Canto 8a (The River Styx)

Zach Winters

Compositor: Zach Winters

Here comes the river-boat man
Shooting across the polluted channel
He hails himself with curses as he comes
With signal flames looming in the distance
He can’t tell how deep the River Styx is
And Filippo Argenti rises out of the mud

Phlegyas! Phlegyas! I have a wish
I want to see him brought down in judgment
I want to see him brought down

And then the wraiths swarmed about his ankles
As he fell screaming into the mud
Dante was annoyed, but he kept keeping
His eyes straining for the shore