Fifth Circle:
Area:
Upper Hell, sins of incontinence, where the Wrathful and Sullen dwell, the City of Dis
Located In Cantos: VII-VII-Wrathful & Sullenness; VIII-IX-Dis
Icons:
Phlegyas, in Canto VIII; Filippo Argenti, in Canto VIII; Fallen Angels, in
Canto VIII; Fueies and Medusa in Cantos VIII-IX; Heaven’s Messenger, In Canto IX
Events:
-Dante follows Virgil to the Fifth Circle to the edge of the
river Styx.
-They see souls squatting in the riverbank, covered in mud,
biting at each other. These are the Wrathful souls
-They also see souls choking and sinking in the mire of the
river. These are the Sullen.
- Now in the Fifth Circle, Dante and Virgil come to a tall tower
at the bank of the river, with its peak bellowing with flames.
-The two encounter the boatman Phlegyas, who, prompted by Virgil,
transports them across the River Styx.
-During the boat ride, they come across a shade of a sinner that
Dante recognizes with anger to be Filippo Argenti, for which Dante has no pity
and watches the other souls tear at him.
-Virgil notes that they are approaching Lower Hell, where lies
the city of Dis.
-A host of Fallen Angels cry out as Dante and Virgil near the
entrance. The fallen angels demand to know why a living soul wishes to enter
Dis.
- Virgil tries to provide clearance for Dante’s presence by
explaining the divine ordination or his journey, but proves to be unsuccessful
in gaining entrance, and the gate is slammed shut in Virgil’s face.
-Dante grows with fear upon seeing Virgil’s defeat, but Virgil
reassures Dante.
-Then there is a sudden appearance of a three furies to Dante. He
sees creatures—half woman and half serpent. The creatures shriek and express
amusement towards Dante, and call for Medusa to seize Dante and turn him to
stone. Virgil shields Dante’s eyes from Medusa’s gaze.
-A powerful noise scatters the furies and Dante and Virgil see
that it’s from a messenger from Heaven, who approaches across the river. The
messenger arrives at the gate of Dis and demands it be opened for the two
travelers.
-The fallen angels obey, open the gate, and
Virgil and Dante proceed through the gate to the City of Dis to the Sixth Circle
of Hell, where the Heretics lie.
Punishment/Contrapasso:
The Wrathful engage in combat with one another on the surface of the river Styx, and the
Sullen are plunged to the bottom of the river Styx to choke and struggle in the mire.
Allusions, Devices, Metaphors, Similes:
The River Styx, in Cantos VII-VIII; Harrowing of Hell, in Cantos VIII;
Theseus and Hercules, in Cantos IX; Erichtho, in Cantos IX; the use of Allegory,
in Cantos IX.
Area:
Upper Hell, sins of incontinence, where the Wrathful and Sullen dwell, the City of Dis
Located In Cantos: VII-VII-Wrathful & Sullenness; VIII-IX-Dis
Icons:
Phlegyas, in Canto VIII; Filippo Argenti, in Canto VIII; Fallen Angels, in
Canto VIII; Fueies and Medusa in Cantos VIII-IX; Heaven’s Messenger, In Canto IX
Events:
-Dante follows Virgil to the Fifth Circle to the edge of the
river Styx.
-They see souls squatting in the riverbank, covered in mud,
biting at each other. These are the Wrathful souls
-They also see souls choking and sinking in the mire of the
river. These are the Sullen.
- Now in the Fifth Circle, Dante and Virgil come to a tall tower
at the bank of the river, with its peak bellowing with flames.
-The two encounter the boatman Phlegyas, who, prompted by Virgil,
transports them across the River Styx.
-During the boat ride, they come across a shade of a sinner that
Dante recognizes with anger to be Filippo Argenti, for which Dante has no pity
and watches the other souls tear at him.
-Virgil notes that they are approaching Lower Hell, where lies
the city of Dis.
-A host of Fallen Angels cry out as Dante and Virgil near the
entrance. The fallen angels demand to know why a living soul wishes to enter
Dis.
- Virgil tries to provide clearance for Dante’s presence by
explaining the divine ordination or his journey, but proves to be unsuccessful
in gaining entrance, and the gate is slammed shut in Virgil’s face.
-Dante grows with fear upon seeing Virgil’s defeat, but Virgil
reassures Dante.
-Then there is a sudden appearance of a three furies to Dante. He
sees creatures—half woman and half serpent. The creatures shriek and express
amusement towards Dante, and call for Medusa to seize Dante and turn him to
stone. Virgil shields Dante’s eyes from Medusa’s gaze.
-A powerful noise scatters the furies and Dante and Virgil see
that it’s from a messenger from Heaven, who approaches across the river. The
messenger arrives at the gate of Dis and demands it be opened for the two
travelers.
-The fallen angels obey, open the gate, and
Virgil and Dante proceed through the gate to the City of Dis to the Sixth Circle
of Hell, where the Heretics lie.
Punishment/Contrapasso:
The Wrathful engage in combat with one another on the surface of the river Styx, and the
Sullen are plunged to the bottom of the river Styx to choke and struggle in the mire.
Allusions, Devices, Metaphors, Similes:
The River Styx, in Cantos VII-VIII; Harrowing of Hell, in Cantos VIII;
Theseus and Hercules, in Cantos IX; Erichtho, in Cantos IX; the use of Allegory,
in Cantos IX.