This image is engraved by John Flaxman in 1973. It is under the University of Virginia (The World of Dante) archive.

http://www.worldofdante.org/pop_up_query.php?dbid=I168&show=more

This image illustrates Cerberus, the three-headed beast who resides in the third (gluttony) circle of hell. When Dante regains his consciousness from a fall, he is greeted by the harshness of the weather condition; he describes that there are hailstones, heavy rains, snows, and filthy water that stinks the environment. He then sees Cerberus, barking violent over those who have been eaten. In Cerberus’ physical appearance, the beast’s eyes are red and has a big belly, and he has talons to preys on his victim at ease. Cerberus proceeds to devours his foods with raving hunger and remains to silence while he is fulfilling his appetite.

Above is an image that I found under our resource page, poetryintranslation.com.

This image depicts a dark scene in which Dante, in front of an entrance in what it looks like to  me a huge tunnel like cave. Atop this cave entrance reads,

“THROUGH ME THE WAY TO THE INFERNAL CITY:

THROUGH ME THE WAY TO ETERNAL SADNESS:

THROUGH ME THE WAY TO THE LOST PEOPLE.

JUSTICE MOVED MY SUPREME MAKER:

I WAS SHAPED BY DIVINE POWER,

BY HIGHEST WISDOM, AND BY PRIMAL LOVE.

BEFORE ME, NOTHING WAS CREATED,

THAT IS NOT ETERNAL: AND ETERNAL I ENDURE.

FORSAKE ALL HOPE, ALL YOU THAT ENTER HERE.”

where the Devil makes it clear that these are the gates of hell. The devil refers to God as a justice moving supreme maker with divine power, highest wisdom and primal love, further establishing the fact that he is in fact the Devil, hell’s gate keeper, and the infamous fallen angel in which he takes much pride. It is nearly impossible for Dante not to be discouraged and afraid standing in front of the gates of hell to which he confesses to Virgil of feeling that this not-so welcoming message is “hard” to him, implying a sense of hesitance. Virgil then replies, “‘Here, all uncertainty must be left behind: all cowardice must be dead. We have come to the place where I told you that you would see the sad people who have lost the good of the intellect.” Virgil, both encouraging and comforting Dante leads him into the unknown abyss where he finds a plethora of diverse signs of anguish and instability.

I chose this image because I seldom like to think of what heaven will look like but never what hell will look like. I feel that it is hard to picture such unpleasant sceneries and also uninviting to my interest. Instead, when I am provided with such insights on what hell might look like it further intrigues me in reflecting on how awfully severe it might be to end up there.

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http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_yates_thompson.html

I found this illustration on the University of Virginia’s World of Dante page.  It was under Yates Thompson 36. The illustration is by Priamo della Quercia, and is titled ‘The Three Beasts”. The illustration is not in the public domain.

This illustration refers to the majority of Canto 1. When Dante first wakes up, he finds himself in a strange, dark place. While attempting to find his way out he encounters three different animals which terrify him, before he finally meets his guide, Virgil; all of which is shown in this illustration. On the far left of the illustration, we see Dante laying on the ground, asleep, before he comes to himself. To the right, Dante is being attacked by the first of three beasts who roam this land,  a leopard. Dante has his arms flung upwards in fear of the leopard. Next, a lion is attempting to attack him. Just as before, Dante is illustrated as fearful. The third beast, a she-wolf is then attacking him, and has managed to knock him onto the ground. But on the far right, we see Dante has managed to escape, and found safety with a figure cloaked in red- Virgil.