Daily Archives: February 22, 2019

The Distinction Between Truth and Falsity

Dante and Virgil are near the seventh circle, Dante’s attention is concentrated on the sound of water falling into the next circle of Hell. However, Dante and Virgil are stopped by three figures. These figures are aware that Dante is a Florentine because of his clothing. Virgil tells Dante to show these figures politeness and Dante listens to them, as with Ciacco and Farinata. The figures surround Dante, asking Dante who he is. An important reoccurrence (as seen in previous canto’s) happens again when the figures ask Dante to remember them and to speak about them when Dante returns to the world. Dante states, “For I am of your city; and with fondness, I’ve always told and heard the others tell of both your actions and your honored names. I leave the gall and go for the sweet apples that I was promised by my truthful guide; but first I must descend into the center” (canto 16, lines 58-63).  These three Florentines are eager to talk to someone from their own homeland. These figures in the afterlife (as well as Dante) feel a notable attachment to Florence, which is their home on earth. The meeting between Dante and Guido Guerra, Tegghiaio Aldobrandi, and Jacopo Rusticucci demonstrate the horrible and devastating infernal punishment they persistently endure, however these dignified individuals inspire Dante because of their high values they demonstrated when they were alive. However, these Florentines, are not able to see the present of Florence, and like Dante are greatly concerned with the status of their homeland (Florence). Dante is concerned because, those who rule Florence, are the same people that exiled him. The three noble Florentine’s praise Dante for his skilled speech and this shows that Dante is growing over the course of his journey, learning from Virgil. Furthermore, Jacopo wants Dante to seek immortality through fame and wants Dante to live on in fame when he dies. Dante however doesn’t want this for himself but instead he seeks to reach a truer form of immortality which is salvation in heaven. Dante in this canto represents conservative values because he idealizes the past, which was the Florence he knew and misunderstands and rejects the social and economic changes happening in Florence. So, for Dante there is no probability of redemption in the future, enclosed in condemnation of the present and, therefore he continues to recall Florence’s past.

The theme of language is developed throughout this canto, the language of truth and falsity—the distinction between false words and truthful words. Dante describes Virgil as his “truthful guide.” Then, Dante, cries out while explaining the state of Florence and states “Newcomers to the city and quick gains have brought excess and arrogance…” (Canto 16, lines 73-37). The three Florentines listen to the truth and believe it: “the three looked at each other when they heard my answer as men will stare when they have heard the truth” (Canto 16, lines 76-78). Dante also believes that there is a type of truth which seems like a lie, this is proven when he states, “Faced with that truth which seems a lie, a man should always close his lips as long as he can—
to tell it shames him, even though he’s blameless; but here I can’t be still; and by the lines of this my Comedy, reader, I swear—and may my verse find favor for long years” (Canto 16, lines 124-129). Dante admits that is own work referring to the Comedy, is a piece of literature in which he feels the need tell his story even though it seems fictional. In this way, Dante feels his work holds literal and true beliefs, even though it may seem to be fiction. Because Dante is close to entering the circles devoted to fraud, therefore there is a distinction occurring.

Sodomy as a greater sin than homicide and suicide

 

The image shows black and white vintage engraving by Gustave Doré, “Brunetto Latini”

I found this image browsing through the resources available at http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu

In canto XV Dante and Virgil continue their journey through the seventh circle of hell, far below the wall surrounding it. In the third ring, which is located at the very bottom of the seventh circle the pilgrim encounters the sinners which represent the worse form of violence – the sodomites. They are presented as extremely violent against nature. The sodomites suffer below those who committed the sin of homicide or suicide because of their hostile behavior towards nature and willfully violating self love and love of others. As a consequence of that disgraceful act the continuity of family but also community is seriously compromised.

The sodomites walk aimlessly without a break and always together, as a group, across the burning sand (the hot sand represents their inability to reproduce and consequently play a productive part in a society). Dante recognizes his former mentor among them – Brunetto Latini, who was born in Florence around 1220 and died in 1294. The pilgrim asks Latini to sit down with him and talk:

“…As much as I can, I beg you; and if

you wish me to sit down with you, I will do so, if he

over there permits it, for I am going with him.” (Canto XV, 34-36)

His mentor, however refuses to do so, because:

“…whoever in this flock stand still

for an instant, must then lie for a hundred years

without brushing off the fire that strikes him.” (Canto XV, 37-39)

The moral connection between their crime and long term punishment seems a little unclear to me but I assume that the author wants to emphasize that whoever commits this type of a crime or exposes himself to it even for a moment will suffer the repercussions for many years ahead.

Sodomites not only can’t stand still for a moment because the sand burns their feet but also they move their hands constantly to clean themselves off the small flakes of fire that falls on them. Besides, they wander in numerous groups, not alone and not in pairs as, for example the heterosexual lovers – Francesca and Paulo who are placed in the second circle. It clearly represents the character of sodomy as the sin that draws in not pairs but groups of sexual partners who willfully and boldly disobey the law of nature. What is more, they don’t damn themselves alone but they drag others into eternal punishment.

To sum up, it is obvious that Dante Alighieri allows the reader to see that the sin of sodomy has very negative social and spiritual consequences. In other words people who commit that sin are destructive to nature, God and community and their crime is considered as one of high seriousness that goes far beyond homicide and suicide.