Reading Notes Dante's Inferno Part B

At the top of the broken gully, the infamy of Crete, the Minotaur, conceived on Pasiphaë, in the wooden cow, lay stretched out. When he saw Dante and the guide he gnashed at himself. The guide said, "Perhaps you think we are someone else. We are just passing through to see the punishments."

The Minotaur became enraged. Virgil told Dante, "Run to the passage while he is in a fury. It is time for your descent."

They made their way downwards. In the first ring they saw centaurs racing one behind another. WHen the centaurs saw them they stood still. Three elected leaders came up and asked why they were there. The guide responded that they will talk to Chiron. Chiron noticed that Dante is alive. The guide explained the situation. Chiron turned to Nessuss and said, "Turn and guide them. If another crew meets you then keep them off."

They followed their new guide along the crimson boiling. He said "These are tyrants who indulged in blood, and rapine. Here they lament their offenses, done without mercy."

As they kept walking the blood grew shallower and shallower. In the second ring the harpies made their nest. They had broad wings, and human necks and faces, clawed feet, and large feathered bellies. They made mournful cries in that strange wood.

They left the third ring and the guide told Dante, "'Follow me. Be careful not to place your feet on the burning sand. Always keep back close to the wood."

They reached a stopping point and the guide said, "There is a deserted island in the middle of the sea, named Crete, under whose king Saturn, the world was pure. Their course falls from rock to rock into this valley. They form Acheron, Styx and Phlegethon. They go down to where there is no further fall and form Cocytus. You will see what kind of lake that is, so I will not describe it to you here."

 

A Racing Centaur

Bibliography
Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002).