Eluding thus their hostile purposes. Then with compunction each of them was stung, But he the most[608] whose slackness made them fail; Therefore he started, 'Caught!' upon his tongue. But little it bested, nor could prevail His wings 'gainst fear. Below the other went, While he with upturned breast aloft did sail. And as the falcon, when, on its descent, 130 The wild duck suddenly dives out of sight, Returns outwitted back, and malcontent; To be befooled filled Calcabrin with spite. Hovering he followed, wishing in his mind The wretch escaping should leave cause for fight. When the barrator vanished, from behind He on his comrade with his talons fell And clawed him, 'bove the moat with him entwined. The other was a spar-hawk terrible To claw in turn; together then the two 140 Plunged in the boiling pool. The heat full well How to unlock their fierce embraces knew; But yet they had no power[609] to rise again, So were their wings all plastered o'er with glue. Then Barbariccia, mourning with his train, Caused four to fly forth to the other side With all their grapplers. Swift their flight was ta'en. Down to the place from either hand they glide, Reaching their hooks to those who were limed fast, And now beneath the scum were being fried. 150 And from them thus engaged we onward passed. FOOTNOTES: [594] _O Aretines_: Dante is mentioned as having taken part in the campaign of 1289 against Arezzo, in the course of which the battle of Campaldino was fought. But the text can hardly refer to what he witnessed in that campaign, as the field of it was almost confined to the Casentino, and little more than a formal entrance was made on the true Aretine territory; while the chronicles make no mention of jousts and forays. There is, however, no reason to think but that Dante was engaged in the attack made by Florence on the Ghibeline Arezzo in the early summer of the preceding year. In a few days the Florentines and their allies had taken above forty castles and strongholds, and devastated the enemy's country far and near; and, though unable to take the capital, they held all kinds of warlike games in front of it. Dante was then twenty-three years of age, and according to the Florentine constitution of that period would, in a full muster of the militia, be required to serve as a cavalier without pay, and providing his own horse and arms. [595] _Bell_: The use of the bell for martial music was common in the Italy of the thirteenth century. The great war-bell of the Florentines was carried with them into the field.