The Sorcerers, the Corrupt and the Hypocrites

Still seething with anger at the corruption within the Roman Church, Dante and Virgil walk the path to the fourth of the Rotten Pockets of the Eighth Circle of Hell (for the precursor to this story, please click here). Deeper and deeper into the regions of Hell where the fraudulent meet their judgement they descend, as the very air of Hell grows heavy upon their shoulders, until Dante arrives at the summit of a steep drop, where at the bottom more sinners lurk.

The Nine Circles of Hell
Painting by Sandro Botticelli.

Just within sight, our pilgrim spies the valley floor awash with tears, tears shed by the mournful spirits of the damned within. Movement suddenly breaks the deathly stillness of the pit. Shades begin to move far below. Slowly and clumsily a fresh array of souls march across the pocket, oddly deformed though they are. Gazing at their sorry, weeping faces, Dante's eyes move down over their broken forms, revealing their cruel punishment. Twisted and contorted beyond nature, these poor souls see only behind them, whilst their bodies face the fore. Cascading down their front, their hair, down their back, their tears, these are the souls of the sorcerers and the false prophets. Here the punishment is an ironic taunt of the condemned's crime in life. For while the soothsayers claimed foresight of the future in life, here they see only the past in Hell. Amongst the many suffering spirits from ancient and modern times, Dante spots many he and Virgil recognise. One such shade that ambles before them is the blind seer Tiresias, the man blessed with prophecy by Zeus, the very man who revealed to Oedipus his dread fate in Thebes, many thousands of years ago (in a story told on this site, please click here). Having once briefly been transformed into a woman, Tiresias held the secret knowledge of both man and woman, and was revered for the unique revelations this brought unto him, even by the gods. The gods questioned Tiresias about goddesses, and goddesses of gods, until argument broke out upon Olympus' snowy peaks. In a rage, Hera struck Tiresias blind, but in compassion, Zeus imparted within Tiresias the power of foresight. A gift for which he now pays (rather unfairly) in Hell. Many others who placed faith in the words of the Oracle of Delphi in ancient times follow in his wake, stricken with grief at their sad fate. But the hour grows late and the Moon speeds its passage across the skies.

A Barrator is cast into the boiling pit of tar
Engraving by Gustave Doré.

Crossing over a bridge of crumbling stone, the two poets stumble upon the fifth of the Rotten Pockets of Hell. Dante is struck by how thick the darkness is that closes in. His mind suddenly turned to the pitch used to coat the hull of a ship, he sees a vast lake as black as night. Bubbles boil to the surface of the infernal waters, but before he can consider too long, a nightmarish apparition swoops upon them, leathery wings spanning wide, evil horns sprouting from its form. A sinner is borne upon its shoulders, terror upon his face, as the winged demon mercilessly casts him into the accursed pit. More of the foul demons pass into sight, all hurling taunts at the souls within the pit. From their words, our pilgrim learns that here are condemned politicians tainted with corruption. Just as their blighted souls and dark dealings spoiled their honour in life, so now they are immersed in sticky and burning tar in death. Their numbers are many, crooked counsellors of the Italian cities alone stretch as far as the eye can see. Men, who for coin can 'change a no into a yes', writhe in agony in the pit, and those who in desperation seek respite from the burning tar are pounced upon by the demons, ever ready with their cruel weapons. These malevolent fallen angels are the Malebranche, whose sole task is to maintain the suffering of their domain. Suddenly, they see before them our two poets. Claiming the authority of the Most High, Virgil steps forward and demands safe passage through the pocket. Arrogant and disbelieving, Malacoda, their fell captain, steps forward. His kin suddenly aware of Dante, and assuming him to have been send for his judgement, pounce upon him. But Malacoda stays their blades, fearful of God's wrath. Virgil and Dante may take their path, he declares, and he will even supply an escort, since he tells them the bridge they seek lies broken, having collapsed many centuries ago.


The dark troop set off alongside the banks of the lake. The damned tremble at their approach, and dive into the tar in terror.The fell creatures drag a poor sinner from the pit, and for the thrill of torture they pierce him with their spears, laughing at his plight. In desperation, the sinner begs to be hurled back to the tar, promising to return with more. Maddened by glee, the demons release him. But the sinner does not return. Enraged that the spirit has once more committed fraud, the very reason for his sentence to Hell, the Malebranche quarrel as to how seek vengeance, before pelting after him. In the struggle, two of the demons fall into the boiling pitch. Sensing trickery in the confusion, Virgil urgently seizes Dante's hand, and they frantically scarper down a vast slope of scree.

The Hypocrites
Engraving by Gustave Doré.

Not a moment too soon our poets reach the foot of the mount, for far above them, the Malebranche have returned, flailing their wings in anger at their escaped prey. Dante turns, shuddering at the thought of being left alone in this place, when a curious new sight greets his wearied eyes. A great line of souls, shuffling forward with no great speed, their forms all but hidden by strange shining cloaks. Dazzled for but a moment, Dante realised the cloaks gleam as though made of gold, yet the souls are bent over, seeing nothing but the ground. Puzzled at this new ordeal, our pilgrim turns to his master, questioning him on this fate. Hearing Tuscan spoken aloud, a nearby soul raises its head and slowly marches toward them. Another soon follows, the two apparently friends in life. Dante introduces himself as a proud Florentine, and eagerly askes them who they once were. 'Jovial Friars' they once were, of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary (a 13th century military order). Renowned as the Friars were for failing to keep to their monastic vows, Dante realises that here, in the sixth of the Rotten Pockets of Hell, are punished the hypocrites. Gilded and gleaming though their heavy cloaks may be on the inside, within they are lined with lead, its crushing weight barring their passage on into the afterlife. Just as their words masked falsehood within in life, so their outward displays of affluence betray a crippling burden in Hell.

Despairing at their wretchedness, Dante begins to rebuke the deceitful spirits, when suddenly the souls part to reveal a terrible punishment in their midst. Another shade lies there, crucified to the ground, his weak form hammered into the harsh ground. This man is Caiaphas, the man who preached to the Pharisees the inevitability that one man must die for many, but who himself bade Pontius Pilate condemn Christ to the crucifixion. He is cursed here as a seed of evil. Dante notices that even Virgil looks on in amazement, but is puzzled why. Before he can learn why, however, Virgil asks the Friars for a way out of this place. Certainly, they reply, escape is possible, all they must do is climb up the escarpment, and take the bridge that spans this realm. Cursing, Virgil suddenly realised the deceit of Malacoda. The bridge was not broken at all. One of the souls turns sympathetically to Virgil:


                 "And the friar: 'Once, in Bologna, I heard discussed
                           the devil's many vices; one of them is
                           that he tells lies and is father of all lies "

                                                        - THE DECEIT OF HELL

Affronted, and angered, Virgil strides off, Dante in hot pursuit, glad of company, but uneasy that here they begin to penetrate the reaches of Hell where not even his great guide knows all any longer. For they come ever closer to the Pit of Hell now, and Satan's malign influences grow in strength...

United Kingdom

Penguin Classics:
Dante: Inferno (Penguin Classics)
(A nice edition which also has the original Italian on the left hand page opposite the English)

Oxford World's Classics:
The Divine Comedy (Oxford World's Classics)
(Accessible and well annotated, also includes Purgatorio and Paradisio)

United States

Penguin Classics:
The Divine Comedy: Volume 1: Inferno (Penguin Classics) (Pt. 1)
(A nice edition which also has the original Italian on the left hand page opposite the English)

Oxford World's Classics:
The Divine Comedy (Oxford World's Classics)
(Accessible and well annotated, also includes Purgatorio and Paradisio)