The idea that the only hope for those in Hell is for them to be remembered on earth has come up multiple times.  We have already seen in canto 3 that the cowards true punishment is that they can not be remembered, that they are not worth writing about and are unaccepted by both Heaven and Hell.  In Canto 3, line 64, we are told that these sinners “never were alive”.  However, in Canto 6, the Pilgrim encounters Ciacco, who asks the Pilgrim to remember him on earth, he tells him: “when you are back n the sweet world, I beg you, bring me to people’s minds”.  Despite Ciacco’s sin being worse than the cowards the Pilgrim encounters in Canto 3, he is able to hope for remembrance and receives it.  The inclusion of Ciacco in the text is the granting of his wish and the only ease of suffering he can get.  In the next circle, the Pilgrim wants to have pity for the souls there and asks Virgil if he would know any of them so that he could remember them, but similar to the cowards, the souls in this circle are not able to be granted that small hope.  Virgil tells the Pilgrim that part of their punishment is to be undistinguishable from each other, which makes it so that they may not be remembered.  Even in Canto 8, when the Pilgrim encounters the soul who attempts to touch the boat, a soul the Pilgrim wishes to be further punished, receives the kind act of being remembered on earth as Dante writes his name into the poem: “Filippo Argenti”.

“…Your city, which is full of envy that the sack already overflows, kept me with her during my sunny life.” (Alighieri, 49-51)

As Dante continues his journey with a guidance and help of his master Virgil he enters lower circles of Hell where he encounters new characters that represent different categories of sinners. By meeting those various characters face to face Dante refers not only to sins they committed but also to the political situation in Italy – the city of Florence, in particular.

In the Third Circle of Hell, the circle of the Gluttons, Dante meets Ciacco – the native of his own city –Florence. Ciacco probably died a few years after Dante (the author) was born and was a member of a rival party. He predicts the future of Florence, the events that will take place between 1300 and 1302. He is truly concerned that Florence will be divided due to jealousy, aspirations and hunger for wealth and success. Ciacco also informs the Pilgrim that many of important politicians of his time are situated and suffering in the lower circles of Hell. Just before lying back down in a muddy swamp he begs the Pilgrim to remember his name when he leaves Hell and goes back to the world above.

In the Fourth Circle of Hell Dante sees the sinners (The Avaricious and Prodigal) who constantly, without a break push heavy wheels of weights around in a big endless circle. Although Dante tries to recognize any of the sinners it is impossible because their faces (identities) are covered in dirt.

In the Fifth Circle of Hell Dante encounters the souls who are forced to fight in the muddy river without a break. These are the wrathful and sullen, who lived their life in anger and consequently wasted it. After crossing the river Styx Dante is being directly confronted by another Florentine – Filippo Argenti, who was the author’s major political enemy and a member of the powerful Adimari Family who was responsible, along with others, for exiling Dante from Florence. Filippo’s brother took all of his possessions The Pilgrim gets furious with Argenti and has a sort of verbal revenge on him. It was a completely different reaction to a sinful soul comparing to usual crying or fainting. This particular behavior of the Pilgrim made Virgil very proud.

To sum up both characters whom Dante meet continuing his journey through Hell -Ciacco and Filippo Argenti – are real people who while alive were directly connected to the political situation of Florence.

“A little after that, I saw such havoc
Made of him by the people of the mire,
That still I praise and thank my God for it.” (Alighieri 58)

I would like to talk about Author’s hatred for Argenti. The quote above is towards Argenti, and it’s evident that Dante (both the author and character) did not think highly of Argenti.  Up until now, Dante expresses nothing but sadness and guilt for these sinners except Argenti. It’s fascinating to see the reason why he is placed in this circle. We know that this circle is exclusively for sinners whom have committed wrath. For those whom are unfamiliar with this circle; these are people whom were consumed with anger in their lives. Now we don’t know in details Argenti’s backstory, or his relation towards the character Dante, but we do know from the text’s footnote(102 pages 63-64) that Boccaccio had mentioned in his Comento that Philippo Argenti is a man of great “pomp and ostentation”. We can suspect that this Argenti is an unpleasant person, and there’s unresolved conflict between the author and Argenti. I would like to know more about their conflict but I digress. What’s important in this post is how funny it was that the author managed to put this character Argenti whom as far as I can tell was no real substance to this sinner in terms of the grand scheme of the author’s intentions. Argenti wronged the author is the most minimal way, and now he is forever cemented in text to be ripped apart by his fellow sinners.