Dante's Inferno: An Examination of Justice

I just finished reading The Inferno and I have to say, it was a good read. If you don't know what it is, it is the first part of The Divine Comedy by an Italian named Dante Alighieri. In it he is taken on a journey to Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso: Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven in the Christian faith. The Inferno is probably the most famous. In it Dante examines justice, derp. The idea is, all of these people have done wrong (in the eyes of a fourteenth century Catholic in the middle of some of the most turbulent times on the Italian peninsula) and for that they are punished justly. interesting idea, I'd suggest reading it. What are your thoughts?

Im in the middle of reading it, great so far.

Oh, quick overview of the circles

Outside Hell: the vestibule, where those who are neither good nor evil are chasing a banner with no emblem in the dark for eternity.

First Circle: Limbo, a place for people who were good, but were not Baptized. Not so much a punishment, actually it is a pretty nice place, only problem is that people in it know that they have no hope of heaven.

Second Circle: Carnal sins, more commonly called lust. People are propelled about by a great wind for all of eternity. No Pain. Much more focus on lust as a cause for death (man and women die because they give into lust and have an affair). Much more focus on the defining aspect of one's life, a theme that plays throughout the rest of the story.

Third Circle: Gluttony. Still idea that gluttony defines ones life. Naked in a monsoon being eaten by Cerberus (a lot of greek references in this poem) every once in a while.

Fourth Circle: Greed: Forced to push around large sacks of gold for eternity. Think A Christmas Carol. Also, Dante notes the number of clergy here. Important because at that time, something like that was a capital offense, and it gets worse.

Fifth Circle: Anger. Crimes of Passion. Those enraged must be, poetically, in a constant state of rage for eternity, tearing each other apart. While those underwater (it is on a sea), those mad at the world, are sullen and moan.

Sixth Circle: Heresy. In the City of Dis, also thought to be Rome, those heretics (many Muslims) are free to roam about until the end of the world, where upon they will be enclosed in individual tombs filled with fire. And here we have our first of three Popes. Yes, Popes. See why this was controversial? This Pope, I forget his name, was put there for disagreeing with a previous excommunication.

Seventh Circle: Violence. There are three separate punishments for Violence. 1. Violence against others: stand in a river of boiling blood, with the blood as high as to fit your crime. If you try to get out, centaurs shoot arrows at you. 2. Violence against self: Suicides are turned into bracken, but can feel pain, while harpies eat their leaves (incredibly painful). Also, those who ruined their lives are hear also (guy loses everything to parties and gambling, joins the army to die). 3. Violence against God: 3 types: loan sharks, sodomites, and blasphemers have to sit, lie down, or run through a desert of burning sand

Eighth Circle: Fraud: 10 'Bolgias'. Look them all up if you want. But two Popes, Muhammed (as a schismatic, very interesting), Odysseus, and others are here. Everyone from panderers (pimps) to counterfeiters are here.

Ninth Circle: Final circle. Those who are traitors are here. Trapped in a lake of ice. Satan is here and has 3 heads, and each head is eating someone. One is Judas, one is Trajan (if i remember correctly), and I forget who the other is.

it's one of my favorite books of all time, i told everyone about it and assigned people to there place in hell (there is a test about it online that is really good, but hard to find i'll try to re-find it)


it really did put the oh shit i better not sin factor into your head.

True that.

http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.mv

here is the test, i urge people to take it and post there results.


Fifth Level of Hell
The river Styx runs through this level of Hell, and in it are punished the wrathful and the gloomy. The former are forever lashing out at each other in anger, furious and naked, tearing each other piecemeal with their teeth. The latter are gurgling in the black mud, slothful and sullen, withdrawn from the world. Their lamentations bubble to the surface as they try to repeat a doleful hymn, though with unbroken words they cannot say it. Because you lived a cruel, vindictive and hateful life, you meet your fate in the Styx.



Purgatory Repenting Believers Moderate
Level 1 - Limbo Virtuous Non-Believers Low
Level 2 Lustful High
Level 3 Gluttonous Low
Level 4 Prodigal and Avaricious Low
Level 5 Wrathful and Gloomy Very High
Level 6 - The City of Dis Heretics Very Low
Level 7 Violent Very High
Level 8- the Malebolge Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers High
Level 9 - Cocytus Treacherous High

It sounds like a painful , painful book to read. I don't know why anything like this would actually be good? It's about religious people's opinions on justice? What?

Do what I did. Even though i am Catholic, I took it out of religious context. The idea isn't so much the punishments, but on the justice people receive. Being from the 14th century, it is very religious, but that's alright. Look at it this way: it blew my mind more than Orwell, Hemingway, Shakespeare, etc. By the end, you'll be glad you read it.

By the way, there is an online copy with notes by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and illustrations.

Brutus is the third one if I recall correctly

the two main betrayers of Caesar and Judas.

First Level of Hell - Limbo
Charon ushers you across the river Acheron, and you find yourself upon the brink of grief's abysmal valley. You are in Limbo, a place of sorrow without torment. You encounter a seven-walled castle, and within those walls you find rolling fresh meadows illuminated by the light of reason, whereabout many shades dwell. These are the virtuous pagans, the great philosophers and authors, unbaptised children, and others unfit to enter the kingdom of heaven. You share company with Caesar, Homer, Virgil, Socrates, and Aristotle. There is no punishment here, and the atmosphere is peaceful, yet sad.


Even though I am not Pagan and have been baptized. But the heck with it I get to live with Caesar, Homer, and Aristotle!

Lucky mother fucker.

Limbo, actually doesn't seem that bad. You just don't have the pleasures of heaven, but on the other hand you can debate with Roman and Greek pagan philosphers, (militairy) leaders 'till eternity!

As long as Im hanging with Caesar. I even put on the test that I dont believe in God trololol.

Second Level of Hell

You have come to a place mute of all light, where the wind bellows as the sea does in a tempest. This is the realm where the lustful spend eternity. Here, sinners are blown around endlessly by the unforgiving winds of unquenchable desire as punishment for their transgressions. The infernal hurricane that never rests hurtles the spirits onward in its rapine, whirling them round, and smiting, it molests them. You have betrayed reason at the behest of your appetite for pleasure, and so here you are doomed to remain. Cleopatra and Helen of Troy are two that share in your fate.


FUCK YEAH, I HANG WITH CLEOPATRA!!!!

then you become a heretic lol

Helen will be mine! MINE!

No, but you know what's funny? Those levels of hell so far are meant to be the place where you spend your eternal punishment, but you can also hang out with all those cool guys! Always look on the bright side of life! Oh wait life's over!

well apparently it means Im in level 1. Im not complaining.

I'm looking at the bright side of the AFTERlife. =P

Purgatory Repenting Believers Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo Very High
Level 2 Lustful Moderate
Level 3 Gluttonous Very Low
Level 4 Prodigal and Avaricious Very Low
Level 5 Wrathful and Gloomy Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis Heretics Very High
Level 7 Violent Low
Level 8- the Malebolge Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus Treacherous Low

Of to the City Of Dis I guess, doesn't sound to bad.