LXXXVII.
With pleasing mien, grave walk, and decent vest,
Fraud rolled her eye-balls humbly in her head;
And such benign and modest speech possest,
She might a Gabriel seem who Ave said.[12]
Foul was she and deformed, in all the rest;
But with a mantle, long and widely spread,
Concealed her hideous parts; and evermore
Beneath the stole a poisoned dagger wore.
LXXXVIII.
Of her the good archangel made demand
What way in search of Silence to pursue:
Who said; “He with the Virtues once was scanned,
“Nor dwelt elsewhere; aye guested by the crew
“Of Benedict, or blest Elias’ band,
“When abbeys and when convent-cells were new;
“And whilom in the schools long time did pass,
“With sage Archytas and Pythagoras[13].
LXXXIX.
“But those philosophers and saints of yore
“Extinguished, who had been his former stay,
“From the good habits he had used before
“He passed to evil ones; began to stray,
“Changing his life, at night with lovers, bore
“Thieves company, and sinned in every way:
“He oftentimes consorts with Treason; further,
“I even have beheld him leagued with Murther.
