Alison Graham Cantos 19-20

Canto XIX (19)
Dante comes upon the Simoniacs in Canto XIX, who are the sinners of corrupting or mocking the ways of god. They are placed in bolgia three which is lined with round tube-like holes. The sinners are placed in the holes upside down with the soles of their feet on fire. The intense heat of the fire is a representation of their guilt. The degree of the guilt that the sinners are feeling is proportioned by the heat of the blaze. As new sinners arrive, the souls are dropped through the bottom of the holes and disappear eternally.

Circle: Eight, Bolgia Three

Sin: Simoniacs, those who mock or corrupt the chuch/god.

Punishment: Placed upside down with the soles of their feet on fire until a sinner arrives dropping the previous sinner through the bottom of the hole disappearing eternally.

Retribution: The Simoniacs made a mockery of the holy office, therefore they are turned upside down in a mockery of the baptismal font. They also mocked the holy water of baptism, so now the fire is a representation of their hellish baptism.

Key Sinner: Pope Nicholas III

Quote: " Master, who is that one in the fire who writhes and quivers more than all the others? From him the ruddy flames seem to leap higher" -page 153, Lines 28-30

Question: Who is the quote refering to?

Canto XX (20)

This canto takes place in the forth bolgia where Dante looks down at the souls of the Fortune tellers and Diviners. These are the souls who attempted to look into the future with the use of forbidden arts. Their punishment is to have their turned backwards on their bodies and forced to walk backwards for all of eternity. Another form of the punishment is that their eyes are blinded with tears.

Circle: Eight, Bolgia four

Sin: Attempted to see the future with the use of forbidden arts.

Punishment: To have their heads turned backwards and walk backwards for all of eternity while their eyes are blinded with tears.

Retribution: Since the sinner cannot see in front of themselves anymore by forcing their heads backwards they can no longer depict the future. Also, the sinners tried to see forward in time but now they must go backwards through all eternity.

Key Sinners: Amphiareus, Tiresias, Aruns, Manto, Eurypylus, Michael Scott, Guido Bonatti, Asdente

Quote: "I saw the image of our humanity distorted so that the tears that burst from their eyes ran down the cleft of their buttocks." -page 161, Lines 22-24

Question: Why do the Simoniacs tears run down to that location?