 Word to Know Group Activity for Canto 3

Desolation Line 2, page 85  Extreme Sadness

Lintel (line 10, page 85)  Sign Note: The sign is BLANK!

Discernment (line 13, page 85  Ability to Judge

Good of Intellect (line 18, page 85)  Knowledge that God is truth  Allusion to Aristotle’s famous phrase, “Truth is Intellect.”

Execration (line 25, page 86)  Swearing!

Blether (line 26, page 86)  Speak foolishly

Cessation (line 27, page 86)  Stopping

Caitiff (line 27, page 86(  Base, low morals

Caitiff Angle Crew (line 37, page 86) The Fall of Lucifer/Satan

Lucifer  LUCIFER in heaven, before his rebellion, was a high and exalted angel, next in honor to God's dear Son.  His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic.  However, he became jealous of Christ and wanted power that was equal to God

Why Rebel?  Lucifer and his sympathizers were striving to reform the government of God.  They were discontented and unhappy because they could not look into His unsearchable wisdom and ascertain His purposes in exalting His Son, and endowing Him with such unlimited power and command.  They rebelled against the authority of the Son.

Angels Divided Lucifer’s Side No Side God’s Side

War  Then there was war in heaven. The Son of God, the Prince of heaven, and His loyal angels engaged in conflict with the archrebel and those who united with him.  The Son of God and true, loyal angels prevailed; and Satan and his sympathizers were expelled from heaven.

Good Bye

Ensign (line 52, page 86)  Flag

The Great Refusal (line 61, page 87)  Pope Celestine resigned

Brine (line 67, page 87)  Salty Water

Acheron (line 78, page 87)  Acheron, the river of pain, was a stream and swampy lake of the underworld and its god. The demon Charon ferried the souls of the dead across its dark waters in a skiff (boat).

Woe to the Wicked! Woe! (line 84, page 87)  Allusion to the Bible

Shamming (line 87, page 87)  Painful

Blaspheme  Speak irreverently about sacred things