CANTOS 31-32

CENTRAL PIT OF MALEBOLGE - RIGHT BEFORE THE NINTH CIRCLE OF HELL

• Coming to this pit, Dante sees what looks like towers.
• Virgil, informs our pilgrim that these aren’t towers, but are giants.
• They stand on Cocytus, the icy ninth circle of hell, with only their torsos emerging from the pit.

WHY ARE THESE GIANTS HERE?

• Nimrod is the guy who tried to build a tower reaching to heaven in Babylon.
• Ephialates tested his strength against Jove.
• Antaeus is a guide, and will set them down into Cocytus.

CONTRAPASSO
Nimrod can only speak gibberish.
Ephialates has his arms pinned and is bound for eternity.

• Nimrod can only speak gibberish.
• Ephialates has his arms pinned and is bound for eternity.

DANTE (RELUCTANTLY) AND VIRGIL DESCEND

• After seeing Ephialates, the giant hears them and starts an earthquake.
• Dante, in fear, and Virgil, not in fear just chillin, flee to Antaeus.
• They plead with him to set them down into the last level.
• So, the giant takes Virgil in his huge hands; and in turn, Virgil grabs Dante.
• Thus ends Canto 31.

VIDEO LINK

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwqVyBdnvL8

ENTER COCYTUS

• Our lovely winter wonderland has three levels:
• Caïna: for those who betrayed blood relatives
• Antenora: for those who betrayed their country
• The third level is introduced in Canto 33.

CAÏNA

• Sinners here have their head and necks above the ice.
• Dante sees Alessandro and Napoleone Degli Alberti.
• Camicion tells Dante and Virgil about this level.

ANTENORA

• These sinners have their heads out of the ice, but cannot bend their necks.
• Dante accidentally kicks our Bocca in the head.

ANTENORA CONT.

• Bocca betrayed Italy, so Dante didn’t regret kicking him in the head that much.
• Dante forces him to name some other traitors.

ANTENORA CONT.

• Dante comes upon two heads stuck in one hole.
• One head is gnawing on the back of the other.
• Dante demands they tell him their story.
• End Canto 32

VIDEO LINK

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNfiYuAzJ2I