The Demons' Deadly Game — Divine Comedy

Dante has seen horsemen, foragers, trumpets, and signals from castle heights. Never such a strange recorder. With the ten demons they go. Ah fearful company: but in the church with saints, with gluttons at the tavern's mess. He gazes on the pitch. As dolphins heave arched backs to warn mariners, so a sinner shows his back to ease the pain, then hides more nimbly than lightning. As frogs at a moat stand with jaws only out, so they stand, and when Barbariccia is at hand they draw under the wave. One waits too long. Graffiacan grapples his clotted locks and drags him sprawling up, an otter. O Rubicant, see that his hide thou with thy talons flay, the cursed crew shouts together.

Virgil inquires who he is. Born in Navarre's domain: a mother placed him in a lord's retinue; he served good king Thibault; to peculating his thoughts were turned. Ciriatto, tusked like a boar, rips him. Barbariccia seizes him with both arms so the rest may inquire ere he is rent. Virgil asks for partners of Latian land under the tar. He names friar Gomita of Gallura, vessel of all guile, who took money and dismissed his master's enemies; with him herds Michel Zanche of Logodoro. The talons will not wait: Libicocco bears away the sinewy part of an arm. Farfarello rolls moony eyes; their chief cries off, cursed bird. If ye desire Tuscan or Lombard spirits, the Navarrese will make seven appear when his shrill whistle is heard: so our custom is to call each other up. Cagnazzo grins: hear his device, to plunge him down. Alichino will not refrain. Quit we the vantage; let the bank be a shield, that we may see if singly thou prevail against us all.

Now, reader, of new sport expect to hear. They each turn eyes to the other shore. The spirit of Navarre plants his feet and at one leap escapes. Alichino cries thou art caught, but terror outstrips the flight; the other plunges like a water-fowl under a falcon. Calcabrina, cheated of the barterer, turns talons on his comrade. Both fall in the boiling lake. The heat is umpire. Pennons glue. Barbariccia dispatches four to hook their own. And we departing left them to that broil.