In canto 14, Dante and Virgil encounter a soul called Capaneus, through which the reader is introduced to a new concept. Barolini describes it: “Hell is a condition in which the soul is permanently oneself as one was on earth- unrepentant and unameliorated, with no hope of change or growth,” (Barolini). In other words, instead of considering Hell as a place for souls that are forced to pay for their sins in eternal anguish, Barolini refers to it as a “condition”. A condition is defined as a mindset, in this case, untouched and unaffected by the circumstances in which the soul dwells. Despite the horrific punishment Capaneus endures, his pride and confidence in himself as a warrior is unshaken. There is no possibility that his outlook will succumb to the ongoing pressure to repent. The eternal suffering, presence of demons and the cries of the anguished do not seem to bother Capaneus in the slightest. As Capaneus bluntly puts it, “…As I/ was alive, so am I dead,” (50-51). This arrogant demeanor is a clear example that when someone does not show evidence of guilt or remorse for any transgression they commit in their living days, it cannot be expected of them to do so when they descend into Hell.

In response to this superior attitude, Virgil retorts, ” ‘O Capaneus, since your pride is not extinguished, you are punished more; no punishment, other than your rage, would be suffering of a measure with your fury,” (62-5). Virgil wishes to express here that as long as Capaneus’s pride is still intact, this, in itself, is punishment enough for the soul. The anger and fury that embodies Capaneus because of his stubborness and possible belief that he does not belong in Hell will keep him in distress for all eternity. Therefore, Capaneus must be forced to deal with his crimes for all of eternity. Barolini summarizes this point by stating that the soul “…is stuck with its self”. Furthermore, he considers, “If the motto of the sinners here is that they are now what they always were, then in effect these sinners create their own Hell”. Capaneus’s perspective on his position in Hell entails the likelihood that all sinners are exactly as they were in the living world. With this in mind, the souls are making an illusion of a Hell that solely belongs to them. Although this does not exclude them from punishment, it seems far less cruel than the punishments forcefully inflicted upon them because they are choosing to remain as they have always been and as a result, are choosing their own destinies in Hell. This is especially appealing for the souls of the third subcircle within the seventh circle, where Capaneus dwells, because their sins pertain to violence against God. If their unchanging personas allow for a fabricated Hell, this, in turn, signifies that they’re evading and going against God’s punishments which He deems appropriate for the souls and are being punished by their own terms.

Dante and Virgil meet Capaneus, Title: Capaneus, Illustration by William Blake, Source: Danteworlds (UTexas)