My blogging friend Rebecca Budd is currently participating in a #KaramazovReadalong, you can read about it here: https://ontheroadbookclub.com/2021/07/27/karamazovreadalong-day-1-who-is-fyodor/.
The reading group are reading one chapter a day of this book and it inspired me to tackle Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri in the same manner.
Canto 6 has Dante and Virgil passing into the third circle of Hell which is guarded by Cerberus. In Greek mythology, Cerberus is referred to as the hound of Hades and is depicted as a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld so that the spirits cannot escape. As the third circle is inhabited by gluttons, Cerberus with his multiple mouths and endless hunger is a suitable guardian.
The naked spirits lie on the ground rolling in the mud like pigs which a stinking slush falls from the sky. Cerberus stands over the howling spirits and barks furiously at them, clawing and biting those within his reach.
Cerberus requires a concession for each of his mouths to allow passersby passage through the third circle. Virgil satisfies this requirement by throwing the revolting slimy mud into his mouth.
As Dante and Virgil cross the swamp, one of the gluttons sits up and speaks to Dante. The spirit is Ciacco, the Hog, who claims to be from Florence and to know Dante. Dante is sympathetic to Ciacco’s fate and, knowing that the Damned can foresee the future, asks him why Florence is so divided and what the city’s fate is. Ciacco makes a prediction about a future war and defeat with one party being expelled. Dante asks about the location of certain famous Florentines and Ciacco tells him they are deeper in Hell.
Virgil tells Dante that Ciacco and the other gluttons will remain where they are until the Last Judgement afterwhich they will feel more pain as well as more pleasure having moved a little closer to perfection.
Here is an extract from Canto 6:
“Cerberus, cruel monster, fierce and strange,
Through his wide threefold throat barks as a dog
Over the multitude immers’d beneath.
His eyes glare crimson, black his unctuous beard,
His belly large, and claw’d the hands, with which
He tears the spirits, flays them, and their limbs
Piecemeal disparts. Howling there spread, as curs,
Under the rainy deluge, with one side
The other screening, oft they roll them round,
A wretched, godless crew. When that great worm
Descried us, savage Cerberus, he op’d
His jaws, and the fangs show’d us; not a limb
Of him but trembled.”
roberta-writes.com 
Fascinating to think this is 800 (or so) years old. I’ve never read it but I’m enjoying your summary of each Canto. From this section it seems there’s political commentary about Florence at the time (a trip I was hoping to do last year!). I’m sure there’s so much to take in. Looking forward to the next instalment!
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Thank you, Sarah. There is a very big political angle to this book which I haven’t gone into in these posts but I am aware of. You can read more about it here if you are interested: https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/d/the-divine-comedy-inferno/about-the-divine-comedy-inferno
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Excellent recap, Robbie. I didn’t know Divine Comedy was so blatantly political regarding Dante’s era. Frightening description in the excerpt of Cerberus!
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Hi Priscilla, I didn’t know that this book had such strong political undertones either. I picked it up during my reading and I researched it.
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I’m really enjoying this series, Robbie. It’s making me more anxious to study this text, but I don’t have the time to do it justice right now. Thanks for doing this.
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Hi Staci, I am really pleased you are enjoying these posts. I never thought I would enjoy this book so much.
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Reblogged this on Ed;s Site..
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Thank you, Ed.
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What a horrifying scene! I can’t help but make a comparison with the gluttony of our current time: consumerism.
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Yes, and our modern consumerism is so much worse because its destroying our whole planet. Thanks, Liz.
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You’re welcome, Robbie. We are indeed living in troubled times of our own making.
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Blake captured Dante well. I also find the politics interesting. You can’t escape it even in Hell it seems. (K)
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Your comment made me smile, Kerfe. I thought you can’t escape it especially in Hell as that is where all the politicians would be.
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Of course!
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I like how you’ve been breaking these sections down, Robbie. I applaud you for tackling Inferno. I honestly don’t think I could wade through the text.
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Hi Mae, I don’t find this text that bad, the English translation from the original Italian is in modern English at least. I find it much easier than Chaucer or Shakespeare.
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I’ve never tried Chaucer. Shakespeare I’m okay with for some odd reason.
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Wow! I think to actually read and absorb writing such as this, you are doing it the perfect way – to break it down one piece at a time. Thank you for sharing this segment, Robbie!
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Hi Jan, I am glad you are enjoying this series. One chapter at a time does make it much easier and quite enjoyable.
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Loving Dante’s dreadful descriptions even more the second time around. Your commentary is splendid, Robbie!
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Hi Chris, I do research to ensure I don’t miss anything with the commentary. I love Hell the best, the descriptions just bowl me over. A real horror story.
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Politics never goes away, does it. It’s more interesting when it’s history.
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Hi Jacqui, it seem politics and war are things humankind just cannot escape. I also prefer it as history, its not nearly as scary as when its current.
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This probably is not my favorite genre but I’m glad to read what you’ve shared today, Robbie.
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Hi Miriam, this certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and it is very fire and brimstone, just the way I was brought up from a religious perspective.
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Yes, one’s up bringing sure has great impact on many things. There’s no right or wring. It’s just different, Robbie.
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I’m enjoying your study of this, Robbie. It’s one I want to give some time to.
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Hi Denise, it delights me how many people are enjoying this series and wanting to relook at this text. I think it is very worthwhile for writers from a pure imagery and description perspective.
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Seems like Dante did not get the positive outlook for the future that he may have been hoping for…
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No, he didn’t, Jim. He was exiled in 1302 after he wrote this book as a result of the politics that were in play at this time.
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it’s sad, yet fascinating, to realize that politics have been in play for so long…
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The Romans were very political and so were the Celts. I think we are stuck with politics, Jim.
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I think you are right, Robbie…
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As I’m not as familiar with this, it’s a fascinating read!
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HI John, it is very interesting and beautifully written. I am loving it.
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Excellent recap of this canto, Robbie. I didn’t know Divine Comedy was political, but having not read it, or knowing about that time in history, I would not recognize it as what it is.
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Hi Carla, I got a distinct sense there was a political angle so I researched it [as I do – smile]. I’ll do a post sometime about the political aspects.
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I can hardly wait to start!!! A wonderful post – full of great detail. I have saved these posts to return to when I begin to read The Devine Comedy.
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Hi Rebecca, I am glad you are enjoying these posts. I finished Divine Comedy and am not re-reading each Canto on a weekly basis and researching the detail at the same time. It is very rewarding and uncovers details I missed with my first reading.
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Did you find there to be an overall lesson/story arc to this book, Robbie? It seems very involved.
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Hi Jacqui, it is very involved but the overarching story line is Dante’s rediscovery of love and the joy and privilege that is life. There is also a strong political thread running through the book.
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You’ve caught my interest. Maybe I’ll try to give it a read 😊
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