Dante's Journey Through Hell

summarized by Walter Antoniotti

Return to Subject Libraries: Religion 3/21/19

Limbo

Lust

Gluttony

Greed

Wrath

Entrance to Dis

Heresy

Violence

Fraud

Malebolge

Treachery

 

Preface: Poem is about God's Love and it's Profound Mysteries.
"The glory of Him who moves all things."

Approach the mouth of Hell and its sinners who can not leave they read the inscription: “Abandon hope all you who enter here.” Dante's Sins were  Incontinence, Violence, Bestiality, and Fraud. Sinner Dante could amend his ways and escape. Sinners  who succumbed to human appetites come first and move toward those who willed evil who included tyrants, thugs, bandits plus heretics, blasphemers, sodomites, and usurers.

First encounter those unnamed never really alive persons who refused to take chances and take stands. Then they encounter Paolo Francesca,  most famous of the denizens of Hell. Dante is sorrowful at Francesca’s fate whose  sin seems small on as she was spurred by a romance and stole a kiss. But she was married to another and had subjected reason to passion degrading the divine spark in her divine spark. Then they encounter the righteous pagans where Virgil spends eternity because he was just but did not know God. God's justice is absolute. Dante begins to see God as a judge so his journey's themes will concern divine justice.

Among the violent, we are tyrants, thugs, and brigands but also heretics, blasphemers. Among  these deceivers were  seducers, panderers, corrupt popes, corrupt politicians, hypocrites, and thieves. People who failed to uphold human dignity harming society.

Encounter Satan, the worst betrayer they are ready to move on to a realm  of hope.

Postface:

At the end of his journey through, Hell, Purgatory and Heaven Dante states "...But already I could feel my being turned. Instinct and intellect balance equally as in a wheel nothing jars by the love that moves the sun."

Meet Hell's Many Sinners on the Journey Down to the
 Devil

 

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