Stoicism is a school of philosophy that dates back from 300 B.C.E. It emphasizes philosophy ought to be practiced not as academic studies, but as a way of life. Alighieri has indeed incorporated many stoical concepts and references throughout the Cantos from thinkers like Epictetus, Seneca, and Cicero. Of those concepts, I would like to introduce what Apatheia is. Apatheia, as the stoic Epictetus would define, ‘is freedom from unhealthy passion’ (pain, fear, craving, and pleasure) and having apatheia in one’s life would constitute a life of that is both virtuous and flourishing (IEP).

The method of practicing and developing apatheia towards one life can be achieved through the visualization of the cosmos from the omnipresent perspective of looking at the world down below and up above.

We can see that Alighieri expresses a similitude of the grandeur view of the cosmos. On line 1-3 of Canto 24, There is an astrological description showing the relative relation between the Sun and the constellation of Aquarius, which causes the changing of the firmament. It is important to notice the order of this Terzina because the cosmological element is ordered like this: Sun, Aquarius, and the sky.

In that part of the youthful year when the sun

tempers its locks under Aquarius and already the

nights are moving south (Inf. 24. 1-3)

Then on the next Terzina, the causal relationship between the ground and the frost – which hints at the melting of frost – alludes to the Earth and the changing of the weather.

when on the ground the frost copies the image of

her white sister, but her pen retains its temper only

briefly (Inf. 24. 4-6)

And again, the element of frostiness is being mentioned again in later line, “see the fields all white”. But more importantly, the perspective of the cosmos shifts into a one that focuses on human matter. And there is some type of unbalanced display of emotions that are concerned with the changing of season and nature.

[the peasant] goes back in his house, and complains here and

there, like a wretch who knows not what to do; then

he goes forth again and stores hope in his wicker basket

again (Inf. 24. 10-12)

Those dispositions can be characterized as being fearful, anxious, and distressed when the changes in the environment are not depended on our expectations and our ability to control certain situations. Such moment of unstable emotion is emphasized on line 16-17, “so my master made me lose confidence, when I saw his brow so clouded”. However, there is a sudden shift in Virgil’s disposition in the next two Terzina that can be summarized as:

with the sweet expression I first saw at the foot of the mountain, / he opened his arms and took hold of me (Inf. 24. 20-23)

And as Seneca has said

“The wise man and devotee of philosophy are needless to say inseparable from his body, and yet he is detached from it so far as the best part of his personality is concerned, directing his thoughts towards things far above.” (Letter LXV, Letters from a Stoic)

The excerpt brought from Seneca highlights the importance of Virgil’s virtuous strength, in which draws a connection when the pilgrim praises Virgil “And like one who uses judgment as he acts, always seeming to look ahead, so, carrying me up to the top.” We can see there is an implicit iconography of ascension by comparing these two excerpts. It is the one who directs his study above earthly and cosmological configurations to establish a complete perspective of the cosmos, thus enables one to have an outlook of mental calmness on life.

As a whole Alighieri’s meticulous layering of the cosmos imagery provides adequate ground for that one must see the world in a way that goes beyond human and social affairs, the changing of earthly environment and seasons. We must put our fascination onto the stars and the constellations to develop a sense of universal apatheia, that human worries and suffering is so insignificant compared to the sublime vastness of the universe. From there on, we can go ‘up’ to see the world in perspective starting from the smallest anthropological layers to the cosmological layers (human and society, the earth, the firmament, and the stars) to have a complete view of nature and the divine, and that we must confront the uncontrollable nature with emotional resilience like that of the cardinal virtues (justice, prudence, fortitude, temperance).

In the Commento Baroliniano of canto 21 it discusses that Malacoda was able to deceive Virgil thus placing them in danger “Malacoda is able to deceive Virgilio because he accompanies his lie with a great truth: the true date of the death of Christ … Malacoda’s truthful lie—in effect, a falsehood that appears true—is the precise inversion of comedìa, a truth that appears false.” This marks the second time that Virgil has failed in this journey of guiding Dante. Although it wasn’t a walk in the park their journey has been relatively smooth aside from some hiccups like this event or at the gate of Dis. The purpose of this journey seems to be for Dante to understand the actions that God makes and to have faith in his decisions. But what is the purpose of these failures, these are certainly not coincidental Hell itself and its occupants are all governed by God himself, this little excursion of Dante and Virgil is definitely a part of his design. These incidents don’t seem to affect Dante much as we saw during the gate of Dis, he only became more and more nervous as he watched Virgil become more anxious through his face. In contrast these events seem to affect Virgil much more as we saw during in Dis his confidence that always seemed to be invincible was wounded and even now as we have seen in these recent dealing with the devils it has left a crack in him. It seems that this journey is also a test of faith for Virgil as much as it is for Dante.

From Canto 21, Virgil and Dante were crossing the bridge into pouch five of circle eight. Virgil advises Dante to hide behind a rock while he tries to negotiate their passage with Malabranche (Sparknotes). Malabranche offers 10 demons to help them with their passage. This pouch contains the Barterers. Barolini states that Barratry “is the corruption of civic governance, and the result of barratry is the corruption of the social order” (Barolini). In canto 22, Dante and Virgil are walking with the ten demons. However, Dante’s attention “was all given to the pitch, to see every condition of the moat and of the people burned in it” (Inferno 22, 16-17). As Dante is observing the sinners, he notices their actions common to a dolphin. Martinez and Durlings note to lines 19-21, states that the traditional idea of how dolphins would warn the sailors when there was a storm approaching. Martinez and Durling bring up the point through their notes how Dante are continuously comparing the sinners to animals (Martinez and Durling, note to lines 19-21, canto 22 p.57102c). All throughout canto 22 Dante is continuously stating animal- like images of the sinner. Now the protagonist- barrater is known in the commentary tradition as Ciampolo (Barolini). I learned some background information regarding Ciampolo’s story when reading Barolini’s notes. She states that “Ciampolo’s story suggests the difficulty of maintaining equilibrium- toward material goods in such an environment. He was the son of a ribaldo, of a man who is not poor but who had on inheritance to squander and who destroyed first his means and then himself” (Barolini). Barolini also states that the story of Ciampolo’s father, like Ciampolo’s own, suggests the pressures generated by life in an environment where financial prudence was much less valued than “largesse” in spending (Barolini). When Virgil asks Ciampolo if there are any Italians in this pouch, “Ciampolo offers to betray his fellows in order to betray the devils, who betray each other in their eagerness to betray the sinners and in their eagerness to have Ciampolo betray his comrades” (Barolini). When reading this idea made by Barolini, I researched more on a different analysis of Ciampolo’s behavior in this canto. I read that Ciampolo’s episode is linked in the bolgia of barratry to political subversion and universal corruption (Falvo). The author of this source states that “this idea is supported by the image of the pitch… the sinof barratry that has spread to a whole community of people has become a paradigm for universal corruption and degradation, so will the punishment of this sin affecting the sinners and their persecutors, become the emblem of a moment in retributive justice” (Falvo). There is a them of deception in this canto. Ciampolo’s use of language shows an example of Dante’s idea of how the sinners speeches provide another way of understanding the punishments of Hell and show that pnishing sin does not always help the sinner understand the nature of what he or she has done wrong (Course Hero). Ciampolo’s promise of contriving greater sorrow for his companions was his way of challenging the devils at their own game of cruelty and deception (Falvo). When Ciampolo bluffed, it portrayed Ciampolo’s victory and Alichino’s defeat (Falvo). To Dante, this was acted out as a “ludo”, or sport/ theatrical play (Martinez and Durling, note to line 118, canto 22 p.57102e). The sinners have their own communications and codes of governance, all rooted in malice and betrayal (Barolini).

I found this image in the image section of the Barolini website. It shows the sinners in the tar- like substance. If you look closely it looks like Virgil and Dante are hugging each other as they watch in fear the exchange between Ciampolo and the demon.

Sources:
Alighieri, Dante, et al. Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri : Inferno, edited by Ronald L. Martinez, Oxford University Press USA – OSO, 1996. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/huntercollege-ebooks/detail.action?docID=693941.

Barolini, Teodolinda. “Inferno 22: Diabolic Sport.” Commento Baroliniano, Digital Dante. New York, NY: Columbia University Libraries, 2018. https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/dante/divine-comedy/inferno/inferno-22/

Falvo, Joseph D. Decameron Web | Society, Brown University, www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/LD/numbers/02/falvo.html.

“Inferno Themes.” The Logistic Model Has Good and Bad Features PROS CONS Mathematically Tractable, College Life, www.coursehero.com/lit/Inferno/themes/.