRATING INFLUENCE OF SATANISM ON INSTITUTIONS.

All societies are founded on principles or rules called mores or norms. 
Certain activities considered to be outside the boundries of acceptable 
behavior are called taboos. Mores and taboos are shaped by institutions. 
The major institutions in our culture are Government, Schools, Mass 
Media, and the Church. Satanism has definitely impacted each of these 
institutions. Consider the following examples:

Government

The civil rights movement that permits and redefines sexual 
perversion as legitimate activity.

Governmental support of so-called art which glamorizes and 
legitimizes homosexual lust, denigrates Christianity and seeks to alter 
many traditionally-held values in our society. This support comes from 
the National Endowment For The Arts.

Churches

Many liberal churches have adopted some of the values of Satanism. 
Teachings that homosexuality is a valid lifestyle is one example. 
Observe also the greed and personal pride involved in the lawsuit just 
concluded in which two TV-Evangelists sued one another over lost income.

Many churches have adopted the un-Biblical con-cept that we must 
become like the world to reach the world. Thus, we compromise and begin 
to condone so-called Christian Rock.

Listen to the Satanic Bible again, "Look how liberal the churches have 
become...They are practicing all the things [Satanists] preach...If many 
religions are denying their own Scriptures because they are 
'out-of-date', and are preaching the philosophies of Satanism, why not 
call it by its rightful name -- Satanism. Certainly, it would be far 
less critical." Finally, someone has had the courage to call a Spade a 
Spade!!

Schools

Public school systems place un-Christian emphasis on Values 
Clarification, which moves children away from Biblical teaching, 
emphasizing "personal choice" based only on human reasoning rather than 
on the objective standard of the Bible.

Our courts have re-interpreted law and our Constitution so that it is 
now unlawful to utter God's name in our public school system, unless it 
is to curse Him. Further, schools are required to teach the Humanistic 
theory of Evolution rather than the true Creation story revealed in the 
book of Genesis.

Media

Mass media constantly distorts news coverage so that legitimate 
Christian positions on all topics is presented as idiotic and even 
possibly criminal.

Situation comedies seek, through the medium of laughter, to change 
the way in which people think about the values of life. Example: 
Saturday Night Live uses abominable sketches like their "Church Lady" to 
poke fun of Christian-ity portraying Satan as an innocent, harmless, 
fun-loving guy.

TYPES OF INDIVIDUALS, SHOWING THAT PERSONS CAN SUBSCRIBE TO VALUES OF 
SATANISM WITHOUT BEING PRACTICING SATANIST.

Remember, we are not saying that most Americans are practicing 
Satanists. What we are saying is that most Americans subscribe to some 
of the values of Satanism in their personal lives. To drive this point 
home, perhaps it would be helpful to review the 5 types of people in 
society.

One who is on-fire for his religion, attempting to convince others to 
join him in his persuasion.

One who is serious about observing his religious practices and who 
teaches his children it precepts

One who is mildly serious about his religion, but who solidly believe 
in that religions moral precepts.

One who isn't serious at all about religion but who feels constrained 
to live according to its general precepts in his public life.

One who is an outlaw, caring nothing about the religion of his 
culture and about living according to its precepts, even in his outward 
life. This type person generally is put into jail to remove his 
influence from society.

TRANSITION: Individuals whose attitudes are less than on fire but not 
completely cold about Christianity are now sub-scribing to some Satanic 
values in the conduct of their personal lives. For some, it may be sex, 
for another it may be desire for money or possessions, etc., but most 
Americans today and most American entertainment media have bought into 
some of the Satanic values. This is God's perspective.

LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS OF AMERICA TODAY FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE.

When you look at American society today from this per-spective, you can 
clearly see why we are suffering from the crimes, perversions, and 
tragedies which are afflicting us. This situation is now so serious that 
America is now capable of leading the world into the Satanic New World 
Order. Most of you have heard this term many times since the Iraqi 
invasion of Kuwait last year. Presidents Bush and Gorbachev have 
repeatedly been proclaiming it since then.

What does this term mean? The New World Order is a spiritually occultic 
term which describes a new reorganiza-tion of the nations of the world 
into a One-World Government, Economy, and Religion. The Economy would be 
a Global, cashless economy. The Religion of the world would be renamed 
the New World Religion and would be a synthesis of all major world 
religions. The Government would have the United Nations at the top, but 
would be organized into 10 Supra-Nations, which have already been 
created on paper. Once these 10 Super-Nations have been established, the 
Plan for the New World Order envisions a Super-Man to arise, showing 
great signs and wonders to convince the peoples of the world that he is 
who he says he is, namely, that he is the Messiah for whom all the 
world's major religions are now awaiting. He is the Jewish Messiah, 
Jesus Christ returned, Mohammed returned, and Buddha returned. In a 
later program, we will show how he intends to accomplish this feat.

But, since the world is at this point in history, we are at the 
beginning point of the events in Revelation. And America is leading the 
charge.

APPLICATION - EXAMINE LIFE TO SEE IF YOU ARE TRULY BORN AGAIN 
CHALLENGE TO BE HOLY/SEPARATE

    "If you are living a life which is not in obedience to Biblical 
commandments, come out from that lifestyle." 

    "If you are a member of a church which is reversing long-held 
Biblical views, come out from that church. "

The elevation of these Satanic values to the level of encouraging its 
members to deliberately indulge in them has produced tremendous societal 
effects:

    Strong desire for power over others
    Strong desire for accumulation of wealth and material possessions
    Strong sexual desires, to be satisfied no matter who might be 
harmed.
    Life becomes cheapened, losing God-given sanctity.
    Obsession with violence and murder.
    Lack of compassion or empathy for those individuals who are 
handicapped or who are ill.
    Obsession with death. Death symbols begin to appear in society, 
and followers begin to fix their minds on death. Remember, hard-core 
Satanism demands human sacrifice, the younger the better. If our theory 
is correct, we should be able to see our society killing the innocent.

This crisis is all the more sinister because it is invisible to those 
who have already become captive to its lie. How did we get to this 
point? Over the next few weeks we will demonstrate a Six-Step Process by 
which people's attitudes are being changed permanently on a 
population-wide basis. This process was developed to change those 
most-deeply held attitudes, which naturally are traditional Christian 
values. Once you hear this process, and understand the examples of its 
use, you will realize it is being simultaneously utilized in many areas 
by the Mass Media.

The Six Step Attitudinal Change Plan works like this:

   Some practice so offensive that it can scarcely be discussed in 
public is advocated by a RESPECTED expert in a RESPECTED forum.
   At first, the public is shocked, then outraged.
   But, the VERY FACT that such a thing could be publicly debated 
becomes the SUBJECT of the debate.
   In the debate, sheer repetition of the shocking subject gradually 
dulls its effect.
   People then are no longer shocked.
   No longer outraged, people begin to argue for positions to 
moderate the extreme; or, they accept the premise, challenging, instead, 
the means to ACHIEVE it.

EXAMPLES: DRUG LEGALIZATION

Did you realize that Government officials and members of the media are 
attempting to convince Americans to legalize drugs?

According to Newsweek Magazine, December 25, 1989, respected American 
officials, both liberal and conservative, Republican and Democrat, have 
begun to call for the legalization of drugs, claiming all our efforts 
have miserably failed.

The magazine reported the following leaders are on record as favoring 
the legalization of addictive drugs.

    George Schultz -- Former Secretary of State
    Kurt Schmoke -- Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland.
    William F. Buckley -- Conservative editor and author.
    Milton Friedman -- Conservative Economist/Nobel Prize winner.

At first, the public is shocked and outraged. This outrage has been 
lead by other respected American officials --

This same Newsweek article reports that former Drug Czar and Secretary 
of Education, William Bennett as being opposed to drug legalization. At 
this point, we have a war of words among American leaders.

Even discussing drug legalization at such high levels in our 
government gives the issue a stamp of legitimacy.

This war of words provides the sheer repetition necessary to dull the 
public's opposition.

People are now becoming less shocked by the proposal.

No longer shocked, the focus of the debate shifts to moderating the 
extremes of both sides of the debate. We saw this occur during the 
abortion debate, in the late 1960's. One side of the debate urged for 
abortion on demand; the other side opposed abortion under any 
circumstances. The compromise that was reached was to allow abortion 
under very specific instances, such as endangering the life of the 
mother. This compromise opened the door to abortion just a crack, and 
then, in 1973, abortion on demand became the law of the land.

So we can see just as in the case of abortion, a compromise will then be 
reached that will legalize drugs in a limited manner. Several years 
later, American public opinion will have been changed sufficiently to 
allow for ever-wider legalization. (This point is very key: Limited 
acceptance of the controversial proposal is always fatal, because it 
opens the firmly-shut door just a crack. This tiny beginning then allows 
the door to be systematically opened wide.)

What is the scope of the current drug problem? When you hear these 
statistics, understand that the epidemic will inevitably grow much 
larger once our system legalizes drug abuse.

The SCOPE of the problem:

"...Random lab tests show virtually EVERY AMERICAN BILL IN CIRCULATION 
bears microscopic traces of cocaine. That amounts to 12 billion bills 
worth $230 billion."

Every nation in history has had some drug usage, but NOTHING with this 
MAGNITUDE.

Pastor, this statistic means that you and your parishioners bring 
cocaine into Church every Sunday morning!! Shame on you!!

Now consider these other ways in which the Six Step Attitudinal Change 
Plan is being utilized:

EXAMPLES: CHANGING SEXUAL PREFERENCES
HOMOSEXUALITY

TV, Newspapers, and Magazines are strongly supporting the campaign for 
public acceptance of homosexuality. TV shows, movies, and articles in 
printed media have been consistently presenting a picture of validity 
and normalcy in the homosexual lifestyle. Simultaneously, Governmental 
Agencies, certain elected officials, and our courts have been actively 
re-shaping laws which promote this normalcy theme. Clearly, our entire 
society is moving rapidly and strongly toward full acceptance, and Mass 
Media is leading the charge.

Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? (Genesis 18:16-19:29). God's actions amount 
to a NATIONAL capital execution. Consider the scene: God's Holy Angels, 
bodily incarnated as men, visit Lot's house to warn him to flee Sodom 
before God's physical judgment falls. Homosexual men have seen these 
angels enter Lot's house, so they surround the house and loudly call to 
the angels to come outside so they could have homosexual relations with 
them.

The crowd so openly propositioned the angels, they must not have been 
afraid of being arrested. Why? Obviously because there were no laws 
prohibiting this solicitation. WHY??

The entire society of Sodom was supportive of homosexual activity. 
Schools, organized religion, courts, Government, and social 
organizations of all types, had to have been supportive. God not only 
condemned this societal support, He physically destroyed the cities in 
punishment.

We see this kind of societal support for homosexual behavior in America. 
But, there is more, as Lesbianism is now being promoted in women's 
magazines, on T.V., and in newspapers.

We have gone through all 6 steps of the Plan are now in the process of 
opening the door wide.
HETEROSEXUAL ADULTERY

Today, we see a steady Mass Media drumbeat to convince Americans that 
traditional Judeo-Christian values governing heterosexual relationships 
is out-of-date and has been replaced. Thus, we see TV sitcoms which 
depict couples living together without being married and even raising 
children together.

We see entire magazines devoted to the advancement of the successful 
single life-style, even to the point of denigrating the Christian 
stay-at-home mother. Examples of these magazines are Ms., Glamour, 
Cosmopolitan, and Vogue.

Newspapers feature article after article which depict real-life 
situations in which men and women, living together without being 
married, appear happy and prosperous.
SEXUAL PERVERSIONS

Pornography is the avenue by which the Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan 
has traditionally worked in America. Both mediums of printed material 
and video material has changed the values of many. Now, in the early 
1980's the time had arrived to go nation-wide. Thus, video rental stores 
carry a wide range of X-rated videos, magazines are available at your 
drugstore, and cable TV now is showing X-rated movies. All the mediums 
of Mass Media are now running many articles on real-life stories of 
sexual perversions. Even when the tone of the article is negative, even 
horrific, sheer repetition is at work. Thus, a story about Jeffrey 
Dahmer killing and eating homosexual lovers provides the sheer 
repetition necessary to wear down people's attitudes against 
homosexuality. This process is shocking and insidious.

EXAMPLE: Advance Deathmaking As Desirable/Noble/Courageous/ 
Advantageous To Society

Proverbs 8:36, "...all who hate Me, love and court death."

James 1:15a, "...sin, when full grown, gives birth to death."
EUTHANASIA

Americans are being convinced that Individual Euthanasia is a right 
which society should protect and advance.

News Brief: Time Magazine, 11/4/91, "Last week Dr. Kevorkian... helped 
two more women kill themselves...Lawmakers and doctors may debate the 
ethics of euthanasia endlessly, but while that argument un-folds, the 
activists have again decided to take life-and-death matters into their 
own hands."

No one would argue that if a terminally ill person in a great deal of 
pain wants to commit suicide, they should be allowed to do so. How-ever, 
history in Nazi Germany demonstrated that it is a very short step from 
Individual Euthanasia to Societal Support For Individual Euthanasia to 
Governmental Selection For Euthanasia. After the Jewish Holocaust, many 
Jewish scholars studied German society to discover how the nation of the 
Martin Luther Christian Tradition could turn into one of the greatest 
mass killing machines in history. One study, The Nazi Doctors, by Robert 
Lifton, states emphatically the Nazi Holocaust could never have occurred 
if the intermediate step of Euthanasia had not first occurred. The 
individual's "right to die" very quickly became the government's "right 
to kill".

German Public Opinion was molded by films showing incurable people being 
"helped" by sympathetic physicians. Medical Committees were set up in 
local communities comprised of local physicians, to decide whether a 
person was medically incurable, and thus eligible for euthanasia. German 
public acceptance for Euthanasia was begun by activist doctors, was 
promoted by activist doctors, and throughout the Mass Death Camps, was 
directed by activist doctors. Now, does the activism of Dr. Kevorkian 
take on new meaning?

EXAMPLES:

Reduce "Overpopulation" of the Earth

Item: Constance Cumbey's book, "A Planned Deception", quotes Friends of 
the Earth chairman, David Browder, discussing earth's over-population, 
"[There are] six billion people on an earth already overburdened by four 
billion." New Agers believe the earth can only support two billion 
people. This goal is to be achieved by the year 2,000, just 8 short 
years away!!

What are the New Age answers to this `horrible' over-population of the 
earth? We have listed just two of their answers; please understand they 
are utilizing the Six Step Attitudinal Change Plan to achieve their 
goal. Remember the supreme importance in this Plan of Point #4, creating 
a tremendous battle in the media and in the streets between opposing 
sides. This battle creates the sheer repetition necessary to erode 
people's opposing attitudes.
Abortion On Demand

When all 6 pints of the Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan have properly 
completed, the door has been opened just a crack to allow the 
objectionable process and only in certain circumstances. Then, the door 
is systematically forced open wider and wider, until the point is 
reached where the formerly objectionable practice is occurring 
constantly and for whatever reason. Clearly, we have been at this point 
with Abortion. Since 1973, over 27 million American babies have been 
killed!! Every abortion prevents the population of the earth from 
getting larger, thus contributing to their goal of reducing the world's 
population by two-thirds!

Birth Control, including condoms

TV, newspapers, and magazines of all types are clearly presenting birth 
control in a manner which advances the over-population agenda. The basic 
premise is that teens and adults will engage in promiscuous sexual 
activity, no matter what anyone says. Therefore, we should just make 
this inevitable activity as safe as possible, to prevent both disease 
and conception. Very few articles or TV shows ever depict abstinence 
before marriage or loyalty within marriage as a viable option. The final 
message going to our young people is that sexual immorality is 
acceptable as long as you are not caught by the consequences.

We have gone through all 6 steps of the Plan.

The door is now opening wider and wider.

At this point, we need to pause for a Biblical Prophecy check, to see 
just how this Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan fits into the Biblical 
Plan. In Matthew 24, Jesus was giving His disciples the many signs by 
which they would recognize the imminency of His Second Coming. In verse 
12, Jesus prophesied, "The love of the great body of people will grow 
cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity..." There is no 
other single prophecy which more convinces me that Jesus' coming is very 
near. Jesus is saying that the normal sins with which every generation 
has struggled will be so multiplied in the Last Days that it will chill 
the love of the great body of people -- an entire population. Certainly, 
every nation has struggled with the problems which we have discussed 
today: Drug Abuse, Homosexuality, Heterosexual Sin, Sexual Perversion, 
Killing of the Innocent. But, only today's American society possesses 
the Mass Media, which multiplies these sins. Only today's American 
society has gone absolutely cold toward Jesus Christ in such a short 
period of time. This prophecy is being fulfilled before our unsuspecting 
eyes.

We will share with you more instances in which this diabolical Plan is 
being utilized, but we need to discuss first the coming New World Order. 
Once you understand the goals of the New World Order, you will more 
easily see how the Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan is so effectively 
moving America toward Satan's Values. The entire American population is 
being prepared for the most dramatic change in world history since the 
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Join us next week for an in-depth look at the New World Order from the 
dual perspective of New Age writings and Biblical prophecy. This will be 
a most exciting time, so tell a friend to tune in.
The drumbeat is getting more intense in the campaign to convince 
Americans that Personal Suicide is noble, courageous, normal, and the 
best for society. In this true story, Ida Rollin, the mother of NBC 
Correspondent Betty Rollin, was suffering from terminal ovarian cancer. 
Before we continue with this story, we need to quickly review how it 
fits into the scheme of the coming New World Order.

As we have stated before, the New Age Movement has repeatedly reiterated 
their view that Mother Earth is seriously over-populated. Our current 6 
billion people is 4 billion more than can be adequately supported. 
Therefore, we must immediately move to reduce this population. One of 
the immediate steps which they have advocated is Human Euthanasia, 
beginning with the terminally ill. It is difficult to argue with anyone 
who wants to escape from a terminal, painful illness. This is truly a 
personal decision.

The danger which this persistent advocacy of euthanasia poses to society 
is that history has amply proven it is a very slippery slope. Once the 
majority of the population becomes convinced of a person's right to die 
under certain circumstances, the door is opened just enough so that 
people will then allow someone else to make this life-ending situation 
for the terminally ill. This probably would be a close relative at 
first, but would later become Hospital doctors or administrators. 
Finally, compassionate doctors acting on behalf of the government would 
be making this decision, and we would have another genocide occurring. 
This progression of events occurred just in this way in Germany from 
1920-1940.

In the 1920's, articles occurred in newspapers and magazines quite 
regularly arguing that people should be allowed to kill themselves, with 
help from relatives. Always, the situation was so grim that no one could 
argue against the suicide decision without appearing to lack compassion. 
The articles were written so that the decision to commit suicide seemed 
noble, courageous, and societally correct. Movies were made which 
depicted these circumstances very emotionally.

A parallel campaign was simultaneously being waged to convince Germans 
that the resources of the German Fatherland were being drained away by 
people whose quality of life had deteriorated so badly that they had no 
right to continue to live. These people were the very elderly, the 
mentally and physically handicapped, and the Jew.

By the late 1920's, individual doctors were taking matters into their 
own hands and were killing people in their care, even when the ill 
person had no desire to exit. Very soon, tens of thousands of people 
were being killed by a misapplication of medical care. Death 
certificates were faked so that the true cause of death was hidden.

When Adolf Hitler came to power, he combined these two threads so that 
anyone who was terminally ill or handicapped in some way was being 
systematically killed. From 1933-45, this killing was being carried out 
in medical or nursing care institutions. In 1938, when Hitler began his 
systematic death camp killing, he decided to maintain the facade of 
medical decision-making. Therefore, he picked certain doctors who had 
been active in euthanasia in their facilities to direct the massive 
statewide killing. To the very end of the war, medical doctors directed 
the slaughter. Robert Jay Lifton, in his book, The Nazi Doctors, 
emphatically declares that without the first step of human euthanasia, 
Hitler would never have been able to carry out his program of slaughter. 
By 1938, enough German citizens had become desensitized to the concept 
of human killing that they did not offer resistance to the final step of 
forced killing. Remember that Hitler's plans were so massive they 
required the willing contribution of millions of German citizens. Hitler 
provided the fig leaf covering of medical necessity in the forced 
euthanasia program so that Germans could feel justified in either 
actively participating in it or passively allowing it to continue.

Our tremendous concern is fueled by the fact that history does repeat 
itself because human nature never changes. Further, when we realize the 
New Age Movement is just sanitized Nazism and that their plans actively 
call for the greatest reduction in population the world has ever seen, 
we have ample reason to be concerned.

Let us now return to our story.

NBC News correspondent, Betty Rollin, assisted her 76-year-old mother, 
Ida Rollins, in suicide. Ida was suffering from terminal ovarian cancer 
and wanted to escape the pain. Notice the passages in this story which 
depict the hopelessness which Ida felt.

    "Positive thinking...could not dispel the pain that racked Ida's 
body when, once a month, she was hooked up to an IV. She would vomit 
every 15 minutes...It was torture."
    "The prognosis was grim. Ida's tumor was growing... pressing 
against her bowels, hurting her, blocking her intestines, making it 
difficult to eat or even swallow."

Now Ida makes her noble and courageous decision to check out. "It was at 
that point...that she decided to die.. 'I've had a wonderful life, but 
now it's over," Ida said. "It's time to go." And her daughter, Betty, 
agreed. The only question remained how, as neither one knew how to 
medically accomplish Ida's desire. Betty contacted several doctors and 
pharmacists, only to have these insensitive fools refuse to tell her how 
to kill her mother. Finally, a friend of Betty told her of a doctor in 
Europe who supported Euthanasia. Betty contacted him; he sold her the 
pills and gave her explicit instructions. Ida was very happy. Four days 
later, Betty assisted Ida in her death.

This all occurred in 1983. Since then, Betty has lost both her breasts 
to cancer, and "death is never far" from her mind. But, such societal 
progress has now been made in the acceptability of personal suicide that 
Betty does not have to worry about not knowing how to commit suicide. 
She keeps her "copy of Final Exit prominently displayed on her coffee 
table". Final Exit is the current best-selling book which explicitly 
instructs anyone how to commit suicide or how to assist someone else. 
Betty is one of the 520,000 Americans who have purchased the book thus 
far. America is clearly very far down that acceptability road which 
Germany traveled just a few decades ago.

But, soon, many more Americans will be persuaded that personal suicide 
is the correct action to take, both personally and societally. During 
this past week, ABC aired a program based upon Rollin's story entitled 
Last Wish, starring Patty Duke and Maureen Stapleton. The process of 
persuasion continues very effectively. This campaign is being conducted 
utilizing the Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan. Step #4, that of Sheer 
Repetition, is continuing. People's attitudes against suicide is being 
eroded. Soon, we will be at the point of which Revelation speaks, when 
men will slaughter one another.

The New World Order Plan to establish a One-World Government that is 
capable of totalitarian control over both individuals and the Economy is 
proceeding without delay. Consider these two news briefs from a 
Christian Newsletter, Michael's Journal, September-October, 1991.

NEWS BRIEF: Quoting from the French Press Agency in Paris, "To live 
without cash in France will soon be possible: Posts [Post Office] and 
Telecommunications will launch in France in 1992 an electronic wallet, 
allowing the payment of all one's purchases with a card containing a 
microcomputer chip ... The system will be tried out for 18 months in an 
average city. If successful, that system will be generalized all over 
France."

Revelation 13:16-17, "He [False Prophet] compels all alike both small 
and great, the rich and the poor, both free and slave, to be marked with 
an inscription stamped on their right hands or on the foreheads, so that 
no one will have the power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp 
[mark], that is, the name of the beast or the number of his name."

Biblical scholars have long maintained that this prophecy could not be 
fulfilled unless all cash was eliminated from the economy. Until the 
advent of the computer, scholars had no idea how this feat could be 
accomplished. In 1986, when I was in Hong Kong for business I saw this 
cashless system being tested in large grocery stores. In 1989, this 
system was introduced into the United States in certain gasoline 
stations. This is the first instance of which I am aware that a cashless 
system is being introduced in an entire economic environment, i.e., 
selected towns. Soon, all France will be converted.

Notice that this interim step does not require persons to be physically 
marked. Thus, people will be conditioned toward a cashless economy and 
will be ready to accept marking once the very charismatic and popular 
Maitreya the Christ arises. Now consider this other interim step.

Again quoting from Michael's Journal: "The veins of the hand could be 
used to thwart credit card fraud through a technique perfected by 
researchers of the Cambridge British group of technology. Instead of 
dialing the secret code, the credit card owners will put their fists 
into a machine that will read the design of the veins on the reverse of 
their hands...The design of the veins will then be compared [by the 
machine's computer] with that of the card owner, recorded before...The 
camera will even be able to detect if the hand put in the machine really 
belongs to a living person, by measuring the rate of oxygen in the 
veins."

This sophisticated technology does indeed stagger the imagination. 
Truly, Satan could never have united the world in the manner required to 
fulfill all God's prophecies without modern technology. In our Seminar, 
we examine the question, "Why has the Twentieth Century witnessed the 
historically unparalleled explosion of technology, starting in the first 
decade?" Is there any scientific evidence that man in this century is 
more intelligent than in previous centuries? There is no such scientific 
evidence. To understand a possible explanation, consider what some New 
Age and technological leaders have recently said:

    Computers: Marcel Vogel, an occultist who was one of the original 
inventors of the IBM computers, claimed that he had received the 
inspiration for his computer coding during a psychic molasses dream. In 
other words, a demon worked through Mr. Vogel to create the computer!! 
Now consider other inventors which were also occultists.
    Thomas Edison was a dedicated Theosophist.
    Both inventors of the Apple computer were occultists. To 
demonstrate that the computer had an occultic base, they priced it at 
$666.66.
    The developer of the Xeroxographic process credited his invention 
to a psychic dream.
    New Age author Alice Bailey reveals the atomic bomb "emerged from 
a first ray Ashram (demon) working in conjunction with a fifth group" 
(scientists working for the American government).

At this point, we need to ask the inevitable question: As the Holy 
Spirit began to withdraw His restraining power, as the Apostle Paul 
predicted He would do in the last days, did Satan rush into the 
resulting vacuum? Consider Satan's problem. He wanted to rule the world, 
but could only do so as the Holy Spirit withdrew His restraining power. 
Further, Jesus set a TIMETABLE to this process in Matthew 24:34, when He 
prophesied that all last days' prophecies would occur within one human 
lifetime. Satan could not control the world as God had prophesied with 
the level of technology which existed in the beginning of this century. 
To fulfill God's prophesies of a one-world government, and a one-world 
cashless economy, Satan needed modern technology.

Satan is conceivably responsible for the incredibly quick technological 
advance which has been achieved since World War I.

I have listed below some of the required technologies:

    Computers to enable government to control every one on earth to 
such a precise degree that "no one could buy or sell" without the mark 
in their right hand or forehead.
    Worldwide instant communication.
    Transportation: worldwide, efficient, and fast. New Age author, 
Alan Neuharth, the editor of USA Today, stated in his book, Nearly One 
World, that the jet engine was greatly responsible for the world coming 
together into a One-World Society.
    Mass media, especially TV, that would allow the masses to be 
reconditioned. Chief among this conditioning is a global societal change 
which is reducing the cultural differences of peoples throughout the 
world. God foiled the plans of man at the Tower of Babel to create a 
One-World Society by causing different languages to suddenly appear so 
that people could no longer communicate well enough to build the Tower. 
People who could understand each other gathered into groups and rather 
quickly physically moved to other locations. This moving away from the 
other groups soon involved thousands of miles, creating the current 
system of nations which we have been traditionally familiar. These 
separate nations speaking different languages soon produced different 
cultures, with widely differing values and ways of looking at life. 
These cultural differences acted as an additional brake against the 
uniting in a One-World Society. All this has changed dramatically, as 
Neuharth's book details. Neuharth points out the changes --

"...More and more people [throughout the world] are:

    Eating the same foods
    Reading the same books
    Watching the same movies
    Listening to the same music
    Enjoying the same sports
    Sharing the same dreams and drives

How has this historically unprecedented change occurred? Neuharth 
identifies the agent of change as coming from America. "Much of the 
common ground comes from the global spread of U.S. pop culture -- which 
has become everybody's culture....Today, the world is coming closer to 
what Marshall McLuhan predicted 25 years ago: a global village." (p. 
5-6)

Neuharth then devotes an entire chapter to cite examples of how so many 
nations in the world are uniting because of their acceptance of American 
culture, American values. He concludes this chapter by saying

"..History will look back on this as the American Age....the beat of 
rock 'n' roll builds bridges, not barriers." (p. 13, 19)

This is a serious indictment against a formerly Christian America. These 
cultural values are not Christian values. These values contain much 
objectionable, sinful, and even Satanic values. And they are paving the 
way for the coming New World Order, Satan's kingdom. God will call 
America to judgment for this deception of the peoples of the world. This 
activity literally is leading people into Hell. Remember the Biblical 
principle that a nation, or individuals, will be held accountable for 
the amount of spiritual light which they have received. America has 
received massive amounts of true Biblical Christianity, and we have 
rejected it in the last 25 years. The replacement has been unChristian 
and is now polluting the world and leading the nations into the arms of 
Anti-Christ.

The final lie which we are encouraging the world to believe is that man 
is inherently good. This false belief is causing people to believe that 
man can create his own utopia if only people would begin thinking 
positive thoughts and only if a Enlightened One would arise to provide 
the proper leadership. Of course, this paves the way for Anti-Christ. I 
am convinced that the reason God will allow the world to briefly unite 
under Anti-Christ is so that, on Judgment Day, no man could say to Him, 
"God, if You had only left mankind alone, we could have created our own 
Utopia, without Your divisive commandments." By allowing man to try to 
create his own Utopia, God will eternally prove that man's nature is so 
inherently evil that he could never create Utopia.

But, make no mistake about the fact that the New World Order is death, 
the most widespread death the world has ever seen. Approximately 
two-thirds of the population will die, most people being deliberately 
exterminated. And, this will occur immediately after the peoples of the 
world have been persuaded that Peace and Safety have finally been 
realized in human history!! This is precisely the Plan for the New World 
Order, and it fulfills Biblical prophecy perfectly!!

At this point, many people ask, "Why would the people leading the New 
World Order want to kill so many other human beings?" This question is 
perfectly logical, since you are a normal person who doesn't want to 
hurt anyone else. But, these leaders are not normal, even though their 
Media Campaigns have carefully painted the picture of normalcy. These 
leaders are members of Satanic Secret Societies, and have been secretly 
corrupted by promises of achieving power and wealth beyond imagination. 
Their leader is Lucifer, whether these men realize it or not. And, 
Lucifer is Satan. Satan hates all people, simply because we have been 
created in the image of God. Satan would like nothing better than to see 
all mankind dead, DEAD!

If you doubt this premise, simply remember the statement of Jesus 
Christ, in Matthew 24, the great chapter of End of the Age prophecies. 
In Matthew 24:22, "And except those days should be shortened, there 
should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be 
shortened." Jesus warns us here that the goal of the forces of 
Anti-Christ is to totally obliterate all mankind. Jesus intervenes, but 
only to save "His Elect", those few born-again Christians left on the 
planet, Christians who accepted Jesus as Savior after the Rapture. All 
sinners have been killed by judgment in the Great Tribulation.

All men and women dead. Satan hates every human being, even those who 
are serving him in Satanic covens. You must reorient your thinking. Time 
grows very short.

NWO: The world will be united under One-world Government, led by the 
Maitreya the Christ.

BP: Revelation 13:15-17 clearly shows that the Beast will rule the world 
with absolute authority. Only a One-World Government would have the 
ability to force all the peoples of the world to worship him and to take 
his mark, without which no one could buy or sell.

NWO: The world's religions will be united into one Religion.

BP: Revelation 13:11-15 shows that the False Prophet will assist the 
world in worship. He will force all men of the world to worship the 
image of the beast, under the pain of death. This is a One-World 
Religion.

NWO: The world's Economy will be united into one global system.

BP: Revelation 13:16-17, foretells that the Beast, aided by the False 
Prophet, will force everyone on earth to take a mark, without which they 
cannot buy or sell. Only a Global System, backed by political and 
spiritual authority, could accomplish such a feat.

NWO: When Maitreya the Christ arises, he will claim to be the Christ. 
By using these 2 words, The Christ, Maitreya will be laying claim to the 
office of Messiah while separating it from the person, Jesus.

BP: "Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the 
flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of anti-Christ..." (1 John 
4:3). Literally, this passage means that anyone who would seek to 
separate Jesus the Man/God from the office of Messiah is of the spirit 
of Anti-Christ. This is precisely what Maitreya will be doing.

NWO: The One-World Economy will control the world's food supply, and 
will force all nations to share equally.

BP: Clearly, if the Global Government as foretold in Revelation 
13:16-17, could force everyone to take a mark which would be utilized 
economically, they could also control the world's food supply.

NWO: Soon after Maitreya the Christ arises, the peoples of the world 
will be forced to undergo a massive, "World-Wide Luciferian Initiation". 
Anyone who refuses to cooperate will be killed. Christians and orthodox 
Jews are specifically targeted.

BP: "And he shall speak great words against the Most and shall wear out 
the saints of God...and they shall be given into his hand until a time 
and times and the dividing of time (3 1/2 years)". (Daniel 7:25). 
Revelation also speaks of God allowing Anti-Christ to kill many saints 
of God, in 6:9-11;7:14-17; 12:11; 13:5-7; 14:12-13; and 20:4.

Benjamin Creme has repeatedly threatened the sword of cleavage against 
all who refuse to cooperate with Maitreya. This brings to mind the 
Biblical prophecy in Revelation 20:4 that "I saw the souls of them that 
were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God..."

NWO: "Guiding Spirits" of the New World Order leaders have begun to 
tell them to be prepared for a simultaneous, world-wide disappearance of 
millions of people. These spirits ascribe this phenomenon to the fact 
that these people will never be able to accept Maitreya the Christ. 
Their continued existence on this plane will inhibit the full 
implementation of the New World Order; therefore, the Masters of the 
Illuminati has made the decision to transport them into another 
dimension, where their spirits will be retrained to accept the New World 
Order.

BP: "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the 
voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God...Then we which are 
alive and remain shall be caught up together...in the clouds, to meet 
the Lord in the air..." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-7).

NWO: The New Age teaches that each human has a potential godhead 
dwelling within them. All that is necessary for anyone to fulfill this 
potential is to "expand their consciousness" level properly. But, the 
bottom line message is: "You Are All Gods". (Alice Bailey, 
Externalisation Of The Hierarchy, p. 663). This teaching seems very 
alluring to someone who is not saved, for they are being promised 
godhood.

BP -- "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some 
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and 
doctrines of devils..." (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

NWO: Peter LeMesurier, in his book, The Armageddon Script, states 
that tremendous miracles will surround the appearance of Maitreya. These 
miracles will be part technology, part deliberate staging, and part 
media hype by the world's mass media. Cumbey, in her book, Hidden 
Dangers of the Rainbow, quotes writings which reveal plans to utilize 
3-dimensional laser beams from satellites to create the image of 
Maitreya to speak to all the world simultaneously, speaking to each area 
in their particular language. Finally, in a seminar which I attended in 
Boston, August, 1991, given by the New England Director of the 
Theosophical Society, it was revealed that Maitreya will be able to 
appear as different beings to different people. He will appear as a 
woman to a woman, as a man to a man; he will appear as a Caucasian to a 
Caucasian, as Black to a Black, etc.

Further, New World Order planners intend to beam down streams of fire 
from the heavens , using Super-Natural Psychic power, to impress people 
as to the divine nature of Maitreya.

BP: Revelation 13:13-14, "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh 
fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and 
deceivth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles..."

NWO: New Age Leaders, including Masters of the Illuminati, worship 
the Lord of this World, whose name is Sanat Kumara (Alice Bailey, 
Externalisation of the Hierarchy, p.676, 709, 725; and Elizabeth Van 
Buren, The Secret of the Illuminati, p. 1). Bailey goes on to explain 
that Sanat Kumara is the "life and the forming intelligence", presiding 
over the Council of Shamballa [the Heaven according to New Age 
doctrine]. (The New Age Dictionary, p. 172) Further, Sanat Kumara is 
"the eternal youth from the Plant Venus. Lucifer is known in occultic 
lore as Venus. Therefore, Sanat Kumara is merely another name for Satan 
or Lucifer. (Cumbey, Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow).

BP: It is impossible to overlook the fact that Sanat is just a 
translocation of the spelling, Satan. And the Bible calls Satan the "God 
Of This World". (2 Cor 4:4). Remember, the context is worship of Sanat 
Kumara (Satan). Revelation 13:15, "And he had power to give life unto 
the image of the beast...and cause that as many as would not worship the 
image of the beast should be killed." Thus, in accordance with Biblical 
prophecy, the Plan envisions worship of Sanat Kumara.

NWO: When a person can come into full accord with the attribute of 
the Love of the Great One, they may "enter fully into the Spirit of God 
of Force." (Marilyn Ferguson, The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, 
p.16). It is very obvious that New Agers literally worship the god of 
Forces. This worship is littered all throughout their writings.

BP: Daniel 11:38 -- "But in his estate shall he honour the God of 
forces..." New Age leaders and followers literally worship the god of 
forces.

NWO: Jesus was not THE ONE AND ONLY Divine Son of God; rather, he 
was an Avatar, a world teacher who periodically has come to earth during 
a particular time in world history to lead mankind to a new level of 
consciousness. Human Jesus experienced the infilling of the Divine 
Christ Con-sciousness at the time of His baptism by John The Baptist. 
This Christ Consciousness then left Him at the Cross. This Divine 
Consciousness has never left the earth, but is just waiting for the 
right moment to re-appear in the human body of Maitreya the Christ. 
(Alice Bailey, The Reappearance of The Christ, p. 36-60, and Marilyn 
Ferguson, The Aquarian Gospel, p. 14).

BP: "In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed 
to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 4:1). This New 
Age denial of one of THE key doctrines of Christianity, taught by Jesus 
personally, is a doctrine of devils. Jesus refuted this lie most 
succinctly when He said, "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man 
cometh unto the Father except through Me." (John 14:6).

NWO: New Age leaders have consistently taught that the earth is 
seriously overpopulated. Friends of the Earth has most succinctly stated 
this position, stating, "an earth population of 6 billion, already 
overburdened by 4 billion." (Cumbey, A Planned Deception: The Staging of 
A New Age Messiah, p. 164-5). Further, they have set a time limit on 
this overpopulation -- 2,000 AD. New Age leaders seem to be fixated on 
the number two-thirds regarding population reduction. Why two-thirds? 
Scripture holds the understanding. I believe that, since these leaders 
are Satanists, we have to examine possible reasons that Satan may hate 
two-thirds of mankind.

BP: Revelation 12:4, "And his (Satan's) tail drew the third part of the 
stars of heaven, and did cast them down to the earth..." This Scripture 
reveals that, when Satan fell because of his rebellion against God, 
one-third of the angels of Heaven decided to become a part of his 
rebellion. This statistic means that two-thirds of God's angels remained 
faithful to God. Satan must hate these angels, but he cannot overcome 
God's power so that he could punish these angels. I believe it possible 
that Satan then turned his anger toward the being which was made in 
God's image (man), and against God's chosen race (the Jews).

Zechariah 13:8 (the time frame is End Times Prophecy), "And it shall 
come to pass, that in all the land (Israel), saith the Lord, two parts 
(two-thirds) therein shall be cut off and die, but the third part shall 
be left..." God is going to allow Satan to kill two-thirds of the Jewish 
pop-ulation at the time of the end, during the Great Tribulation but 
will preserve the remnant of one-third. The parallel is found in 
Revelation 12, where God protects Israel in the wilderness for 42 
months.

In this regard, we cannot ignore an interesting fact of recent history. 
Adolf Hitler believed that he was the Anti-Christ; as such, his 
unfathomable hatred of the Jews reflected the burning hatred of Satan. 
We see, throughout the Scriptures, that Satan hates the Jews and is 
constantly attempting to destroy them. Hitler's goal was to totally 
eliminate the Jewish population. New Age author Nigel Pennick, states in 
his book, Hitler's Secret Sciences, in Chapter 14, entitled Genocide -- 
An Act Of Black Magic, that Hitler intended, prior to WWII, that the 
Genocide program against the Jews would require physically conquering 
countries in Europe from Britain to Russia. Thus, Hitler's war effort 
was determined by his desire to conquer countries with Jewish 
populations so he could complete his world-wide program of genocide. 
This startling concept certainly explains why precious resources 
continued to flow to the death camps, even during the last stages of the 
war, when men, material, and transportation facilities were desperately 
needed by the military. Pennick concludes, "Genocide was the magical act 
whereby the history of the world would forever be transformed..the 
elimination of the Jews...would leave a vacuum for the ascendance of the 
demonic powers ...controlling the Third Reich." (p. 137)

God allowed Hitler to kill two-thirds of the world's population of Jews, 
preserving the one-third remnant to establish the nation of Israel in 
1948. In precisely the same manner, God will allow Anti-Christ to kill 
two-thirds of the Jews during the last half of the Great Tribulation, 
preserving the one-third remnant to establish the Israel for the return 
of Jesus Christ.

I believe that the reason the New World Order seems so intent on killing 
two-thirds of mankind is that two-thirds of God's angels remained true 
to Him when Satan rebelled.

NWO: This New World Religion will be a re-establishment of the 
ancient Mysteries of Initiation. (Alice Bailey, The Reappearance of the 
Christ, p. 71; Bailey, The Externalisation Of The Hierarchy, p. 
511-515). Literally, this statement means that the Ancient Satanic 
Mysteries of Babylon and Egypt will be re-established as the religion of 
the world. In other words, public Satanism will be established, and will 
be practiced as openly as Christianity is today!

BP: "And at the latter end of the kingdom...a king of fierce countenance 
and understanding dark trickery and craftiness shall stand up. And his 
power shall be mighty, but not by his own power..." (Daniel 8:23-24) The 
words "understanding dark trickery and craftiness" refers to the 
knowledge of the occultic arts. This has been the goal of members of 
secret societies for over 3,000 years. The Ancient Satanic Mysteries 
will have re-established.

NWO: The Christian Trinity is inferior to the Solar Logos Trinity. 
This false Trinity is not a personal godhead but a godhead of Forces. 
The Bailey writings list a hierarchy of superior offices, and at the 
bottom, many masters. Guess who is at the bottom of the masters? Jesus. 
(Cumbey, Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, p. 65-67).

BP: Daniel 11:36 (The context in this passage is the Anti-Christ), "And 
the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and 
magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous (literally, 
astonishing) things against the God of gods..."

This Scripture literally means that Anti-Christ shall utter the most 
blasphemous words possible against God. No one can say anything more 
blasphemous than to say that Jesus is not God, but just a lowly master, 
far more lowly than Sanat Kumara (Satan).

NWO: Threatens violence and extermination of anyone who will not 
cooperate with Maitreya. Special hatred is vented toward fundamental 
Christians and Jews. David Spangler, in his book, Revelation: The Birth 
Of A New Age, states that those who will not cooperate will be sent to 
"another level of Earth's own consciousness where they can be contained 
and ministered to until such time as they can be released safely into 
physical embodiment again". (p. 163-4)

Obviously, to be released back into physical embodiment again means that 
these people must be first separated from their present physical 
embodiment. The only way to accomplish this separation is to physically 
kill those who cannot accept Maitreya.

BP: "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the 
souls of them that were slain for the word of God..." Revelation 6:9.

"As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over 
them." (Daniel 7:21)

"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome 
them..." (Revelation 13:7)

NWO: "Since most people will not exercise [economic] restraint [from 
over-consumption, we must] take control of the world...to reduce the 
economic inductance of the world to a safe level by a process of 
benevolent slavery and genocide." (William Cooper, Behold A Pale Horse, 
p. 49). This statement is incredibly arrogant. The last time that a New 
Age Disciple threatened benevolent genocide was during the 1930's when 
Hitler was threatening to exterminate the Jews; Hitler viewed his 
planned extermination as benevolent for Germany, the world, and even the 
Jews. This statement is clearly a call for war against all people who 
are deemed unworthy for the New World Order.

BP: "And there went out another horse that was red; and power was given 
unto him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they 
should kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword." 
(Revelation 6:4).

Notice that the sword given to this rider of the Red Horse of War was a 
great sword. How great? We get an excellent idea from Alice Bailey's, 
The Externalisation Of The Hierarchy, p. 548, "As a means in the hands 
of the United Nations...the atomic bomb does not belong to the... 
nations who...own the secrets at present...It belongs to the United 
Nations for use...or threatened use..." Certainly, the atomic bomb would 
qualify as a great sword.

NWO: The New World Order will be a system of Fascism, in which the 
means of production and distribution will be tightly controlled and in 
which national currencies will have been replaced by a universal 
monetary exchange. (Bailey, The Externalisation Of The Hierarchy, p. 
580-1). Bailey further deals specifically with the change-over in 
economic thinking and systems on page 666, with the revelation that this 
change-over will be regulated by a specific Master Ashram (demonic 
angel). It is no accident that economic change is specifically covered 
on page 666. BP: The Bible states that the identifying number of the 
economic system of Anti-Christ shall be the number 666 (Revelation 
13:18).

NWO: "Eventually, every individual element of the [economic] 
structure come under computer control...with identified consumers 
identified via association with the use of a credit card and later a 
permanent tattooed body number invisible under normal ambient 
illumination." (Cooper, Behold A Pale Horse, p. 44). ]

BP: "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and 
bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads: And 
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of 
the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:16-17)

NWO: As the world proceeds to full implementation of the New World 
Order, the present line-up of 170+ sovereign nations must give way to a 
regionalization. Specifically, the world should be reorganized into 10 
Super Nations:

   North America
   Western Europe
   Japan
   Australia, South Africa, and the rest of the market

economy of the developed world.

Eastern Europe, including Russia

Latin America
North Africa and the Middle East

Tropical Africa

South and Southeast Asia
China (Eduard Pestel, Mankind At The Turning Point

Reader's Digest Press, 1974).

Why did the leaders of the New World Order conceive of 10 nations, 
instead of some other number? The answer, from man's point of view, lies 
in a knowledge of occultism. Occultists consider the Number 10 a magical 
symbol, consisting of an upright man (as represented by the vertical 1) 
standing before the circle (as represented by the zero). In magical 
terms, the most important part of this symbol, 10, is the space between 
the 1 and the 0. This space represents an upright man contem-plating the 
universe in freedom. (Frederick Goodman, Magic Symbols, p. 46-7).

Freedom from what? Freedom from religion, as represented by the 0. Thus, 
man is arrogantly pictured as standing apart from organized religion. 
The number 10 is the ultimate expression of the prideful way in which 
the New World Order leaders conceive of themselves in relation to the 
world and to religion.

BP: Daniel 7:7, "And this I saw in the night visions, a fourth beast, 
dreadful and terrible, and strong exceed-ingly...and it had ten 
horns..." Biblical prophecy clearly states that the kingdom of 
Anti-Christ will be global and will consist of 10 horns (nations). We 
see this picture again in Revelation 17:16-17.

No other single Scripture of prophecy convinces more of God's 
Sovereignty than Revelation 17:17. "For God hath put it into their 
hearts to fulfill His will...until the words of God shall be fulfilled." 
If Satan were more powerful than God, he would choose any number other 
than ten for the number of his final national reorganization; the very 
fact that New World Order leaders chose the number 10 for the global 
reorganization prior to the appearance of Anti-Christ shows God's 
absolute sovereignty.

NWO: Writing in August, 1939, Alice Bailey stated, "In the 
preparatory period for the New World Order there will be a steady and 
regulated disarmament. It will not be optional. No nation will be 
permitted to produce and organise any equipment for destructive purposes 
or to infringe the security of any other nation." (The Externali-sation 
Of The Hierarchy, p. 191).

Certainly, no one could ever argue with this premise; if this plan were 
ever really carried out, we would have peace and safety. Indeed, peace 
and safety of all nations is precisely the goal of the New World Order.

BP: Biblical prophecy is also quite clear that this is the way in which 
the Anti-Christ will obtain his kingdom. Daniel 11:21b states, "he shall 
come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom with flatteries". Paul also 
states that the peoples of the world at the time of the end will believe 
that they have achieved peace and safety. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

However, Paul warns that this belief will prove to be false, because, 
just when they are saying this to one another, sudden and complete 
judgment falls upon them. This judgment falls so quickly and completely 
that no one escapes it awful destruction. What weapon in the history of 
warfare will destroy this completely and suddenly? Clearly, only nuclear 
warfare.

Does Bailey shed any further light on this matter? Yes, writing in 
April, 1946, in The Externalisation Of The Hierarchy, she states, "The 
atomic bomb does not belong to the...nations who...own the secrets at 
present...It belongs to the United Nations for use (or...for threatened 
use when aggressive action on the part of any nation rears its ugly 
head." (p. 548) Wow!!! The Planners of the New World Order have plans to 
wage nuclear war against any nation or group of people who threaten the 
rule of Maitreya the Christ. Now we can understand how the next horse 
out of heaven after the white horse of Anti-Christ is the horse of war, 
carrying a great sword.

NWO: Part of the New World Order Plan is to abolish traditional 
religious holidays, substituting pagan festivals such as good Friday and 
Christmas. (Cumbey, Hidden Dangers Of The Rainbow, p. 83).

BP: "And he shall...think to change times and laws". (Daniel 7:25)

NWO: Bailey states repeatedly in The Externalisation Of The 
Hierarchy that traditional Protestant religions must change their 
doctrines prior to the establishment of the New World Order. They must 
abandon their insistence on rigid doctrinal positions. Mankind has a 
great "need for spiritual unity and to throw overboard all separative 
theological attitudes and dogmas in every field of thought." (p. 378). 
These old dogmatic doctrines must give way to the ancient Satanic 
Mysteries, as we have already quoted. BP: "Now the Spirit speaketh 
expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, 
giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (1 Timothy 
4:1).

NWO: Teaches the doctrine that Maitreya will be greater than Jesus 
Christ. "While Jesus had had a resurrected body after the crucifixion, 
he had to forfeit that body because he had not earned the right to keep 
it [because] Jesus was only a fourth level initiate, whereas Gautama 
Buddha was a sixth level initiate. However, Lord Maitreya himself was a 
seventh level initiate and the only one eligible for such a high level 
of initiation." (Cumbey, Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, p. 96-7).

BP: "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt 
himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous 
things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation 
be accomplished.." (Daniel 11:36). ALSO:

"Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that 
is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing 
himself that he is God." (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Clearly, the arrogant attitude on the part of Maitreya which will cause 
him to claim to be God is present in these incredible blasphemies 
against the person of Jesus Christ. Remember, also, that these planned 
heresies were written by people who claim that their writings have been 
inspired by their 'guiding spirits'.

We have examined over 20 instances where New World Order doctrines and 
plans precisely mirror Biblical prophecy. According to the Laws of 
Probability, the odds against only 20 prophecies coming to pass 
accidently are 1,048,000 to 1. To arrive at this figure, we did not 
figure into the equation any time frame or sequence of fulfillment, 
which would make the numbers higher. All we calculated is the chance 
that such a prophecy could be accidently fulfilled.

Clearly, this exercise builds one's confidence that we are living in the 
very end of the age. When you have this amount of potential Biblical 
prophecy fulfillment, simultaneously occurring at the same time as many 
other Biblical prophecies, such as the restoration of Israel, you must 
seriously conclude that Jesus Christ is most probably at the door.
n past programs, we have stated that the New World Order could not have 
been realized had it not been for the intense activities of various 
secret societies throughout the world. We have mentioned one world-wide 
secret society, the Brotherhood Of Death Society, whose symbol is the 
skull with two crossed bones. The German Brotherhood of Death Society is 
the Thule Society. Adolf Hitler joined this society in 1919, becoming an 
adept under the leadership of Dietrich Eckhart. Later, the Thule Society 
selected Hitler to be their leader of the New World Order, as Eckhart 
revealed on his deathbed, saying, "Follow Hitler; he will dance, but it 
is I who have called the tune. I have initiated him into the Secret 
Doctrine, opened his centers in vision, and given him the means to 
communicate with the powers." (Trevor Ravenscroft, The Spear Of Destiny, 
p. 91).

In August, 1990, President George Bush announced that the world had now 
entered into a New World Order. Shockingly President Bush is an adept in 
an American Brotherhood of Death Society, the Yale Skull and Bones 
Society. As we stated earlier, Bush's New World Order is virtually 
identical with Hitler's; the key connecting point is the common 
membership in their respective Brotherhood of Death Societies (Bill 
Cooper, Behold A Pale Horse, p. 81; plus Antony Sutton, Introduction To 
The Order, p.7).

We will study this connection in depth today. Let us begin with a quick 
overview of the Thule Society, beginning with a study of its practices 
and relevant history.

They were Satanists who practiced Black Magic -- this means that they 
were "solely concerned with raising their consciousness by means of 
rituals to awareness of evil and nonhuman intelligences in the universe; 
and with achieving means of communication with these intelligences." 
(Ravenscroft, p. 161). Concentrate on that seemingly innocent word, 
rituals. Christians equate a ritual to a church service, thereby not 
understanding its occultic mean-ing. The New Age Dictionary defines 
ritual as a "ceremony to restore balance with nature...and bring back 
lost harmony and sacredness." Remember we are dealing with the Satanic 
world, where good is called evil and evil good. The sacred-ness 
mentioned here is a Satanic sacredness. Rituals literally are proscribed 
activities designed to allow demonic power to flow through the 
participants. These activities are proscribed chants, formula wordings, 
and carefully planned actions. As we noted last week, the effect is 
devastatingly powerful, as demonic force pours through the participants, 
delivering a counterfeit spiritual experience which literally transforms 
their lives. Never skip over the word ritual, as it is a word of Satanic 
power.

Thule members practiced a form of Sexual Magic derived from a lodge of 
which Aleister Crowley was a member. Crowley was recognized as the 
foremost worshipper of Satan in the 19th Century. "The origin of 
this...medieval magic...can be traced to a Freemason, Robert Little, who 
founded the Societas Rosicruciana in 1865... (Ravenscroft, Spear of 
Destiny, p. 164-5). While the actual sexual perversions which were 
practiced are too offensive to share, the results are not. Author 
Revenscroft stated that "indulgence in the most sadistic rituals 
awakened penetrating vision into the workings of Evil Intelligences and 
bestowed phenomenal magical powers." (Ibid. p. 167). This is the Thule 
Society.

Ravenscroft records its effect upon Hitler, "...sexual perversion took a 
central place in [Hitler's] life...a monstrous sexual perversion was the 
very core of his whole existence, the source of his mediumistic and 
clairvoyant powers, and the motivation behind every act through which he 
reaped a sadistic vengeance on humanity." (Ibid., p. 171).

Eckart's final act was to initiate Hitler into "a monstrous sadistic 
magic ritual...after which he was sexually impotent. Hitler's impotency 
had a deep psycholo-gical foundation. He knew sexual fulfillment through 
the extremes of sadism and masochism..."(Ravenscroft, p. 155, 173). This 
impotency delivered a final devastating blow to Hitler's psychological 
foundation, finally making him into the sadistic murderer that history 
knows.

Thule society believed in "communication with a hierarchy of 
Supermen -- The Secret Chiefs of the Third Order". (Ibid) The quality 
which make these beings supermen was occultic spirituality. Further, 
they believed in Madame Blavasky's Secret Doctrine, which teaches that 
certain superman had survived the destruction of Atlantis with their 
higher levels of consciousness intact. These supermen were Aryans. These 
two beliefs combined into one through the Thule Society and Hitler, 
culminating into the Nazi Death Camps. (Ibid, p. 166). When one group of 
people incorporate into their spiritual belief structure that they are 
inherently superior to another group of people, it is inevitable that 
genocide will be attempted as soon as possible.
The Thule Society regularly held occultic seances, during which 
time they communicated with demons who were either masquerading as a 
dead person or who were just appearing as their guiding spirits. 
Dietrich Eckart, Alfred Rosenberg, and Adolf Hitler invoked the 
Anti-Christ into manifestation at the mediumistic seances of the Thule 
Group in Munich." (Ravenscroft, Spear of Destiny, p. 168) Eckert 
believed he had been told by his guiding spirit he would have the 
privilege of training the coming Great One, the Anti-Christ. From the 
beginning of their association, Eckert believed Hitler was Anti-Christ. 
Therefore, Eckert spared no occultic knowledge, ritual, or perversion in 
his attempt to fully equip Hitler for the role. Once the training was 
completed, Hitler believed he was "born anew with that super-personal 
strength and resolution he would need to fulfill the mandate ... 
ordained for him." (p. Ravenscroft, p. 93-4) Hitler literally equated 
this with the Christian claim to be born again.

Now, let us look at the Skull and Bones rituals and beliefs. Little is 
firmly known about Skull and Bones, because their secrecy since they 
were established in 1833 is as complete as any society in the world. 
However, they possess all the requirements of a true secret society.

   They were formed in secret and all their activities are carried 
out secretly.
   Membership is by invitation only. Potential members are carefully 
screened as to suitability before they are invited to join.
   The first night of the new member, who is called an initiate, is 
critically important. The initiate swears total obedience and loyalty to 
the secret society. This pledge is bound by serious oaths, some of whom 
would be deadly if actually carried out. The first night is also 
critically important as it bounds the initiate to the society by means 
of ritual, oaths, and confessions.

The Skull and Bones also incorporates sexual activities into their 
practices. "The death of the initiate will be as frightful as the use of 
human skeletons and ritual psychology can make it..." (Esquire Magazine, 
"The Last Secrets of Skull and Bones", Ron Rosenbaum, p. 89). Sexual 
perversion is part of ritual psychology. Ron Rosenbaum, author of the 
Esquire Magazine article, stated that on initiation night, called tap 
night, "...if one could climb to the tower of Weir Hall, the odd castle 
that overlooks the Bones courtyard, one could hear strange cries and 
moans coming from the bowels of the tomb as the 15 newly tapped members 
were put through what sounded like a harrowing ordeal..." (Esquire, 
September, 1976, p. 86).

Further,[initiates] "lay naked in coffins and tell their deepest and 
darkest sexual secrets as part of their initiation." (Esquire, p. 85). 
These experiences in the coffins incorporated sexual pain and resulted 
in being born-again, into the Order, as we mentioned above. (Cooper, 
p.95) Powerful force charges through the participants of these 
ceremonies, transforming their lives dramatically. This type ritual is 
classic Satanism. Anton LaVey states, in his book The Satanic Rituals: 
Companion To The Satanic Bible, (p. 57)

"The ceremony of rebirth takes place in a large coffin..This is similar 
to the coffin symbolism that...is found in most lodge rituals." Make no 
mistake about it: Any organization which utilizes this coffin ritual to 
simulate rebirth is practising Satanism, including Skull and Bones.

The Skull and Bones believes that on the night of initiation, the 
initiate "dies to the world and be born again into the Order..." 
(Esquire Magazine, September, 1977, p. 89). Remember Hitler's belief 
that he had been born anew after his ritualistic initiation and 
training? This term is a common one in occultism. During the 1988 
Presidential Campaign, a TV reporter asked Vice-President Bush if he 
were a Christian. Bush initially stammered, but then said, "if you mean 
born again, then, yes, I am a Christian". Now we know what George Bush 
meant by his deliberately misleading statement.

As born-again Christians carry out the ritual of water baptism by 
immersion to demonstrate that they have died to the old way of life and 
have been reborn into a new life, the occultists have their ritual to 
demonstrate the same life transformation. Rosenbaum continues his 
expose' of the born-again experience, "then it's into the coffin and off 
on a symbolic journey through the underworld to rebirth, which takes 
place in room number 322. There, the Order clothes the newborn knight in 
its own special garments, implying that, henceforth, he will tailor 
himself to the Order's mission." (Ibid., p. 89, 148). This ritual 
description is as occultic as any I have read, and truly reveals the 
Skull and Bones as occultic.

One of the most sobering facets of this counterfeit born again 
initiation ritual is that the initiate swears to an allegiance to the 
Secret Order that transcends any allegiance later in life. New Age 
author Bill Cooper captures this disturbing fact most succinctly, 
"...Members of the Order (Skull and Bones) take an oath that absolves 
them from any allegiance to any nation or king or government or 
constitution, and that includes the negating of any subsequent oath 
which they may be required to take. They swear allegiance only to the 
Order and its goal of a New World Order...according to the oath Bush 
took when he was initiated into Skull and Bones, his oath of office as 
President of the United States means nothing." (Cooper, Behold A Pale 
Horse, p. 81-82). Since the oath as President occurred after the Oath to 
Skull and Bones, it is not worth the paper on which it is printed. That 
kind of hold is powerful. Indeed, as Ron Rosenbaum began the research 
necessary to write his article for Esquire, he was warned about the 
power of Skull and Bones. "The power of Bones is incredible. They have 
their hands on every lever of power in the country."

The only thing which is important to the Skull and Bones is their goal 
of a New World Order. In conjunction with this understanding, remember 
one other Secret Society belief, i.e., the ends justify the means.

As Rosenbaum continued his research, he found definite links between 
Bones and the Bavarian Illuminists. The Bavarian Illuminists were part 
of the original Masters of the Illuminati. First, Rosenbaum discovered 
documents which detailed the origins of Bones back to Germany. These 
documents stated, "Bones is a chapter of a corps of a German 
University..." The document described at length its relationship with 
this German Secret Society (the Thule Society) which lead to the 
founding of the Skull and Bones in 1832.

Secondly, Rosenbaum discovered that, "above the arched walls above the 
vault of the (Bones) sacred room, #322", is a painting of skulls 
surrounded by Masonic symbols. Above this painting is the slogan, in 
German, which means, "Who is the fool, who the wise man, beggar, or 
king? Whether poor or rich, all's the same in death." This means that 
only the works which one does in this life is what matters; in death, 
all men share the same fate. This statement is very consis-tent with the 
teachings of Secret Societies, showing their Works-oriented philosophy.

Thirdly, Rosenbaum discovered a "haunting photograph of the altar room 
at one of the Masonic lodges at Nuremburg that is closely associated 
with Illuminism. Haunting because at the altar room's center, approached 
through an aisle of hanging human skeletons, is a coffin surmounted 
by...a skull and crossed bones that look exactly like the particular 
arrangement of jawbones and thighbones in the official Bones emblem. 
{Finally}, the skull and crossbones was the official crest of another 
key Illuminist lodge..." (Esquire, p.88). It is shocking also when we 
realize that German Nazi death camp guards wore this emblem of Skull and 
Bones on the shoulders of their uniforms.

Without doubt, we have established Skull and Bones to be a Brotherhood 
of Death Society, which is itself tied into the Masters of the 
Illuminati. It is no wonder that Bush has been proclaiming the New World 
Order.
RESULTS

We have studied the common philosophical and religious links between the 
German Thule Society and Skull and Bones. We now need to study the 
historical results of the attempt of the Thule Society to establish a 
New World Order. After the Thule Society selected Adolf Hitler to be 
their leader of the New World Order, they faced the problem of practical 
implementation of this goal. They realized that their plans for world 
domination required control of military power of Germany; however, the 
military is controlled by those holding political power, and Germany was 
a democracy. Therefore, the Thule Society created the Nazi Party. The 
Guiding Spirits of the Thule Society became the Guiding Spirits of the 
Nazi Party. In only 10 tumultuous years, Hitler gained high political 
office, from which he catapulted himself into the position of absolute 
dictator in 1933. In 1938, Hitler began the Final Solution of the Jewish 
problem by initiating the Holocaust. In 1939, Hitler initiated World War 
II, which lasted until Mid-1945. As I read the results, remember James' 
words, "Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, 
and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death." By 1945, the 
occultic sin conceived by the Thule Society had come to full completion. 
These are the results: (Source is The Webster Family Encyclopedia, 
Volume 19, 1984, p. 492-3)

Enormous armies were mobilized around the world.

The death toll was almost incomprehensible.

18,200,000 soldiers and 16,300,000 civilians for 34,000,000 total 
deaths. When you add 18,000,000 deaths from Hitler's Death Camps, you 
realize that over 54 million people lost their lives as the final result 
of the occultic practices and goals of the New World Order of that 
German Brotherhood of Death Society, the Thule Society. The 6,000,000 
Jewish deaths from Hitler's Final Solution represented two-thirds of the 
total world-wide Jewish population.

Hitler came close to winning WWII, but God's timing was not yet come. 
However, some of the after-effects of WWII served to set the stage for 
the current drive toward the New World Order.

Alice Bailey states in her book, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, 
that the world must be united regionally before it can be united into 
one. Stalin repeated this concept shortly before his death in 1953. 
World War II certainly provided the impetus for this type 
reorganization. The World was reorganized militarily into NATO in 
Europe, the Warsaw Pact in Eastern Europe, and SEATO in Asia. Economic 
regionalization also occurred along approximately the same lines. 
Repeated cultural, economic, and religious regionalizations have been 
created since WWII.

The infant One-World Government was created as the United Nations, 
in 1948. A similar effort was orchestrated after WWI as the League of 
Nations, but was defeated. One of the first actions of the United 
Nations was to create the nation of Israel, thus fulfilling God's 
prophecies to return her back to her Promised Land in the Last Days.
Tremendous technological progress was achieved under the impetus 
of war. The atomic bomb was created, as were the jet engine, the rocket, 
and modern telecommunications. New Age author, Allen Neuharth, in his 
book, Nearly One World, states that these inventions have brought the 
world to the threshold of a One-World Government, Economy, and Religion, 
i.e., the New World Order.

This brief review of the after-effects of WWII clearly shows much was 
achieved that set the stage for the current New World Order. Let us now 
review some of the goals which Secret Societies today have for the New 
World Order. Keep in mind that the Skull and Bones is the driving force 
and is the "first among equals" among all other Secret Societies and all 
other open organizations which are committed to this new order.

    One World Government -- the only answer to man's problems.
    One World Economy
    One World Religion -- Man's evil actions historically are ascribed 
to his divisions into many different religions. Therefore, much emphasis 
is being laid on the re-uniting into one religion. The current 
Ecumenical Move-ment is leading the charge toward this all-important 
goal. In a seminar held in Boston in August, 1991, the current New 
England Director of the Theosophical Society stated that, at the proper 
moment in world history the Roman Catholic Pope would travel to 
Jerusalem to address a world-wide religious conference. In his speech, 
he would declare all the world's religions to be united into One. Thus, 
Alice Bailey's Plan, stated almost 50 years ago, would be realized, 
i.e., that the Great One would reinstate the Ancient Mysteries Religion 
as the New World Order Religion. "These Mysteries, when restored, will 
unify all faiths." (Externalisation of the Hierarchy, p. 573, written in 
1946).

One of the most basic plans after the New World Order is established is 
to reduce the world's population from its present 6 billion to 2 billion 
by the year 2,000 (Constance Cumbey, Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow). 
Thus, birth control and abortion were early identified as necessary to 
begin reducing population. Our current emphasis on man's devastating 
effects upon the earth and upon Global Warming and pollution are 
designed to convince people that only united, drastic action from the 
United Nations can save this planet from collapse.

However, the year 2,000 is only a few short years away. How can this 
drastic reduction be achieved within this short time frame? The basic 
answer is war.

    Bailey, in her book, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, p. 548, 
states that the atomic bomb will be turned over to the One-World 
Government and will be used against any nation who refuses to go along 
with the New World Order.
    Bill Cooper, in his book, Behold A Pale Horse, quotes a document 
from the Bilderberg Secret Society, which is an offshoot of Skull and 
Bones. "Since most of the general public will not exercise [economic] 
restraint...[we must] take control of the world by the use of economic 
silent weapons in a form of quiet warfare and reduce [the dangerous 
levels of consumption] of the world to a safe level by a process of 
benevolent slavery and genocide." (p. 49). How could anyone ever think 
of slavery and genocide as being benevolent? This was the precise 
thinking of Hitler as he was planning his New World Order. He was going 
to rid the world of all the undesirables by benevolent warfare. We 
reviewed the horrible results in the beginning of the pro-gram; however, 
these figures pale in comparison with the deaths of 4 billion people.

At this point, you may protest that the drive to the New World Order is 
being achieved peacefully. This is true, and when it is fully achieved 
will fulfill Biblical prophecy which states "When people are saying 'All 
is well and secure' and 'There is peace and safety', then in a moment, 
unforeseen destruction, ruin and death shall come upon them and no one 
shall escape." (1 Thess 5:3).

Further, these plans, if carried out, will also fulfill Biblical 
prophecy in Revelation 6:4, "And another horse came out flaming red. And 
its rider was empowered to take peace from the earth, so that men 
slaughtered one another, and he was given a huge sword."

Thus, we see that the New World Order goals of the Secret Societies, 
chief of which is Skull and Bones, when completed, would fulfill many 
Biblical Prophecies.

The time is really very short.

We have studied how New World Order Planners are utilizing the Six-Step 
Attitudinal Change Plan via Mass Media to properly conditional a 
substantial proportion of the population to accept the claims of the 
Anti-Christ. One group of New Age experts on UFO's, interviewed after 
viewing the movie, "E.T.", astounded the L.A.Times reporter by the 
statement: "Everything is being done through the children". Our precious 
children! Satan is trying mightily to sift our children's souls like 
wheat, as he tried to do with Apostle Peter.

Indeed, it only makes sense that Satan would specifically target our 
children, because it is through them that our nation draws its future 
leaders, educators, and parents. Thus, un-Godly influences aimed 
directly at our young children are pouring in daily through TV, movies, 
videos, magazines, books, and tapes. However, one of the most important 
avenues by which Satan is trying to capture children's hearts and souls 
is through our public school system. This will be the topic of our 
program today.

America is providing spiritual leadership in teaching New Age doctrines 
to American children in our public schools!! We should not have been 
caught unawares, however,because, as with most of the Plan for the New 
World Order, this plan to capture our public school system was well 
published. "C.F. Potter, author of `Humanism, A New Religion' (1930), 
said `Education is thus a most powerful ally of Humanism, and every 
American public school is a school of Humanism. What can the theistic 
Sunday Schools, meeting for an hour once a week, and teaching only 
afraction of the children, do to stem the tide of a five-day program of 
humanistic teaching?'"

But, the importance of education to achieving this New World Order was 
apparent in the 1800's. Remember, the New World Order is an absolute 
dictatorship under a One-World Government. The first published New World 
Order Plan was Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto in 1875. Marx listed 10 
steps which any nation must take to bring about Communism. Step #10 was 
to institute manditory public education, with Governmental regulation. 
Since America has been committed to the New World Order since 1776, we 
should not be surprised to realize that education has been 
systematically moved from the private sector to the public sector, with 
heavy government regulation and power. This is not to say that all 
public school systems which have existed throughout history have been 
evil. However, the Plan has been to use public education as a battering 
ram to destroy the old system and then indoctrinate the children into 
the new system.

The first step is to destroy the old system, which in America is based 
on Biblical Evangelical Christianity. This system permeated all aspects 
of society, especially the Family and the Schools. Children received 
foundational home instruction in religion, morals, discipline, and 
normal person-to-person relationships as modeled in the home. The child 
came to school with this protective and sustaining foundation, and was 
thus ready to receive an academic education. Parents supported the 
education of their children in all these ways. Without this parental 
involvement and support, no child could properly learn.

The obvious first steps in destroying the old system of education, based 
on Biblical principles and upon the traditional family, is to destroy 
the Family. However, this is a most difficult task, requiring strong 
initial action and continuous action all along the way until the final 
goal is achieved of no family in the New World Order, and of children 
being indoctrinated in the values of the new system. Proper study of 
this most complex subject is obviously beyond the ability of this 
30-minute program. However, we can zero in on the single aspect as to 
how schools are currently acting in such a way as to destroy Christian 
Biblical values generally and the Family in particular. We will examine, 
in this program how the school system is specifically designed to 
achieve this specific objective.

Before we begin, let us briefly review some of the key historical steps 
which have brought America to the point of our discussion today.

After World War II, Americans began to move away from 
faithfully proclaiming the entire Truth of God's Word. Neo-Evangelical 
churches began to proclaim that we did not have to remain separate from 
the world, and Mainline Protestant Churches began to deny basic 
Christian doctrine. Symptoms of this malady were the establishment, in 
1948, of the National and World Council of Churches. Thus, people began 
to drift away from the True God and their hearts began to grow cold 
toward Jesus Christ.

In the early 1950's, Television made its debut. People began 
to drift toward un-Christian moral values and into materialism. TV also 
was the perfect medium by which people could be re-conditioned on a 
population-wide basis.

In 1963, the Supreme Court decided it was un-Constitutional 
to have prayer in public schools. This infamous decision effectively 
threw God out of our schools. Since nature abhors a vacuum, Satan was 
waiting to fill this religious vacuum with his false religion. Beginning 
in the mid-1960's, traditional values of marriage and of sex only within 
marriage was rejected by millions of young people. It was the age of 
"Free Love". Sex and child bearing began to occur regularly outside 
marriage.

By the early 1970's, the single-parent family began to become 
more common. Many young men saw no need to stay with the girl he had 
impregnated and the child he had fathered. Consequently, many families 
sprang up without the traditional Father-Mother leader-ship. Today, 1 
out of 4 children are born outside marriage.

This break-down in the traditional family began to seriously 
erode the essential foundation which enable children to learn. Further, 
attitudes of parents continued to move toward personal selfishness, 
violence within relationships, and abuse. All this is the direct result 
of both individuals and the government rejecting God.

Respected psychologists began to advise parents that they 
should not physically discipline their children. This false teaching 
resulted in millions of children growing up rebellious against all 
authority figures in their lives. Since this phenomenon began in the 
mid-1960's, these rebellious children are now having rebellious 
children. Further, State and Federal Governments began getting into this 
arena by dictating that no physical punishment could occur at school and 
that parents should not be physically punishing at home. Rebellion 
became rampant.

At the same time, textbooks and other learning curricula 
systematically excluded God from the educational process. Nowhere is 
this more apparent than the teaching of evolution in science and 
principles of humanism throughout the curriculum.

With fatal consequences, the Federal and State Governments 
acknowledged the problem and stepped in with their "solution". However, 
Government rarely has properly solved anything. As Ronald Reagan stated 
in 1972, while Governor of California, "Government never solves a 
problem; it subsidizes it."

With this in mind, let us look at the state of affairs in our school 
system. You will see how Government's "solution" is actually creating 
New World Order values, while solving none of its original goals.

Abdication of Parental Authority within the home is creating the 
situation in schools where children do not respond to normal authority. 
These children have been allowed at home to control the house situation. 
Since they control their parents within the home, these children believe 
they should be able to control their school teachers and administrators. 
The result is anarchy or near anarchy in school. Teachers and 
administrators spend so much time and effort merely controlling the 
children physically that they have little time and/or energy left to 
academically teach.

The process works like this:

Teachers are afraid of the principals.

Principals are afraid of the superintendent.

Superintendent is afraid of the school board.

School board is afraid of the parents.

Parents are afraid of the children.

Children aren't afraid of anyone.

Single-Parent Families Are A Disaster.

Well over half of children live in homes in which the natural father has 
left, so Mom is just trying to cope. She is faced with the following 
problems:

    Authority -- particularly with boys, who tend to react to parental 
disciplining attempts by acting out physically.
    Many Moms are trying to find emotional stability in relationships. 
Most of these relationships are outside marriage; thus, she is modeling 
an anti-Christian life-style in front of her children.
    Kids are watching over 7 hours TV a day with all its aberrant 
moral values.
    Nutrition is a major problem, because children are not being fed 
properly at home. Even the school offers only sweets for breaks.
    Sleep is a major problem. This is a result of either part-time or 
full-time jobs or because of in-home parties, either by Mom or the kids 
themselves.
    Up to 90% of the kids are drinking consistently throughout the 
week. Many weekends see keg parties. When kids are planning a weekend 
keg party, that party is the only thing on their minds all week long. 
For these kids, the partying is one way to escape the crushing problems 
at home.

As a result, kids are not prepared to learn when they come to school. 
Many schools are barely maintaining physical control of the children. So 
much effort is being exerted in this area of control that teachers have 
no energy, either physical or mental, for anything else. The major 
objective for many teachers at the beginning of every day is just to get 
home alive. The long-term goal of many teachers is just to make it to 
retirement. So, when the observable goal of the administration is to 
pass kids through the system,

most teachers respond with obedience. High schools are under pressure to 
just pass kids through the classes, not to truly educate. This pressure 
comes from colleges, state and federal governments, parents, and school 
administrators. God forbid that any children should be failed; you would 
only get him back next year. It is far better that you just keep the 
system moving.

Assignments Are A Disaster

Everyone knows that teachers are giving out considerably fewer take-home 
assignments than just two generations ago. When I was in school in the 
late-Fifties/early-Sixties, I brought home 1-3 hours of home work almost 
every night. History and English teachers assigned term papers requiring 
considerable research, and Mathematics and Science teachers assigned 
pages of problems. I only had one home room class per day, not enough 
for me to complete my homework. Once I got home, my Mother followed up 
with me to ensure that I would be able to complete all my homework. 
Finally, communication between parent and teacher was continuous.

Today, even when assignments are given out, many children will only 
minimally comply; they give no extra effort. The over-whelming majority 
of parents do not get involved much less encourage their children to 
excel. Communication between parent and teachers are so poor that, 
during many Parent/Teacher nights, teachers will see only a handful of 
parents. Many Parents simply do not care anymore.

Christian Influence Is Gone

The Fundamental Christian restraining influence which has been normal in 
our past history is now gone. Even though only a small minority of 
teachers and students were truly born-again in my school, Christian 
values and principles guided the administration of the school. Ministers 
were regularly invited into the school to address the student body in 
the gymnasium or in individual classes. Ministers were regularly invited 
to graduations to either speak or to deliver the Invocation and 
Benediction.

Today's school systems have systematically thrown out all church 
influence. No longer can Christian ministers even deliver Invocations 
and Benedictions. No longer can any teacher bring a Bible to class or 
teach from it for any purpose, even for poetry. This sad state of 
affairs is probably a result of the apostasy of Mainline Protestant 
churches, who do not preach the entire Gospel and who have denied many 
fundamental doctrines.

Influence of Rock Music:

In many, if not most, schools, children's behavior is border-line 
out-of-control. Many teachers and adminis-trators squarely place the 
blame for this situation on the pervasive influence of Rock Music.

Lyrics are always suggesting undesirable behaviors:

Sex -- Always presented amorally or immorally

Violence -- Both boys and girls are virtually bubbling over with 
violence. The level of personal violence is barely under the surface of 
their emotions. The traditional difference between boys and girls in 
levels of personal violence is also rapidly disappearing.

Satanism -- Actual Satanism is prevalent in most schools today. Rock 
Music provides ample encouragement and many symbols. A quick walk 
through most Junior and Senior-High Schools will visually reveal the 
situation, as Rock/Satanistic symbols appear on walls, in lockers, in 
bathrooms, on books, and on T-shirts.

Anarchy -- Is one of the major themes of Rock, resulting in even more 
difficulty in maintaining adequate school discipline. Anarchy is 
rebellion against constituted authority, starting with God, but 
extending to parents and school officials.

Drugs and alcohol -- Rock Music glorifies this abomination, both in 
its lyrics and in the life-styles of Rock stars. One of the symptoms of 
our moral bankruptcy is that children have no wholesome heroes being 
portrayed in mass media. Teens' heroes are the Rock stars. These stars 
are literally the vomit of a sick society. Indeed, some Rock stars 
deliberately vomit during their performances.

Behaviors of children begin to match the lyrics: Surprise, surprise. 
Children continually act out the values which they have accepted on TV 
and Rock music. But, the Apostle Paul said, 2,000 years ago, "Whatever 
is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, or praiseworthy, think 
on these things [fix your minds on them]".

The repeating start-stop sequence of Rock music, with its consistent 
12-bar changes, create an altered state of consciousness in the minds of 
the children. After children have been at a rock concert, with its 
altered state of mind influence, plus the drugs and drinking, plus 
severe sleep deprivation, produce children who cannot learn the next 
morning. Some teachers call them Zombies.

Influence of Parental Immorality

One out of four girls in school has been sexually molested most of 
them by a relative or a family member.

One out of five boys has been sexually molested.

All children instinctively hate being sexually molested. This further 
destroys any possibility of meaningful education, by devastating both 
the home base and the school-ing possibilities.

The psychological damage is severe. Such a situation destroys normal 
trust in authority figures. It produces a deep-seated hatred for people 
specifically, and society in general. Boys will tend to react by acting 
out, doing drugs and getting violent. Girls tend to become sexually 
active. These young victims are so angry they want to hurt the parents 
by destroying the one thing parents are supposed to love the most, their 
children.

Many teen-age girls deliberately get pregnant outside marriage to get 
out of the house, to escape their existing home situation. At this 
point, the State and/or Federal Government step in to "help". Remember 
Governor Reagan's statement that "Government doesn't solve anything; it 
subsidizes it"? We need now to examine:

Government's Role In The Further Destruction Of The Christian Ideal 
Of The Family In The Guise Of Solving The Crisis

A girl who gets pregnant out of wedlock in order to escape an 
intolerable home situation qualifies for the following programs (These 
examples were drawn from the state of Massachusetts):

State gives mother an apartment. Mother gets AFDC (Aid To Families 
With Dependent Children). They help her find the apartment. 
Approximately 80% of this grant goes to paying the rent. ($479/monthly)
Mother gets Food Stamps (Federal Program, $150/monthly)
Many mothers will qualify for a WIC Program. (Women, Infants, and 
Children). This program gives the mother a grant with which she can 
purchase a certain quantity of certain food products per month. This is 
a voucher program, providing $50/month per child, buying milk, eggs, and 
fruit juice.
Fuel Assistance of $550 per season from a Federal Grant. This 
completely pays for her fuel, for the year in most cases.
Medicare provides 100% health care, dental eyeglasses, and 
prescriptions, for mother and children.

These benefits listed above only flow when the dependent child is under 
5 years of age. Thus, the mother must get pregnant again in less than 5 
years. This creates a tremendous financial dependency cycle, and 
encourages further immoral and anti-Family behavior. In fact, these 
benefits are either eliminated or are significantly reduced if there is 
a stable working father in the home.

These children are also the only source of someone who will love the 
mother. Therefore, when the child acts in a rebellious manner, this 
inexperienced mother might then either begin to abuse them or leave 
them. These girls got pregnant for the wrong reasons in the beginning. 
Now their lack of parenting skills, in many cases, are producing 
violent, neglectful, and abusive behavior toward her own children. Thus, 
she is creating the very atmosphere in her home from which she fled in 
the first place.

Many schools are attempting to destroy moral values even among children 
who are not anxiously attempting to escape home. They are accomplishing 
this through programs which encourage pre-marital sexual activity. Some 
of these programs are:

Planned Parenthood organizations which encourage the use of 
contraceptives in such a way as to presuppose, and legitimize, sexual 
activity. Many Planned Parenthood organizations operate within the high 
school.
Some schools are today providing condoms within the schools, 
accomplishing the same goals as listed for Planned Parenthood.
Some Health Classes use textbooks and other materials which 
presuppose teen sexual activity. Very few teachers or textbooks teach 
abstinence.
Schools are lying to students about the effectiveness of condoms 
in protecting against Sexually-Transmitted Diseases, especially AIDS. 
Students are not being told that the AIDS virus is small enough to 
easily pass through condoms, especially Lambskin condoms. As a result, 
teen sexual activity is at an all-time high, along with the accompanying 
epidemic level of STD's. The age group experiencing the highest increase 
of AIDS infestation is the 24-30 age group. Given the standard 10+ years 
required to begin showing symptoms in a healthy young person, the 
epidemic in this age group means that AIDS was contracted during their 
teen years.

Anti-Family Assistance Is Now Big Business Within
Government

For every dependent mother, there are 8 bureaucrats making a 
living by providing her with assistance.
For every dollar allocated to the "needy" mother, the 
administrative costs are 72 cents. Therefore, to provide the mother with 
$500 monthly, the Government must outlay approximately $2,000.
Administrators are needed, with their accompanying staff.
Social workers from Welfare monitor the in-home situation.
She receives counselors -- Pregnant and parenting counselors to 
teach her skills necessary to become independent one day.
Mother can receive Day Care Vouchers so she can go to school or 
participate in a training program.

However:

Mothers are financially penalized if they go to work. Thus, we can 
clearly see that these programs are designed to ultimately fail so that 
this deplorable situation can be endlessly perpetuated until the time 
for implementation of the New World Order is at hand.

This is a typical Catch-22 situation. Our governments have created 
attitudes which spawn abusive homes, driving teens to do anything to get 
out. Then, Government and private service industry steps in to create a 
situation which encourages the teen to solve this problem by getting 
pregnant and staying pregnant at least every 5 years. But, since the 
girl is immature, she begins to abuse the children she has brought into 
the world.

The end result is that education has not occurred in these children and 
the traditional family has been destroyed. Once this situation has run 
its full course, the New World Order can be fully established because a 
substantial part of the population has not been inculcated with 
Christian values, or they have been inculcated with New World Order 
values. Further, most young people have not been taught to think 
critically for themselves or to appreciate their historically free 
heritage. A people who

does not understand why their government has provided individual 
freedoms is easy prey for any organized effort to take away those 
freedoms. Remember the Biblical teaching that man is inherently evil. 
Too many people today merely assume that because America has 
historically been free, we will continue to remain free. I believe more 
Americans today are guilty of this blind assumption than at any time in 
our history.

The final step in this process will be the implementation of a truly 
Satanic educational system, i.e., the New World Order.

What are parents to do in this anti-Christian situation?

Get serious with Jesus Christ in your life
Daily hold your precious children up to God, praying that they 
will become saved.
Communicate daily and meaningfully with your children. You will 
have to de-program your children daily, neutralizing the Anti-Christian 
programming they have received at school.
Consider that, perhaps now is the time to decrease your standard 
of living so as to increase your moral stan-dard of life. Meaning that, 
if possible, Mothers should return to the home to protect and nurture 
their precious children against these unprecedented attacks.
Become very involved with school teachers and administrators. This 
parental involvement might help stem the tide. However, since many 
schools are beginning to implement objectionable programs, even over 
considerable parental objections, you need to consider Home Schooling.

Christian materials are available for Grades 1-12.

The time in which we live is truly a time of Spiritual Warfare.

Our study of the intense drive to the New World Order has strongly 
revealed a surprising truth: The current New World Order, which is about 
to break upon us, would never have been realized except for the 
incredible activity of the various secret societies throughout the 
world. If any of you belong to a secret society, such as the Masonic 
Lodge, do not turn me off until I have had an opportunity to fully 
develop this concept.

Let us begin at the beginning of the first Mysteries Religion. For this 
study, we shall draw heavily from Rev Alexander Hislop's classic book, 
The Two Babylons, written in 1917. Immediately after the Great Flood, 
mankind began to turn to evil again. Hislop records that one of Noah's 
sons, Shem, agonized greatly over this great apostasy. Shem lived 502 
years after the Flood, seeing 7 generations of his descendants die 
before his death. Approximately 400 years after the Flood, a great and 
mighty Babylonian leader named Nimrod arose to lead many astray from the 
worship of the True Living God. Finally, Shem had endured enough of 
Nimrod's evil; He moved against him and killed him. To ensure that the 
peoples of this time fully comprehended the totality of Nimrod's defeat 
at the hands of God's defender, Shem dismembered Nimrod's body and sent 
the body parts to the many cities of the empire.

But, Nimrod's adherents were many and were thoroughly determined to 
continue in the idolatrous practices of Nimrod. As Hislop records, "In 
these circumstances, if idolatry was to continue ...or take a step in 
advance, it was indispensable that it should operate in secret. The 
terror of an execution...made it needful that...the extreme of caution 
should be used. In these Mysteries, under the seal of secrecy and the 
sanction of an oath, and by means of all the fertile resources of magic, 
men were gradually led back to all the idolatry that had been publicly 
suppressed, while new features were added to that idolatry that made it 
still more blasphemous than before..." (Hislop, The Two Babylons, p. 
66-67).

Since Nimrod established the sciences of magic and astronomy, these two 
arts were occultically added to the Mysteries as Magic and Astrology. 
(Ibid). Hislop makes it clear that this Mystery Secret Society proved 
very adept at mixing demonic magic, astrology, and idolatry so as to 
con-vince the initiate that he was involved in an organization which was 
true and Super-Natural. Hislop explains, "Everything was so contrived as 
to wind up the minds of the novices to the highest pitch of excitement 
that... after the candidates for initiation had passed through the 
confess-ional, and sworn the required oaths, 'strange and amazing 
objects presented themselves. Sometimes the place...seemed to shake 
around them; sometimes it appeared bright and resplendent with light and 
radiant fire, and then again covered with black darkness, sometimes 
thunder and lightning..frightful noises and bellowings, sometimes 
terrible apparitions astonished the trembling spectators'." (p. 67). 
Obviously, demonic forces were the propelling force behind the Secret 
Mysteries. These demons revealed certain Sacred Secrets which they were 
then to pass on to their initiates and adepts, "secrets which were then 
unknown to the mass of mankind". (p.68).

Thus, Secret Societies were originally conceived as the instruments by 
which a temporarily defeated Satan could pre-serve and extend his 
doctrines and goals. To protect this organization from the authorities 
of the open society, who were operating according to the precepts of the 
True and Living God, Satan created these societies as secret -- 
pro-tected by strong pledges, oaths, and confessionals. Confessions from 
initiates were critical, because once a person had revealed wrongdoings 
to another human being, he was held by a bond of a fear of exposure 
should he ever depart from the society. This probably is the reason why 
Jesus strongly commanded that nothing should be done in secret, and that 
His followers should not bind themselves by oaths.

At this point, we need to succinctly review those traits which are 
common to all secret societies in all ages.

They are secret because:

Their spiritual purpose is to perpetuate the ancient idolatries, which 
are Satanically based. If existing authorities in the open society were 
to become aware of these terrible practices, they would immediately move 
to destroy the society.

Occultic Initiation into the society is required.

Initiation requires the initiate to pledge oaths of secrecy, under 
the penalty of death or severe injury.

The initiate is required to confess his past in as great detail as he 
can remember. This confession has the practical effect of placing him 
into bondage to all who heard his confession.

God's Word places great emphasis upon sex only within marriage; 
purity was to be maintained within marriage. Since Satan's desires run 
counter to God's desires, we should not be surprised that Secret 
Societies teach and practice impure sexual behaviors. Many Societies 
actually engage in sexual perversions, but that is the subject of 
another program. During Initiation, the new member is required to 
confess his entire sexual history in as much lurid detail as possible. 
Examples of this will also be covered in another program.

After the initiate pledges his oath and confesses his past, demonic 
beings cause super-natural occurrences to intrude upon the meeting room, 
placing a stamp of validity upon the entire proceeding. Apparitions are 
common. The total effect is an intensely powerful counterfeit spiritual 
experience very close to the effect of the Holy Spirit. Initiates feel 
totally transformed by this experience, even to the point of calling 
themselves "born-again". Part of the Initiation ceremony involves a 
symbolic act of dying to the old self and being reborn as a new 
creature. The method of water immersion is usually not utilized, but 
placing the initiate into a coffin and transporting him into a sacred 
chamber is commonly used. This experience is totally spiritual, but it 
is Satanic. Satan deceives at this point; very few members ever realize 
they are serving Lucifer. Rather, most believe they are serving God.

Demons then passed on secrets which were unknown to the public at 
that time, especially the arts of magic and astrology. Members felt that 
they alone were "illumined" or were the "Illuminated". By whom were they 
illuminated? By the Masters of the Illuminati. This should sound 
familiar to our regular listeners; the official beginning of the drive 
to the New World Order is May 1, 1776, when Adam Weishaupt founded the 
Masters of the Illuminati. Weishaupt reached back into Antiquity for 
this name.

Demonic possession of individuals was common. Again, we must 
emphasize that members experienced a true religious encounter that 
transformed their lives and, in many cases, became their consuming 
passion.

God is Life; Satan is death. Therefore, symbols of Secret Societies 
usually represent some form of death. A most common death symbol used is 
a human skull and cross-bones. This symbol was utilized by the many 
Brotherhood of Death societies, such as the Thule Society, the Skull and 
Bones, and some Masonic Fraternities. Shockingly, even the elite German 
Guards at Hitler's Death Camps wore this skull and bones insignia on 
their uniforms. As a side light, the name "Skull and Bones Club" should 
ring a bell with our regu-lar listeners; we have mentioned it before as 
the Secret Society of which President George Bush is an alumni. This 
subject will also be presented more completely on another program.

These Satanically religious Secret Societies are the thread of 
continuity by which Satan has maintained his Plan to bring the world 
together into a One-World Govern-ment/Economy/Religion. Many people have 
doubted that mere humans, even brilliant ones, could conceive of a 
Global Plan and sustain it for many centuries. Only a Super-Natural 
Religion, embodying many of the same aspects of Christianity, could 
sustain itself over many centuries. Do not underestimate Satan, nor 
misjudge the Prophecy of God removing His restraining power in the Last 
Days. Concerning the prophecies of God in this equation, turn to 
Revelation 17. God is speaking of the hatred which the leaders of the 
10-Nation World Confederacy will have toward the False Religious System. 
God declares, in Verse 17, "God has put it into their hearts (the 
leaders of the 10-Nation Confederacy) to carry out His own purpose by 
acting in harmony in surrendering their royal power and authority to the 
beast. until the prophetic words of God shall be fulfilled." Secret 
Societies have been laboring for thousands of years to create this 
10-Nation Confederacy. God is allowing this activity within very narrow 
boundaries, because it will lead to fulfillment of His prophecy.

Now let us examine recent history. What are the objectives of the New 
World Order, as espoused by the Secret Society of the Masters of the 
Illuminati, in 1776?

We need to examine these objectives individually to assess the full 
impact.

Abolishing all ordered, established government. This is nothing 
more than the call to revolution. Certainly, if the existing authorities 
of any open society were to know about this objective or take it 
seriously, they would move to destroy the movement.
Abolishing all private property and inheritance would immediately 
invite the wrath of all landowners and property owners in society. These 
people would insist the existing authorities act promptly against the 
society.
Abolishing national patriotism would incite the wrath of both 
existing governmental authorities and common man. Patriotism has run 
deep within the heart of man since the Tower Of Babel.
The foundational stone of any society, and hence, the existing 
government, is the Family. The Family provides the basic stability for 
society to reproduce itself and to pass on cultural values. Morality is 
the glue which binds the Family. Destroying the Family and Morality is 
the first major step to destruction of the nation.
A call for the abolition of all religion would cause all existing 
religions to vehemently oppose the secret society. In most countries, 
the predominate religion exercises great influence upon authorities.

Therefore, you can see that each of these objectives must be hidden from 
the watchful eyes of existing authorities. This is especially true in 
Western Society, with its Biblical foundation.

Now, let us look at the philosophies of Modern Secret Societies.

Secret Societies believe:

Man is inherently good.

The Bible clearly states that man is inherently evil (Jeremiah 17:9)

Restructuring man's environment completely is the only thing which 
will solve man's problems.

This states that inherently good man is only corrupted because of his 
evil or bad environment. Once the environment is positively changed, 
inherently good man will revert to his truly good nature. This 
un-Biblical belief has contributed mightily to the tragedy of Communism 
slaughter-ing over 200 million people.

Man's reason would solve all his problems

Again, the Bible clearly states that man's reason is permanently 
corrupted by sin. Only the Truth of the Bible can cure man's ills.

The ends justify the means.

Everyone correctly identifies this philosophy with Communism; few 
understand, however, that the Secret Society of the Masters of the 
Illuminati originally conceived this principle. This principle simply 
means that, if the end goal is worthy, adherents of that goal are free 
to employ any means to achieve it. Murder, bribery, and theft are just a 
few examples of means which will be deemed worthy once they enable a 
worthy end to be achieved. This one principle is responsible for the 
slaughtering of over 200 million people by the forces of Communism since 
1917.

Nationalism must be abolished, replaced by one- world government.

This principle is self-explanatory. Internationalism must replace 
patriotism if the New World Order is to be realized.

Certainly, Secret Societies are the only vehicle which could protect and 
advance these anti-God objectives. If the existing authorities ever 
understood these objectives, they would immediately destroy the 
movement.

What are the most important of these Secret Societies? While there are 
many, there are a few which critically important to the New World Order. 
The first of these is the Masonic Lodge, or Freemasonry. Adam Weishaupt 
originally propagated his New World Order concepts through the Masonic 
Lodge. However, Freemasonry has existed since Antiquity. Alexandar 
Hislop clearly states in his book, The Two Babylons, "...the secret 
system of Free Masonry was originally founded on the Mysteries of the 
Egyptian Isis, the goddess-mother, or wife of Osiris." Further, Hislop 
points out, Osiris herself originated as the Babylonian goddess-mother, 
the mother of Nimrod. Nimrod gained fame as a great hunter and "the god 
of fortifications" (p. 43). Therefore, the Mysteries of the Masonic 
Lodge came directly from Nimrod.

Much discussion and disputing have arisen over the years concerning the 
nature of Freemasonry. Masons claim their organization is not a religion 
and that members of all religions are welcome. However, many church 
organizations have decreed that their members could not be both Masons 
and Christians, that Masonry is Anti-Christian. Who is right?

I have discovered, during my study of this New World Order, that New Age 
and other occultic writers can sometimes shine the most accurate light 
on a controversial subject. If the leader of the Satanic New World Order 
praises a concept or an organization, this praise clearly reveals the 
Truth. In this vein, let us review what some New Age writers say about 
the Masonic Lodge.

Alice Bailey states, through the power of her 'guiding spirit', in her 
book, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy", "the Masonic 
Fraternity...is the custodian of the law ...the home of the Mysteries, 
and the seat of the initiation...It is a far more occult organization 
than can be realized and is intended to be the training school for the 
coming advanced occultists. In the comprehension of its symbolism will 
come the power to cooperate with the divine plan. "(p. 511).

Bailey continues her praise of Freemasonry.

"...Mysteries will be restored to outer expression through the medium of 
the Church and the Masonic Fraternity...When the Great One comes with 
His disciples and initiates, we shall have the restoration of the 
Mysteries..." In other words, the Anti-Christ will restore the ancient 
Mysteries, which the Masonic Lodge has preserved these many centuries, 
as his New World Order Religion.

Another New Age book, America's Secret Destiny: Spiritual Vision and the 
Founding of a Nation, speaks very glowingly of Freemasonry. "Noted 
theosophical and Masonic authority, Charles Leadbeater, reveals how the 
process of self-transformation is woven into the fabric of Freemasonry's 
three degrees: 'In each of the previous Degrees...certain currents of 
etheric force flow through and around the spine of every human 
being...It is part of the plan of Freemasonry to stimulate the activity 
of these forces in the human body in order that evolution may be 
quickened...in the Third Degree, it is the central energy itself, the 
Sushumna which is aroused, thereby opening the way for the influence of 
the pure spirit on high.'" (P. 16-17).

Finally, this author credits America's success in the Revolutionary War 
to the meditations of Freemasons. "A group of Freemasons, experiencing 
the rituals and initia-tions in an altered state of awareness, provided 
the internal strength and fortitude...to grasp the importance of the 
American revolutionary experience, and its meaning for humanity as a 
whole."(p. 26-27). This is a perfect des-cription of persons who are 
demon possessed. I have read many other experiences exactly as this in 
New Age and Satanic writings.

Now, we know the truth about Freemasonry. It is a Secret Society which 
has protected the Ancient Mysteries from either destruction or 
extinction. These Ancient Mysteries will be reinstated as the New World 
Order religion by the Anti-Christ. Forget every other statement to the 
con-trary by someone who is a Mason; it is just disinformational lies 
designed to deceive you.

Shockingly, churches have even allowed members and pastors to 
participate in Freemasonry!! I am not talking about liberal churches 
here, but about Fundamental, Evang-elical churches. The Calvary 
Contender newsletter, in its Dec 31 issue, states that over 40% of the 
pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention are members of Freemasonry! 
No wonder the Southern Baptists are undergoing such a fight for 
doctrinal purity. We know that no organization which con-dones 
participation in evil will be allowed to survive by our omnipotent Jesus 
Christ. Remember Jesus' warning in Revelation 2 to the church at 
Pergamum, which had allowed false doctrine and practices to infiltrate: 
"Repent! Or else I will come to you quickly and fight against them with 
the sword of my mouth." (2:12-17).

In conclusion, secret societies generally, and Free-masonry in 
particular, have conspired for centuries to establish the Satanic New 
World Order. Further, as we near the climax of this Plan, we are seeing 
a convergence of many of Satan's organizations. Various secret societies 
are cooperating as never before. Even the Vatican is involved. Christian 
author, Bill Cooper, states in his book, "Behold A Pale Horse, 
"...Freemasonry is one of the most wicked and terrible organizations 
upon this earth. The Masons are major players in the struggle for world 
domination...the most notorious Freemason lodge is the P2 lodge in 
Italy...P2 is directly connected to the Vatican, the Knights of Malta, 
and the C.I.A...[P2] has succeeded in infiltrating the Vatican and has 
scored a coup of tremendous significance: the Pope, John Paul II, has 
lifted the ban against Free-masonry. Many high-level members of the 
Vatican are now Freemasons." (p. 78).

Thus, at this time in world history, Satan has joined organizations 
politically, spiritually, and economically to achieve his One-World 
Government, Economy, and Religion. This Biblically-prophesied empire now 
has a name:

New World Order.



Could the Roman Catholic Madonna (Mary, physical Mother of Jesus), who 
is described in the above Time Magazine article as the "Queen of 
Heaven", be the same as the "Queen of Heaven" which was helping provoke 
God to anger and judgment in Jeremiah 7:18?

First, let us examine the ancient Queen of Heaven. Most of this 
information is taken from Alexander Hislop's book, "The Two Babylons", 
1917. Hislop traces the Babylon-ian worship of the Queen of Heaven back 
to the days follow-ing the death of Nimrod. The dating of this event is 
not known exactly, but seems to date 400+ years after the flood. After 
Nimrod's death, his wife, Semiramis, was determined to retain her power 
and wealth. She concocted the story that Nimrod's death was for the 
salvation of mankind. Nimrod was touted as "the woman's promised seed, 
Zero-ashta, who was destined to bruise the serpent's head, and in so 
doing, was to have his own heel bruised." (p. 58-59)

We can easily see that this story is a counterfeit to the true prophecy 
concerning Jesus Christ. To enable the Babylonian people to better 
worship this child, a woodcut portrait was created, depicting him in his 
mother's arms. The mother obviously drew her glory from her deified son. 
However, "the mother, in the long-run, practically eclipsed the son" in 
worship. The original picture obviously was meant to merely be a 
"pedestal for the upholding of the divine son...But, while this...was 
the design, it is a plain principle in all idolatries that that which 
most appeals to the senses must make the most powerful impression." (p, 
74) The mother obviously created the most powerful visual impression, 
both because she was an adult and because she was so magnificently 
arrayed.

Once people began to worship the mother more than the child, Babylonian 
priests felt forced to issue an edict deifying the mother also. After 
the passage of still more time, "her son's birth was boldly declared to 
be miraculous, and therefore she was called ...the Virgin Mother." 
(p.76) "The highest titles were then bestowed upon her. She was called 
the Queen of Heaven. In Egypt, she was styled Athor, i.e., the 
Habitation of God to signify that in her dwelt all the 'fulness of the 
Godhead'". (p.77) From this pagan beginning, the story of the Virgin 
Mother (Queen of Heaven) spread throughout the world. In:

Egypt, she was called Athor (p77)
Tibet and China, she was called Virgo Deipara (p77)
Greece, she was called Hestia (Ibid)
Rome, she was called Juno, or Dove. (p79). From this designation, 
the Dove became the symbol of the "deified queen..commonly represented 
with an olive branch in her mouth." It is startling to listen to the 
Jesuit author, Malachi Martin, asserting in his book, The Keys Of This 
Blood, that now "the Dove is loose, the Dove is loose". The entire theme 
of this book is that the drive to the New World Order is a competition 
between the world-wide forces of Communism, Western Capitalism, and 
Roman Catholicism. Martin clearly believes that Catholicism will prevail 
in this struggle because of the intervention of the Virgin Mary. 
Incredibly, this Time magazine article states, "The world will recognize 
in due time that the defeat of Communism came at the hand of the 
intercession of the Mother of Jesus" (Time, p. 62). When Gorbachev 
announced his resignation on Jesus' birthday, Christmas Day, this year, 
this concept was dramatically reinforced in the minds of millions of 
Catholics world-wide.

Martin did not specify what he meant by this phrase, "the Dove is 
loose"; clearly, however, he might have been referring to this common 
Roman depiction of the Virgin Mother. What Martin is saying, then, is 
that the ancient worship of the Pagan Virgin Mother is now loosed in the 
world.

Still later in Ancient Babylon, both the worship of the Virgin Mother 
and her symbol, the Dove, "identified her with the Spirit of all grace 
...the Holy Ghost." (p. 79). Thus, the Pagan Trinity is God the Father, 
the Son, and the Virgin Mother. Indeed, the Roman Catholic Church has 
made this same claim, as Hislop noted, in the nineteenth century (p. 
83). Hislop concludes, "The Madonna of Rome...is just the Madonna of 
Babylon. The Queen of Heaven in the one system is the same as the Queen 
of Heaven in the other." (Ibid)

Notice the dramatic spread of this false Virgin Mother doctrine 
throughout the known world. She was worshipped in Rome, Greece, Egypt, 
Babylon, China, Japan, and Tibet under different names. We assert that 
the revival of Mary worship today will result in the world's religions 
coming together into one religion, in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy 
that the establishment of the kingdom of Anti-Christ will be aided by 
the One-World Religion. Let us review these Biblical prophecies.

Revelation 13:11-18 and Chapter 17 reveal that a False Religious Prophet 
will arise to assist the Anti-Christ in attaining full control of the 
world. The False Religious Prophet will control a world-wide False 
Religious System. Verse 18 of Revelation 17 asserts that this Religious 
System "is herself the great city which dominates and controls the 
rulers and the leaders of the earth". To possess this much power, this 
False Religious System must command the fervent worship of most of the 
peoples of the world. How can it be that the great non-Christian 
peoples, throughout the world, could unite with Roman Catholics in 
worshipping the same deity? The common worship of the divine goddess, 
the Virgin Mary, plays a large part.

But, the rest of the story rests in the common worship of the Black 
Madonna. What Black Madonna, you ask? The Mary of Jesus is white, or 
olive, but certainly not black. Right? Wrong!! Roman Catholicism has 
reverted to the worship of the Black Madonna in most countries 
throughout the world. This Time Magazine article states that one of 
most-heavily visited shrines in the world is the shrine of the Black 
Madonna, in Czestochowa, Poland. Of course, this Pope, John Paul II, is 
from Poland. Kathleen O'Hayes, of National Christian Research, states in 
her tape of the coming global Marion Apparition, that Pope John Paul II 
considers himself "the slave" of the Black Madonna. Kathleen further 
states that the Catholic Church placed Poland under the protection of 
this Black Madonna early in the 1950's. This development is of huge 
significance in our study of how the major religions of the world could 
be drawn into a One-World Religion in the very near future.

The first place in which to look is in antiquity. Hislop, in his book, 
The Two Babylons, notes the prevalence of the worship of a negro god or 
goddess, throughout the known world.

"...the great god Buddha is generally represented in China as a 
Negro..." (p. 57).

"In Egypt, the fair Horus, the son of the black Osiris, who was the 
favorite object of worship." (p. 69)

"It is [incredible] to find in what widely-severed countries, and 
amongst what millions of the human race at this day...a negro god is 
worshipped." (Ibid)

"...the Virgin in Algiers Cathedral is a Negress..." (Introduction by 
Donald Grey Barnhouse, D.D.).

Now that we have established that the worship of black deities has long 
been an integral part of Paganism, and that this practice has extended 
to the Virgin Mary, let us now examine how the worship of the Black 
Female Goddess in Roman Catholicism is building a common bridge to the 
entire Pagan world. We will turn to New Age writings for this portion of 
our study.

In his most blasphemous book, The Armageddon Script, Peter Lemesurier 
writes enthusiastically about the worship of the Great Mother Earth. He 
writes as though he is an astronaut in a spaceship in orbit around our 
planet. "As they rounded the barren lunar globe for the...last time, and 
the resplendent half-earth once again rose from behind that now familiar 
curved and rocky horizon, what they saw coming up to meet them was 
strangely familiar. An image straight out of the racial memory. A god 
out of the world of the archetypes. It was none other than the rounded 
form of the Great Mother, Earth herself, clad in the same flowering 
robes of shimmering blue and white that had been those of 
mother-goddesses of earth and sky throughout man's history - and not 
least his most recent mother-goddess, the Virgin Mary herself..." (p. 
245-6).

Peter Lemesurier, as a Pagan worshipper, has no difficulty recognizing 
the truth that the worship of the Virgin Mary is ancient Pagan idolatry. 
Therefore, non-Christian Pagans the world over will have little 
difficulty accepting the worship of the Roman Catholic Virgin Mother.

Another New Age writer, China Galland, a practicing American Buddhist, 
has written a very revealing book entitled Longing For Darkness. Galland 
enthusiastically establishes the commonality between the Virgin Mary and 
other Pagan goddesses.

"Durga, the warrior queen...was the only one who could restore harmony 
and set the world at peace...the gods sang her praises, called her the 
Queen of the Universe..." Remember the Time Magazine, quoted above, 
which reports that one of the names by which the Virgin Mary is known is 
the Queen of the Universe? Galland continues:

"I had come to find the Buddha Tara, but instead I found the goddesses 
Durgan and Kali...Kali, the death-dealer and life-giver, the end and 
beginning of time. She was a deity of such proportions as I had heard 
only God the Father in Christianity described. The fact that Kali is 
dark and female turned my Catholic upbringing inside out...Some say she 
is black because black is the color in which all dist-inctions are 
dissolved, others say she is black because she is eternal night." (p. 
27) These two goddesses are Hindu.

The Buddhist goddess, Tara, was the object of Galland's search as she 
travelled the Far East. However, she was startled when she discovered 
that there are Hindu texts that describe Kali as Tara." (p. 30) This 
discovery links Hinduism with Buddhism.

Later, back in the United States, Galland discovered another New Age 
book entitled Mother Worship, by author Tara Doyle. This book reported 
the phenomenon of the Black Madonna in Switzerland. Galland records, "I 
didn't recall that there were any dark female divinities in 
Christianity. I thought they were unique to religions such as Hinduism 
and Buddhism. I could remember virtually nothing about a dark or black 
Madonna despite my years of Catholic upbringing... A brief entry in 
Newsweek magazine caught my eye. The Virgin Mary was reported to be 
appearing in the barks of trees in...Poland. I was intrigued...It seemed 
to be such a similar phenomenon to what had been reported about the Tara 
..I wondered what was going on in the spritus mundi, the spirit of the 
world, that reports of female deities literally emerging out of rocks 
and trees were surfacing in both East and West. The simultaneity was 
symbolically important..."(p. 49-50).

Later, Galland asks a Buddhist Master Teacher about the connection 
between these appearances, "I showed him the magazine clipping on the 
reported appearance of the Madonna in the bark of trees in Poland...[he 
replied] it is very similar to what we are talking about here. We have 
many occurrences like this in Tibetan Buddhism. We call it rangjung, it 
means self-arising ...These things appear because of the power and 
blessings of enlightened beings. Such beings work through the power of 
mental substance and the power of concentration..." (p. 65-66) Galland 
recounts her later meeting with the Dalai Lama. When she asks him about 
the Blessed Mother appearing in the bark of trees in Poland, he agrees 
that this phenomenon is Buddhist rangjung. (p. 95)

We should not be surprised that Satan is now causing female deities to 
appear all over the world at this moment in history. If this is indeed 
the end of the age, then it is time for Satan to draw together his 
prophesied church.

Galland continues her study of Black Goddess worship by attending a 
Black Madonna seminar given by another New Age author, Gilles Quispel, 
who is the Historian Of Religion at Utrecht University. Galland reports, 
"For Quispel, the Black Madonna plays a crucial psychic role which he 
described in Jungian terms as symbolizing the earth, matter, the 
feminine in man, and the self in woman...Unless men and women alike 
become conscious of this primeval image of the Black Madonna, and 
integrate it within themselves, humankind will be unable to resolve the 
problems of materialism, racism, [and] women's liberation..." (p51)

This statement is incredible because it is so New Age Pagan. What 
Quispel is saying is that the Black Madonna is such a basic, 
foundational element in the deepest recesses in the minds of all men, 
that she is the only answer to man's most critical needs. Only when 
people the world over recognize and worship the Black Madonna can there 
be true peace and unity in this world. The Black Madonna is the one 
common denominator among the religions of the world.

But there is more. We have studied that the drive to the New World Order 
was officially started on May 1, 1776, as Jesuit priest, Adam Weishaupt, 
founded the Masters of the Illuminati. Listen to Galland continue. 
"...St. Ignatius gave his sword to the Black Madonna of Montserrat in 
Spain, became a priest, and founded the Jesuit Order..." (p.52). This 
unbelievable information ties the worship of the Black Madonna to the 
Jesuit-based Masters of the Illuminati. Both the worship of the Black 
Madonna and the Jesuit Order are completely Roman Catholicism.

But, there is yet more incredible revelation from Galland in her book, 
Longing For Darkness. Some time after she had received her revelations 
from her Buddhist Master Teacher about the Black Madonna, she was 
practicing Buddhist meditation. "...As I continued to sit, Christ began 
to appear in my meditation, then Mary...I began to let myself see 
Christ, to visualize him behind me. I accepted him into my practice. As 
I continued the daily meditations, Mary gradually took a place on my 
left, the Buddha on my right... Mary and Jesus were my witnesses at 
first; then, over time, beloved friends. The Buddha Tara was always in 
front of me." (p. 67-68).

These meditations clearly show how Satan is moving the various false 
religions together in this end of the age. China Galland was visited in 
her occultic Buddhist meditations by three demons who represented 
themselves as

Jesus Christ, the Roman Catholic Virgin Mary, and the Buddhist Tara. 
Millions of other people practicing similar New Age meditations are 
being similarly deceived. Make no mistake about it: Satan is drawing all 
the world's religions into one. The single most important common 
denominator in this evolving One-World Religion is the world-wide 
worship of the Virgin Mary/Black Madonna.

This goddess worship ties together approximately 75% of the world's 
population. (Information taken from "Alamac 1991".)

While Mohammedism does not venerate the Virgin Mother, the Time Magazine 
article quoted above states, "Even the Koran praises [the Virgin Mary's] 
chastity and faith." (p. 62)

Even liberal Protestants are changing aspects of their view of Mary. 
This Time Magazine article states, "Church of England theologian John 
Macquarrie has proposed revisions of such dogmas as the Assumption of 
Mary into heaven...Theologian Donald Bloesch of the University of 
Dubuque says fellow conservative Protestants 'need to see Mary as the 
pre-eminent saint' and 'the mother of the church'. Similar convergences 
will receive a thorough airing in February [1992], when U.S. Catholic 
and Lutheran negotiators issue an accord, years in the making, on Mary's 
role." (p. 66).

At this point, we have a potential membership of these false religions 
of 4 billion 500 million people.

Finally, the cult of the worship of the Virgin Mother is drawing the 
many Feminists of the New Age Movement into her grasp. This Time 
Magazine article states this very graphically. "When he was made a 
bishop in 1958, John Paul...chose as his Latin motto Totus Tuus (All 
Yours)_ -- referring to Mary, not Christ...John Paul made Mary's 
unifying power a centerpiece of his papal arsenal...Although the Pope 
lauds Mary for her submissiveness, it is in relation to God, not to 
male-dominated society..." (p. 64-65). The impact of this stance has 
been dramatic in Feminist circles. "Jane Schaberg, who chairs the 
religion department at the University of Detroit... contends...that the 
unwed Mary was impregnated by a man other than fiance Joseph, and that 
she was a liberated woman who was not identified or destroyed by her 
relationship with men." This article continues, "...that notion of 
super-natural feminine power is alluring...There has been a stupendous 
upsurge in goddess research and the feminine divinity as an antecedent 
to the male god...Judeo-Christianity has been exclusively male, leaving 
a gap that cries out for feminine divinity." (p. 65-66)

Thus, you can see the tremendous drawing power which the Virgin Mary, 
especially the Black Madonna, is having between the various religions of 
the world. Satan has wisely implanted similar goddess worship in the 
many false religions of the world. Incredibly, he has even success-fully 
corrupted Christianity through the Roman Catholic teaching of Mary, the 
Mother of Jesus. The time has now come to draw all the world's religions 
together into the False Religious System in the book of Revelation.

The stakes are enormously high. Turn to Revelation 17:18, "And the woman 
that you saw is herself the great city which dominates and controls the 
rulers and the leaders of the earth." What are the implications of the 
leadership of the False Prophet of this world-wide False Religious 
System? Turn to Revelation 13:11-18, to see the activities of this False 
Prophet.

He looks like a lamb (true servant of Jesus Christ) but he speaks 
like a dragon (identifying him as Satan's man (verse 11).
He possesses and uses all the power and authority of the 
Anti-Christ. (verse 12)
He leads the world into the worship of Anti-Christ (verse 12)
He performs great signs and startling miracles by which he causes 
the world's peoples to be deceived into worshipping Anti-Christ. (verse 
13)
He commands a statue of Anti-Christ to be erected. He then imparts 
the breath of life to enter this statue so it can actually talk. Anyone 
who does not bow down to wor-ship Anti-Christ's statue will be put to 
death. (verse 14-15).
False Prophet forces all men of the earth to accept a mark in 
their right hand or foreheads, without which no one can buy or sell 
anything in the economy of Anti-Christ. Anyone who refuses to accept 
this mark will be martyred (Rev 20:4).

Thus you can see that the False Prophet will be directly responsible for 
the killing of many saints of God during the Great Tribulation. This is 
why God refers to this False Religious System as a great harlot seated 
on a beast with seven heads and ten horns. This woman represents the 
False Religious System of the Great Tribulation. She is pictured as 
being "drunk with the blood of the martyrs who witnessed for Jesus". 
(Rev 17:6).

Now is the time for all people to discern the signs of the times 
accurately. We are living in the period of time immediately preceding 
the Great Tribulation. The planned appearance of the Anti-Christ by the 
New World Order is very close. This resurgence of the cult of the Virgin 
Mary, especially the Black Madonna, is only one of many, many signs that 
the Great Tribulation is upon us.

Are you spiritually ready?

Several weeks ago, we shared with you the insidiously evil and effective 
method by which people's attitudes, especially those attitudes which are 
deeply held, can be changed. The method by people's attitudes are being 
changed is called the Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan. This change can 
be effected on a population-wide basis utilizing our mass media: radio, 
T.V., movies, magazines, newspapers. On our first program on this 
subject, we defined the process and showed examples of its use. These 
examples were:

    Drug Legalization
    Acceptance of Homosexuality and Hetero-sexual Adultery
    Acceptance of Sexual Perversions
    Euthanasia
    Abortion.

Today, we will be discussing more ways in which this Six Step 
Attitudinal Change Plan is being utilized in TV, Movies, and Videos. Let 
us begin with Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:12, "But the love of the 
great body of people will grow cold, because of the multiplied 
lawlessness and iniquity." Since Jesus' time frame in Matthew 24 is End 
Times, we know He is speaking to our time. What Jesus is saying is that 
the normal sins with which every age has struggled will be so multiplied 
that the normal love for Jesus Christ will grow cold. Only in these 
times, with the advent of Mass Media, have we achieved such 
multiplication of sin.

Not only has this multiplication caused many people's hearts to grow 
cold toward Jesus, the planners of the New World Order are deliberately 
using this Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan to prepare people's hearts 
and minds for the appearance of Anti-Christ. This preparation shall be 
the focus of our study today.

The Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan works like this:

   Some practice so offensive that it can scarcely be discussed in 
public is advocated by a RESPECTED expert in a RESPECTED forum.
   At first, the public is shocked, then outraged.
   But, the VERY FACT that such a thing could be publicly debated 
becomes the SUBJECT of the debate. In other words, the focus of the 
debate is shifted, from the facts of the debate to the fact that "aren't 
we proud of ourselves that we can even be discussing this subject in 
public"?
   In the debate, SHEER REPETITION of the shocking subject gradually 
dulls its effect.
   People are then no longer shocked.
   No longer outraged, people begin to argue for positions to 
moderate the extreme; or, they accept the premise, challenging the means 
to ACHIEVE it.

This process is all the more insidious because the change in attitude 
occurs in the subconscious; thus, many persons are not even aware their 
attitudes have been changed.

Remember, the key to success is sheer repetition, which wears down 
people's attitudes against the issue. Even if an advocate of the subject 
under discussion is out-debated by an opponent, the cause of the New Age 
is advanced, because sheer repetition has been achieved. Thus, TV, 
newspapers, and magazines are free to produce documentaries that seem to 
support the Christian viewpoint on a particular controversial issue. The 
best example of this phenomenon is abortion. Most people would agree 
that most individuals in Mass Media support abortion; yet, articles 
against it are constantly being printed or aired. Why? Because every 
article or program about the issue, whether Pro or Con, provides the 
sheer repetition necessary to wear down people's opposition. Thus, 
Christian organizations fighting abortion are actually contributing to 
the success of the Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan in moving the 
attitude of the American public to acceptance. How insidious!!

TV, Movies, and Videos provide the greatest potential to condition 
people to accept an attitudinal change for several reasons:

   Scenes can be depicted so graphically/realistically.
   Viewers become emotionally involved in the story.
   Americans love their movies and thus provide the golden 
opportunity for sheer repetition. 

TV, Movies, and Videos are changing our attitudes in several key areas: 
(Quotes below are taken from the Christian book, "Horror and Violence: 
The Deadly Duo In The Media", by Phil Phillips).

Acceptance of Heterosexual Adultery as normal

"In soap operas, 98% of all sexual scenes represent fornication. Nothing 
is off limits -- euthanasia, homosexuality, abortion, drugs, child 
abuse, alcohol, rape and murder." We have touched upon this sin in our 
previous programs, so we will not elaborate here.

TV programs are eroding our normal compassion, as many people are 
being terribly desensitized.

NEWS BRIEF: "The USA is at war. The enemy is within. Last year, 23,440 
[people] were terminated...if the flow of blood isn't staunched, 250,000 
lives could be lost this decade... This nation is in a fight for its 
life." (USA Today, 8-5-91)

Remember Jesus' words in Matthew 24:12, "The love of the many will grow 
cold because of the multiplied iniquity." Consider the scope of the 
problem in America today:

Children are watching violence at a rate like NO OTHER

GENERATION IN HISTORY.

These shocking statistics show why America is today fighting such a 
battle against sexual crime, but it is also frighten-ing to realize that 
your sons and daughters will be choosing their dating companions and 
spouses from a pool of indivi-duals who believe this nonsense.

 Both children and adults have difficulty distinguishing between 
reality and illusion after continued, long-term exposure to TV and 
movies. "We have silently passed an amendment to the sixth (Biblical) 
Commandment: Thou shalt not kill, but it is perfectly all right for you 
to enjoy watching other people do it."

What are some of the observable results, as we can read in our news from 
people filling their minds with this violence?

Murder, rape, and assault are over 300% higher than any previous 
generation.
    New breed of young offender appeared in 1970's--child murderer who 
feels no remorse for his crimes.

Remember God's warning, "Be not deceived; God will not allow Himself to 
be mocked. For whatever a man sows, that is what He will 
reap."(Galatians 6:7). But, God has an even greater warning for those 
nations or individuals who would disregard this stern warning. In Hosea 
8:7, God warns, "For they sow the wind and they shall reap the 
whirlwind." In other words, God will reward deliberate sin with 
punishment far out of proportion to the sin. And the Apostle Paul 
reveals in Romans 1:21-27, that God's judgment begins in the

body of those individuals who are guilty of blatant sin. We know from 
our previous study of God's Perfections that, when a nation's leaders 
refuse to punish wrong-doers according to God's commandments, then in 
his time, God will punish the nation according to His commandments. 
Thus, we should not be surprised to see the American national body 
afflicted with almost 40 Sexually Transmitted Diseases, including AIDS. 
We should not be surprised that violence, murder, and rape are today at 
all-time high levels. God's judgment of America has begun; it has 
started within her national body.

 Abnormal relationships are so constantly being portrayed that many 
people do not know what is normal especially with the simultaneous 
family break-down

Sexual Violence is very popular in music and movies.

Definition of Sexual Violence: The false message that women enjoy 
violence and pain during sex and that they are less than equal to men in 
societal value. Terror and slasher films typically depict sexual 
relationship in this kind of situation. In our seminar, we show examples 
of the horribly-depraved situations which are depicted in these types of 
videos.These movies are all available at video stores to any young 
child. Children are being terribly affected by watching this carnage.

Some of the videos of this type have recently been including a short 
segment at the end which teaches re-incarnation. This reveals the hidden 
agenda of the New Age/Movie industry: Condition substantial part of 
population to accept the New Age Christ and the genocide which is 
planned to follow. (Constance Cumbey, "Hidden Dangers Of The Rainbow").

We need to briefly talk about this conditioning. Before we go any 
further, we need to ask you to put on your spiritual discerning glasses.

Man's unique view of his place in the Universe as a creature created 
and saved by Jesus Christ is being changed. The active agent of change 
is the great emphasis on the theme of Aliens on TV and in movies.

Consider the great number of movies and TV programs which feature 
aliens:

    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
    Star Trek
    E.T.
    Alf
    Mork and Mindy

This list is just representative of the many others which have appeared 
and are currently appearing. The theme of these shows is fairly 
consistent. Aliens are depicted as: * Just like us in many respects

    More intelligent and more advanced technologically
    Friendly beings able to live at peace, thus being able to teach us 
warring humans to live in peace.
    Having only our own interests at heart

"...In 1982, Michael London of the L.A. Times gathered

together a group of 8 people experienced in UFO and extraterrestrial 
encounters for a special screening of Steven Spielberg's movie "E.T." 
London noted the following reactions of the group to the movie:

`This is a true movie, not a romance. It's part of a CONDITIONING 
PROCESS TO PREPARE US FOR THE ARRIVAL OF ALIEN BEINGS.' `The movie is a 
vehicle...It invites the audience to be less afraid of the so-called 
para-normal. And what better place to start than with the 
children?'...Everything is being done through the children..."

Everything is being done through our children, and has been for over 20 
years. Thus, the first generation to be so conditioned are now having 
children, who are also being con-ditioned. What is the purpose? Remember 
that the Movie and TV industry are openly hostile to Christianity and 
are very obviously New Age. Also remember that the #1 objective of the 
New Age is to successfully stage the appearance of Anti-Christ.

WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST STAGES HIS APPEARANCE, HE WILL CLAIM TO BE AN 
ASCENDED MASTER FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION, I.E., AN ALIEN BEING. HE IS JUST 
AS FRIENDLY AS THOSE ALIENS YOU HAVE BEEN SEEING ON TV AND MOVIES. HE 
JUST HAS OUR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART AND WANTS TO LEAD THE WORLD INTO A 
NEW, PEACEFUL EXISTENCE.

New Age leaders believe people will be much more inclined to accept the 
claims of Anti-Christ if they have been first conditioned to believe in 
the existence of friendly alien beings.

Since this unbelievable alien conditioning is occurring on TV and 
movies, what about the tremendous attention given to UFO's over the past 
60 years? Certainly, the repeated media attention of UFO's fit the 
requirements of the Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan perfectly. Do UFO's 
actually exist, or are they just the product of over-active 
imagina-tions and supermarket tabloids?

Remember two Biblical admonitions:

     1 John 4:1, "Beloved, do not put faith in every spirit, but test 
the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God: for many false 
prophets have gone forth into the world...Every spirit which 
acknowledges and confesses that Jesus Christ actually has become man and 
has come in the flesh has God for its source. Every spirit which does 
not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, but 
seeks to sever Him...is the spirit of Anti-Christ..."
    Matthew 7:18-20, "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a bad 
tree bear good fruit...Therefore, you will fully know them by their 
fruits."

Let us examine the fruits of the UFO's by examining the accounts of 
those people which have been contacted by them. An excellent source is a 
French Scientist, Jacques Vallee, in his book, "Messengers Of Deception: 
UFO Contacts and Cults". Mr. Vallee is a world-renowed scientist. He 
brings a scientist's empirical thinking to this study.

Let us first examine the subjects which UFO's are teaching the people 
with whom they have contacted, which we will call "Contactees".

   Out-of-Body Experiences (p. 73)
   Spirit communication (p. 123)
   Automatic Writing (p. 123)
   Some people go into trance, where voices are giving them messages. 
(p.85)
   UFO's use crystals, even for powering their spacecraft. (p. 109)
   Some people who have gone through this spiritual transformation 
begin to see an increase in their psychic awareness. They become able to 
find lost objects at a distance. Some become healers. (p. 83-84).

   The process by which their human consciousness was raised was the 
precise manner in which demonic forces work. It is thought transplant." 
(p. 78-79).

   Seances (p.69).

   Doctrines on the existence of superior races, of people with 
chosen missions, references to Atlantis and ancient astronauts..." 
(p.57, 103). Notice this binds UFO's with Nazism. Nazism is New Age and 
a cousin to Communism.

  "The expectation of higher intelligence is beginning to look like 
a form of worship...(p.66)

All these practices are classic occultism!

Now, let us examine the stated goals of UFO's and do so in a way in 
which they are compared to the printed goals of the New Age Movement 
seeking to establish the New World Order.

NWO: Abolish all established Government

UFO: Abolish democracy in favor of utopian dictatorship (p. 103, 113).

NWO: All religion must be abolished.

UFO: All religion must be abolished. (p. 93).

NWO: Establish One-World Government; Communism envisions ultimate 
benevolent dictatorship operating in a Utopian environment where 
government will no longer be necessary.

UFO: Establish a single world government, a Utopian Benevolent 
Dictatorship. (p. 113)

NWO: All world's religions are equal and will one day be combined 
into one.

UFO: All world's religions are equal. (p. 121)

Thus, the goals of UFO's match very well the goals of the New World 
Order. Further, UFO Aliens are teaching their contactees concepts which, 
if carried out, would fulfill last days' Biblical prophecy:

   Single World Economy. (p. 57)
   Elimination of Money (Cashless Economy) (p. 57)
   There will be universal peace (p. 57, 103)

Remember the Apostle Paul's prophetic warning in 2 Cor 11:14, "...Satan 
himself masquerades as an angel of light." To condition people to 
believe in the concepts of the New World Order, Satan has caused his 
demons to physically manifest themselves as UFO's, complete with highly 
technological machines. Do not underestimate Satan; he is the Lord of 
this world.

However, we believe the world has seen nothing yet. Consider again 
Biblical teaching about Anti-Christ's king-dom.

Revelation 13:13, He performs great signs (startling miracles), even 
making fire fall from the sky to the earth in men's sight. And because 
of the miracles which he is allowed to perform...he deceives those who 
inhabit the earth commanding them to erect a statue in the likeness of 
the beast..."

These Super-Natural or seemingly Super-Natural miracles will lead men 
directly to the worship of Anti-Christ. The final piece to this shocking 
puzzle is found in Cooper's book, "Behold A Pale Horse", p. 27, 
"...Secret Societies were planning as far back as 1917 to invent an 
artificial threat from outer space in order to bring humanity together 
in a one-world government which they call the New World Order."

The shocking reality is that Satan has been manipulating world events to 
achieve his One-World Government, Economy, and Religion through Secret 
Societies, Communism, the New Age, and UFO's. The final merger into the 
New World Order is almost complete. UFO Aliens and Space ships are 
nothing more than demons which the Holy Spirit has allowed in this final 
age to physically manifest themselves in our realm. As the Apostle Paul 
prophesied, in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, "...the mystery of lawlessness is... 
restrained only until He who restrains is taken out of the way. And then 
the lawless one (the anti-christ) will be revealed..." If the Holy 
Spirit began to withdraw His restraining power against nations in the 
beginning of this century, Satan could begin to intervene in human 
history as never before. We believe this is precisely the case.

Do not be deceived. As Cooper stated, in his book, "Behold A Pale 
Horse", p. 177, "[New World Order Planners] have plans to bring about 
things like earthquakes, war, the Messiah, an extra-terrestrial landing, 
and economic collapse. They might bring about all of these things just 
to make sure it does work...The Illuminati has all the bases covered..."

And the Six-Step Attitudinal Change Plan is the vehicle of necessary 
prior conditioning.

Now that you know how you and your family are being conditioned through 
TV and movies for the kingdom of Anti-Christ, what should be your 
response?

At minimum, you should now carefully screen the shows and movies 
which your children are watching. Substitute traditional activities for 
TV watching, such as talking, games, and reading, family devotions, 
church activities.
Try to maintain discipline in the types of program-ming watched 
while you are away from the home, as most families' finances are such 
that both parents are working. This problem will be most intractable, as 
children can be very creative in finding ways to watch forbidden 
programs while parents are away.
Begin a comprehensive program to mature your child-ren 
spiritually. This process begins with prayer and ends with parental 
involvement in training up a child in the way he should go. The only 
true protection is internal, via the Holy Spirit.
If you decide the best way to remove your children from this 
insidious evil is to throw your TV out, rest assured it will not cause 
the world to end. I threw my TV out three years ago. After two months of 
trouble, my child-ren began to change toward each other and toward my 
wife and me. Today, I have a family that loves the Lord and is closer 
than ever before. I would never allow TV back into my home, nor have my 
children asked for it back. Movies are also an activity from the past.

In this personal decision, we should allow God the last word: 2 Cor 
6:17, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the 
Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will 
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the 
Lord Almighty."