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region inhabited by a monster with the visage of a just man and reptile's body and stinging tail. Platonic tesselations of Riemann surfaces
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The beast, the monster, Geryon, swims up through the air,
passes mountains, breaks through walls and weapons
makes the whole world stink
(2-3).
Like the other guards we've encountered, Geryon represents what it is he precedes. Having been summoned by a symbol of simplicity and spiritualism, this beast of compound complexity and materialism has the face of an honest man
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benign and just in feature and expression
and under it his body was half reptile
(11-2).
Ciardi describes him as derived from a Spanish myth that, nonetheless, makes its way into a Grecian one through the connection of his having been killed by Hercules. Dante, Ciardi writes, probably relies upon a later tradition, which "represents him as killing and robbing strangers whom he lured into his realm," and may have drawn from Revelation 9: 9-20 in his depiction of him
che passa i monti e rompe i muri e l'armi! 2 past mountains, shatters walls and weapons!
Ecco colei che tutto 'l mondo appuzza!" 3 Behold the one whose stench afflicts the world!'
e accennolle che venisse a proda, 5 Then he signaled to the beast to come ashore
vicino al fin d'i passeggiati marmi. 6 close to the border of our stony pathway.
sen venne, e arrivò la testa e 'l busto, 8 beached its head and chest
ma 'n su la riva non trasse la coda. 9 but did not draw its tail up on the bank.
tanto benigna avea di fuor la pelle, 11 benevolent in countenance,
e d'un serpente tutto l'altro fusto; 12 but all the rest of it was serpent.
lo dosso e 'l petto e ambedue le coste 14 and back and chest and both its flanks
dipinti avea di nodi e di rotelle. 15 were painted and inscribed with rings and curlicues.
non fer mai drappi Tartari né Turchi, 17 in warp and woof or in embroidery on top,
né fuor tai tele per Aragne imposte. 18 nor were such colors patterned on Arachne's loom
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che passa i monti e rompe i muri e l'armi!
ReplyDeletepast mountains, shatters walls and weapons!
Ecco colei che tutto 'l mondo appuzza!"
3Behold the one whose stench afflicts the world!'
e accennolle che venisse a proda, 5 Then he signaled to the beast to come ashore
vicino al fin d'i passeggiati marmi. 6 close to the border of our stony pathway.
sen venne, e arrivò la testa e 'l busto,
8 beached its head and chest
ma 'n su la riva non trasse la coda. 9 but did not draw its tail up on the bank.
tanto benigna avea di fuor la pelle, 11 benevolent in countenance,
e d'un serpente tutto l'altro fusto; 12 but all the rest of it was serpent.
lo dosso e 'l petto e ambedue le coste 14 and back and chest and both its flanks
dipinti avea di nodi e di rotelle. 15 were painted and inscribed with rings and curlicues.
non fer mai drappi Tartari né Turchi, 17 in warp and woof or in embroidery on top,
né fuor tai tele per Aragne imposte. 18 nor were such colors patterned on Arachne's loom