Dante’s 9 Circles Of Hell: A Visitors Guide
9th Circle – Treachery
You really won’t be disappointed if you visit the ninth circle. It’s completely surrounded by huge giants. They’re worth the entrance money on their own, but if you see one that looks like he’s about to sneeze, make sure you tuck and cover otherwise you’ll find yourself right back at the third circle.
The ninth is split into a further four rounds:
9.1 Caïna
Named after Cain, who famously killed his brother in the Bible, this area is for those that have been traitors to kindred. They just sit there shivering, submerged up to their chins in ice.
9.2 Antenora
Named after Antenor of Troy who, according to medieval tradition, betrayed his city to the Greeks. These guys get the same treatment as those in 9.1.
9.3 Ptolomaea
Here are housed people who have been traitors to guests, named after Ptolemy, son of Abubus, who invited Simon Maccabaeus and his sons to a banquet and then slaughtered them. They get a slightly worse deal and are lying on their backs with nothing but their faces free of the icy waters.
9.4 Judecca
Named after Judas, the man synonymous with the word traitor. These sinners are traitors of lords and benefactors. These unfortunates are contorted into hideous positions and completely encapsulated in ice.
Finally, in the very centre of hell, you finally get to see Satan himself. He’s incarcerated for having committed the ultimate sin – personal treachery against God. Dante describes him as a terrifying beast, stood waste deep in freezing water.
According to Dante, Satan has three heads of different colours – yellow, red and black. Satan is constantly weeping from all six eyes and flapping all six wings. Each of his three mouths is busy chewing on a traitor. Brutus and Cassius take up two of the mighty slobbering slots and the most grizzly of the mouths is saved for Judas himself, for betraying Jesus obvs.
Judas’ head is constantly gnawed by Satan’s oozing mouth whilst his claws constantly skin his back. Itt really is a must-see if you get that far.
As for escaping hell after you’ve done your sightseeing, that can be a bit of a challenge. Dante managed the escape by scaling down Satan’s fur and passing through the centre of the earth. That’s probably your best bet. But do keep in mind, when you pop up on the other side of the world you will need to buy a return flight, that’s not covered in the tour price.
And remember: STICK TO THE PATH.
MORE FROM HELL:
GATEWAY TO HELL FOUND IN TURKEY
