SANDRO BOTTICELLI, CANTO XVIII, COLORED DRAWING ON PARCHMENT, C. 1480https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sandro_Botticelli_-_Inferno,_Canto_XVIII_-_WGA02854.jpg
The pilgrim and Virgil land at the top on the eighth circle of hell on Geryon’s back. The horrifying place that appears in front of Dante’s eyes is called Malebolge. Dante follows his guide around the left side of the first circle until they reach the first pouch (the are ten of them altogether in the eighth circle of hell) where the nude damned are forced to march in lines through a series of ditches. If they attempt to stop or get out if the line they get beaten with a whip by devils with horns. This pouch is a place for the Panders and the Seducers.
Dante compares the hoards of sinners the marching in lines to large crowds of people coming to the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church to pay their indulgences:
“as the Romans, the year of Jubilee, because of
the great throng, found a way to move people, across
the bridge,” (Divine Comedy, Canto XVIII, 28-30)
It is clear to see that the author condemns the Pope Boniface VIII who announced in 1300 that it was a year of Jubilee, also called a Holy Year in the Roman Catholic Church. He also declared “indulgences” to those who visit Roman churches and make “an offering” (which was basically paying the clergy to have sins forgiven). Because of that declaration the numerous groups of peasants kept coming in waves to the home of Pope and were being corralled by the guards, which caused forming two lines moving to and from Vatican. Dante plainly notes the similarity between the horned devils that control the sinners and the servants of Vatican.
Another instance where Dante manifests his antipathy towards the church is found in the description of the sinners from the second pouch called flatterers.
“And while I am searching with my eyes down
there, I saw one with his head so filthy with shit that
whether he was lay or clerk did not show.” (Divine Comedy, Canto XVIII, 115-119)
Dante’s description of the flatterers covered in their own stinking excrement does not exclude a priest (clergy), which strongly suggests his aversion towards the church.
To sum up, the author expresses in Canto XVIII his deep antipathy towards the church and its servants by comparing them to the workers of deep hell and flatterers – sinners drowning in their own excrement. It is also worth mentioning that the way Dante describes the flatterers shows his ability (wit) to navigate easily between every style in his poetry.
