Howl Like Dogs in the Freezing Howl Like Dogs in the Freezing Storm: Circle Three (The Storm: Circle Three (The

Gluttons)Gluttons)

FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

16 November 201116 November 2011

Canto VI: Data FileCanto VI: Data File• Setting: The Third Circle Setting: The Third Circle • Figures: Cerberus, Ciacco, PlutusFigures: Cerberus, Ciacco, Plutus• Allusions: Florentine Politics, JudgmentAllusions: Florentine Politics, Judgment• Punishable Sin: GluttonyPunishable Sin: Gluttony• Summary: Dante awakens and finds Summary: Dante awakens and finds

himself in the Third Circle. The poets himself in the Third Circle. The poets discover Cerberus slashing at the discover Cerberus slashing at the gluttons, but elude him by feeding him gluttons, but elude him by feeding him some of the foul waste the souls beneath some of the foul waste the souls beneath them writhe in. When Dante passes, one them writhe in. When Dante passes, one soul, Ciacco, rises and speaks with him, soul, Ciacco, rises and speaks with him, sharing a prophecy regarding Florence – sharing a prophecy regarding Florence – one we already know comes true. The one we already know comes true. The poets move on.poets move on.

The PunishmentThe Punishment• The Third Circle is reminiscent of a giant trash The Third Circle is reminiscent of a giant trash

heap, or the runny inside of a foul dumpsterheap, or the runny inside of a foul dumpster• The sinners lie in waste, both human and The sinners lie in waste, both human and

otherwise, freezing at all times (their obsession otherwise, freezing at all times (their obsession with material left their souls cold), while they are with material left their souls cold), while they are consumed by a ravening beast (Cerberus, the consumed by a ravening beast (Cerberus, the personification of their unchecked desires)personification of their unchecked desires)

• Why does Dante seem to consider gluttony as a Why does Dante seem to consider gluttony as a worse sin than lust?worse sin than lust?

• They’re both Deadly Sins, and both are They’re both Deadly Sins, and both are considered “Sins of the She-Wolf” (i.e., sins of considered “Sins of the She-Wolf” (i.e., sins of immoderation)immoderation)

• Not everyone shared Dante’s view; others Not everyone shared Dante’s view; others believed lust was the greater evilbelieved lust was the greater evil

GluttonyGluttony• For Dante, the relationship between lust and For Dante, the relationship between lust and

gluttony stretched back to Biblical timesgluttony stretched back to Biblical times– Eve eats (consumes) the fruit she isn’t supposed to eatEve eats (consumes) the fruit she isn’t supposed to eat– She then tempts Adam, who consumes it in turnShe then tempts Adam, who consumes it in turn

• Temptation and consumption link both sins; in Temptation and consumption link both sins; in both cases, we’re supposed to resist instinctboth cases, we’re supposed to resist instinct

• Gluttony, however, only requires the weakness of Gluttony, however, only requires the weakness of one (as opposed to shared desire)one (as opposed to shared desire)

• Just as Dante added complexity to lust during his Just as Dante added complexity to lust during his study, he seems to add complexity to it herestudy, he seems to add complexity to it here

• The gluttony we encounter is not confined to The gluttony we encounter is not confined to matters of food or money; the figures battling matters of food or money; the figures battling endlessly over power in Florence are gluttons in endlessly over power in Florence are gluttons in their own righttheir own right

CerberusCerberus• In most portrayals, Cerberus is a three-headed In most portrayals, Cerberus is a three-headed

dog; in some (Dante’s included), at least one of dog; in some (Dante’s included), at least one of his heads retains some human qualitieshis heads retains some human qualities– He popped up in He popped up in The AeneidThe Aeneid as well; Aeneas’s retainer as well; Aeneas’s retainer

(the Sybil) feeds him something that causes him to fall (the Sybil) feeds him something that causes him to fall asleepasleep

• Here, Virgil throws something foul down his Here, Virgil throws something foul down his throat, and he moves away choking…a very throat, and he moves away choking…a very different tonedifferent tone

• Cerberus is an appropriate figure here because Cerberus is an appropriate figure here because he represents unhinged consumption; just as the he represents unhinged consumption; just as the Gluttons consumed everything they could reach, Gluttons consumed everything they could reach, so they are consumed by Cerberus as soon as he so they are consumed by Cerberus as soon as he can reach themcan reach them

• Dante’s physical descriptions – greasy beard, Dante’s physical descriptions – greasy beard, clawed hands, swollen gut – are meant to conjure clawed hands, swollen gut – are meant to conjure up an image of gluttony itselfup an image of gluttony itself

CiaccoCiacco• An interesting figure, yet one whom we know An interesting figure, yet one whom we know

little aboutlittle about• Boccaccio’s portrayal shows us a man who was Boccaccio’s portrayal shows us a man who was

both pleasant and ravenous, someone who could both pleasant and ravenous, someone who could fit in well with polite company yet was utterly fit in well with polite company yet was utterly unable to control his appetitesunable to control his appetites

• Dante should have known him – Florence was Dante should have known him – Florence was small, so Dante knew everyonesmall, so Dante knew everyone

• Yet Ciacco’s gluttony was so great that it Yet Ciacco’s gluttony was so great that it destroyed his very substance, rendering him destroyed his very substance, rendering him unrecognizable to Danteunrecognizable to Dante

• That fear – the fear of being forgotten, even if it That fear – the fear of being forgotten, even if it meant being notorious – is palpable, and one meant being notorious – is palpable, and one wonders if Dante shared itwonders if Dante shared it

The Last JudgmentThe Last Judgment

• At the end of Canto VI, Virgil alludes At the end of Canto VI, Virgil alludes to the Last Judgment (i.e., the to the Last Judgment (i.e., the Apocalypse). Apocalypse).

• According to medieval Christian According to medieval Christian thought, time ends when God thought, time ends when God descends (as Christ) and judges all descends (as Christ) and judges all souls, at which point he’ll separate souls, at which point he’ll separate the virtuous from those who cannot the virtuous from those who cannot be savedbe saved

• The former go to Heaven, and the The former go to Heaven, and the latter to Helllatter to Hell

The Last Judgment (cont’d)The Last Judgment (cont’d)

• Raffa: “Souls would be judged immediately after Raffa: “Souls would be judged immediately after death and would then proceed either to hell (if death and would then proceed either to hell (if damned) or purgatory (if saved); this judgment damned) or purgatory (if saved); this judgment would be confirmed at the end of time, and all would be confirmed at the end of time, and all souls would then spend eternity either in hell or souls would then spend eternity either in hell or in heaven (as purgatory would cease to exist). in heaven (as purgatory would cease to exist).

““The The Divine ComedyDivine Comedy presents the state of souls presents the state of souls sometime between these two judgments. The sometime between these two judgments. The souls of the dead will be reunited with their souls of the dead will be reunited with their bodies at the end of time. The suffering of the bodies at the end of time. The suffering of the damned (and joy of the blessed) will then damned (and joy of the blessed) will then increase because the individual is complete and increase because the individual is complete and therefore more perfect [or flawed].”therefore more perfect [or flawed].”

In ConclusionIn Conclusion

• The Third Circle is fairly minorThe Third Circle is fairly minor• It’s noteworthy mainly for its It’s noteworthy mainly for its

introduction of politics (which will introduction of politics (which will have a more important role as we have a more important role as we proceed), for its graphic depiction of proceed), for its graphic depiction of depravity’s ultimate price, and for depravity’s ultimate price, and for the interesting questions it raises the interesting questions it raises about reputation, identity, and the about reputation, identity, and the legacies we leave (or never leave) legacies we leave (or never leave) behindbehind