Circle Eight (Continued) (Cantos 24-31)  Bolgia  (Pouch/Trench) VII. Thieves Bolgia VIII. Evil Counselors Bolgia  IX. Sowers of Discord Bolgia X. Falsifiers Summarize the section of study Canto by Canto. Summaries must clearly explain the “crime and punishment” of the Circle of Hell examined. Explain the “sin” and fully describe the punishment and its “appropriateness” as it relates to the sin. Be sure to address Dante’s concepts of “contrapasso”, how the punishment  either resembles or contrasts with the sin itself, and identify all relevant symbols.  Identify all residents. This is not just a list—explain who they are and their sin/connection to Dante’s world. Remember to include mythological creatures as well. For this section, you must use a minimum of TWO integrated quotes for EACH canto.   Also include a visual or piece of artwork inspired by this section.  I have included some suggested sources here: Art Related to the Inferno: http://www.google.com images http://www.danteinferno.info/images/index.html http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/indexi.html DETAILED NOTES:  Canto XXIV (24) Circle 8: Bolgia 7 thieves pit full of montrous reptiles who coil themselves around the sinners, binding each sinner’s hands behind his back, and knotting themselves through the loins a reptile pierces a sinner in the jugular vein who burst into flames until ashes remained, then sinner reformed painfully retribution of sin:  thievery is reptilian in its secrecy- therefore punished by reptiles hands of the thieves are the agents of the crime, therefore they are bound forever as the theif destroys his fellowmen by making his substance disappear, he is painfully destroyed and made to appear over and over the sinner who rises from his own ashes is Vanni Fucci bastard son of Fuccio de Lazzeri, a nobleman (Black) of Pistoia who stole the treasure of San Jacopo in the Duomo of San Zeno with 2accomplices others were accused and jailed before they were discovered Fucci escaped but accomplices convicted tells Dante prophecy: Whites of Florence and Pistoia join to expel Blacks of Pistoia and their houses, who then joined forces with the Florentinian Blacks, Blacks drive out whites in florence Canto XXV Circle 8: Bolgia 7 thieves Vanni shouts angrily at God and the serpents swarm him, driving him in great pain Cacus- centaur- covered in serpents also punished him thief, son of Vulcan, lived in a cave and raided the cattle below, Hercules clubbed him to death for his thievery 5 nobles thieves of Florence- no importance besides were thieves more retribution of sin: people change painfully from humans to reptiles Agnello changes to 6 legged lizard merged with Cianfa Buoso changes with Francesco to a tiny reptile only Puccio Sciancato remains unchanged, but he will “in life they took the substances of others, transforming it into their own. So in Hell their very bodies are constantly being taken from them, and they are lef.

1. Circle Eight (Continued) (Cantos 24-31)
Bolgia (Pouch/Trench) VII. Thieves
Bolgia VIII. Evil Counselors
Bolgia IX. Sowers of Discord
Bolgia X. Falsifiers
Summarize the section of study Canto by Canto. Summaries
must clearly explain the “crime and
punishment” of the Circle of Hell examined. Explain the “sin”
and fully describe the punishment and its
“appropriateness” as it relates to the sin. Be sure to address
Dante’s concepts of “contrapasso”, how the punishment either
resembles or contrasts with the sin itself, and identify all
relevant symbols. Identify all residents. This is not just a list—
explain who they are and their sin/connection to Dante’s world.
Remember to include mythological creatures as well. For this
section, you must use a minimum of TWO integrated quotes for
EACH canto.
Also include a visual or piece of artwork inspired by this
section. I have included some suggested sources here:
Art Related to the Inferno:
http://www.google.com images
http://www.danteinferno.info/images/index.html
http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html
http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/indexi.html
DETAILED NOTES:
Canto XXIV (24)
Circle 8: Bolgia 7
thieves
pit full of montrous reptiles who coil themselves around the

2. sinners, binding each sinner’s hands behind his back, and
knotting themselves through the loins
a reptile pierces a sinner in the jugular vein who burst into
flames until ashes remained, then sinner reformed painfully
retribution of sin:
thievery is reptilian in its secrecy- therefore punished by
reptiles
hands of the thieves are the agents of the crime, therefore they
are bound forever
as the theif destroys his fellowmen by making his substance
disappear, he is painfully destroyed and made to appear over
and over
the sinner who rises from his own ashes is Vanni Fucci
bastard son of Fuccio de Lazzeri, a nobleman (Black) of Pistoia
who stole the treasure of San Jacopo in the Duomo of San Zeno
with 2accomplices
others were accused and jailed before they were discovered
Fucci escaped but accomplices convicted
tells Dante prophecy: Whites of Florence and Pistoia join to
expel Blacks of Pistoia and their houses, who then joined forces
with the Florentinian Blacks, Blacks drive out whites in
florence
Canto XXV
Circle 8: Bolgia 7
thieves
Vanni shouts angrily at God and the serpents swarm him,
driving him in great pain
Cacus- centaur- covered in serpents also punished him
thief, son of Vulcan, lived in a cave and raided the cattle below,
Hercules clubbed him to death for his thievery
5 nobles thieves of Florence- no importance besides were
thieves
more retribution of sin: people change painfully from humans to
reptiles
Agnello changes to 6 legged lizard merged with Cianfa
Buoso changes with Francesco to a tiny reptile

3. only Puccio Sciancato remains unchanged, but he will
“in life they took the substances of others, transforming it into
their own. So in Hell their very bodies are constantly being
taken from them, and they are left to steal back a human form
from some other sinner”
Canto XXVI
Circle 8 Bolgia 8
The Evil Counselors
Dante sarcastically shares his love for Florence, prophesying
the war with rival cities, such as Prato and he’s excited for that
day
We discover more about Dante’s exile by men he considered
thieves and evil counselors, so this is why he is so harsh on
these groups
moral symbolism: “all men of gift who abused their genius,
perverting it to wiles and stratagems.”
makes Dante realize he must take another road- not deception
evil counselors hidden from view inside flames
symbolic retribution: abused the gifts of the Almighty, to steal
HIS virtues for low purposes
stole from god in their lives and worked by hidden ways, so
they are stolen from sight and hidden in the great flames (which
are their own guilty consciences)
sinned by the glibness of tongue- flames made into fiery
travesty of tongues
Ulysses and Diomede- inside a doubleheaded flame
one flame for joint guilt
1st sin- stratagem of the Wooden Horse- resulted in troy falling
and Aeneas founded the Roman line
Deidamia died of grief when Ulysses persuaded Achilles (her
lover) to sail for Troy
Ulysses stole statue of Pallas from the Palladium- believed
depended fate of Troy- Troy’s downfall would come
Ulysses explains his death through the ship being shot and sunk
when they saw land
Canto XXVII

4. Circle 8 Bolgia 8
the double flame departs when Virgil speaks
another contains Count Guido Da Montefeltro
a Lord of Romagna, head of the Ghibellines of Roamgna
wisest and cunningest man in Italy
overheard Dante speaking Italian and is eager to hear recent
news of his wartorn country
Dante sums up how things stand in the cities of Romagna
“O hidden soul, your sad Romagna is not and never was without
war in her tyrants’ raging blood.”
sums up all the modern affairs and news
asks Guido for his story
Boniface VIII persuaded him to sin
“I absolve your guilt beforehand; and now teach me how to
smash Penestrino to the ground.”
said he holds keys to gates of heaven and hell
Canto XXVIII
Circle 8 Bolgia 9
The Sowers of Discord
symbolic retribution: rend asunder (break apart) what God had
meant to be united- hacked and torn through all eternity by a
great demon with a bloody sword
after each mutilation, the souls are compelled to drag their
broken bodies around the pit and return to the demon
their wounds knit in time to be inflicted anew. Thus is the law
of retribution observed, each sinner suffering according to his
degree
Dante distinguishes 3 classes:
Sowers of Religious Discord
1st appears Mahomet (chief of them) and next is son in law Ali,
both in pieces dragging along
Dante feels sum up the total schism between Christianity and
Mohammedanism.
Mahomet’s condition implies Dante’s disapproval
Mahomet issues an ironic warning to another schismatic, FRA
DOLCINO

5. Sowers of Political Discord
Pier Da Medicina, Curio, and Mosca Dei Lamberti, each
mutilated according to nature of his sins.
Curio banished from Rome by Pompey and joined Caesar’s
forces, advising him to cross the Rubicon, which constituted
invasion and began Roman Civil War
LAmberti advised the Amidei to murder a man who broke his
engagement with one women for another. from that murder
sprang the bloody feud between the Guelphs and Ghibellines of
Florence.
Sowers of Discord Between Kinsmen
Bertrand De Born- seperated father from son therefore holds
head by hair seperate from body
lifts head to arms length to speak
instigated a quarrel between Henry II of England and his son
Prince Henry
Canto XXIX
Circle 8 Bolgia 10- last bolgia of 8th
The Falsifiers
Dante expected to see one of his kinsmen, Geri De Bello in
Bolgia 9 but Virgil hurries him on then explains he saw Geri
making threatening gestures at Dante
cousin of Dantes father qho quarrel with the Sacchetti of
Florence and was murdered
symbolic retribution: in life they corrupted society by their
falsifications, so in death these sinners are subjected to a sum of
corruptions
some run around tearing others to pieces
falsification deceives the senses- punished by afflictions of
every sense: by darkness, stench, thirst, filth, loathsome
diseases, and a shrieking din
meet 1st of the 4 classes of Falsifiers- The Alchemists- The
Falsifiers of Things
Griffolino Darezzo and Capocchio
G- extracted large sums of money from Alberto da Siena on the
promise of teaching him to fly like Daedalus

6. when realized tricked, had his uncle (Bishop of Siena) bum him
a sorcerer
not sin punished for- falsifaication of silver and gold through
alchemy
C- Florentine friend of Dante’s student days
burned at the stake at Siena for practiving alchemy(magic
process of transformation)
Canto XXX
Circle 8 Bolgia 10
remaing 3 classes of falsifiers
Evil Impersonators- Falsifiers of Persons
Capocchio finishes speaking and a ravenous spirit bites neck
and drags away
Griffolino identifies as Gianni Schicchi and Myrrha
Gianni- When Buoso di Donati died, his son Simone persuaded
Gianni to take his place on the death bed and change the will.
he took advantage and gave things to himself as well
m- daughter of Cinyras, King of Cyprus. Moved by an
incestuous passion for her father, she disguised herself and
slipped into his bed. After he had mated with her, the king
discovered who she was and threatened to kill her but she ran
away and was changed into a myrtle. Adonis was born from her
trunk
In life they seized upon the appearance of others, and in death
they must run with never a pause, seizing upon the infernal
apparition of these souls, while they in turn are preyed upon by
their own furies
Falsifiers of Money- ex. counterfeit
punished by a loathsome disease and he cannot move from
where he lies, but his disease is compounded by other
afflictions, including an eternity of unbearable thirst
Master Adam- identifies the 2 spirits laying beside him
under order counterfeited Florentine florins of 21 rather than 24
carat gold- currency crisis arose in Northern Italy, burned at
stake
The False Witness- ex Falsifiers of Words

7. Potiphar’s wife and Sinon the Greek
p- false witness against Joseph
s- The Greek who glibly talked the Trojans into taking the
Horse inside the city walls
Sinon, angry at identification, strikes Adam across belly w the
one arm he is able to move
Adam strikes back and they continue
Dante stands staring fascinated until Virgil turns on him in
great anger, but immediatley forgives due to Dante’s genuine
repentance
"Now keep on looking a little longer and I quarrel with you”
Canto XXXI
The Central Pit of Malebolge- The Giants
at bottom lies Cocytus- 9th/last circle
Dante thinks sees towers- Giants and Titans who stand perpetual
guard inside the well-pit with the upper halves of their bodies
rising above the rim
virgil identifies NIMROD, builder of the Tower of Babel;
EPHIALTES and BRIAREUS, who warred against the Gods;
and TITYOS and TYPHON, who insulted Jupiter
ANTAEUS,no sin, his presence makes it clear that the Giants
are placed here less for their particular sins than for their
general natures
“observe Antaeus who is able to speak to us, and is not bound”
sons of earth, embodiments of elemental forces unbalanced by
love, desire without restraint and without acknowledgment of
moral and theological law
At Virgil 's persuasion, Antaeus takes the Poets in his huge
palm and lowers them gently to the final floor of Hell.