4.2 Flashcards
Canto II, called the —————– focuses on an important conversation between Dante and
Virgil. Dante feels that he is unworthy of the journey. He finds himself lacking when he compares
himself to Aeneas, founder of Rome who also went on a journey to the underworld, and Paul, chosen
vessel of the Church and descendant of Aeneas.
The Descent
In Canto III, called ————- Dante and Virgil are met with this ominous
inscription as they enter the gate of Hell:
The Vestibule of Hell
“retrograde and faithless crew hateful to God and to His
enemies”
Opportunists
the
ferryman of Acheron (the River of Woe).
Charon
Souls such as Dante’s do not cross the Acheron
River; instead, they are transported across the —————– by an Angel;
Tiber River to Purgatoria/Paradiso
Canto IV, called —————-opens with Dante waking up from his fainting spell.
He finds himself in the first circle of Hell. He does not hear cries of suffering; instead, he hears
mournful sighing. Strangely, he does not see total darkness; instead, Dante sees radiance. How could
there be light in a hopeless place like Hell?
Circle One: Limbo
This radiance is not a divine light; rather, it symbolizes the
light of Human Reason
The souls in ————– confess all
their sins to Minos. who then passes judgment as to
what circle the souls must descend by
wrapping his tail around himself.
Circle II
the judge of the
damned,
Minos
is home to the three-headed dog Cerberus and the souls of the
Gluttons who spent their lives wallowing in food. Cerberus is not in this circle merely as a display; in
fact, he is part of the torment of the Gluttons.
Circle III
Dante’s fellow Florentine.
Ciacco the Hog
is the “pet” of the King of the Underworld –
Pluto.
Cerberus
“as they
sinned so are they punished”
concept of symbolic retribution
suffer the
opposite)
Contrapasso
