1. dante and virgil
the time was at the beginning of the morning, and the sun was mounting up with all those stars that were with him when divine love first moved all delightful things, so that the hour of day and the sweet season gave me fair hopes of that creature with the bright pelt.
2. the gate of hell and charon
he replied: 'i will tell you, briefly. they have no hope of death, and their darkened life is so mean that they are envious of every other fate. earth allows no mention of them to exist: mercy and justice reject them; let us not talk of them, but look and pass.'
3. limbo
a heavy thunder shattered the deep sleep in my head, so that i came to myself, like someone woken by force, and, standing up, i moved my eyes, now refreshed, and looked round, steadily, to find out what place i was in. i found myself, in truth, on the brink of the valley of the sad abyss that gathers the thunder of an infinite howling. it was so dark, and deep, and clouded, that i could see nothing by staring into its depths.
4. poets and philosophers, heroes and heroines
so i saw gathered together the noble school, of the lord of highest song, who soars, like an eagle, above the rest. after they had talked for a while amongst themselves, they turned towards me with a sign of greeting, at which my master smiled. and they honoured me further still, since they made me one of their company, so that i made a sixth among the wise.
5. paolo and francesca
i came to a place devoid of light that moans like a tempestuous sea when it is buffeted by warring winds. the hellish storm that never ceases drives the spirits with its force, and, whirling and striking, it molests them. when they come to the ruins there are shouts, moaning and crying, where they blaspheme against divine power. i learnt that the carnal sinners are condemned to these torments, they who subject their reason to their lust.
6. ceberus and plutus
like a sail, bellying in the wind, that falls in a heap if the mast breaks, so that cruel creature fell to earth. in that way, we descended into the fourth circle, taking in a greater width of the dismal bank that encloses every evil of the universe.
7. fortune and phylegyas
phlegyas in his growing anger, was like someone who listens to some great wrong done him and then fills with resentment. my guide climbed down into the boat and then made me board after him, and it only sank in the water when i was in. as soon as my guide and i were in the craft, its prow went forward, ploughing deeper through the water than it does carrying others.
8. the fallen angels
so the gentle father goes and leaves me there, and i am left in doubt: since 'yes' and 'no' war inside my head. i could not hear what terms he offered them, but he had not been standing there long with them, when, each vying with the other, they rushed back. our adversaries closed the gate in my lord's face, leaving him outside, and he turned to me again with slow steps.
9. the furies and the heretics
flames were scattered amongst the tombs by which they were made so red-hot all over that no smith's art needs hotter metal. their lids were all lifted, and such fierce groans came from them that, indeed, they seemed to be those of the sad and wounded.
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| nine circle's of hell |
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