Ugolino, with his two sons and two grandsons, were
locked in the Tower of Famine at Pisa, the key of the prison was thrown
into the river and the prisoners began their term of starvation ending
in death. The story of the imprisonment and the death of the five
prisoners is one of the most tragic recitals in the domain of
literature. In the passage I quote, Ugolino is relating his feelings
when he finds himself imprisoned with his sons and grandsons in the
Tower of Famine.
"When I awoke before the morn, that day,
I heard my little sons, who shared my cell,
For bread, even in their slumber, moaning pray;
Hard art thou, if unmoved thou hearest me tell
The message that my heart had guessed too well!
If this thou feel not, what can make thee feel?
And when we all were risen, the hour befell
At which was brought to us the morning meal,
Yet each one doubted sore what might their dreams reveal.
And as the locking of the gate I heard
Beneath that terrible tower, I gazed alone
Into my children's faces, without a word.
I wept not, for within I turned to stone;
But saw that they were weeping every one;
'Twas then my darling little Anselm cried:
'You look so, father! Say, what have they done?'
Still not a tear I shed, nor word replied
That day, nor till that night in next day's dawning died.
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