This said, the thief lifted his hands on high,
Making the figs with both his thumbs, and shrieking:
“The fico for Thee, God! take that, say I!”
At once I liked the snakes; for one came sneaking
About his throat, and wreathed itself around
As though to say: “I will not have thee speaking.”[Al fine de le sue parole il ladro
le mani alzò con amendue le fiche,
gridando: “Togli, Dio, ch’a te le squadro!”.
Da indi in qua mi fuor le serpi amiche,
perch’una li s’avvolse allora al collo,
come dicesse ’Non vo’ che più diche’.]Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) Italian poet
The Divine Comedy [Divina Commedia], Book 1 “Inferno,” Canto 25, l. 1ff (25.1-6) (1320) [tr. Sayers (1949)]
(Source)
In Circle 8, the 7th Bolgia, where thieves are tormented by snakes. After chatting with Dante, one of the damned souls makes obscene gestures toward God.
The "fig" is generally thought to be poking the thumb between the index and middle finger, a gesture still found around the Mediterranean and Latin America, and carries the same sentiment as flipping someone off. The precise gesture is debated (with relish) by Dante scholars, all of whom agree at the very least that it is a naughty one.
(Source (Italian)). Alternate translations:When thus the Thief had spoken, he his hands
Lifted aloft with mocking signs, and cried;
"See these, O God, for pointed they're to you."
The Serpents now were to me friends become;
For one entiwn'd himself about this neck,
As if he'd say, You shall not more blaspheme.
[tr. Rogers (1782)]Sternly he ceas'd, with execrations dire;
And, loud blaspheming Heav'n's Eternal Sire,
He rais'd his ruffian hands, and dare his wrath!
But soon a spiny snake his members binds,
Another round his vocal passage winds,
And stops with many a fold the felon's breath.
[tr. Boyd (1802), st. 1]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!”
[tr. Cary (1814)]The plunderer ceased, and twisting both his thumbs
Between the fingers, tossed his hands on high,
Crying, "Take mine homage, God, to thee it comes!"
Thenceforth befriended me the serpent fry.
For one around his neck that moment twined.
As it had said, "None other word will I
From him."
[tr. Dayman (1843)]At the conclusion of his words, the thief raised up his hands with both the figs, shouting: "Take them, God, for at thee I aim them!"
From this time forth, the serpents were my friends; for one of them then coiled itself about his neck, as if saying: "Thou shalt speak no farther!"
[tr. Carlyle (1849)]And when his words were ended, there the thief
Upraises his hands in mockery on high --
"Take them, O God! I level them at thee."
Henceforth the serpent race and I were friends;
One, at the point, his neck entwining o'er,
As if -- "I do not wish thee to say more."
[tr. Bannerman (1850)]He spoke, and when he ended then the thief
His hands uplifted, and with sign obscene,
Exclaim'd -- "Thus I defy thee, oh, thou God!"
Henceforth as friends I held that serpent brood,
For one of them coil'd instant round his neck,
As if he would have said -- "Speak thou no more!"
[tr. Johnston (1867)]At the conclusion of his words, the thief
Lifted his hands aloft with both the figs,
Crying: "Take that, God, for at thee I aim them."
From that time forth the serpents were my friends;
For one entwined itself about his neck
As if it said: "I will not thou speak more"
[tr. Longfellow (1867)]At the end of his speech the robber raised his hands with both their figs, crying, 'Take them, God, for at thee I show them.' From that time to this have the serpents been my friends, seeing that one wound itself then about his neck, as though it said: 'I will not that thou say more.'
[tr. Butler (1885)]When he had closed his speech the robber there
Raised his clenched fingers with the thumb thrust through,
Shouting: "God take him, him to thee I bare."
Then did the serpents prove my guardians true,
For one entwined himself around his neck.
As though it said. Thou shalt not speak anew.
[tr. Minchin (1885)]At the end of his words the thief raised his hands with both the figs, crying, “Take that, God! for at thee I square them.” Thenceforth the serpents were my friends, for then one coiled around his neck, as if it said, “I will not that thou say more.”
[tr. Norton (1892)]His words came to an end, the thief held both his hands aloft with scornful gesture, the while he cried aloud: " Take it, God, for it is at Thee I aim it."
From thenceforth were the snakes my friends, for at that moment one of them entwined himself about his neck, as if to say," 'Tis not my will that thou shouldst utter more."
[tr. Sullivan (1893)]When he had made an end of words, the robber
Upraised his hands with both the figs of insult,
Crying out: "Take it, God, at thee I square them."
Serpents have been endeared to me thenceforward;
For on his neck one coiled itself that moment,
As who should say: "I let thee not speak further."
[tr. Griffith (1908)]At the end of his words the thief lifted up his hands with both the figs, crying, "Take that, God, for at Thee I square them!" From that time forth the serpents were my friends, for one coiled itself then about his neck, as if to say: I will not have thee say more."
[tr. Sinclair (1939)]When he had made an end, the thief exclaimed,
Raising his hands with both the figs on high:
"Take thou them, God; at thee, at thee they are aimed."
Thenceforth the serpents were no enemy
To me; for round his neck, as if it hissed
Thou speak'st no more! one coiled and clung thereby.
[tr. Binyon (1943)]When he had finished, the thief -- to his disgrace --
raised his hands with both fists making figs,
and cried: "Here, God! I throw them in your face!"
Thereat the snakes became my friends, for one
coiled itself about the wretch's neck
as if it were saying: "You shall not go on!"
[tr. Ciardi (1954)]At the end of his words the thief raised up his hands with both the figs, crying, “Take them, God, for I aim them at you!” From this time forth the serpents were my friends, for one then coiled itself about his neck, as if it said, “You shall say no more.”
[tr. Singleton (1970)]When he had finished saying this, the thief
shaped his fists into figs and raised them high
and cried: "Here, God, I've shaped them just for you!"
From then on all those snakes became my friends,
for one of them at once coiled round his neck
as if to say, "That's all you're going to say."
[tr. Musa (1971)]When he had finished with his words, the thief
raised high his fists with both figs cocked and cried:
“Take that, o God; I square them off for you!”
From that time on, those serpents were my friends,
for one of them coiled then around his neck,
as if to say, “I'll have you speak no more."
[tr. Mandelbaum (1980)]When he had finished speaking the thief
Raised both his hands, making obscene gestures,
And called out: ‘There you are God, so much for you!’
From that moment the serpents were my friends,
Because one of them wound about his neck
As if to say: ‘I want you to say no more.'
[tr. Sisson (1981)]The thief held up his hands when he was through,
And "God," he cried, making the fig with both --
"Take these: I aim them squarely up at you!"
The serpents were my friends from that time forth.
For then one coiled itself about his neck
As if to say, "That's all then, from your mouth."
[tr. Pinsky (1994)]At the end of his words the thief raised his hands with both the figs, crying: “Take them, God, I’m aiming at you!”
From then on snakes have been my friends, because one of them wrapped itself around his neck, as if to say “I won’t let him say more.”
[tr. Durling (1996)]At the end of his speech, the thief raised his hands, both making the fig, the obscene gesture, with thumb between fingers, shouting: ‘Take this, God, I aim it at you.’ From that moment the snakes were my friends, since one of them coiled itself round his neck, as if hissing: ‘You will not be able to speak again.’
[tr. Kline (2002)]His words now reached their end. And then the robber
hoisted hands on high -- a fig-fuck formed in each --
and screamed: "Take that! I'm aiming, God, at you!"
From that point on, the serpents were my friends.
For one entwined its length around his neck
as if to say: "I'd have him speak no more."
[tr. Kirkpatrick (2006)]Then, making the figs with both his thumbs,
the thief raised up his fists and cried:
'Take that, God! It's aimed at you!'
From that time on the serpents were my friends,
for one of them coiled itself around his neck
as if to say, 'Now you shall speak no more.'
[tr. Hollander/Hollander (2007)]His words thrown down, the thief held up his hands,
Making an obscene gesture with both his thumbs
And crying: "For you, O God, I aim this at you!"
And then I began to like the snakes, for one
Of them was quickly coiling around his neck,
As if saying" "You've talked as much as you're allowed to."
[tr. Raffel (2010)]The thief raised both his hands when he said this,
Two fingers up from each, the figs: and cried
“You get it, God? You know what you can kiss?”
From then on, all the snakes were on my side,
For one looped round his neck, as if to say
“You've said enough.”
[tr. James (2013)]
