Dante’s Inferno: Canto 13

Mrs. Luckey

Canto 13: circle 7, round 2The Violent Against Themselves

Nessus carries the Poets across the river of boiling blodd and leaves them in the WOOD OF THE SUICIDESSouls are encased in thorny trees.Leaves are eaten by Harpies who damage their leaves and limbs. The wounds bleed and it is through this bleeding that the souls can speak

Contrapasso…

Since the souls have destroyed their own bodies, they are denied a human form.And, since in their lives where self-destroyed, they are only permitted to speak through a being that tears and destroys themOnly through bleeding do they find a voiceAt Last Judgment they will receive their bodies back, but will not inhabit them. (Their bodies will hang on their tree limbs).

HarpiesHideous birds with faces of malign women, often associated with the Erinyes (Furies)

In mythology, steal the souls of men at the command of the gods

Defilers of all they touch

Give the souls recurring wounds

PityVirgil urges Dante to break off a piece of twig.

The soul cries and Dante feels horrible.

Virgil encourages the soul to tell Dante more and Dante will bring his name back to earth to refresh fame

The soul tells Dante he’s a confidant of Emporer Frederick II; his name is Pier della Vigne

Pier della Vigne

Accused of disloyalty

Imprisoned and blinded

Committed suicide to evade further tortue

Pier is famous for his eloquence of speech

Only in hell 51 yearsPS: Frederick II is in Canto 10

The Violent Against their Substance

Run naked through the thorny woods pursued by hungry and angry dogs who tear them to pieces and carry off their limbs.Sin: violence of wasting (themselves)2 “runners” pass Dante and Virgil, one hides and is torn apart by dogs. His remains in the bush speak to Dante and inform him as Jacomo da Sant’ Andrea

Jacomo da Sant’Andrea

“I was born / in the city that tore down Mars and raised the Baptist. / On that account the God of War has sworn / her sorrow shall not end.” (l. 142-145 ) : Florence

A Paduan with infamous lust for laying in his waste of goods

Arson was his favorite prank

Murdered in 1239, most likely by a “hitman”