CANTO XXVIII BRI PRICE
Literal CHARACTERS Sowers of Discord: Created discord on earth; their bodies are torn apart in Hell Mahomet: Founder of Islam (Mohammed) Pier da Medicina: Incited civil strife; disseminated scandal and misrepresentation; incited feuds between two Romagna families Curio: Brought about civil strife; tongue removed for punishment Mosca: Brought Florentine division by creating Guelphs and Ghibellines Bertrand de Born: Headless shade who helped increase feud between Henry II of England and his young son Prince Henry Interpretation The poets look down at the 8 th circle (9 th Bolgia) and see sinners sliced by the Demon with a sword Mahomet & Pier da Medicina send a message through Danto to the people on Earth, warning them to be weary of their actions
Allegorical Sinners of the 9 th Bolgia ripped people apart on Earth forced to be ripped apart in Hell Curio said things that started civil war tongue cut out in Hell Bertrand de Born used mind games to separate father and son forced to have body and mind separated in Hell
Moral Sins of intellect Destroy the fabric of society in order to gain power and control Being cunning and intelligent is a gift from God, not to be used for personal gain
Anagogical Demon The demon within on Earth Comes out to torture in Hell Sundering Sword Adapted for different punishments Mahomet Prophet of God; sent to Hell Unblessed passage False God, false baptism
Poetic Theme Dark, violent, gruesome One giant metaphor; as the sinners ripped apart people on Earth, so are they ripped apart for eternity in Hell
CANTO XXIX
Literal CHARACTERS Falsifiers: Punished in the 10th Bolgia; victims of disease and illness Capocchio: Student with Dante; an alchemist who called self an “ape of nature” because of his power to mimic or to produce a draught Aretine: Griffolino d’Arezza; a physicist; took money for promising miracles; burned at stake for falsifying Interpretation Dante thinks he will see a relative (Geri del Bello) but Virgil urges him to hurry up Virgil & Dante cross to 10 th Bolgia- dark; hard to see A pit of diseased, screaming, horrible stench
Allegorical The Valley of Disease Falsifiers are a disease; spread lies- spread disease Darkness blindness to truth & God Constant odor of death constant stench of lies
Moral Falsifiers tamper with how society functions Misleading society = misleading God Pretending to be something or have something is to pretend you are not what God made you to be
Anagogical Capocchio claimed to be “ape of nature” God is nature; he cannot manipulate nature because he cannot manipulate God Griffolino d’Arezzo claimed he was a miracle worker only God can create miracles Aegina story of Gods Juno & Jupiter; destruction & repepulation
Poetic Theme Pitiful, dark, hopeless, painful Dante states that he does find pity for these people Personifies disease
Works Cited s/images/dante/inf_dore_mahomet.jpg s/images/dante/inf_dore_mahomet.jpg sasd.wikispaces.com/file/view/dante%26vir gil.jpg/ /dante%26virgil.jpg