Mark Turner Wireless Books: Dante

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Dante Alighieri wrote "The Divine Comedy," which includes "Inferno," in the 14th century. He began writing the poem in the early 14th century and completed it shortly before his death in 1321. This masterpiece is considered one of the most significant works of Italian literature and is a product of the Late Middle Ages.

The Divine Comedy is comprised of three volumes of which the Inferno is the first part. This epic poem takes us on a harrowing journey through the circles of Hell, each one meticulously crafted to punish the souls within according to their sins.

I have selected only a handful of passages to highlight. From the icy prisons of the Ninth Circle to the fiery City of Dis, we get a glimpse of the artist's vision from the vantage point of the 21st-century's own new infernal beast - A.I. Generative Art.

The Story of the Inferno

and Dante's Meeting with the long-dead Poet Virgil.

The poem begins with Dante, the narrator and protagonist, finding himself lost in a dark forest, symbolizing a state of spiritual crisis and confusion. He is unable to find the right path to salvation. At this moment of despair, Virgil, an ancient Roman poet, here representing reason and wisdom, is sent to Dante by divine intervention. Virgil's arrival is facilitated by the intercession of the spirit of Dante's beloved Beatrice, who is in Heaven. Beatrice implores Virgil to guide Dante out of the darkness and through the realms of the afterlife.

Virgil, taking on this mission, appears before Dante and offers to be his guide. He explains that Dante must journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven to find his way back to the path of righteousness. Dante, trusting in the divine plan, accepts Virgil as his guide, and their journey through the afterlife begins.

Dante’s Layout of Hell:

This division of Hell into upper and lower parts reflects the increasing gravity of sins and the corresponding intensity of the punishments as Dante descends further into the abyss.

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Upper Hell (Circles 1-5): The upper part of Hell consists of the first five circles and is reserved for those who committed sins of incontinence and excess. These souls are punished for sins such as lust, gluttony, greed, anger, and heresy. The punishments here are more symbolic and reflect the sins committed in life, but they are not as severe as those in the lower part of Hell.

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Lower Hell (Circles 6-9): The lower part of Hell encompasses the final four circles and is where the punishment becomes increasingly severe. Here, the souls are condemned for more grievous sins, including violence, fraud, and treachery. The punishments are characterized by physical torment and are often more directly related to the nature of the sin. In the deepest part of Hell, the Ninth Circle, traitors are frozen in ice, and Satan resides at the center, encased in ice and darkness.

THE INFERNO

In Canto IV of Dante's "Inferno," Dante encounters a group of renowned historical and literary figures who reside in Limbo, the first circle of Hell. Among them are Homer, Horace, Ovid, Lucan, and moral philosophers. These figures are not tormented like the other souls in Hell, but they experience longing and sadness because they are excluded from Heaven. Dante's interactions with these famous individuals contribute to the richness of his journey through Hell, adding layers of meaning and depth to the narrative.

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"I saw Homer, the sovereign poet; I saw Horace, the satirist; I saw Ovid; I saw Lucan; and beside these the group of moral philosophers, all well known."

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In Canto V, the second circle of Hell, the lustful souls are relentlessly punished by violent storms and ceaseless winds. Dante describes that they were all created by divine power and placed in this sorrowful realm by the cruel lord of the storm. The souls in this circle are eternally buffeted by tempestuous elements, which is a vivid portrayal of their punishment for their sinful desires.

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"We all were formed by the divine power, I and the others, in this sad place appointed by the cruel lord of the storm."

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Also in Canto V, Dante encounters the tragic lovers, Paolo and Francesca, who are forever trapped in an eternal embrace in the Second Circle of Hell. Their embrace conveys a mixture of passion and despair. As they tell their story to Dante, they reveal how their love story began innocently, as they read about the love of Lancelot, and how it eventually led them to commit the sin of lust, resulting in their eternal punishment.

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"We read one day, to pass the time away, of Lancelot, how he'd been captured by love. Alone we were and without any fear."

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In Canto VI, in the Third Circle of Hell, Dante visualizes the contrapasso for the gluttonous. These souls are submerged in ceaseless, foul rain and black mud, which symbolizes the wretchedness and excess of their gluttonous behavior in life. The rain and mud serve as a reflection of what they carried inside them during their earthly existence, where their overindulgence in food and drink led to their eternal torment in this muddy deluge.

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"The souls whom anger overcame in life are now submerged beneath the rain, the black mud, expressing only what they had inside."

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In Canto VIII, Dante and Virgil confront the imposing walls and gates of Dis, a pivotal moment in their journey as it marks the transition from the upper circles of Hell to the lower, more severe circles where the punishments for sins become increasingly harsh.

Dis is a fortified city within Hell, serves as the entrance to the lower circles It is described as a dark and menacing place with towering walls and gates guarded by fallen angels.

The term "Dis" is derived from classical mythology and refers to the Roman god of the underworld. In Dante's work, the City of Dis is where the damned souls who have committed more severe sins are punished, and it marks a crucial point in Dante's journey through the various circles of Hell.

The moment Dante and Virgil enter the City of Dis, with its towering walls and menacing fallen angels guarding the gates, is a crucial and awe-inspiring scene described in Canto VIII. Dante, as the narrator, expresses his trust in his readers to convey the unchanging truth of this experience, vowing to overcome his fear and share the reality of the city within its protective walls.

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"Here I must put my trust in you, my readers; The truth will never change from what it was. And, if I'm not expelled by cowardice, I'll show the truth to you, here in its husk."

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In Canto XII of Dante's "Inferno," a scene unfolds as Dante and Virgil approach the Seventh Circle, where the Minotaur, a monstrous and grotesque creature, stands guard. This terrifying creature is described as being in a state of confusion and rage, akin to dogs that have gorged themselves and attack anything in their path. The Minotaur's menacing presence and ferocious nature create an atmosphere of fear and apprehension as Dante and Virgil proceed deeper into the underworld.

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"I saw them so confused and full of rage as dogs are when they've had enough to eat, and pummel any living thing they meet."

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In the Ninth Circle of Hell, Dante and Virgil encounter the most sinister souls, the traitors, who are frozen in ice. This frozen desolation is described in Canto XXXII, where Dante warns that those who venture deeper into this icy realm will witness the accursed souls imprisoned in their frozen torment.

The passage below is from Canto XXXII, where Dante and Virgil encounter the treacherous souls.

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"Now listen, just as I declare this truth. If you'd go further, once again I'll say you'll see the accursed frozen in the ice."

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Image by Mark Turner & Wireless Books

Image by Mark Turner & Wireless Books

At the heart of Hell in Canto XXXIV, Dante confronts the grotesque and terrifying figure of Satan. This monstrous entity has three heads and is encased in ice. The encounter is so bewildering and horrifying that Dante is compelled to halt and reevaluate his original intentions, as he is faced with something beyond human comprehension, an unimaginable embodiment of evil.