Key Concepts in Dante's Inferno and Classical Literature

Apostrophe

Addressing something that cannot respond.

Pietas

Duty to family, gods, and country; devotion.

The Greek Afterlife

Concepts from Greek mythology about life after death, including realms like Tartarus, Asphodel, and Elysium.

Metempsychosis/Reincarnation

The belief that the soul is reborn in a new body after death.

Contrapasso

The principle that punishment in Hell reflects the nature of the sin (poetic justice).

Repentance/Sin

Repentance is the act of seeking forgiveness for sins. Sin is a violation of divine law.

The Theological Virtues

Faith, Hope, and Charity (Love).

The Cardinal Virtues

Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance.

Purgatory

The temporary state where souls are purified before entering Heaven.

Ptolemaic vs. Copernican Model

- Earth-centered universe. - Sun-centered universe.

The Golden Mean

Aristotle's concept of balance between excess and deficiency, aiming for moderation.

The Humors and Temper

(blood, yellow bile, black bile, phlegm) influence personality.

The Hero's Journey

A common narrative structure involving a hero who ventures into the unknown and returns transformed.

The Seven Deadly Sins

Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride.

The Sins of Incontinence, Violence, and Fraud

Types of sin in Dante's Inferno, with varying degrees of severity.

Malice vs. Bestial

Malice is evil intent, while bestial refers to acting without reason or control, like animals.

Ekphrasis

A detailed description of a work of art.

Allegory

A story with a hidden meaning, often moral or political.

Allusion

A reference to another text, event, or person.

Invocation

A call to the muses or divine help at the beginning of an epic poem.

Epic Simile

A long, detailed comparison often used in epics.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.

Schemes

Figures of speech involving changes in syntax or structure (e.g., parallelism).

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

The Cumaean Sybil

A prophetess who guides Aeneas in the Aeneid.

Daedalus and Icarus

Daedalus was a master craftsman; Icarus flew too close to the sun with wings made by his father.

Minos

King of Crete; judge of the dead in Dante's Inferno.

Aeneas

The hero of Virgil's Aeneid, who descends into the underworld.

Anchises

Aeneas's father, whom he encounters in the underworld.

Venus

The goddess of love and mother of Aeneas.

Charon

The ferryman of the underworld who transports souls across the river Acheron.

Cerberus

The three-headed dog guarding the gates of the underworld.

Dido

The queen of Carthage and Aeneas's lover, who kills herself in the Aeneid.

Dante

The protagonist of The Divine Comedy, who journeys through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.

Virgil

The Roman poet who serves as Dante's guide through Hell.

Beatrice

Dante's love and the guide to Heaven in The Divine Comedy.

Avernus

A lake in the underworld; entrance to the realm of the dead in ancient Roman mythology.

The Greek Underworld

Includes the Acheron, Asphodel, Tartarus, and Elysium, where souls are judged.

The Dark Forest

The place where Dante begins his journey, symbolizing confusion and sin.

The Gates of Hell

The entrance to Hell, where souls are punished for their sins.

Limbo

The first circle of Hell, where virtuous pagans reside without hope of Heaven.

The City of Dis

The city in the inferno, a place of punishment for the heretics and the damned.

The She-Wolf

Represents incontinence, lack of self-control.

The Lion

Represents violence.

The Leopard

Represents fraud, treachery.

Francesca da Rimini

A woman in Hell for committing adultery, illustrating Dante's sympathy for the lustful.

Ciacco

A glutton who tells Dante about the fate of Florence.

Epicurus

A philosopher, representing the sin of heresy for denying the afterlife.

Ulysses

A hero in Hell for committing fraud and manipulation.

Judas, Cassius, and Brutus

The ultimate traitors, eternally punished in the deepest part of Hell.

Virgil's Influence on Dante

Virgil (as a guide) represents human reason in Dante's work, and is a significant figure both in Dante's Inferno and his spiritual journey.

Three Major Classifications of Sin in Dante's Inferno

Incontinence: Sins of self-indulgence (e.g., lust, gluttony). Violence: Sins against others or oneself (e.g., murder, suicide). Fraud: Deception (e.g., thieves, false counselors).

The Malbolge

The 'Ditch of Simple Fraud,' which has ten ditches that represent different forms of fraudulent sins.

Virgil's Aeneid and Dante's Inferno

Both are deeply influenced by the Greek and Roman traditions, as well as by Christian theology.

Dante's work

Includes a variety of historical, mythical, and literary characters, like Ciacco, Francesca da Rimini, and Pope Boniface, each symbolizing different moral lessons or themes related to sin and repentance.

Virgil's role

Virgil guides Dante through Hell (Inferno), just as he guides Aeneas through the underworld in the Aeneid.

Elysium fields

A paradise-like resting place for virtuous souls, free from punishment.