Dante Alighieri’s “Inferno,” the first part of his epic poem “The Divine Comedy,” is a journey through the agonizing depths of Hell. This article serves as A Guide To The 9 Circles Of Hell, meticulously described by Dante, offering insight into the sins punished and the sinners condemned within each level.
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Alt: Dante and Virgil observing the suffering in one of the circles of Hell.
Dante’s “Inferno” details his allegorical journey through Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. Commissioned by Beatrice, Dante is led through the nine concentric circles of suffering, each reserved for different types of sinners.
First Circle of Hell: Limbo
Limbo houses the virtuous non-Christians and the unbaptized. These souls, though not deserving of torment, are denied the beatific vision of God. Dante encounters figures like Homer, Ovid, Socrates, Aristotle, and Julius Caesar within this circle, figures of great intellect and virtue but who lived before or outside of Christian salvation.
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Alt: Illustration depicting Ovid and other classical philosophers residing in Limbo.
Second Circle of Hell: Lust
The second circle punishes those overcome by lust. Blown about by ceaseless storms, the souls here are forever tossed and turned, mirroring the relentless and uncontrolled nature of their earthly desires. Notable figures include Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, Achilles, Paris, Tristan, and Dido.
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Alt: Cleopatra depicted as one of the lustful sinners in the second circle of Hell.
Third Circle of Hell: Gluttony
Gluttons reside in the third circle, subjected to a constant downpour of filth and freezing rain. Cerberus, the monstrous three-headed dog, guards this circle, tearing at the sinners. Unlike previous circles populated by historical or mythological figures, Dante finds ordinary people consumed by their excessive appetites. Ciacco, a character later featured in Boccaccio’s “The Decameron”, is one of these recognizable gluttons.
Fourth Circle of Hell: Greed
The fourth circle is reserved for those consumed by greed, both hoarders and wasters. These souls are forced to push heavy weights against each other for eternity, symbolizing their conflicting and ultimately fruitless relationship with material wealth. Pluto, the mythological king of the underworld, guards this circle. Dante and Virgil pass through this circle without interaction, underscoring Dante’s view of greed as a particularly reprehensible sin.
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Alt: Pluto, the mythological king of the underworld, stands guard over the circle of Greed.
Fifth Circle of Hell: Anger
The wrathful and sullen occupy the fifth circle. The wrathful fight each other on the surface of the River Styx, while the sullen lie submerged beneath the murky waters. Phlegyas ferries Dante and Virgil across the Styx. Approaching the city of Dis, the capital of Hell, Dante and Virgil are threatened by the Furies. This circle marks a deepening of sin, prompting Dante to question his own potential for damnation.
Sixth Circle of Hell: Heresy
Heretics, those who denied immortality or held beliefs contrary to Christian doctrine, are imprisoned in flaming tombs within the sixth circle. Dante encounters Farinata degli Uberti, a political leader condemned posthumously for heresy, and Epicurus, the Greek philosopher. This circle represents the rejection of fundamental religious and political principles.
Seventh Circle of Hell: Violence
The seventh circle is divided into three rings, each punishing different forms of violence:
- Outer Ring: Violent against people and property are immersed in the Phlegethon, a river of boiling blood. Centaurs patrol the banks, shooting arrows at any who try to escape. Attila the Hun is found here.
- Middle Ring: Violent against themselves (suicides) are transformed into thorny trees, their bodies denied human form. Harpies feed on these trees, causing them constant pain.
- Inner Ring: Violent against God, nature, and art (blasphemers, sodomites, and usurers) reside in a desert of burning sand, subjected to a constant rain of fire. Brunetto Latini, Dante’s mentor, is among the sodomites. Capaneus, who blasphemed against Zeus, is also present.
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Alt: Harpies depicted tormenting the souls of suicides transformed into trees.
Eighth Circle of Hell: Fraud
The eighth circle, known as Malebolge (“Evil Pockets”), punishes those who committed fraud. It is divided into ten bolgias (ditches), each reserved for a specific type of fraudster:
- Panderers and Seducers: Whipped by demons as they march in opposite directions.
- Flatterers: Immersed in excrement.
- Simoniacs: Placed headfirst in stone holes, with flames burning on their feet.
- False Prophets and Sorcerers: Heads twisted backward, forced to walk backward for eternity.
- Barrators (Corrupt Politicians): Immersed in boiling pitch, guarded by demons.
- Hypocrites: Forced to wear heavy lead cloaks.
- Thieves: Tormented by serpents, some transforming into serpents themselves.
- Fraudulent Counselors: Enclosed in flames.
- Sowers of Discord: Mutilated by a demon with a sword, their wounds reopening as they heal.
- Alchemists and Counterfeiters: Afflicted with disease and stench.
Ninth Circle of Hell: Treachery
The ninth and deepest circle of Hell is reserved for traitors. It is a frozen lake called Cocytus, divided into four rounds:
- Caina: Traitors to kin are immersed in the ice up to their faces. Named after Cain, who killed his brother Abel.
- Antenora: Traitors to country or political parties are immersed in the ice, unable to bend their necks. Named after Antenor of Troy, who betrayed his city to the Greeks.
- Ptolomaea: Traitors to guests are immersed in the ice, with only half their faces exposed. Named after Ptolemy, son of Abubus, who murdered his guests.
- Judecca: Traitors to lords and benefactors are completely encased in ice. Named after Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ.
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Alt: Depiction of Satan consuming Judas Iscariot, Brutus, and Cassius in the center of Hell.
The Center of Hell
At the very center of Hell, Dante and Virgil encounter Satan, a monstrous three-headed beast. Each mouth chews eternally on a notorious traitor: Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus), Brutus, and Cassius (who betrayed Julius Caesar). These figures represent the ultimate betrayal of trust and authority.
Dante’s “Inferno” offers a vivid and terrifying exploration of sin and its consequences. This guide to the 9 circles of Hell provides a framework for understanding Dante’s complex moral universe and his enduring vision of eternal punishment.
