Canto 22 Deception

 

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/.

Uneasiness and Apprehension Tone

‍The devils are going after the travelers in the beginning of canto 23. There is a tone of uneasiness and fear. The Melabranche seems to be chasing after the travelers however, Dante cannot be hurt as mentioned previously in other cantos as his journey was foredained by God. However, the precariousness of the ending was conveyed to us for instance when the travelers anticipated the coming of the messenger so Dis could open. Virgil foolishly leads them to danger which inevitability instills fear in Dante as we see from his thoughts. It is also the uncertainty one gets from Aesop’s fable that contributes to the uneasiness of the canto. This is purely a poetic choice by Dante. As Barolini states in his commentary, the term “Gia”, which means already or hardly, was used multiple times in this canto and previous cantos such as 8 as a technique for emphasis. It helped build the apprehension that was developed throughout and especially at the beginning of this canto. It conveyed the picture that everything was happening at once for instance when the Melabranche was gaining on the travelers as Dante was thinking. We see however that this fear is unreasonable as we are reminded that the devils cannot leave their Bolgia. Dante though incites this fear to all in order to prove and depict the opposite, that hell has no control over the rest.

Virgil Speaks to Dante about Fame

In Canto 24, Virgil gives the Pilgrim a lecture on fame, he says: “one does not gain fame sitting on down cushions, or while under coverlets; and whoever consumes his life without fame leaves a mark of himself on earth like smoke in the air or foam in water…” (canto 24, lines 46-51).  This speech serves multiple purposes in this canto.  First of all, it motivates the Pilgrim as a character to continue on his journey after a difficult point in which they were lied to by devils and the Pilgrim sees his master emotionally affected by this (canto 23, lines 139-141).  Secondly, it highlights Christian virtues in two ways, in the first sentence: “you will have to cast off sloth in this way” (canto 24, line 46) and it outlines a non-wasteful way to use the gift of life you have been bestowed by God.  The speech also serves an important purpose outside of the characters; Virgil’s encouragement for the Pilgrim to seek fame can be read as representing Dante’s act of writing the Divine Comedy, to use his life to gain fame by writing poetry.  Lastly, it creates a contrast between fame (which is the best way to be remembered on earth) and infamy (which is the worst way to be remembered on earth and is how Dante writes the sinners in his poetry back into existence on earth).  The next sinner Virgil and the Pilgrim encounter tells them his story reluctantly, understanding the negative image it paints of himself; before telling his story he looks at the Pilgrim “and was covered with sad shame” (canto 24, line131-132).  Dante is the opposite of this sinner, as he and the Pilgrim tell their story with pride and not shame because their story (the Divine Comedy) brings them fame, while the stories of the sinners within the Comedy continue to bring them infamy as long as they are read.

Beasts vs Sinners (Parallel)

In Canto 22, the fraudulent nature of sinners parallels the deceptive nature of the Evil Claws. Even though it’s revealed in the later Cantos that Malacoda intentionally misguided Dante and Vergil to take the wrong path, the deceptive nature of Malacoda and his beasts is hinted at in the descriptive imagery used in the 5th pouch of the 8th circle. In the 5th pouch Dante describes the submerged sinners as “ dolphins do, when they signal to sailors, arching their spines, to take measures to save their ship”(Canto 22, lines 18-20). The simile has a dual meaning because it’s not only acknowledging the behavior of the sinners but also the behavior of the beasts. The demons are pretending to help Dante cross the 8th Circle hence they’re acting as “dolphins” leading Dante and Vergil who represent the sailors however, the beasts are really like the sinners themselves who trick and deceive people.  Dante elaborates that “so from time to time, to lessen the pain, a sinner would show his back and hide it in less than a flash.” (Canto 22, lines 21-23). Dante implies that a sinner shows glimpses of their true nature.

Both, the beasts and the sinner from Navarre show that they can’t deny their nature. The beasts are compelled to sadistically torture the soul from Navarre. They say “O Ruby Face, see you get your nails in him, and tear his skin off!’ All those cursed ones were shouting at once.” (Canto 22, lines 39-41). The moment that the beasts first saw the damned soul, their first instinct was to tear the soul apart. This raises the questions that if the souls have this little patience with the damned soul, how long will it be before they succumb to their  violent nature and do the same to Dante and Vergil. The sinner from Navarre also can’t help but use trickery to escape his circumstantial problems. In the real world, he “took to barratry” (Canto 22, line 52) to escape the financial problems caused by his “wastrel” (Canto 22, line 50) father. Likewise, he tricks the Claws into hiding near the back and escapes. Dante narrates that “The Navarrese chose his moment well, planted his feet on the ground, and escaped their design.” (Canto 22, line 120-122). The Navarrese previously denied any intentions of running away or procuring  any more “suffering for his own kind” (Canto 22, line 109). However, when he was presented with the opportunity to escape, he took it, true to his nature. Both the Beasts and the Navarrese are susceptible to their deceptive natures

Both the Navarrese and the Claws have the capacity to betray their own accomplices. Dante uses an extended metaphor that “as sometimes one frog stays while the other jumps” (Canto 22, lines 29-31) to foreshadow that the beings will deceive or turn against their own kind. In the metaphor, Dante specifies that these frogs are “at the edge of a ditch” (Canto 22, line 24). The frogs have a dual meaning. They represent the sinners in the pool pitch who are physically turning but also reflects their nature to turn against people that trust them. The frogs are at the edge because the depth of the edge is unknown just as their true is unforseen. The Navarrese sinner betrays his accomplices when he says “Tuscans or Lombards, I can make them come;” (Canto 22, lines 96-98). He offers his friends to the beasts so that they can reduce his punishment. He claims that “for one that I am, will make seven come as I whistle, as is our custom to do so, when one is a lookout.” (Canto 22, lines 102-104). There is an obligatory and almost militaristic bond between these men, yet he’s ready to violate that trust and betray them for his own safety. Likewise, when the sinner escaped, the Beasts turned against each other. Dante narrates that “The heat was a quick ungrappler; but not for that could they come forth, they had so enlimed their wings.” (Canto 22, lines 141-143). They were so physically tangled in their fight that even the heat from the pitch couldn’t pull them apart. They demons attacked their own fellows instead of working together. Thus, the sinners and the Claws don’t have it in their nature to be loyal to their kind.

Evil Tail’s Clever Deceit

In Canto 21, Dante and Virgil encounter a group of devils collectively referred to as Evil Claws. The meeting that ensues portrays Virgil as being an overly confident master who takes the word of a devil despite being in a subcircle of the circle of fraud and the inherent evil nature of the beast-like creature. Virgil questions one of the devils: ” ‘Do you think, Evil Tail, that you see me here,’/said my master, ‘once already safe from all your tricks,/without God’s will and favorable fate? Allow us/ to walk on, for it is willed in Heaven that I guide/ someone on this savage journey,’ ” (79-83, 323). In other words, Virgil reminds the devil that he has already journeyed on this path through Hell on his own without the trickery or deceptions of the devils harming or affecting him in any manner. He is able to get past them and does not imagine how or why it should happen otherwise this time. Virgil also wishes to express that part of the reason he is traveling through Hell with the pilgrim and must be allowed to continue to do so, is because God is allowing it to happen through His own will. Virgil’s bold demeanor appears to be effective for the time being when Evil Tail lets his guard down, orders the rest of his group not to abuse Virgil or Dante in any manner and to guide them on through their next path.

This reaction that Evil Tail presents seems to be a positive sign on the surface. However, the reality of the situation is that Evil Tail is deceiving Virgil by allowing the latter to believe that Evil Tail is bowing down to Virgil’s reasoning and self-assured tone. Barolini elaborates on this point by claiming, “Malacoda [Evil Tail] weaves truth with falsehood into a perfectly designed trap, giving instructions and information that seem straightforward and helpful to Virgilio but that his troops can decode as deceitful and hostile,” (Barolini). The escorts that Evil Tail sends along with the two travelers have evil intentions in mind and are aware that they are allowed to carry them out because of Evil Tail’s clever manner of speaking with Virgil. The ‘trap’ that Barolini mentions refers to the deceiving approach Evil Tails uses in making his three statements. The first and the third one are true while the second one, claiming that there’s an unharmed bridge that will ease Virgil and Dante’s path, is the false statement. As Barolini points out, this cleverness of throwing in a false statement in between two true ones effectively distracts Virgil from the fact that he is being deceived thanks to the self-assurance present in Virgil’s attitude.

Such deception supports the idea that Virgil’s ability to reason with the demons of Hell is not always successful as Virgil, and especially, Dante hopes. Dante’s lack of trust and his overwhelming fear of the demons is influenced by a moment in canto 8 where Virgil is unable to carry out his word. Virgil takes an assertive stance against a group of demons that protect the gates of the city of Dis. He fails to sway their stubbornness in any which way resulting in Virgil and Dante inability to cross the gates. This, in turn, discourages Virgil immensely. Consequently, Dante marks this as a significant failure that must be kept in mind throughout the rest of the journey. Although Dante has faith in Virgil’s intelligence and ability to deal with the creatures of Hell, he does not wish to forget this moment for the sake of eluding danger which Virgil fails to do so in canto 21. Furthermore, Virgil fails to recognize the idea that simply because Evil Tail complies with his demands, this does not signify that Evil Tail will stay true to his word. After all, as mentioned before, in a circle that contains sinners of fraud, it should be remembered that the demons, though they punish those sinners, are not restrained themselves and are free to carry out their evil nature as they please. Virgil must also keep in mind that it is self-centered to believe that he is incapable of failure in his dealings with demons. There is obvious evidence otherwise which justifies Dante’s dread of the situation and it should be taken seriously, especially in an environment where it is understandable to have such sentiments.

Secondary Source: https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/dante/divine-comedy/inferno/inferno-21/

The Father Figures of Dante

Canto 15 of The Inferno focuses on the third part of the second circle of Hell, those who commit crimes against God. In this part of Hell Dante and Virgil find Brunetto Latini who was a very important teacher to Dante in his youth. The shade of Latini refers to Dante as his son twice, on lines 31 and 37, and Dante refers to the shade of Latini as a “kind paternal image” on line 83 further cementing their father/son relationship. Although it may seem odd that Dante would put such a revered father figure in Hell, Latini is not the first father figure Dante comes across on his journey. In Canto 10 Dante and Virgil find Cavalcante de’ Cavalcanti in the sixth circle of hell among the heretics. As the father of Dante’s first friend, Guido Cavalcanti, there is a subtitle father/son dynamic underscoring their meeting although I have not been able to isolate a good quote to definitively prove that.

The appearance of two father figures of Dante in Inferno begs the question, where is Dante’s biological father? Nowhere. Neither of Dante’s parents are mentioned in his works which is curious since so many important people in his life to appear throughout The Commedia. Why would Dante omit his parents?

Reading Dante by Giuseppe Mazzotta gives the interesting and tantalizing fact that Dante’s father, Alighiero di Bellincione, was accused of usury but is not found among the usurers. While it is important to note that Dante’s mother, Bella degli Abati, is also not mentioned in his works she also died when Dante was around 5 or 6 years old, meaning it is very possible that Dante had few memories of her. Given that Dante’s father died when Dante was 18 years old, the combination of Dante’s condemnation of usury, a crime that, according to Mazzotta, was used by other poets as a way to slander Dante and imply that he did not come from a good family could be seen as a strong condemnation of his father. A very common theme in all of Dante’s works is an anxiety about how others think of him and how his fame will survive once he is gone. For someone so concerned with what other people think of him and who values the worlds memory of himself so much that being remembered is one of the things Dante takes away from those who are in Hell, it is not a baseless hypothesis to suggest that Dante would be very bothered by the insinuations against himself and his family. Dante might not have wanted to admit to the world openly that his father was guilty of usury but could not resist severely condemning others guilty of the same crime to separate himself and his fame from that of his father.

The end of Canto 16 has a passage that has caused many debates between scholars as mentioned in the notes of our book. Lines 106-114 detail a moment where Dante unties a chord which he gives to Virgil to use as a tool to help them descend lower into the inferno. This moment seems to be unrelated to the discussion about Dante and his father above but our notes give the additional context that early commentators thought that the chord Dante unties represents fraud, mentioning that it could be either the inclination to commit or history of committing fraud. Given that Dante’s father was accused of usury, a form of fraud, could this be an admission by Dante that the accusations against his father were not only true but also that Dante himself assisted in that fraud? Or could it symbolize Dante freeing himself from the shame he felt due to his father’s crimes since the sins of the father should not fall upon the son?

The conspicuous absence of Dante’s biological father paired with the way that Dante highlights father figures in his life throughout his works begs a question about the relationship the two men had. This is a question that probably will never be satisfyingly answered but I plan on looking for other representations of the father figure throughout The Commedia to see what there is to find.

 

Demons Inevitable Betrayal, Aesop’s prediction

In Canto 23, Virgil and Dante the pilgrim are traveling alongside 10 demons instructed by Malacoda to safely take Virgil and the pilgrim to an unbroken bridge spanning the sixth bolgia. Virgil and Dante did not know in Canto 21 that there wasn’t an unbroken bridge when Malacoda said, “… let these be safe until the next ridge that goes undamaged over the pits” (Inf.21 , 125-26). As stated in Barolini’s commentary, “Malacoda was effectively telling his devils that they will soon be authorized to attack the travelers.”
Dante then relates his and Virgil’s situation with the devils to a fable by Aesop about a frog and a mouse. The fable states that, “… a frog offers to swim a mouse across a body of water, intending to drown him; the frog ties his leg to the mouse’s; when the frog tries to drown the mouse their struggles attract a hawk, who seizes them; the frog’s leg being tied to the mouse makes escape impossible for both of them”(Durling, Martinez). Barolini proposes that one of the possible scenarios is, “Dante and Virgil as mouse, devils as frog, with the sometime addition of Ciampolo as kite.” Kite in this case is interchangeable with hawk. Ciampolo was one of three souls Dante, Virgil and the devils crossed paths with in Canto 22. The allusion to Aesop’s fable is effective because Virgil and Dante blindly trusted the demons to guide them when in reality their intentions were evil just as the frog in the fable. Ciampolo as the kite, benefited by both Virgil, Dante and the devils because he was able to trick the devils into letting him escape their additional torture. In other words, Ciampolo was bale to manipulate the situation that brought Dante, Vigil, and devils together to his advantage. Dante’s use of Aesop’s fable enforces the fraudulent and deceptive behavior punished in the fifth bolgia.

Virgil’s reassurance towards Dante

Throughout the Inferno, Virgil always helps, reassures, and gives Dante confidence in any given circumstance. Virgil also tends to baby Dante when Dante does something to please him. In Canto 23, Virgil and Dante managed to slip away from Barbariccia and the other demons that were distracted by the demons Calcabrina and Alinchino fighting. Virgil and Dante saw this as their final opportunity to leave but Dante is terrified that the demons will come and look for them since they slipped away. Virgil reassures Dante by carrying him across. In lines 37-43, Dante says “ My leader seized me quickly, like a mother who is awakened by the noise and sees the flames burning close by, who takes up her son and flees, caring more ofr him than for herself, not stopping even to put on her shift:”. Virgil reassures Dante that nothing is going to happen to them by showing him this kind of affection. Similarly, in Canto 24, Virgil pushes Dante to get moving and helps him down the rocky bank. Dante mentions that if it weren’t for Virgil, he probably would’ve given up by now. In lines 23-27 “… he opened his arms and took hold of me. And like one who uses judgement as he acts, always seeming to look ahead, so, carrying me up to the top…”, Virgil carries him again to get to the summit of the bridge. Without Virgil being there, Dante would have been completely lost and hopeless throughout each circle of hell. Additionally, in Canto 19, Virgil also happily carries Dante like a baby across the bridge. Virgil was proud of him for not sympathizing with the sinner Pope Nicolas III. Evidently, there is a recurring theme of Virgil carrying Dante in these three cantos. Nonetheless, Virgil’s reassurance is shown in the beginning of the Inferno in Cantos 2 and 8. In Canto 2, Virgil reassures Dante that everything will be okay in his journey by telling him that he was sent by his beloved Beatrice. In lines 133-136, Dante says “Oh full of pity she who has helped me! And you courteous, who have quickly obeyed the true words she offered you!”. Dante is eternally grateful to have received Virgil as his master and guide throughout his journey. Furthermore, in Canto 8, thousands of enraged sinners try to bar Dante from getting into the city of Dis because of his “alive-ness”. Virgil reassures Dante that they will get into the city of Dis. Virgil at first fails but then succeeds in the beginning of Canto 9. In lines 121-123 of Canto 8, Virgil tells Dante “And to me he said: “You, though I am angered, do not be dismayed, for I will overcome this test, however they scurry about inside to prevent it”. Virgil’s ego does take over here, but he was successful either way when they both got into the city of Dis. Thus, Virgil’s reassurance and encouragement has helped Dante face numerous obstacles throughout the Inferno.

Canto 24: Dante’s body mass is problamatic, Virgil controls his emotions & Dante still relies on Virgil

Canto 24 begins with the “simile of the villanello” as noted in the Digital Dante notes for canto 24. The villanello demonstrates Virgil’s changing expression as well as the emotional state both Virgil and Dante face. Virgil is angry but his anger is not directed to Dante. Virgil is like a farmer who is running low on food and can’t maintain his animals so he needs his animals to graze and is appalled by the sight of frost because the grass will be covered by snow. This is shown when Dante writes, “when on the ground the frost copies the image of her white sister, but her pen retains its temper only briefly, the peasant, his provisions running short, rises to look, and sees the fields all white; and he strikes his thigh…” (Canto 24, lines 4-19). But the frost disappears quickly in the morning sun, therefore the grass can be seen and the farmer (Virgil) is suddenly overpowered with joy. Realizing how treacherous the bridge is, Virgil takes some time to consult himself and study the ruin of the bridge well. Then Virgil helps Dante across, lifting him up onto various boulders and teaching Dante to find secure places where he can put his feet to push himself up. When they finally make it across, Dante says “My breath was so milked from my lungs when I arrived there that I could go no further, but rather sat down as soon as we arrived” (canto 24, lines 43-46). Dante is dependent upon his master not only for physical help, but also for spiritual guidance and moral support. Similar to previous cantos, Dante gains reassurance from Virgil because Virgil’s actions and words can make Dante feel serene because Dante feels the same security in Virgil as when he first met him. Instantaneously when Virgil’s anger vanishes so does Dante’s anxiety. Once Virgil gains his composure, he reveals he is capable of measuring an amount of control over his emotions. This contrasts with the way in which most of the sinners in Hell are prey to their emotions and physical desires such as anger, lust, greed, and so forth. Although Virgil is in one circle of Hell, he is only there because he is not a Christian; he is a pagan. Virgil, however, uses his willpower to master his emotions. Throughout the poem, the ability to master emotions is seen to be a uniquely human characteristic that identifies with human ability.

 

Virgil congratulates Dante on his efforts and tells him “And therefore stand up; conquer your panting with the spirit that conquers in every battle, if it does not let the heavy body crush it down” (canto 24, lines 52-54). The climb to the next bridge presents problems. Virgil is weightless, but he has to give very careful directions for Dante because Dante has body mass so he needs test each rock before he puts his entire weight on it because the bridge can collapse. Here, as seen in other cantos, the body is considered to be an impediment, because the body represents a physical weight that the spirit must carry around and that threatens at times to overcome the spirit. Similarly, as noted in canto 8 when Dante the pilgrim states “My leader stepped down into the boat and then had me enter after him; and only when I was aboard did it seem laden. As soon as my leader and I were in the bark, the ancient prow set forth, cutting more of the water than it does with others” (canto 8, lines 27-30). Dante tries to cross the Styx river by boat but at first is denied by Phlegyas because Dante is still alive and therefore his body remains with him throughout his journey. Only Dante the pilgrim has a body weight to the boat and therefore the boat sinks lower into the water because of his weight index.