Canto 16 teaching guide

H.ATAKAN KESKIN

THE INFERNO-CANTO XVI

About the Seventh Circle

• This circle is divided by 3 parts and contains people who were violent against god(blashphemers),nature(sodomites) and art(usurers).
• In Canto XVI, Dante and Virgil are in the second zone of the 3^rd ring (also known as inner ring) where the Sodomites are punished.
• Blashphemers are in the first zone of the seventh circle,and they have to lie on their back on the flaming sand ,sodomites are in the second zone of the circle ,and they have to run in endless circles.

Summary of the Canto

• Dante and Virgil are still in the seventh circle. They are in the second ring of the circle which contains the sinners who were violent against the nature and punished to run in endless circles. Dante also mentions that he can still hear “the sound of the water falling into the next circle like the rumbling that beehives make.” As they are walking , they see three shades running together towards them. As they are running towards them, they are telling Dante and Virgil to stop because they recognize Dante by his Florentine dress. Virgil tells Dante to stop because they should be kind and talk to them. The three people are Guido Guerra, Tegghiaio Aldobrandi and Iacopo Rusticucci . Dante recalls them from Florentine and admires them so much that he says “If I had been protected from the fire, I would have thrown myself down there among them.” but his fear of being burned and baked stops him.Also, Tegghiaio and Iacopo are mentioned in a really good way and in the conversation that Dante and Ciacco had. They ask Dante for news from Florence, but Dante answers back with bad news because he thinks that the recent new wealth that people has in Florence has created such an arrogance and excess that people in Florence does not care about the common good anymore and he also says the new mayor does not rule the city really good. As the 3 souls leave they tell Dante to talk about them if he escapes hell and goes back to see the beautiful starts which Dante meant to say heaven. After they leave, Virgil asks Dante to give his cord(belt) from his waist. Virgil throws the cord into a mountain pass which is filled with dark water. As he pulls the belt back, a big monster rises up. They jump on to monster's back and monster takes them to the 3^rd zone where the sinners who were violent to art located.

THE PUNISHMENTS

• The name of Sodomites come from the city Sodomy which the homosexual people were living and God destroyed the city.
• The punishment for Sodomites are to run in endless circles on the burning sand and the under of the fire rains.

Guido GUERRA	He was a leader and a Florentine politician. He fought in many wars. He was exiled from Florence because Guelfs were defeated in the Battle of Montaperti. After six years Guelps fought back , took their revenge and he came back to the city. He was a great General and led the Guelfs in many wars.
Iacopo RUSTICUCCI	He was a Florentine politician that Dante admired a lot.
Tegghiaio ALDOBRANDI	He was a Florentine politician and also the mayor of San Gimignano. He fought in Battle of Montaperti as a Guelph. He was exiled in Lucca and died there as well.

QUESTIONS

1. Do you think the punishment of the Sodomites fits them? If you were the author of the book, how would you punish them ?

2) What conclusions can you draw about Dante using the three men he liked in hell?