What familiar Greek character is presented in this circle?
Tiresias of the Fortune Tellers.
Why is it considered a sin to foresee/attempt to foresee the future?
100
What is a grafter in this context of the Inferno?
Corrupt politicians who abused their power in office.
100
What nationality is the first soul taken out of the graft?
A Navarese.
How did he begin to graft?
100
Do Dante and Virgil escape the demons successfully?
Yes they do, they manage to climb into the next bolgia, a domain the demons cannot enter for they are bound only in the fifth bolgia.
Who restrained the demons to the fifth bolgia?
100
Since there is a given number of days after Christ's death, what year is it in Dante's world?
(Hint: The book's already done the math...)
30 AD
Is there some significance to this specific length of time?
200
What is Dante's immediate reaction to this circle?
Give textual evidence!
"I wept. I leaned against the jagged face/of a rock and wept so that my Guide said: 'Still? Still like the other fools? There is no place for pity here." Lines 24-28
What is Virgil's reasoning against any pity here?
200
How did Dante describe the demons? Use textual examples
"...huge and black"
"...great talon"
"...all hate and wildness! Galloping so, with his great wings outspread he seemed the embodiment of all bitterness."
How does the use of literary elements help Aligheri describe this scene?
200
What metaphor does Dante use to describe the demons taking the Navarese out?
Taking a fish hooked out of the water.
What is the importance of the Navarese?
200
What is the punishment of the sixth bolgia?
The hypocrites are forced to wear robes with gold and glitter on the outside, lead on the inside so they are walking with weights on.
What is the symbolism behind this punishment?
200
In Canto XXII, what metaphor is used to describe the grafters in the pitch?
Frogs sending ripples as they go underwater.
What do the demons' part of the punishment symbolize?
300
What is particularly cruel/ironic about this punishment? Use textual evidence
Spent life looking forward and trying to know the future. In Hell, they spend eternity looking backward with tears filling their eyes.
"In life he wished to see too far before him, and now he must crab backwards round this track."
How does this reflect Aligheri's opinion of Diviners and religion?
300
Why did all of the bridges over the sixth bolgia collapse?
When Jesus died, there was a big earthquake that even shook the grounds of hell.
Is there a significance to why only the sixth circle is affected?
300
What is the significance of describing each action that the demons take?
Dante is watching every move that they make, describing every detail, trying to help people understand how fearful of a situation this was.
300
What Italians do Dante and Virgil meet walking?
The Jovial Friars, Catalano and Loderingo.
Why have they been damned to this circle of hell?
300
Malacoda orders everyone away from the Navarese. Is this because Virgil has ordered so indirectly or of his own will?
It is likely so that Virgil's wishes can be fulfilled.
Does the symbol of Human Reason play a role here in controlling the demons or not?
400
Why does this specific Bolgia elicit such a strong response from Dante? Use specific evidence
"...how I could check my tears, when near at hand I saw the image of our humanity.."(175)
How does Dante shift from the beginning of this Canto to the end? What role does Virgil play?
400
How does Virgil help Dante safely get across?
Tells him to wait, goes and confronts the demon and tells him to let them pass, divine will and fate.
How does the idea of Divine Will and Fate continue to play a role in getting Dante through Hell? Why do you think that is?
400
What is the Navarese's plan? Does he succeed?
He plans to sit on the edge of the circle to "call out the Italians for Dante" but instead escapes just barely from the demons.
This is marked as the first "escape" of a soul in Inferno. Is there some significance to it?
400
Who is the person staked to the cross on the ground? What is his punishment?
Caiaphas. He told the Pharisees, renowned people of Jerusalem, that Jesus should be crucified for the good of everyone. Now he is nailed to the cross like Jesus and made to feel all weight of all hypocrites, all hypocrisy of the world.
Why does Virgil make such a reaction to Caiaphas?
400
Free points
Can we just agree that the translator of the Inferno did such a great job with naming the demon crew of the fifth bolgia?
500
Name all of the specific people who were seen/discussed in this Bolgia
Amphiareus, Tiresias, Aruns, Manto, Eurypylus, Micheal Scott, Guido Bonatti, Asdente.
Which story do you think was most significant to Dante in this part of his journey? Why?
500
What are the names of the Demons who are assigned to help Dante and Virgil?
Grizzly, Helken, Deaddog, Curlybeard, Grafter, Pigtusk, Catclaw, Cramper, Crazyred.
Why do you think the Demon who was talking to Virgil felt inclined to help?
500
What happens to demons Grizzly and Hellken at the end of the canto?
They argue over letting the Navarese escape and fight in the pitch, prompting the other demons to hook them out of it.
Why do Dante and Virgil run?
500
Why is Virgil angry at the end of the Canto?
The demon Malacoda has lied about there being another bridge across the sixth circle.
After this discovery of this lying, what insight into demons is proposed?
500
What are these Cantos called in the professional literary world?