Blow Out Your Blood: The Seventh Circle, Round Two (The Violent Against Themselves) Feraco Myth to Science Fiction + SDAIE 17 November 2014

Canto XIII: Data File Setting: The Seventh Circle, Round TwoSetting: The Seventh Circle, Round Two Figures: The Harpies, Pier della Vigne, Arcolano da Siena, Jacomo da Sant’ Andrea, Unknown Florentine SuicideFigures: The Harpies, Pier della Vigne, Arcolano da Siena, Jacomo da Sant’ Andrea, Unknown Florentine Suicide Punishable Sin: Violence (Against Themselves)Punishable Sin: Violence (Against Themselves) Summary: The poets enter the Wood of the Suicides, a realm where the souls of those who destroyed themselves (or their substance) stand locked within trees where Harpies roost, eating and tearing at their leaves. As the Harpies feed, they open wounds on the trees’ limbs and leaves…and the wounds spout blood. As long as the blood flows, the souls can speak; when the wound seals itself, the souls’ voices are cut off. One of the trees houses the soul of Pier delle Vigne, a member of Frederick II’s court, and the poets stop to converse with him about the way the Wood of the Suicides operates. Then two souls, Jacomo and Arcolano, dash through the woods, tearing the foliage as their run from a pack of ravenous dogs. The dogs catch Jacomo, tear him to pieces, and run off carrying the pieces in their mouths. After watching the carnage, the poets realize that the bush the dogs tore through to get at the souls is gushing blood from its wounded limbs, and they talk to the soul of an anonymous suicide trapped within it.Summary: The poets enter the Wood of the Suicides, a realm where the souls of those who destroyed themselves (or their substance) stand locked within trees where Harpies roost, eating and tearing at their leaves. As the Harpies feed, they open wounds on the trees’ limbs and leaves…and the wounds spout blood. As long as the blood flows, the souls can speak; when the wound seals itself, the souls’ voices are cut off. One of the trees houses the soul of Pier delle Vigne, a member of Frederick II’s court, and the poets stop to converse with him about the way the Wood of the Suicides operates. Then two souls, Jacomo and Arcolano, dash through the woods, tearing the foliage as their run from a pack of ravenous dogs. The dogs catch Jacomo, tear him to pieces, and run off carrying the pieces in their mouths. After watching the carnage, the poets realize that the bush the dogs tore through to get at the souls is gushing blood from its wounded limbs, and they talk to the soul of an anonymous suicide trapped within it.

The Violent Against Themselves Dante defines the Violent Against Themselves as those who destroy either their physical forms or the resources they should use insteadDante defines the Violent Against Themselves as those who destroy either their physical forms or the resources they should use instead Those who kill themselves are trying to destroy the substance that God gave them, something that’s meant to be immortal (therefore defying God’s will)Those who kill themselves are trying to destroy the substance that God gave them, something that’s meant to be immortal (therefore defying God’s will) –The Suicides will not have their bodies returned to them during Judgment; instead, the empty shells will be slung over the trees in the Wood In addition to those who killed themselves, Dante populates the Wood of the Suicides with the SquanderersIn addition to those who killed themselves, Dante populates the Wood of the Suicides with the Squanderers –They’re similar to the Wasters/Prodigal from the Fourth Circle, but whereas the Prodigal simply spent money recklessly or needlessly, the Squanderers actively destroy the things they’ve always had or have acquired (which Dante defines as a person’s “substance” for the purposes of putting them here)

Suicide Just as Dante seemed to adopt a nuanced view of Lust during Canto V (even if God doesn’t), he seems to take a similarly ambiguous stance towards the SuicidesJust as Dante seemed to adopt a nuanced view of Lust during Canto V (even if God doesn’t), he seems to take a similarly ambiguous stance towards the Suicides –Dante’s favorite writers and teachers essentially covered the spectrum of views regarding suicide –Many of the classical Roman writers Dante respected so deeply either presented or praised suicide as a legitimate response to personal dishonor or political defeat –Medieval Christianity, however, stated unequivocally that suicide was sinful –Thomas Aquinas argued that suicide not only violates the self-preservation instinct God gave human beings, but also usurps control of life and death from God and Fortune (not to mention the nearly incalculable damage it causes to a larger community) Dante shows the Suicides real compassion, and he even puts others (such as Dido) in other circles instead; it’s hard to tell how deeply he condemns themDante shows the Suicides real compassion, and he even puts others (such as Dido) in other circles instead; it’s hard to tell how deeply he condemns them

The Punishment The Violent Against Themselves have their souls locked away in the Wood of the Suicides; Harpies damage them, and they’re largely unable to speakThe Violent Against Themselves have their souls locked away in the Wood of the Suicides; Harpies damage them, and they’re largely unable to speak There’s meaning to each element of their punishment, starting with their non-human form (they destroyed their human one, so they can’t have any of the benefits of one)There’s meaning to each element of their punishment, starting with their non-human form (they destroyed their human one, so they can’t have any of the benefits of one) –As a result, they’re always stationary and trapped, just as they were unable to escape their darkest urges –Their ultimate expression was self-destruction, so they can now only express themselves as they are destroyed; as Ciardi puts it, their blood becomes their voices –Finally, the Harpies – horrible creatures with the heads of women and the bodies of birds of prey – defile or dirty everything they touch; thus their means of expression is simultaneously defined as hideous and wrong

Pier delle Vigne He was an accomplished poet (particularly when it came to sonnets) and a member of the Sicilian SchoolHe was an accomplished poet (particularly when it came to sonnets) and a member of the Sicilian School As a young, well-educated, and rhetorically gifted young man, Pier shot through the governmental hierarchy until he became the judge and official spokesman for Frederick II’s imperial court (at which point, his soul implies, he claimed final say over Frederick’s decisions)As a young, well-educated, and rhetorically gifted young man, Pier shot through the governmental hierarchy until he became the judge and official spokesman for Frederick II’s imperial court (at which point, his soul implies, he claimed final say over Frederick’s decisions) –While he argues that he always served Frederick faithfully, history is split; while it appears he was guilty of some corruption, it looks more like he became the victim of political enemies and peers who envied his access –His story is meant to mirror Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy, as Pier is given everything only to have it taken away bit by agonizing bit –In the end, Pier cannot accept the horrible hand Fortune dealt him; after being imprisoned and blinded for his supposed crimes before his release, Pier either smashed his head against a wall until he died or leapt from a window in order to smash into the ground beside the emperor he supposedly betrayed (the evidence from the end of his life isn’t the clearest)

Jacomo da Sant’ Andrea Jacomo da Sant’ Andrea was a particularly notorious Squanderer who actively committed senseless acts of violence against his own propertyJacomo da Sant’ Andrea was a particularly notorious Squanderer who actively committed senseless acts of violence against his own property –For example, he set fire to all of the cottages on his property in order to provide a welcoming ceremony for a group of dinner guests, or simply threw his money into the water during a boat ride Jacomo enjoyed a position of some influence; he was the wealthiest private citizen in Padua, one of the cities where Ezzolino (from the First Round of the Seventh Circle) ruledJacomo enjoyed a position of some influence; he was the wealthiest private citizen in Padua, one of the cities where Ezzolino (from the First Round of the Seventh Circle) ruled –In fact, Ezzolino eventually had him executed for his grievous wastefulness –He’s torn apart by the dogs because he tore apart his resources (“substance”) in life

Arcolano da Siena Arcolano da Siena belonged to a group of rich young men called the Spendthrift Club whose members saw burning through money as a point of pride (again, different from the Prodigal, who simply couldn’t help themselves from spending)Arcolano da Siena belonged to a group of rich young men called the Spendthrift Club whose members saw burning through money as a point of pride (again, different from the Prodigal, who simply couldn’t help themselves from spending) Arcolano reduced himself to poverty fairly quickly, at which point he joined the Sienese military in order to deliberately court death (having decided that living in poverty was intolerable)Arcolano reduced himself to poverty fairly quickly, at which point he joined the Sienese military in order to deliberately court death (having decided that living in poverty was intolerable) –When his troop appeared to be caught in an ambush, he could have escaped, but escape meant returning to the life he abandoned and facing up to the problems his earlier behavior had caused –Unable to bring himself to face the consequences of his actions, Arcolano instead decides to let himself be killed by the advancing enemy (which is why Jacomo mocks him for running from the dogs now that he’s dead)

Unknown Florentine Suicide The anonymous soul that Dante and Virgil discover in the bush that’s destroyed by the dogs pursuing Jacomo is supposedly a citizen of Florence who hanged himself in his own homeThe anonymous soul that Dante and Virgil discover in the bush that’s destroyed by the dogs pursuing Jacomo is supposedly a citizen of Florence who hanged himself in his own home The man may actually represent Florence itself, at least in its original incarnationThe man may actually represent Florence itself, at least in its original incarnation Midway through the fifth century, Florence supposedly began expressing its identity as a newly Christian city by tearing down the statue of Ares (the town’s first patron) and replacing it with one of John the Baptist that was meant to symbolize Man (which the suicide mentions)Midway through the fifth century, Florence supposedly began expressing its identity as a newly Christian city by tearing down the statue of Ares (the town’s first patron) and replacing it with one of John the Baptist that was meant to symbolize Man (which the suicide mentions) Those of you who remember Ares, the war-god of Greece, can imagine that he wouldn’t have been happy; when a wave of factional violence similar to the one between the Guelfs and Ghibellines (or Blacks and Whites) tore apart the city, people chalked it up to the angered god’s wrathThose of you who remember Ares, the war-god of Greece, can imagine that he wouldn’t have been happy; when a wave of factional violence similar to the one between the Guelfs and Ghibellines (or Blacks and Whites) tore apart the city, people chalked it up to the angered god’s wrath Thus Florence brought destruction needlessly upon itself, a curse that (as Dante can attest) has never stopped destroying the city’s substance (its people)Thus Florence brought destruction needlessly upon itself, a curse that (as Dante can attest) has never stopped destroying the city’s substance (its people)