Circle 7, Round 3
Bri M, Brenna R, & Riley L
Summary of Circle
- Dante and Virgil come across the Blasphemers, people against God, on burning sand and with fire rain falling on them.
- After looking at the people and figuring out what their sin and punishment is, Dante and Virgil come across a red river.
- Virgil than tells Dante about the tale of the Old Man of Crete.
- They then continue their journey to the desert and see the sodomites.
- After watching them walk in circles, Brunetto Latini sees Dante and tells him that he will receive some kind of reward for all the things he has done of Florence. (We then find out that Latini was a good friend of Dante but he is in this circle of hell become of his homosexuality.)
- Dante is now approached by 3 souls who were political activists. It is unclear what they did in their life, but they ended up with the rest of the sodomites.
- Virgil asks Dante for his belt to lure Geryon up so he can observe the sinners of this zone while he consults with Geryson. He than leaves the souls to return to Virgil and Geryson.
- Virgil is able to get Geryon to give them a ride to the either circle where they see mobsters who are there because of the corrupt way they deal with money.
Blasphemers
- wrathful and acted with great rage toward God
- used his name in vain and as a curse
What is their punishment?
- naked souls must lay in the burning sand while fire rain is pelting them
- the people who have worse sins are unable to get up making them have more pain because the sand around them catches on fire.
How is it poetic justice?
- the sinners acted with rage towards God so now they are burned with twice the fiery rage of what they gave to God
Sodomites
- souls who deviated from the Roman Catholic Church and their standard of sexuality that sex should be between a husband and wife
What is their punishment?
- they continuously walk in circles and if they stop walking they lie down and be forbidden to brush off the burning rain
How is it poetic justice?
- the souls committed a sin that would continuously hurt someone or continuously affects that person's life so they are walking in circles without stopping because of the guilt of their sin never stops
Usurers
- souls who committed usury which the the lending of money with an interest charge for its use
What is their punishment?
- sitting on the edge of the burning plain with a purse hanging from their neck and their eyes are eternally fixed on the sight of the purses
How is it poetic justice?
- the souls have to be constantly reminded of the monetary injustice they committed during their earthly lives
Modern Blasphemer
Anton LaVey - creator of the Church of Satan and has a strong dislike towards God and west against His word
Cirlce 7, Round 3
Modern Sodomite
Quote #1
"enormous herds of naked souls...lamenting till their eyes were burned of tears; they seemed condemned by an unequal of law, for some were stretched supine upon the ground, some squatted with their arms about themselves, and others without pause roamed round and round.” Pg 111
This is Dante’s way of describing what he sees and how there are 3 main groups of people located in the circle and each group has a different punishment that matches their sins in earth.
Quote #2
Conversation between souls and Dante
“Tell me if courtesy and valor raise their banners on our city as of old, or has the glory faded from its days... O Florence! Your sudden wealth and overwhelming, already set you overweening. Already set you weeping in your heart!” pg 129
These quotes show the strong dislike of Florence and that Dante wishes that it could be changed.
Quote #3
“His face was innocent of every guile, benign and just in feature and expression; and under it his body was half reptile. His to great paws were hairy to the armpits; all his back and breast and both his flanks were figured with bright knots and subtle circlets” pg 135
Dante is using Geryon as a symbol of fraud by having each part of his body represent something else, for example, his innocent face symbolizes how naive humans can be.
Allusions
Vocabulary Words
Sluice - a sliding gate or other device for controlling the flow of water, especially one in a lock gate.
Malignant - (of a disease) very virulent or infectious that becomes progressively worse over time