Dante The Inferno Pdf
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Hell (also known as The Woeful Realm, L'inferno in Italian) was a realm of the afterlife, where unrepentant mortals who committed sin are sent to be tortured as punishment for eternity. Composed of nine circles (or nine levels), the Inferno was strictly Lucifer's domain, devoid of God and His love. Each circle acted as a prison for the souls who committed certain types of sins, and they are punished in a poetic manner in death.
The Shores of Acheron are the outermost edges of this realm beyond the Gates of Hell. The shades that wandered its shores lived life with neither fame nor infamy, having only ever served themselves rather than choose a side. Denied Paradise, they are not required to enter The Woeful Realm, and they are not welcomed in either place.
The first circle, Limbo, is the resting place of the unbaptized, and the virtuous pagans who did not accept Christ nor had the opportunity to know about him, despite not being sinful in life. Limbo was on the outer boundary of Hell, just across the Acheron River. The guiltless Damned are punished by living in a grand yet deficient form of Heaven. They are treated with honor and they are not physically harmed in any way. Lacking a baptism, they lack the hope for something greater than themselves, despite the strength of their goodness.
Below Limbo was the second circle, Lust. In this circle, the carnal Damned are punished in an endless tempest of fierce winds, representing the power of Lust to blow one around aimlessly and needlessly. These shades are permitted no rest at all, the tempest being a physical embodiment of their lusts never giving them rest in life. Cleopatra, who ruled over the shades atop the Carnal Tower, resided here with her lover Marc Anthony.
Below Lust was the third circle, Gluttony, where the overindulgent souls laid in a vile slush produced by unceasing, foul and icy rains forever. The rains and sludge symbolized the cold and empty sensuality of their lives, and the waste that their voraciousness generated. The rest of the terrain resembled digestive organs, in keeping with the aesthetics of the circle.
This level was guarded by the three-headed worm demon, Cerberus. Beyond him was the circle proper, as well as the Hall of Gluttons. This frozen, maze-like hall was reserved for those of royalty and high status, who indulged in food and drinks to gross excess in life. In death, they are constantly devoured and excreted by several Gluttons for eternity.
Below Gluttony was the fourth circle, Greed. Those whose attitude toward the material goods deviated from the appropriate mean are punished here. This included the avaricious (hoarding valuable possessions and money) and the prodigal (those who squandered such goods). Within the circle, the occupants are boiled alive in the molten gold below. Here, Plutus, the demonic God of Wealth, resides along with Lady Fortune, a gigantic "wheel of fortune," which impacts the fate of those who are still alive on Earth.
Below Greed was the fifth circle, Anger. In the River Styx, the wrathful fought each other on the surface. The sullen are sunken gurgling beneath the water, as they are withdrawn "into a black sulkiness which could find no joy in God or man or the universe." This swampy and noxious terrain was guarded by its ferryman, Phlegyas, who transported passengers across. Beyond the river was the City of Dis, which was the residence of the Fallen Angels and the gateway to the final four circles of Hell.
Below Anger was the sixth circle, Heresy. In this circle, the heretics, such as Epicureans (those who believed that "the soul died with the body") are trapped alongside those who denied the existence of God and the soul after death, and those who worshiped false idols and devils. In this burning cemetery, the Pagans, the followers of Epicurus and atheists are burned alive in partially sealed coffins, crypts and tombs for eternity.
Following Heresy was the seventh circle, Violence. This circle was guarded by the Minotaur (a mechanical statue in the game) and separated into three parts: Violence against others (Murder), Violence against self (Suicide) and Violence against God (Blasphemy). Those who acted with violence against others are boiled in a boiling river of blood, the Phlegethon, which was guarded by the Centaurs. These creatures kept those who are trapped within the Phlegethon from escaping. Those who committed suicide or violence against themselves are placed in the Wood of the Suicides, condemned to writhe in eternal pain as gnarled trees. As a penalty for having given their old bodies up, they are denied a human form in death. Finally, those who showed violence against God are placed in the harsh region of the Abominable Sands. This area includes those who are guilty of sodomy, perversion of Nature and blasphemy against God. They are condemned to wander among the burning sand dunes, as the flaming brimstone rained down upon them.
Below Violence was the eighth circle, Fraud. Fraud was an extremely dark place that held those who are guilty of deliberate, knowing evil: using lies and deception for personal gain. This circle was divided into ten ditches, known collectively as the Malebolge (singular bolgia, meaning "ditch" or "pit"). Each of the Malebolge held a different type of liar, and a different and appropriately poetic form of punishment.
Finally, beneath Fraud was the ninth circle, Treachery. This was the farthest place in all of creation from the light of God. It was located at the Earth's core, and was the deepest and blackest of all of the circles. This was where the traitors are distinguished from the "merely" fraudulent. Their acts involved betraying family, community, guests and God Himself. Alongside the traitors, the Giants of myth are condemned here, guarding the entrance to the circle for their daring to battle against the divine. Due to such an extreme absence of Love among these sinners, there is no warmth here, and the circle was depicted as a large, frozen lake holding the traitors captive within the ice. At the very center of Treachery, Lucifer is trapped at the very center of Lake Cocytus, frozen from the waist down. The futile beating of his wings caused an icy wind, which, combined with the tears he sheds, only serve to trap him in the ice further along with his fellow traitors.
The following table included the characters who are known to be in Hell at some point during the series. Naturally, it could be assumed that any mortal in the Dante universe could eventually become a resident. Note: Characters with technical matters or special circumstances would appear with a "*" next to their name.
In the original book, Beatrice is mentioned in the Inferno and Purgatorio, but does not appear physically until the Paradiso section, serving as Dante's guide through Heaven as Virgil could not enter the presence of God. She acts here as the personification of Beatific Love and as a guardian spirit for Dante.
In the game, Beatrice is cast as the fiancee of Dante, who is killed before Dante returns from the Crusades. He witnesses her abduction by Lucifer, with whom she made a wager. She lost this wager due to Dante's infidelity. Furious with Dante, she accepts Lucifer's hand and she becomes queen of the Woeful Realm, but she is ultimately saved by Dante's love for her.
A former Pope who was exceedingly lax in office, leading to Boniface VIII becoming his successor and to Dante's eventual exile. Barred from entering Hell for not choosing a side in life and banned from Heaven and Purgatory for the same reason.
A Roman governor of Biblical lore who stood aside when Jesus of Nazareth was executed by the Pharisees. Barred from entering Hell for not choosing a side in life, banned from Heaven and Purgatory for the same reason.
The Biblical figures of the Old Testament who were originally damned to Limbo, but taken with Christ to Heaven during the Harrowing of Hell. Mentioned by Virgil both in the book and game, but these shades never physically appeared as they are no longer in Hell.
The mythological princess of Mycenae and daughter of King Agamemnon. In the original book, she is in Hell for being a pagan and could not enter Heaven because of it. She is praised in Limbo for her fortitude under the abuse of her mother, and for insisting on avenging her father's death. In the game, she is instead damned for taking the law into her own hands, murdering her mother to avenge the death of her father.
The mythological crown prince of Troy, noted for his gallantry, piety and prowess in battle. He was killed in battle by Achilles with divine help from the gods. His corpse was mocked and defiled until Priam, Hector's father and the Trojan King, begged for the body back for burial, which Achilles, who was moved to tears, granted.
The demigod son of the goddess Venus and the Trojan prince Anchises, who escaped from the Sack of Troy and went on to become the King of Latinum (Italy). All Roman Emperors, particularly the Julio-Claudian dynasty, claimed descent from Aeneas through his son, Iulus (Julus/Julius).
The famous Roman general and dictator, who attempted to unite the Roman Republic under his rule as king, but was murdered by members of the Roman Senate. His grand-nephew and heir, Octavian, became the first Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar.
An Amazon Queen and demigod daughter of the god Ares, who challenged the hero Achilles to single combat. Upon killing her, Achilles greatly lamented her death after removing her helmet and realizing how beautiful she was.
The mythological princess of the Volsci tribe of Italy, who had dedicated herself to the goddess Diana for saving her life as an infant. Camilla was known for her impressive speed, but was killed in battle against Aeneas and his Trojan allies when he fought for the hand of Lavinia.
Two legendary Roman figures, who helped end the tyranny of the Roman Kings and established the Republic. After being raped by the son of Tarquin, Rome's final king, Lucretia quickly revealed what happened to her husband, Brutus, and his allies. Despite Brutus's support for his wife, Lucretia proceeded to commit honorable suicide. In retaliation, Brutus led a successful revolt against Tarquin and his family, overthrowing and exiling the king.
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