Canto IX
Dante, alarmed by Virgil's anxiety, tactfully enquires of him whether he really knows the way through Hell, and gets a reassuring answer. The Furies appear and threaten to unloose Medusa. A noise like thunder announces the arrival of a Heavenly Messenger, who opens the gates of Dis and rebukes the demons. When he has departed, the poets enter the City, and find themselves in a great plain covered with the burning tombs of Heretics.
Canto X
As the poets are passing along beneath the city walls, Dante is hailed by Farinata from one of the burning tombs, and goes to speak to him. Their conversation is interrupted by Cavalcante dei Cavalcanti with a question about his son. Farinata prophesies Dante's exile and explains how the souls in Hell know nothing about the present, though they can remember the past and dimly foresee the future.
This may be just because this has been such a strange and dangerous year, but someone said they suspected the riots were about to reignite this weekend, and now I'm infected with foreboding about that. I guess the best thing to do is to pray and place ourselves in God's hands, and do as much as we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Unfortunately, I feel woefully unprepared in that latter category and don't really have a good idea how to change it.
We struggle not against flesh and blood, and, for that matter, our salvation is not of politics and this world. God be with you.
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Saturday, June 20, 2020
Cantos VII & VIII The Hoarders & Spendthrifts and the Wrathful
Canto VII
At the entrance to the Fourth Circle, the poets are opposed by Pluto, and Virgil is again obliged to use a "word of power". In this circle, the Hoarders and Spendthrifts roll huge rocks against each other, and here Virgil explains the nature and working of Luck (or Fortune). Then, crossing the circle, they descend the cliff to the Marsh of Styx, which forms the Fifth Circle and contains the Wrathful. Skirting its edge, they reach the foot of a tower.
Canto VIII
From the watch-tower on the edge of the marsh a beacon signals to the garrison of the City of Dis that Dante and Virgil are approaching, and a boat is sent to fetch them. Phlegyas ferries them across Styx. On the way, they encounter Filippo Argenti, one of the Wrathful, who is recognized by Dante and tries to attack him. They draw near to the red-hot walls of the City and after a long circuit disembark at the gate. Virgil parleys with the fallen angels who are on guard there, but they slam the gate in his face. The two poets are obliged to wait for Divine assistance.
And the silencing continues. Most of us here were frequent commenters at The Federalist. Now, alas, that is gone, with all its amusing arguments. We'll see if they ever get something back. I must say, it is genuinely amusing to hear the tepid Federalist characterized as "far right". (If they were counting the comments section, though, they may be right.)
On the other hand, one of ours has started his own blog, so check it out please, at From Outside the Wall.
Love your families. Pray for our leaders. Go to church this weekend if you can. God be with you.
At the entrance to the Fourth Circle, the poets are opposed by Pluto, and Virgil is again obliged to use a "word of power". In this circle, the Hoarders and Spendthrifts roll huge rocks against each other, and here Virgil explains the nature and working of Luck (or Fortune). Then, crossing the circle, they descend the cliff to the Marsh of Styx, which forms the Fifth Circle and contains the Wrathful. Skirting its edge, they reach the foot of a tower.
Canto VIII
From the watch-tower on the edge of the marsh a beacon signals to the garrison of the City of Dis that Dante and Virgil are approaching, and a boat is sent to fetch them. Phlegyas ferries them across Styx. On the way, they encounter Filippo Argenti, one of the Wrathful, who is recognized by Dante and tries to attack him. They draw near to the red-hot walls of the City and after a long circuit disembark at the gate. Virgil parleys with the fallen angels who are on guard there, but they slam the gate in his face. The two poets are obliged to wait for Divine assistance.
And the silencing continues. Most of us here were frequent commenters at The Federalist. Now, alas, that is gone, with all its amusing arguments. We'll see if they ever get something back. I must say, it is genuinely amusing to hear the tepid Federalist characterized as "far right". (If they were counting the comments section, though, they may be right.)
On the other hand, one of ours has started his own blog, so check it out please, at From Outside the Wall.
Love your families. Pray for our leaders. Go to church this weekend if you can. God be with you.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
An S.F. tour of Hell
So for the first midweek post on the Inferno, I thought I'd refer you to another author's take on the same subject.
Niven and Pournelle's Inferno follows the adventures of a recently deceased science fiction author traveling through Hell with the aid of a guide (whom I will not name, although much of the publicity material spoils the surprise). He sees some of the same areas that Dante witnessed, as well as ones that either Dante missed or simply did not exist yet. Overall, it's not a bad story, and it has a sequel as well.
One interesting feature of the story is that the main character is heavily skeptical of the afterlife and spends much of the book trying to figure out what's going on, since obviously, he couldn't actually be in Hell, which obviously doesn't exist.
The sequel eventually settles on a theory somewhat like that in C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, that Hell is effective Purgatory for those who choose to repent and truly Hell for those who remain obstinate in their sins. As to the theological validity of this idea, I can't say right now.
Having read both Niven & Pournelle's Inferno and Escape from Hell, though, I can say they're good stories, and nothing in them is patently offensive to Christians, which is, in itself, a nice feature these days.
One interesting feature of the story is that the main character is heavily skeptical of the afterlife and spends much of the book trying to figure out what's going on, since obviously, he couldn't actually be in Hell, which obviously doesn't exist.
The sequel eventually settles on a theory somewhat like that in C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, that Hell is effective Purgatory for those who choose to repent and truly Hell for those who remain obstinate in their sins. As to the theological validity of this idea, I can't say right now.
Having read both Niven & Pournelle's Inferno and Escape from Hell, though, I can say they're good stories, and nothing in them is patently offensive to Christians, which is, in itself, a nice feature these days.
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Cantos V and VI The Lustful and the Gluttonous
Canto V The Second Circle - the lustful
Dante and Virgil descend for the First Circle to the Second (the first of the Circles of Incontinence). On the threshold sits Minos, the judge of Hell, assigning the souls to their appropriate places of torment. His opposition is overcome by Virgil's word of power, and the poets enter the Circle, where the souls of the Lustful are tossed for ever upon a howling wind. After Virgil has pointed out a number of famous lovers, Dante speaks the shade of Francesca da Rimini, who tells him her story.
Canto VI The Third Circle - the gluttonous
Dante now finds himself in the Third Circle, where the Gluttonous lie wallowing in the mire, drenched by perpetual rain and mauled by the three-headed dog Cerberus. After Virgil has quieted Cerberus by throwing earth into his jaws, Dante talks to the shade of Ciacco, a Florentine, who prophesies some of the disasters which are about to befall Florence, and tells him where he will find certain other of their fellow-citizens. Virgil tells Dante what the condition of the spirits will be, after the Last Judgment.
I have to start making midweek posts again. I have two options I can do, either featuring stories or art which cover the sins depicted in the various parts of the poem or else featuring various depictions of Hell. I am up for suggestions along either line.
Anyway, thanks for sticking with this, guys. I hope you're finding the book fascinating. For this one, of course, a modern reader also needs an extensive set of footnotes.
Dante and Virgil descend for the First Circle to the Second (the first of the Circles of Incontinence). On the threshold sits Minos, the judge of Hell, assigning the souls to their appropriate places of torment. His opposition is overcome by Virgil's word of power, and the poets enter the Circle, where the souls of the Lustful are tossed for ever upon a howling wind. After Virgil has pointed out a number of famous lovers, Dante speaks the shade of Francesca da Rimini, who tells him her story.
Canto VI The Third Circle - the gluttonous
Dante now finds himself in the Third Circle, where the Gluttonous lie wallowing in the mire, drenched by perpetual rain and mauled by the three-headed dog Cerberus. After Virgil has quieted Cerberus by throwing earth into his jaws, Dante talks to the shade of Ciacco, a Florentine, who prophesies some of the disasters which are about to befall Florence, and tells him where he will find certain other of their fellow-citizens. Virgil tells Dante what the condition of the spirits will be, after the Last Judgment.
I have to start making midweek posts again. I have two options I can do, either featuring stories or art which cover the sins depicted in the various parts of the poem or else featuring various depictions of Hell. I am up for suggestions along either line.
Anyway, thanks for sticking with this, guys. I hope you're finding the book fascinating. For this one, of course, a modern reader also needs an extensive set of footnotes.
Saturday, June 6, 2020
Cantos III and IV - The Vestibule and Limbo
Canto III
Arriving at the gate of Hell, the poets read the inscription upon its lintel. They enter and find themselves in the Vestibule of Hell, where the Futile run perpetually after a moving standard. Passing quickly on the reach the river Acheron. Here the souls of all the damned come at death to be ferried across by Charon, who refuses to take the living body of Dante till Virgil silences him with a word of power. While they are watching the departure of a boatload of souls the river banks are shaken by an earthquake so violent that Dante swoons away.
Canto IV
Recovering from his swoon, Dante finds himself across Acheron and on the edge of the actual pit of Hell. He follows Virgil into the First Circle—the Limbo where the Unbaptized and the Virtuous Pagans dwell "suspended", knowing no torment saving exclusion from the positive bliss of God's presence. Virgil tells him of Christ's Harrowing of Hell, then shows him the habitation of the great men of antiquity—poets, heroes, and philosophers.
Stay safe out there, friends.
Arriving at the gate of Hell, the poets read the inscription upon its lintel. They enter and find themselves in the Vestibule of Hell, where the Futile run perpetually after a moving standard. Passing quickly on the reach the river Acheron. Here the souls of all the damned come at death to be ferried across by Charon, who refuses to take the living body of Dante till Virgil silences him with a word of power. While they are watching the departure of a boatload of souls the river banks are shaken by an earthquake so violent that Dante swoons away.
Canto IV
Recovering from his swoon, Dante finds himself across Acheron and on the edge of the actual pit of Hell. He follows Virgil into the First Circle—the Limbo where the Unbaptized and the Virtuous Pagans dwell "suspended", knowing no torment saving exclusion from the positive bliss of God's presence. Virgil tells him of Christ's Harrowing of Hell, then shows him the habitation of the great men of antiquity—poets, heroes, and philosophers.
Stay safe out there, friends.
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