9 Circles of Hell (Dante's

Inferno)
First Circle (Limbo)
Dante’s First Circle of Hell is resided by
virtuous non-Christians and unbaptized
pagans who are punished with eternity
in an inferior form of Heaven. They live
in a castle with seven gates which
symbolize the seven virtues. Here,
Dante sees many prominent people
from classical antiquity such as Homer,
Socrates, Aristotle, Cicero, Hippocrates
and Julius Caesar.

Second Circle (Lust)

In the Second Circle of Hell, Dante and
his companion Virgil find people who
were overcome by lust. They are
punished by being blown violently back
and forth by strong winds, preventing
them to find peace and rest. Strong
winds symbolize the restlessness of a
person who is led by desire for fleshly
pleasures. Again, Dante sees many
notable people from history and
mythology including Cleopatra, Tristan,
Helen of Troy and others who were adulterous during their lifetime.

Third Circle (Gluttony)

When reaching the Third Circle of Hell,
Dante and Virgil find souls of gluttons who
are overlooked by a worm-monster
Cerberus. Sinners in this circle of Hell are
punished by being forced to lie in a vile slush
that is produced by never ending icy rain.
The vile slush symbolizes personal
degradation of one who overindulges in
food, drink and other worldly pleasures,
while the inability to see others lying nearby
represents the gluttons’ selfishness and
coldness. Here, Dante speaks to a character
called Ciacco who also tells him that the Guelphs (a fraction supporting the Pope) will defeat and expel
the Ghibellines (a fraction supporting the Emperor to which Dante adhered) from Florence which
happened in 1302, before the poem was written (after 1308).
Fourth Circle (Greed)
In the Fourth Circle of Hell, Dante and Virgil see the souls of people who are punished for greed. They
are divided into two groups – those who hoarded possessions and those who lavishly spent it – jousting.
They use great weights as a weapon, pushing it with their chests which symbolizes their selfish drive for
fortune during lifetime. The two groups that are guarded by a character called Pluto (probably the
ancient Greek ruler of the underworld) are so occupied with their activity that the two poets don’t try to
speak to them. Here, Dante says to see many clergymen including cardinals and popes.

Fifth Circle (Anger)

The Fifth Circle of Hell is where the wrathful and sullen are punished for their sins. Transported on a
boat by Phlegyas, Dante and Virgil see the wrathful fighting each other on the surface of the river Styx
and the sullen gurgling beneath the surface of the water. Again, the punishment reflects the type of the
sin committed during lifetime. While passing through, the poets are approached by Filippo Argenti, a
prominent Florentine politician who confiscated Dante’s property after his expulsion from Florence.

Sixth Circle (Heresy)

When reaching the Sixth Circle of Hell, Dante and Virgil see heretics who are condemned to eternity in
flaming tombs. Here, Dante talks with a couple of Florentines – Farinata degli Uberti and Cavalcante de’
Cavalcanti – but he also sees other notable historical figures including the ancient Greek philosopher
Epicurus, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Pope Anastasius II. The latter, however, is according to
some modern scholars condemned by Dante as heretic by a mistake. Instead, as some scholars argue,
the poet probably meant the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I.

Seventh Circle (Violence)

The Seventh Circle of Hell is divided into three rings. The Outer Ring houses murderers and others who
were violent to other people and property. Here, Dante sees Alexander the Great (disputed), Dionysius I
of Syracuse, Guy de Montfort and many other notable historical and mythological figures such as the
Centaurus, sank into a river of boiling blood and fire. In the Middle Ring, the poet sees suicides who
have been turned into trees and bushes which are fed upon by harpies. But he also sees here
profligates, chased and torn to pieces by dogs. In the Inner Ring are blasphemers and sodomites,
residing in a desert of burning sand and burning rain falling from the sky.

Eight Circle (Fraud)

The Eight Circle of Hell is resided by the fraudulent. Dante and Virgil reach it on the back of Geryon, a
flying monster with different natures, just like the fraudulent. This circle of Hell is divided into 10 Bolgias
or stony ditches with bridges between them. In Bolgia 1, Dante sees panderers and seducer. In Bolgia 2
he finds flatterers. After crossing the bridge to Bolgia 3, he and Virgil see those who are guilty of simony.
After crossing another bridge between the ditches to Bolgia 4, they find sorcerers and false prophets. In
Bolgia 5 are housed corrupt politicians, in Bolgia 6 are hypocrites and in the remaining 4 ditches, Dante
finds hypocrites (Bolgia 7), thieves (Bolgia 7), evil counselors and advisers (Bolgia 8), divisive individuals
(Bolgia 9) and various falsifiers such as alchemists, perjurers and counterfeits (Bolgia 10).

Ninth Circle (Treachery)

The last Ninth Circle of Hell is divided into 4 Rounds according to the seriousness of the sin though all
residents are frozen in an icy lake. Those who committed more severe sin are deeper within the ice.
Each of the 4 Rounds is named after an individual who personifies the sin. Thus Round 1 is named Caina
after Cain who killed his brother Abel, Round 2 is named Antenora after Anthenor of Troy who was
Priam’s counselor during the Trojan War, Round 3 is named Ptolomaea after Ptolemy (son of Abubus),
while Round 4 is named Judecca after Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus with a kiss.