二、《神曲》
《神曲》原名“喜剧”,后人出于崇敬,遂加上“神圣”二字,直译应为“神圣的喜剧”。它用意大利语写成,共14233行,分“地狱”、“净界”(炼狱)、“天堂”三部,每部33歌,加上“序曲”,合100歌(或100曲)。
长诗采用中世纪流行的梦幻文学形式,诗人以自己为主人公,描写他在死人王国的一次奇特的幻游。诗中写道,正当35岁这人生的中途,即1300年复活节前星期五的凌晨,他在一个黑暗的森林中迷了路。他努力寻找着出路,不料前面又有一狮、一豹、一狼挡住去路。在这万分危急的关头,黑暗中出现身穿白衣服的古罗马诗人维吉尔,他奉贝雅特里齐之命前来搭救但丁,引导他游历地狱、净界和天堂三界。临近地狱之门,但丁顿觉阴郁森然。那大门上写着:凡是走进来的,把一切希望都抛在后面。这句话意味着被罚到地狱的受刑者没有任何获救的希望。那地狱像一个倒立的大漏斗,共分9层,一直通到地心。在地狱里的人都是生前犯罪而被罚在这里受刑的。罪孽越重,就安置在越下层。按亚里士多德的伦理学所论,凡人之罪可分为三类:放纵、凶残和恶意。地狱的9层实际分为三大部分,分别安置着上述三类罪行的人。上面几层为第一部分,收容第一类罪人,如好色者,受疾风冰雹的袭击;饕餮者,陷泥淖臭雨之中;挥霍者,各负重物相向击打;易怒者,处黑水恶浪之中而彼此撕咬。中下几层为第二部分,收容第二类罪人。凡残暴凶狠者、杀人或自杀者以及不敬上帝者,以及有各种社会恶徒如**谋及诱谀者、卖官鬻爵者、挑拨离间者、贪官污吏、伪君子、窃贼等,或被烈火焚烧,或让热砂灼。最底一圈可谓末部,收容第三类罪人。凡背信弃义、变节卖主之徒均在这里,他们被扔进湖水里并齐颈冻结在冰面上,受永劫之苦。
净界乃灵魂赎罪之所,生前罪孽较轻的灵魂在此修炼,等到断除孽根,便可超升到天堂,若修炼不好,则仍有可能被打入地狱。净界在南半球的海面上,像一座山,里面分为七层,分别住着七种罪人,他们分别犯了骄、妒、怒、惰、贪、食、色之罪。七种罪人依次分布在不同的级层,受着不同的惩罚。例如,嫉妒者,双目被铁丝缝合,以闭塞刻忌之目光;好色者,则赴汤蹈火,以戒除内心之**念,等等。身处净界的人,已悔悟前非,有努力自新的愿望,因而都怀着忍耐的忧郁和愉悦的希冀,这与地狱晦暗暴厉、痛苦绝望适成对比。
游罢净界,正当但丁想更上一层前往“地上乐园”之际,维吉尔突然失踪了,而东方红光一闪,顿时,紫雾缤纷,祥云缭绕,天山的仙乐缥缥缈缈地传了过来。只见天使们簇拥着一位身穿猩红长袍,蒙着雪白轻纱,披着绿色披肩的仙女飘然而至,她就是但丁心目中的情人贝雅特里齐。她从天国而至,代维吉尔为但丁引路去游历第三境界——天堂。
如同地狱分作九圈,天堂也有九重,依次为月球天、水星天、金星天、太阳天、火星天、木星天、土星天、恒星天、水晶天,分别住着正人君子、明君贤相、诸圣神哲等。总之,这里是无忧之国,为幸福的精灵所永居;到处有仙乐萦绕,随处可见舞姿婆娑的仙女,华光四溢,气象万千。获圣母恩准之后,但丁得以目睹上帝容颜,窥视三位一体之神秘。不过,仅是一瞥,那景象旋即消失,诗与梦境也一齐结束了。
《神曲》通过纷繁而条理的梦游,表达了深刻而严肃的思想。作者从一个诗人的角度,从对人类的巨大忧患意识出发,探索人的命运和前途,探索意大利民族的出路。全诗仿佛像一个寓言,企图向人们揭示:在黑暗、迷信和暴行还很猖獗的时代,个人和人类如何从舛错与迷惘的“牢狱”中经过苦难、追求和考验,找到或接近真理,臻于完美与至善。或者说,《神曲》力图向苦难的、常常是无所适从的人们揭示一条怎样从罪恶得到解救的历程。这个关于人类命运和前途的严肃思考,是通过繁复的象征及隐喻表达出来的。
长诗开篇的“黑暗的森林”象征人生的迷误。拦住诗人去路的一狮、一豹、一狼分别代表着野心、**邪和贪欲,其中贪欲的狼是由“嫉妒”将它放出来的。在此,诗人以隐喻的方式告诉人们,野心、**邪、贪欲、嫉妒这四种丑恶的情欲,是人类走向光明途中的障碍。这是但丁对当时佛罗伦萨、意大利乃至整个人类之处境的理解。诗人认为,意大利的战乱与灾祸,人类社会的种种磨难,归根到底是由于人自身这四种丑恶情欲在作怪。可见,诗人在“序曲”中就开门见山地把作品放在了超越个人、民族的高度。
人类怎样才能走出迷津、摆脱困境呢?接着,诗人详尽地描写地狱之凶险、炼狱之艰难、天堂之完美,其用意是惩恶劝善,力图告诉人们:只有苦修苦炼,弃却世俗行为上和思想意识上的罪恶,才能达到至善至美,步入天国乐园的境界。以此为出发点,诗篇以深邃的诗意、丰富的联想,形象地阐明了在人类追求精神完美的过程中,理性(人智)和信仰(爱)对拯救人类的作用。按当时基督教教会的一般说法——人类要上天堂,唯一的桥梁便是在人间代行上帝之职权的教会,教会有权判决人间功罪,而且是唯一判决者。《神曲》则不然,引导但丁游历地狱、炼狱和天堂的分别是古罗马大诗人维吉尔和但丁挚爱的情人贝雅特里齐。维吉尔代表理性(人智),贝雅特里齐代表信仰(爱)。让维吉尔带领诗人游历地狱和炼狱,表现了作者对知识的崇拜,对基督教蒙昧主义的否定,更说明了理性、知识可以使人认识自己的罪孽,克制人的四大恶欲,引导人努力悔过自新。这种思想既是对古希腊理性精神的继承,又是对它的发展。不过,理性和知识的力量是有限的,所以,维吉尔只能引导但丁游历地狱和炼狱,不能上天堂;想要达到天堂那至善至美的境界,还须借助信仰(爱)的引导。正如诗中维吉尔对但丁说:“理性在这点上见到的,我能够对你说,超过这一点那是信仰的事,还是等候贝雅特里齐吧。”[2]
让贝雅特里齐带领诗人游历天堂,表现了作者对基督教信仰的崇尚,又隐含了对世俗情爱的褒扬。但丁原初对贝雅特里齐的爱是对人间女子的情爱——这种爱自然不可能脱尽世俗**的成分,但在长诗中,这凡间女子已成为他精神上崇拜的偶像,世俗的**已升华为宗教式的精神之爱,即上帝之爱、圣母玛利亚之爱、人类之爱。正是代表这种爱的贝雅特里齐引导但丁接近了上帝。在此,人间的**被罩上了宗教的神圣光晕,而宗教式的圣母玛利亚那苍白的脸又因世俗**的渗入而呈现出生命的血色。正是在这样的描写中,古希腊人所追求的世俗情欲得到了升华,而基督教对人性的压抑却被人世间美丽的情爱所消弭。长诗关于贝雅特里齐引导但丁游历天堂的描写告诉人们:人有了这种上帝之爱的信仰,才能到达至善的境界。显然,诗中表达的但丁的“爱”与信仰虽不是纯然出世的,但无疑带有浓厚的宗教虚幻色彩。但丁把这种对上帝的爱同佛罗伦萨、意大利乃至全人类的悲欢苦乐相融,从而成为一种超自我、超血缘、超宗族、超国界的博大之爱,它并不抽象,也不缥缈,因为它同当时火热的现实斗争紧密结合,也同个体生命的世俗欲求血脉相系。
总之,在但丁的观念里,只有信仰和爱才能导向光明之境。所以,是贝雅特里齐把他“从奴役状态引到了自由境界”,他才得以“认出了上帝的恩典和全能”。这里,作者肯定了宗教信仰和爱的力量,这种力量远超过人的理性的力量。
总体而言,《神曲》所体现的乃是中世纪基督教的世界观。确如别林斯基所说,它是一部中世纪的史诗。然而,毋庸置疑,诗篇的主导精神,即所反映的中世纪基督教世界观,又带上了新时代的特征。这主要表现在诗人充分肯定知识、肯定人的智慧、肯定人的理性力量上。《神曲》通过诗人游历三界过程的描写启示人们:人类只有在拥有了理性和智慧的基础上,再接受信仰和爱的指导,才能沐浴天恩,达到至善至美的理想境界;而这个过程是人自身的事,是人的自我努力能够达到的。正是在这个意义上,《神曲》否定了人必须通过教会和教皇的桥梁才能通往天国的基督教观念,人的自我力量得到了充分的肯定。所以,《神曲》虽然在整体上以基督教世界观为框架,体现了浓厚的宗教意识,但这种宗教观显然已经世俗化,它融合了古希腊的世俗人本意识,带有新兴市民阶级之个性主义性质,体现出文艺复兴个性解放思想的萌芽,透射出了新世纪人文主义的曙光。质言之,《神曲》是中世纪基督教文化和古希腊罗马文化的融合,是一部总结性和开拓性的作品,充分显示了从中世纪向近代文明过渡时期欧洲文学和文化的特征。
《神曲》的结构严整奇伟。就外在形态而言,全诗分“地狱”“净界”“天堂”三境界,这是宗教观念的体现。但丁把既定的宗教观念艺术地化为审美的境界。关于“地狱”的描写细致而真实,是充满人世争斗的意大利社会的真实写照,其色彩黯淡而真实、氛围阴森而凝重;“净界”是理性的境界,笔调洗练,层次明晰,色彩静谧安然,体现了人类的反思精神与忏悔意识;“天堂”作为信仰的境界,非词语可言说,使人感受到的是无形的引力与强烈光芒,它犹如一个无垠的光与力的场,给人一种似有似无若隐若现的神秘感。三个境界由实而虚,依质量重轻层层垒叠,总体上给人一种引体向上、飘然若仙的升腾感,整部作品由此呈现出哥特式建筑的造型艺术美。
作者以恢宏的气魄,把宗教观念化为富有艺术魅力的审美境界,表明了他对传统的基督教文化精神的基本肯定与弘扬。就内在线索而言,诗人在维吉尔、贝雅特里齐引导下游历三界,显示了人的精神与人格发展、升华的历程,展示了基督教文化背景中个人蒙恩、精神得救的新模式。由此,长诗在结构上的工整、匀称、严谨,与体现着宗教含义的特定数字的框定有直接关系。全诗以“三”或“九”布局,如全诗分“地狱”“净界”“天堂”三个境界,有“三位一体”之意;每个境界分九层,“天堂”在第九层外再加上天府为十层,表示完美。全诗三大部分,每个部分有三十三歌,共九十九歌,加上序曲为一百歌,也表示完美。诗句的组合方式是:每三行为一节,三行的韵是联环体(ABA、BCB、DCD……)。总之,全诗的结构表达了基督教“三位一体”的神学思想。《神曲》为我们精心构造了一座诡谲奇伟、庄严肃穆的艺术宫殿,成了欧美文学中结构严整的典范。
《神曲》运用了梦幻象征的表现手法。作者充分运用了中世纪梦幻文学在形式上的独特性,在艺术构思方面,基本上采用了象征隐喻的方法,使全诗从内容到细节都充满了五彩缤纷的寓意与象征。诗人游历三个境界,本身就是一个虚无缥缈的梦幻故事,喻指人类精神发展的历程,而其中又有许多对现实生活细致而真实的描绘,在虚幻的境界里隐喻了现实的人生。诗中的人与物也往往具有象征意义。维吉尔象征“人智”,贝雅特里齐象征“信仰”,“黑暗的森林”象征迷惘的人生和佛罗伦萨的现实,“狼”“狮子”“豹”象征贪婪、野心和**欲。象征手法的广泛使用,使《神曲》显得神秘而奇特。
《神曲》塑造了丰富多彩的人物形象。在这部虚幻的诗篇中,但丁能以简约明快的手法,揭示人物的精神面貌,使形象清晰明朗,富有真实感。作为《神曲》的主人公,诗人自己的性格和精神面貌描绘得最为细致入微;维吉尔和贝雅特里齐这两个向导虽然具有象征意义,但并没有概念化和抽象化,而是显示出了不同程度的鲜明性格。在各种不同的场合,维吉尔体现的是导师和父亲的面貌,贝雅特里齐体现的是恋人与慈母的面貌。其他的一些人物也各有自己的性格特征,如贪婪并有野心的教皇、专横残暴的君主、刚强高傲的法利那太、温柔多情的弗兰采斯加等。《神曲》是一座丰富多彩的人物画廊。
中世纪正统的文学一般都用拉丁文进行创作。《神曲》不仅以民间诗歌的格律为基础,而且还率先运用意大利民族语言进行创作。虽然它难免也有中世纪文学那种抽象晦涩的语言现象,但因为采用了意大利民族语言,因而不仅具有民族特色,而且更接近了现实生活,为民众所喜闻乐见。但丁开创了用意大利民族语言写作的先河,使文学摆脱了教会的束缚走向了近代。
思考题:
1.《新生》是一部什么样的作品?
2.简析《神曲》与基督教的关系。
3.《神曲》中人文主义思想的萌芽体现在哪些地方?
4.《神曲》是怎样在艺术上继往开来的?
5.《神曲》在思想上的双重性是如何体现的?
原典选读
《神曲》(节选)
(意大利)但丁
《神曲·地狱篇》第五章
我就这样从第一层下到了第二层,这一层的圈子比较小,其中的痛苦却大得多,它使受苦者发出一片哭声。
那里站着可怕的米诺斯,龇着牙咆哮:他在入口处审查罪行,做出判决,把尾巴绕在自己身上,表示怎样发落亡魂,勒令他们下去。我是说,不幸生在世上的人的灵魂来到他面前时,就供出一切罪行:那位判官就判决他该在地狱中什么地方受苦,把尾巴在自己身上绕几遭,就表明要让他到第几层去。在他面前总站着许多亡灵:个个都依次受审判,招供罪行,听他宣判,随后就被卷下去了。
“啊,来到愁苦的旅舍的人,”米诺斯瞥见我,就中断执行这样重大的职务,对我说,“你要想一想,自己是怎么进来的,依靠的是什么人;不要让宽阔的门口把你骗进来!”我的向导对他说:“你为什么直叫嚣!不要阻止天命注定他做的旅行。这是有能力为所欲为者所在的地方决定的,不要再问。”
现在悲惨的声音开始传到我耳边;现在我来到许多哭声向我袭击的地方。我来到一切光全都喑哑的地方,这里如同大海在暴风雨中受一阵阵方向相反的风冲击时那样怒吼。地狱里的永不停止的狂飙猛力席卷着群魂飘**;刮得他们旋转翻滚,互相碰撞,痛苦万分。每逢刮到断层悬崖前面,他们就在那里喊叫、痛哭、哀号,就在那里诅咒神的力量。我知道,被判处这种刑罚的,是让情欲压倒理性的犯邪**罪者。犹如寒冷季节,大批椋鸟密集成群,展翅乱飞,同样,那些罪恶的亡魂被狂飙刮来刮去,忽上忽下,永远没有什么希望安慰他们,不要说休息的希望,就连减轻痛苦的希望也没有。
犹如群鹤在空中排成长行,唱着它们的哀歌飞去,同样,我看到一些阴魂哀号痛哭着被上述的狂飙卷来;因此我说:“老师,这些受漆黑的空气这样惩罚的,都是什么人哪?”“你想知道情况的那些人之中的第一个,”他随即对我说,“是许多语言不同的民族的女皇帝。她沉溺于**的罪恶那样深,竟然在她的法律中把人人恣意**定为合法,来免除她所遭到的谴责。她是塞米拉密斯,据史书记载,她是尼诺的妻子,后来继承了他的帝位,拥有如今苏丹所统治的国土。另一个是因为爱情自杀的对希凯斯的骨灰背信失节的女性,她后面来的是****的克利奥帕特拉。你看那是海伦,为了她,多么漫长的不幸的岁月流转过去,你看那是伟大的阿奇琉斯,他最后是同爱情战斗。你看那是帕里斯,那是特里斯丹。”他还把一千多个因为爱情离开人世的人指给我看,并且一一说出他们的名字。我听了我的老师说出古代的贵妇人和骑士们的名字以后,怜悯之情抓住了我的心,我几乎神志昏乱了。我开始说:“诗人哪,我愿意同那两个在一起的、似乎那样轻飘飘地乘风而来的灵魂说话。”他对我说:“你注意着他们什么时候离我们近些;那时,你以支配他们的行动的爱的名义恳求他们,他们就会来的。”当风刚把他们刮向我们这里时,我就开始说:“受折磨的灵魂们,过来同我们交谈吧,如果无人禁止的话!”
犹如斑鸠受情欲召唤,在意愿的推动下,伸展着稳健的翅膀,凌空而过,飞向甜蜜的鸠巢,同样,那两个灵魂走出狄多所在的行列,穿过昏暗的空气向我们奔来,因为我那充满同情的呼唤是如此强烈动人。
“啊,温厚仁慈的活人哪,你前来访问我们这些用血染红大地的阴魂,假如宇宙之王是我们的朋友的话,我们会为你的平安向他祈祷,因为你可怜我们受这残酷的惩罚。在风像这里现在这样静止的时候,凡是你们喜欢听的和喜欢谈的事,我们都愿意听,都愿意对你们谈。我出生的城市坐落在海滨,在波河汇合它的支流入海得到安息的地方。在高贵的心中迅速燃烧起来的爱,使他热恋上我的被夺去的美丽的身体;被夺的方式至今仍然使我受害。不容许被爱者不还报的爱,使我那样强烈地迷恋他的美貌,就像你看到的这样,直到如今仍然不离开我。爱引导我们同死。该隐环等待着害我们性命的人。”他们对我们说了这些话。
听了这两个受伤害的灵魂所说的话,我低下头来,一直没有抬起,诗人对我说:“你在想什么?”我向他回答时说:“哎呀,多少甜蜜的思想,多么强烈的欲望把他们引到那悲惨的关口啊!”接着,我又转身对着他们,开始说:“弗兰齐斯嘉,你的痛苦使得我因悲伤和怜悯而流泪。但是,你告诉我:在发出甜蜜的叹息时,爱通过什么迹象、什么方式使你们明白了彼此心里的朦胧的欲望?”她对我说:“再没有比不幸中回忆幸福的时光更大的痛苦了;这一点你的老师是知道的。但是,如果你有这样热切的愿望,想知道我们的爱的最初的根苗,我就像一面哭,一面说的人那样说给你听。
“有一天,我们为了消遣,共同阅读朗斯洛怎样被爱所俘虏的故事;只有我们俩在一起,全无一点疑惧。那次阅读促使我们的目光屡屡相遇,彼此相顾失色,但是使我们无法抵抗的,只是书中的一点。当我们读到那渴望吻到的微笑的嘴被这样一位情人亲吻时,这个永远不会和我分离的人就全身颤抖着亲我的嘴。那本书和写书的人就是我们的加勒奥托:那一天,我们没有再读下去。”
当这一个灵魂说这番话时,那一个一直在啼哭;使得我基于怜悯之情仿佛要死似的昏过去。我像死尸一般倒下了。
(《神曲》 ,田德望译,北京:人民文学出版社,2008)
INFERNO:CANTO V
Thus from the first of circles I went down
into the second, which surrounds less space,
and all the greater pain, which goads to wailing.
There Minos stands in horrid guise, and snarls;
inside the entrance he examines sins,
judges, and, as he girds himself, commits.
I mean that when an ill-born soul appears
before him, it confesses itself wholly;
and thereupon that Connoisseur of sins
perceives what place in Hell belongs to it,
and girds him with his tail as many times,
as are the grades he wishes it sent down.
Before him there are always many standing;
they go to judgment, each one in his turn;
they speak and hear, and then are downward hurled.
“O thou that comest to the inn of woe,”
said Minos, giving up, on seeing me,
the execution of so great a charge,
“see how thou enter, and in whom thou put
thy trust; let not the gate-way's width deceive thee!”
To him my Leader:“Why dost thou, too, cry?
Hinder thou not his fate-ordained advance;
thus is it yonder willed, where there is power
to do whate'er is willed; so ask no more!”
And now the woeful sounds of actual pain
begin to break upon mine ears; I now
am come to where much wailing smiteth me.
I reached a region silent of all light,
which bellows as the sea doth in a storm,
if lashed and beaten by opposing winds.
The infernal hurricane, which never stops,
carries the spirits onward with its sweep,
and, as it whirls and smites them, gives them pain.
Whene'er they come before the shattered rock,
there lamentations, moans and shrieks are heard;
there, cursing, they blaspheme the Power Divine.
I understood that to this kind of pain
are doomed those carnal sinners, who subject
their reason to their sensual appetite.
And as their wings bear starlings on their way,
when days are cold, in full and wide-spread flocks;
so doth that blast the evil spirits bear;
this way and that, and up and down it leads them;
nor only doth no hope of rest, but none
of lesser suffering, ever comfort them.
And even as cranes move on and sing their lays,
forming the while a long line in the air;
thus saw I coming, uttering cries of pain,
shades borne along upon the aforesaid storm;
I therefore said:“Who, Teacher, are the people
the gloomy air so cruelly chastises?”
“The first of those of whom thou wouldst have news,”
the latter thereupon said unto me,
“was empress over lands of many tongues.
To sexual vice so wholly was she given,
that lust she rendered lawful in her laws,
thus to remove the blame she had incurred.
Semiramis she is, of whom one reads
that she gave suck to Ninus, and became
his wife; she held the land the Soldan rules.
The next is she who killed herself through love,
and to Sichaeus' ashes broke her faith;
the lustful Cleopatra follows her.
See Helen, for whose sake so long a time
of guilt rolled by, and great Achilles see,
who fought with love when at the end of life.
Paris and Tristan see;”and then he showed me,
and pointed out by name, a thousand shades
and more, whom love had from our life cut off.
When I had heard my Leader speak the names
of ladies and their knights of olden times,
pity o'ercame me, and I almost swooned.
“Poet,”I then began,“I’d gladly talk
with those two yonder who together go,
and seem to be so light upon the wind.”
“Thou’lt see thy chance when nearer us they are;”
said he,“beseech them then by that same love
which leadeth them along, and they will come.”
Soon as the wind toward us had bent their course.
I cried:“O toil-worn souls, come speak with us,
so be it that One Else forbid it not!”
As doves, when called by their desire, come flying
with raised and steady pinions through the air
to their sweet nest, borne on by their own will;
so from the band where Dido is they issued,
advancing through the noisome air toward us,
so strong with love the tone of my appeal.
“O thou benign and gracious living creature,
that goest through the gloomy purple air
to visit us, who stained the world blood-red;
if friendly were the universal King,
for thy peace would we pray to Him, since pity
thou showest for this wretched woe of ours.
Of whatsoever it may please you hear
and speak, we will both hear and speak with you,
while yet, as now it is, the wind is hushed.
The town where I was born sits on the shore,
whither the Po descends to be at peace
together with the streams that follow him.
Love, which soon seizes on a well-born heart,
seized him for that fair body's sake, whereof
I was deprived; and still the way offends me.
Love, which absolves from loving none that’s loved,
seized me so strongly for his love of me,
that, as thou see'st, it doth not leave me yet.
Love to a death in common led us on;
Cain's ice awaiteth him who quenched our life.”
These words were wafted down to us from them.
When I had heard those sorely troubled souls,
I bowed my head, and long I held it low,
until the Poet said:“What thinkest thou?”
When I made answer I began:“Alas!
how many tender thoughts and what desire
induced these souls to take the woeful step!”
I then turned back to them again and spoke,
and I began:“Thine agonies, Francesca,
cause me to weep with grief and sympathy.
But tell me: at the time of tender sighs,
whereby and how did Love concede to you
that ye should know each other's veiled desires?”
And she to me:“There is no greater pain
than to remember happy days in days
of misery; and this thy Leader knows.
But if to know the first root of our love
so yearning a desire possesses thee,
I’ll do as one who weepeth while he speaks.
One day, for pastime merely, we were reading
of Launcelot, and how love o'erpowered him;
alone we were, and free from all misgiving.
Oft did that reading cause our eyes to meet,
and often take the color from our faces;
and yet one passage only overcame us.
When we had read of how the longed-for smile
was kissed by such a lover, this one here,
who nevermore shall be divided from me,
trembling all over, kissed me on my mouth.
A Gallehault the book, and he who wrote it!
No further in it did we read that day.”
While one was saying this, the other spirit
so sorely wept, that out of sympathy
I swooned away as though about to die,
and fell as falls a body that is dead.
《神曲·地狱篇》 第十九章
啊,术士西门哪,啊,西门的可鄙的徒子徒孙哪,上帝的事物理当是与善结合的新娘,你们这些贪得无厌的人,为了金银而非法买卖这些事物,现在应该为你们吹起喇叭了,因为你们是在第三恶囊里。
我们来到了下一道壕沟,已经登上石桥下临壕沟正中的部分。啊,至高的智慧呀,你在天上、地上和罪恶世界显示的神工多么伟大呀!你的权力在赏罚的分配上多么公正啊!
我看见壕沟两侧和沟底的青灰色的石头上布满了孔洞,这些孔洞都一般大,每个都是圆的。据我看来,和我的美丽的圣约翰洗礼堂中为施洗而做的那些孔洞相比,既不大也不小;距今还没有多少年,我曾破坏过其中的一个,为了救出一个掉进去快要闷死的人:让这话成为证明事件真相的印信,使所有的人都不受欺骗吧。
每个洞口都露出一个罪人的两只脚,两条腿直到大腿都露着,身体其余部分全在洞里。所有的罪人两脚的脚掌都在燃烧;因此,他们的膝关节抖动得那样厉害,会把柳条绳和草绳挣断。犹如有油的东西燃烧时,火焰通常只在表面上浮动,在那里,他们的脚从脚跟到脚尖燃烧的情况也是这样。
我说:“老师,那个比他的同伙们抖动得更厉害,显得痛苦不堪的,被更红的火焰烧着的人是谁呀?”他对我说:“如果你愿意让我顺着那道较低的堤岸的斜坡下去,把你带到那里,你会从他自己口里知道他和他的罪行。”我说:“你高兴怎么做,都符合我的心愿:你是我的主人,知道我不背离你的意旨,还知道我没说出来的心思。”
于是,我们来到第四道堤岸上;向左转身走下堤去,走到布满孔洞,道路狭窄难行的沟底。善良的老师一直把我抱到那个用腿哭泣的人的孔洞附近,才从腰间把我放下来。
“啊,受苦的灵魂哪,你头朝下像一根木桩似的倒插在那里,不论你是谁,如果你能够说话,就说话吧。”我站在那里像教士听不忠的刺客忏悔似的,这个刺客在被倒栽在坑里后,又把他叫回来,为了免于死刑。
这个罪人喊道:“你已经站在那儿吗,你已经站在那儿吗,卜尼法斯?书上的话骗了我,时间差了好几年。难道你这么快就对那些财富感到腻烦了吗,为了捞到这些财富,你不怕用欺诈手段来娶那个美女,然后辱没她。”
我听了这番话,就像那些因为对于回答他们的话感到莫名其妙而站在那里,尴尬困惑,不知道怎样回答才好的人一样。
这时,维吉尔说:“你赶快对他说:‘我不是他,我不是你所指的那个人。’”我照他嘱咐我的话回答了。因此,那个鬼魂两只脚全都扭动起来;接着,就叹息着用哭泣的声音对我说:“那么,你向我要求什么呢?如果你那样迫切需要了解我是什么人,以至于为此走下堤岸来到这里,那么你要知道,我曾穿过大法衣呀;我真是母熊的儿子,为了使小熊们得势,我那样贪得无厌,使得我在世上把钱财装入私囊,在这里把自己装入囊中。我头底下是其他的在我以前犯买卖圣职罪被拖入孔洞的人,他们一个压着一个挤在石头缝里躺着。等那个人一来,我也要掉到那下面去,方才我突然问你时,还以为你就是那个人呢。但是我这样两脚被火烧着,身子倒栽着的时间,已经比他将要被倒栽着,两脚烧得通红的时间长了:因为在他以后,将有一个无法无天的、行为更丑恶的牧人从西方来,这个牧人该把他和我都盖上。此人将是《玛喀比传》中所讲的新伊阿宋;犹如伊阿宋的国王俯就伊阿宋一样,当今统治法国的君主对他也将要这样。”
我不知道,我在这里是否太莽撞了,因为我只是用这种腔调回答他:“现在请你告诉我,我们的主把钥匙交给圣彼得保管以前,先向他要了多少钱?当然,除了说:‘来跟从我’以外,他什么都没要求。当马提亚被拣选来填补那罪恶的灵魂所丧失的位置时,彼得和其他的人都没有向他索取金子或者银子,所以,你就待在这里吧,因为你罪有应得;你好好地守住那些使得你敢于大胆反对查理的不义之财吧。要不是我对于你在欢乐的人世间掌管的至高无上的钥匙所怀的敬意仍在阻止我的话,我还要使用更严厉的言语呢;因为你们的贪婪使世界陷于悲惨的境地,把好人踩在脚下,把坏人提拔上来。当福音书的作者看见那个坐在众水上和国王们行**的女人时,他就预见到你们这样的牧人;那女人生来就有七个头,只要她丈夫爱好美德,她就一直能从那十个角吸取活力。你们把金银做成神;你们和偶像崇拜者有什么不同,除了他们崇拜一个,你们崇拜一百个?啊,君士坦丁,不是你改变信仰,而是第一个富裕的父亲从你手里拿到布施,成为多少祸患之母啊!”
当我向他唱这些调子时,不知他是受怒气还是受良心的刺激,他两只脚一直在剧烈地踢蹬着。我确信,这使我的向导感到高兴,他一直面带着那样满意的表情,注意听我坦率说出来的实话的声音。因此,他用双臂抱住我;当他完全把我抱在怀里以后,就顺着他下来时所走的路重新上去。他紧紧地抱着我也不嫌累,一直这样把我带到从第四道堤岸通到第五道堤岸的拱桥的顶上。在这里,他轻轻地放下他的负担,轻轻地,因为石桥崎岖陡峭,对于山羊来说,都是难以通过的路。从那里,我瞥见另一道又大又深的山谷展现在我眼前。
(《神曲》,田德望译,北京:人民文学出版社,2008)
INFERNO:CANTO XIX
O Simon Magus, O his wretched followers,
since ye the things of God, which ought to be
the brides of righteousness, rapaciously
adulterate for silver and for gold;
it now behooves the trumpet sound for you,
for in the third great trench your station is!
We now had climbed the next tomb-spanning bridge,
and were on that part of the crag, which hangs
directly o'er the middle of the trench.
Wisdom Supreme, how great the art thou showest
in Heaven, on earth, and in the evil world!
How justly, too, thy virtue makes awards!
I saw that on its sloping sides and bottom
the livid-colored stone was full of holes,
all of one width, while each of them was round.
Nor less nor more wide did they seem to me,
than those which in my beautiful Saint John's
are made as places for baptizing priests;
and one of which, not many years ago,
I broke, to save one who was choking in it;
be this a witness undeceiving all!
Out of the mouth of each a sinner's feet
protruded, and, as far as to the calf,
his legs; the rest of him remained within.
The soles of all were, both of them, on fire;
because of which their joints so strongly twitched,
they would have snapped green twigs and cords of grass.
And as a flame on oily things is wont
to move along the outer surface only;
so likewise was it there from heels to toes.
“Who, Teacher, is he yonder, who is tortured
by twitching more than all the rest, his mates,”
said I,“and whom a redder flame is sucking?”
And he to me:“If thou wouldst have me bear thee
down yonder bank which lowest lies, from him
thou’lt know both of himself and of his sins.”
And I:“What pleases thee I like; my lord
thou art, and that I part not from thy will
thou knowst, as also what is left unsaid.”
We then upon the fourth embankment came,
and, turning round, descended on our left
into that narrow bottom pierced with holes;
from off his back, but brought me to the hole
of him who grieved so sorely with his shank.
“Whoe'er thou art, sad soul, that holdest down
thine upper portion, planted like a stake,”
I then began,“say something, if thou canst.”
I there was like a friar that confesses
a base assassin, who, on being planted,
calls him again, that death may be delayed.
And he cried out:“Dost thou stand there already,
dost thou stand there already, Boniface?
By several years the writing lied to me.
Art thou so quickly sated with the wealth,
for which thou didst not fear to seize by fraud,
and outrage next, the Lady beautiful?”
Even such did I become, as those are, who,
not understanding what is answered them,
deem themselves mocked, and think of no reply.
Then Virgil said:“Tell him immediately:
‘I’m not the one, I’m not the one thou thinkest!’”
And I replied to him as I was bidden.
Whereat the spirit writhed with both his feet;
then, sighing, and with weeping voice, he said:
“What is it, then, that thou dost ask of me?
If to know who I am concern thee so,
that for it thou hast crossed the bank; know, then,
that I was with the mighty Mantle clothed;
and verily the she-Bear's son was I,
so eager to advance the cubs, that wealth
I pocketed up there, and here myself.
The others, who in working simony
preceded me, are gathered’neath my head,
flattened between the fissures of the rock.
I, in like manner, shall down yonder fall,
when he arrives, whom I believed thou wast,
when I of thee the sudden question asked.
But now already longer is the time,
that I, thus up-side down, have cooked my feet,
than he will planted stay with ruddy soles;
for after him shall come from westward lands
a lawless shepherd of still uglier deed,
and fit to cover him and me.Renewed
shall Jason be, of whom in Maccabees
one reads; and as to that one his king yielded,
even so who governs France shall yield to this.”
I know not whether I was here too bold,
in that I answered him in this strain only:
“Now tell me, pray, how great the treasure was,
our Lord demanded of Saint Peter first,
before He placed the Keys in his control?
Surely he asked for naught but ‘Follow me.’
Nor yet did Peter or the rest take gold
or silver from Matthias, when by lot
he took the place the guilty soul had lost.
Therefore keep still, for thou art rightly punished;
and take good care of that ill-gotten wealth,
which caused thee to be valiant against Charles.
And were it not for this, that I am still
thou hadst in keeping in the joyful life,
words of still greater weight would I employ;
because your greed, by trampling on the good
and raising the depraved, afflicts the world.
The Evangelist was thinking of your shepherds,
when she, who on the waters hath her seat,
was seen by him to fornicate with kings;
the one who with the seven heads was born,
and from the ten horns her support received,
while virtue still was pleasing to her spouse.
Ye' ve made yourselves a god of gold and silver;
and from idolaters how differ ye,
save that they worship one, and ye a hundred?
Ah, Constantine, of how much ill was mother,
not thy conversion, but the dower-gift
the earliest wealthy Father took from thee!”
While I was singing him such notes as these,
he, whether it were wrath or conscience bit him,
was fiercely kicking out with both his feet.
I verily believe it pleased my Leader,
he heeded with so glad a look throughout
the utterance of those true, clear words of mine.
He therefore took me up with both his arms,
and when he had me wholly on his breast,
he climbed again the path down which he came;
nor tired of holding me in his embrace,
but bore me to the summit of the arch,
which crosses from the fourth bank to the fifth.
When there, he gently set his burden down,
gently, because that crag was rough and steep,
and would be difficult for goats to cross;
from thence another trench was shown to me.
[1] 恩格斯:《〈共产党宣言〉1893年意大利版序言》,见《马克思恩格斯选集》第一卷,269页,北京:人民出版社,1995。
[2] 但丁:《神曲》,王维克译,325页,北京:人民文学出版社,1997。