Canto IV

Dante’s Inferno Canto IV

Summary:

The Canto starts with Dante waking up to a thunder like sound. He wakes up feeling as if he was sleeping for a very long time. Virgil had carried him off the boat. Dante and Virgil had reached the first circle of hell (limbo). We learn from Virgil that this is where the virtuous pagans live. The virtuous pagans are people born before Christ or infants who were not baptized before their death. Virgil himself lives in Limbo. Dante asks Virgil if anyone from limbo has had the opportunity to go to heaven and Virgil tells him that god had granted permission to a few to come to heaven, some of which were Moses, Noah, and Adam. As Virgil and Dante walk and talk Dante notices the famous spirits or souls are separated from the normal ones. Virgil explains to Dante that the separated souls had gained this status through their achievements on Earth.  Virgil introduces some of the honored souls to Dante which turn out to be Homer, Horace, Ovid, and Lucan. The famous souls as well as Dante and Virgil walk toward a castle (which has seven walls and surrounded by a stream) and talk, Dante does not tell us what they talk about. Dante and Virgil walk into the castle and meet other famous souls such as Cicero, Seneca, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Eventually Dante and Virgil leave the castle heading into the dark once again.  (http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/divine-comedy-inferno/summary-analysis/canto-iv.html#top)

Their Sins:

In the first circle of hell also known as limbo the people in there never really committed a major sin. The only reason they are there is either cause they were born before Christ or were not baptized as babies. Most of limbo is in darkness. Dante though allows reason itself to create its own small light.

Punishment for their Sins:

In limbo there is no punishment for their sins like the rest of the circles of hell. The souls in limbo do not experience any kind of excruciating pain the other souls do in the lower circles of hell.  Limbo is mostly darkness.  Most of the souls that live in limbo lived their life based off thought and knowledge, not god and religion. So Dante made limbo in a way that the souls could live with human wisdom but without the “light of god”.  “Socrates, for example, wrote that he envisioned the afterlife as a place where one would have discussions with great people that came before or that lived in the present. Therefore, Socrates gained his ideal eternity.” (http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/divine-comedy-inferno/summary-analysis/canto-iv.html#top)

Link to Contrapasso:

         There is a small link, in limbo the souls live in an area with meadows, forest, and a castle, and with their knowledge and wisdom. The souls get to share their knowledge and wisdom but have to live their life without the “light of god” and hope. So since the people sent to Limbo either didn’t have option to know Christ before their death or weren’t baptized as babies, they didn’t have god beside their side in limbo, causing limbo to be mostly covered in darkness.

Character Analysis:

Philosophers (Aristotle, Socrates, Plato)- These are the three  great philosophers of their time that Dante sees as he goes through limbo with Virgil.  Dante specifically called Aristotle "The master of those who know" (Inf. 4.131). Aristotle was a major influence during his time which is apparent in the fact that all his works were translated into Latin while Plato had one translated.  “The influence of Aristotelian thought on Dante is perhaps most apparent in the content of a philosophical work (Convivio), the argumentation of a political treatise (De Monarchia), and the moral structure of hell (Inferno).”(http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/circle1.html) They were sent to limbo because they were born before Christ.

Poets (Honer, Horace, ovid, Lucan)- These are the four great classical poets of all time. Dante recognized their greatness, and being a poet himself he looked up to them, but not as much as he loved Virgil though of course. Homer was the author of the epic poems Iliad and Odyssey. Ovid wrote the Metamorphoses, which were mythological tales of transformations, based on the relationships between the mortals and the gods. Lucan was best known for his Pharsalia, which was about the Roman civil war between Pompey and Caesar.  Lastly Horace was mainly known for his classical work Arspoetica that was an influential poem about the making of poetry itself. The poets were sent to Limbo cause they were born before Christ, and they were mentioned specifically because they are were the four great classical poets of all time and Dante uses their work and influence in some of his own work.  (http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/textpopup/inf0403.html)

Discussion questions:

1.   Why do you think Dante referred to Aristotle as "The master of those who know" (Inf. 4.131)?

2.   Why do you think Dante made limbo to always be in complete darkness with no light?

Multiple Choice:

1.   What woke Dante up?

a)             Sound of thunder

b)             Virgil slapped him awake

c)             Charon poured water on him

d)             He was done sleeping

2.   What part of hell are they at?

e)             First Level

f)              Second Level

g)             Limbo

h)             Both e and g

3.   Who lives at this level of hell?

i)              Rapist

j)              Murderers

k)             Greedy people

l)              Virtuous pagans and non baptized babies

4.   Which of the following got to leave Limbo for Heaven?

m)           Virgil

n)             Noah

o)             Aristotle

p)             Lucifer

5.   What is the time period called when Christ descended into Hell during the time between his death and resurrection?

q)             Redemption into Hell

r)              Harrowing of Hell

s)              Giver of Second Chances

t)              The Beginning to an End

6.   Who is the “Mighty One”?

u)             Adam

v)             Virgil

w)            Christ

x)             Lucifer

7.   Who did Dante call the "The master of those who know"?

y)             Virgil

z)             Christ

aa)          Aristotle

bb)         Moses

8.   How many walls surround the Castle or Citadel?

cc)          Nine

dd)         none

ee)          three

ff)            Seven

9.   What kinds of pain do the sinners in Limbo experience?

gg)         Bees stinging them

hh)         Walk on sharp nails

ii)            Pitch black darkness to never see anything again.

jj)            Experience no pain

10.                 Why are they some figures of honor that were separated from the “normal” souls?

kk)          Their achievements on Earth

ll)            Their belief in god now

mm)      Their practice of Ben Commune

nn)         All of the above