I recognized the shadow of that soul who, in his cowardice, made the Great Denial. At once I understood for certain: these were of that retrograde and faithless crew 60hateful to God and to His enemies. These wretches never born and never dead ran naked in a swarm of wasps and hornets that goaded them the more the more they fled, and made their faces stream with bloody gouts 65of pus and tears that dribbled to their feet to be swallowed there by loathsome worms and maggots. Then looking onward I made out a throng assembled on the beach of a wide river, whereupon I turned to him: I long “Master, 70to know what these are, and what strange usage makes them as eager to cross as they seem to be in this infected light.” At which the Sage: this shall be made known to you when we stand “All on the joyless of Acheron.” And I 75cast down my eyes, sensing a reprimand in what he said, and so walked at his side in silence and ashamed until we came through the dead cavern to that sunless tide. There, steering toward us in an ancient ferry
I recognized the shadow of that soul who, in his cowardice, made the Great Denial. At once I understood for certain: these were of that retrograde and faithless crew 60hateful to God and to His enemies. These wretches never born and never dead ran naked in a swarm of wasps and hornets that goaded them the more the more they fled, and made their faces stream with bloody gouts 65of pus and tears that dribbled to their feet to be swallowed there by loathsome worms and maggots. Then looking onward I made out a throng assembled on the beach of a wide river, whereupon I turned to him: “Master, I long 70to know what these are, and what strange usage makes them as eager to cross as they seem to be in this infected light.” At which the Sage: “All this shall be made known to you when we stand on the joyless of Acheron.” And I 75cast down my eyes, sensing a reprimand in what he said, and so walked at his side in silence and ashamed until we came through the dead cavern to that sunless tide. There, steering toward us in an ancient ferry
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