home · Other · How many circles of hell are there and why do they say: go through seven circles of hell? How many circles of Hell does Dante have?

How many circles of hell are there and why do they say: go through seven circles of hell? How many circles of Hell does Dante have?

Hell and its 9 circles made some noise in due time.

The effect continues to this day. Once upon a time, the great dreamer and entertainer Dante Alighieri described hell in his “ Divine Comedy" In his opinion, the underworld consists of 9 circles. The lower each circle, the more serious the sins that a person committed during his lifetime.

Today for you is a colorful guide to the circles of hell from The Divine Comedy.

Now you will see that not everything is so bad in this world ☺

1st CIRCLE OF HELL - LIMBUS.

Its guardian is none other than CHARON.

A stern, gloomy and principled grandfather. He transported the souls of the dead across the river STYX. Performing your duties clearly and specifically. Moreover, under no circumstances did he take anyone back. Souls in this circle are tormented by the punishment of “painless sorrow.” Basically, representatives of the first circle of hell are infants who have not been baptized and virtuous non-Christians. I mean it's simple good people who did not quite obey the church.

Ancient philosophers and poets (in addition to Virgil) live in Limbo: Noah, Moses and Abraham were also here - all the righteous men mentioned in Old Testament, but then they were allowed to ascend to Paradise.

2nd CIRCLE OF HELL - LUST.


This place is guarded by MINOS - an intractable, fair judge of the damned and the father of the Minotaur, who distributes souls in circles.

During his lifetime, King Minos was a great lover of women, but he was also a good ruler. He wrote laws for all Cretans (Island of Crete). He received these notes from Zeus himself, in a cave. What else? =)

So, Minos rules on the second circle and judges the souls of the departed. Voluptuous people spend eternity with him. That is, all adulterers, harlots and just people who showed excessive ardor in bed. The 2nd circle of hell punishes these scoundrels with torsion, torture by storms, and blows of souls against rocks.

3 CIRCLE OF HELL - Gluttony


This circle is guarded by CERBERUS, and guards the exit from world of the dead, and not an entrance, as many people think.

In general, Cerberus is, in fact, a beautiful three-headed dog, which instead of a tail poisonous snake. The heads are very similar to those worn by his mother, Echidna. Some are inclined to believe that he has 50 goals or even a hundred.

This handsome man was killed by Hercules.

The 3rd circle of hell is inhabited by unfortunate gluttons, gluttons and even gourmets! The most famous, thanks to Dante Alighieri, is Ciacco. This glutton lives in a stinking swamp, where cold rain constantly falls on him.

In general, in the third circle of hell, everyone is punished - rotting. They decompose there under the scorching sun and pouring rain.

4TH CIRCLE OF HELL - STINGY (GREED).


PLUTOS rules there.

IN Greek mythology known as the god of wealth. Most often, when depicting Plutos, a cornucopia was attributed to him.

But Dante described him in his “Divine Comedy” as a bestial demon.

In the 4th circle of hell, misers, greedy people and wasteful individuals languish, unable to make adequate expenses. Their punishment is not as vile as on the third round, but more “heavy”.

They drag huge weights from one place to another and, if they somehow collide with each other, they immediately begin a furious fight.

5 CIRCLE OF HELL - ANGER and LAZINESS


A rather gloomy and gloomy place, guarded by the son of ARES (the god of war) himself. His son's name is PHLEGIUS.

To get to the 5th circle of hell you need to be very angry, lazy or sad. Or better yet, all at once!

I went and killed a bunch of people, was too lazy to clean up the corpses and became sad =))

So, in the fifth circle of hell there is an eternal fight. The place of the fight is the STYX swamp. The darkest thing about that river is the bottom. It consists of those who were depressed and bored during their lifetime.

So, smile all the time, you never know...

6 CIRCLE OF HELL - THE WALLS OF THE CITY OF DITA.


These are the walls of the city DITA (the Romans called Hades, the god underground kingdom, aka Orc). Yes, all these are the names of the underground god, after whom the city was named.

Guard the 6th circle of hell - FURY. Grumpy, cruel and very angry women.

They say that the furies appeared as a result of the very first crime - Kronos wounded his father Uranus, drops of his blood that fell to the ground gave birth to these evil ones.

The furies mock heretics and false teachers.

Punishment in the 6th circle of hell is existence in the form of ghosts, in red-hot graves.

The transition to the seventh circle is fenced off by a fetid abyss.

7 CIRCLE OF HELL - CITY OF DIT. It is divided into three zones. The main inhabitants are people who committed violence. But they live in every zone different kinds rapists:


1 BELT is called FLAGETON.

Those who committed violence against their neighbor, against him material assets and heritage. So, tyrants, robbers and robbers spend their time in the first belt. The guys are boiling in a ditch of hot blood, and if anyone emerges, the CENTAURS shoot at him.

By the way, according to Dante Alighieri and his “Divine Comedy”, the Macedonian and the tyrant Dionysius swim precisely there, splashing in the warm waves of the blood of their victims.

2 BELT is the FOREST OF SUICIDES.


Those who committed violence against themselves languish there, they are turned into trees and they are torn to shreds by HARPIES (daughters of the sea deity Thaumant).

Known for suddenly appearing and kidnapping human children and souls. Also, those who senselessly disposed of their wealth - gamblers and the like.

Spenders and gamblers are tormented by hound dogs.

3 BELT – COMBUSTIBLE SANDS.

Blasphemers who have committed violence against deities spend their time there. Also those who showed violence against their nature (Sadomites), as well as art (extortion).

The punishment is staying in an absolutely barren desert, the sky of which drips fiery rain on the heads of the unfortunate.

Protects those languishing in the 7th circle of hell and its belts - MINOTAUR.

A creature that resulted from a perverted relationship between the wife of King Minos, Pasiphae, and a bull donated by Poseidon.

Pasiphae copulated with a bull, seducing him by lying down in a wooden model of a cow made by Daedalus (an outstanding artist and engineer who built a labyrinth on the island of Crete).

8 CIRCLE OF HELL - SINS, EVIL CREVICES.


The circle consists of 10 ditches. And this is the most fucking popular of all circles!

It is also called EVIL CRACKS or SINUSES.

The guard of the 8th circle of hell is GERION - a giant with six arms, six legs and wings. This monster consisted of three human bodies.

He was killed by none other than Hercules!

In Evil Crevices, deceivers suffer their difficult fate. And now, about the types of torture and executions in each of the 10 ditches:

1 ROV.


Seducers and pimps sit there. All these sinners are walking in two columns, towards each other. They are constantly tormented by demon drivers.

2 ROV.

Filled with flatterers. Mired in fetid excrement, they while away their time.

As if, watching TV and surfing the Internet all day and night, we are not like these unfortunate people.

3 ROV.


The 8th circle of hell, according to Dante Alighieri and his “Divine Comedy,” is occupied by high-ranking clergy who traded positions in the church.

They are Simonists. Simonists received their definition thanks to the attempt of the Jew Simon to buy the gift of performing miracles from the Apostle Peter and the Apostle John.

The punishment for them is imprisonment of the body in a rock, head down. Hot lava flows down the feet of the Simonists.

4 ROV.


The edges are filled with astrologers, witches, fortune tellers and soothsayers.

Their heads are turned 180 degrees (towards the back).

At 5 RVE


The raking demons are having fun. They boil the bribe-takers in tar, and pierce those who stick out with hooks. So, if you are a “dirty” politician, train yourself not to breathe under tar for as long as possible during your lifetime;)

6 ROV


filled with hypocrites clad in lead robes.

7 ROV


- thieves who are killed again and again by the poisonous reptiles of the earth.

8 ROV


9 ROV


- a haven for the instigators of discord. They are subjected to eternal torture - disembowelment.

10 ROV


- false witnesses, counterfeiters, counterfeiters of metal and words.

People who work with metal are very lethargic, but at the same time they suffer from terrible scabies. False witnesses in hell run around in rage and bite everyone they meet.

The counterfeiters are disfigured by dropsy and die (but not completely).

Forgers of words are exhausted from fever and headache.

9 CIRCLE OF HELL DANTE.


The most sinister and thus the most attractive. His name is BETRAYAL, THE BELT OF CAIN, THE MIDDLE, THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, THE BELT OF JUDECCA AND THE ICY LAKE OF COCYTHUS.

Among the most famous celebrities who spend eternity there are: BRUTUS, JUDAS ISCARIOT and CASSIUS.

The 9th circle of hell is guarded by stern guards. Giants named EPHIALTES, ANTHEAUS, BRIAREUS AND LUCIFER.

BELT OF CAIN - Traitors to relatives.


CAIN in Western Semitic and biblical mythology

1) eldest son of Adam and Eve,

2) son of the angel Samael and Eve, or

3) the son of the evil one (the devil) and Eve, in general, the very first person born on Earth.

Cain is the father of Enoch and the founder of his line.

And also Cain is a fratricide.

ANTENORA BELT - Traitors to the Motherland and like-minded people.

ANTENOR - in ancient Greek mythology, a Trojan, friend and adviser to Priam, husband of Theano (Theano), daughter of the Thracian king Kissei. Antenor himself is a traitor according to post-Homeric legend.

TOLOMEY'S BELT - Traitors to friends and table mates.

This circle received its name from the name of Ptolemy, the governor of Jericho, who, having invited his father-in-law, the prince-high priest of Judea, and his two sons, treacherously killed them at a feast.

GIUDECCA BELT

is the last circle, or rather the central circle of hell. The belt is named Giudecca after the Apostle Judas, who betrayed Christ.

In the middle of the Giudecca (in other words, in the CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, LUCIFER, frozen with his shins into an ice floe, torments in his three mouths the traitors to the majesty of the earthly and heavenly (Judas, Brutus and Cassius).

And now a little about the wonderful guards of the 9th circle of hell:

BRIAREUS

- half-bull, half-snake or giant with 100 arms and 50 heads. He defended himself with 100 shields from the lightning of Zeus himself.

EPHIALTE


- simply aggressive and possessing immeasurable physical strength giant. Known for asking for the hand of Athena herself. Although, some believe that to Hera. But what difference does it make who disgraced him? After all, neither one nor the other were noticed in intimate connection with Ephialtes.

ANTEI

- son of Gaia and Poseidon.

Antaeus received incredible strength when he came into contact with the ground. And the earth is his mother, named Gaia.

He is the king of Libya. During his lifetime, this giant loved to fight with all travelers and defeat them all. He even built an entire temple out of the skulls of the losers.

He was defeated by, who do you think, HERCULES!

This cunning son of Zeus tore the unfortunate, lover of skull structures, from the ground, and then strangled him or broke his back.

By the way, they say that Hercules made life in Libya better.

LUCIFER, and also MARRIAN.


By the way, from Latin Lucifer is nothing more than luminous.

Once upon a time this “light bearer” was an angel. As they say, he became proud and wanted to take the throne of God.

Well, mutual hatred began there, Lucifer became what we know him now, after which he was expelled from paradise. Thus he ended up in hell.

As for the 9th circle of hell, Dante describes in detail the prince of darkness Lucifer: he has three mouths, in each of which the greatest traitors in history are tormented, namely Judas, Brutus and Cassius. VIP seats, so to speak.

Traitors are doomed to the 9th circle of hell. The most insidious sin, according to Dante Alighieri. All possible types of traitors languish there. Traitors to the Motherland, traitors to loved ones, traitorous friends, and so on. All of them were frozen up to their necks in ice, and their traitorous faces were turned to the bottom. They experience eternal torment in the cold.

That's all 9 circles of hell by Dante Alighieri.


I hope you gained some knowledge. But I hasten to remind you that this is not a lie, this is a purely Catholic idea of ​​hell. So, if this is knowledge, it is only in the area fiction, which made you fall asleep during lessons and classes, without even trying to remember it.

Not all of them, of course, but still...

Current page: 1 (book has 17 pages total) [available reading passage: 12 pages]

Stanislav Sobolev
Seven circles of the Arena: in the vastness of Hell

Initial chapter. Prologue

The clock hand treacherously passed eight. It was cloudy October weather outside. It seemed that nature itself felt the approach of Monday and had already begun to feel sad, since the streets of the city were incredibly empty. Usually at this time of year the sun still shines in St. Petersburg in the evenings, but today’s evening was somehow not particularly successful.

It seemed that all of Mother Nature’s pessimism had converged on one person. Looking alone out the window, Felix, a stately man of about forty, in a long brown coat and a gray scarf neatly thrown around his neck, had been looking with rapture at today's goal for several minutes. At the far end of the street was the bank that was to be the next target for his men to rob. The matter seemed ordinary, but something was bothering the man. Either the weather or the lack of people on the street. Or a small box on the windowsill, from which he had not removed his hand from the moment he began admiring the autumn landscape.

- Artemka, what do you hear? – without looking up from the window, Felix said in a deep voice to a dark-skinned man sitting at a laptop at the other end of the room.

“Just a second,” Artyom said with an accent, starting to quickly type something on the keyboard. Having waited for an answer, he grinned contentedly with a snow-white smile and looked away from the screen. - All clear, boss. We can move forward as soon as our guys show up.

Sighing heavily, Felix turned and nodded to Artem. Those “ours” that his interlocutor spoke about were two members of this small but quite promising group. Dmitry and Maria. Felix perceived last names as too personal information and asked never to share them with anyone unless necessary. Extra caution will not hurt in their business.

Returning to looking at the evening street, he grunted displeasedly. A man of about thirty was heading towards the bank, staggering slightly and apparently finishing off another bottle of beer. Careless clothes and visible, dirty hair even from afar. Apparently, the object had not been seen by a soul for a long time. Being a pedant when it comes to appearance, Felix was disgusted to see similar people, especially near home.

Finally, his thoughts about how best to punish the unwanted resident of the city were interrupted by loud footsteps coming from the corridor. Judging by the voices, his charges returned from, as they themselves called it, a “strategic raid before the case.”

“But it still seems to me that Felix is ​​crazy about me,” a clear, feminine voice was heard. The owner of a wonderful voice was clearly drunk, although she tried to behave with dignity.

“Be quiet, someone else will hear you,” a male voice grinned in response, causing a lot of delight in the interlocutor. – He will not be happy with such conclusions.

“Good evening,” as soon as Dmitry and Maria entered the room, Felix greeted them displeasedly. - What time is it?

“It’s half past nine, boss,” realizing that the loud conversation in the corridor had clearly been heard, Dmitry tried to support the topic that had arisen. Faded jeans and a light, autumn, dark jacket are an inconspicuous appearance for this area of ​​the city. Felix had chosen his clothes himself, for several years now, because of Dmitry’s predilection for standing out in the crowd. But the charming blonde Maria, contentedly hanging on Dmitry’s arm, loved to dress simply and practically. Jeans, T-shirt, some kind of jacket on top. It was difficult to call her “blonde” in any sense of the word.

- Why are you delayed? – Felix finally removed his hand from the box and leaned his elbows on the windowsill. - And why is she drunk?

“So, this is for courage,” Dmitry, sitting the girl on the sofa, scratched the back of his head, trying to come up with at least some plausible excuse. “It seems like we weren’t too late, the bank’s until nine.”

“We agreed on seven, if you don’t remember,” Felix shook his head and sighed heavily. - Okay, to hell with you. Here you go.

Having caught the box thrown by the boss on the fly, Dmitry looked uncertainly at his face, as if trying to find an answer on it. Finding no answer, he just shook his head uncertainly and stared at Felix again.

“Open it or something,” Felix grinned again and headed towards Artyom. “Consider it a gift from your father.” He gave it to me shortly... well, you know it yourself, why talk about it again?

- Amulet? – with a satisfied face, having emptied the contents of the box, Dmitry burst into a smile. The silver phoenix, which he had seen more than once on his father’s neck. - How long have you had it?

“About fifteen,” Felix answered him cheerfully, shrugging his shoulders. “He asked me not to give you this thing.” But since such an event is today, then you can break your promise, right?

With a wink, Felix stared at the monitor. Judging by the open window, Artem was corresponding with a certain “Wild Lekha”. Most likely, “Lech” was his informant about the strategic movement of the enemy in the person of the Russian police.

- How much time do we have? – Leaving the conversation with Dmitry, who was peering with fascination at the received trinket, Felix turned to Artem.

“Twenty-seven minutes until closing, nineteen minutes until the nearest registered patrol,” Artyom quickly answered. Apparently, he had recently asked the informant about the situation.

- Amazing! – Felix exclaimed enthusiastically, clapping his hands, trying to attract attention to himself. – Get ready and get to work! We will act as quickly as possible. And the drinks... if we live until tomorrow, we’ll drink at my expense, okay?

Having received a satisfied hooting in response, the man broke into a smug smile and left the room. For all the time that they were engaged in robbery and illegal activities, today was their first real case.


“Damn,” the bank employee cursed almost inaudibly at the hairpin that had flown off her hair. Sighing and turning her eyes towards the ceiling, she lazily crawled under the table in search of the ill-fated accessory.

“Good evening,” I heard from somewhere above, after twenty unsuccessful attempts to find the hairpin.

“Yes, just a second,” the girl answered, finally noticing her lost treasure. - How can I... Sergei?

“Hello, Katya,” the man whom Felix had recently watched from his window smiled contentedly. - I would like to get a loan.

“You know very well that I can’t give it to you,” the girl chuckled displeasedly. Apparently, they somehow knew each other, and for quite a long time. – You already have one loan hanging on you. And I already explained to you why not. If you return the old one, you can get a new one.

- Where will I get you money from if you don’t give me a loan? – Sergei grinned. Having received only a gloomy look from his interlocutor in response, he only snorted and sharply turned his back to her. – Hasn’t changed at all since school. I could have helped out.

“I really can’t, Seryozha,” the girl said guiltily, trying to somehow apologize for her cold communication. Having heard nothing in response, she leaned her elbows on the table and tried to make out her interlocutor’s face. - What are you doing?

The answer to the question came naturally. A white minibus drove up to the bank building, which Sergei watched with slight bewilderment. Usually money was brought here during the day, but only in the evening, and just before closing. The windows on it were darkened and it was impossible to see anything, especially from afar, which further confused the observer.

“Tell me, why do they bring you money at this time?” – Sergei asked quietly, leaning slightly towards the girl. Judging by the guard, who now had his hand near his holster, he was not the only one who came up with this question. – It’s a little late, don’t you think?

– An ordinary minibus, it doesn’t have to have money, right? – the girl rolled her eyes and sat back down at the table. “Be that as it may, I still won’t give you a loan.”

Only having time to grunt, Sergei abruptly fell to the floor, trying to dodge the fragments that scattered in all directions. The girl who got out of the car, without any extra action, began firing at the windows of the bank.

Literally a few seconds later, amid the terrible screams of visitors, the door swung open sharply and a smoke bomb flew inside. The building quickly filled with smoke, after which several shots rang out, followed by the sound of a large object falling. Amid coughing, screaming and crying, soon increasing footsteps began to be heard and a man in a black hat with slits for eyes came out of the smoke, almost stepping on Sergei. In his right hand Makarov, which had been released from safety, glittered, and in the left was a rag bag. Without further ado, the man threw it to the girl and, pointing the gun at her, shook his head towards the safe.

“Yes, just a second,” the girl said, stuttering and with trembling hands trying to squeeze the bag harder, and rushed off to get the money.

Crackling his neck, the man turned his gaze to the man on the floor, shaking and holding his hands above his head. Apparently, in his mind it was the best way protect yourself from a possible bullet hitting him.

Grunting with displeasure, the robber carefully poked the unfortunate client's knee with the toe of his shoe. After waiting until the latter finally looked at him, he snapped his fingers and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb towards the door. Nodding, Sergei trotted off on his knees through the smoke towards the exit.

Soon, his tactical retreat was stopped by another man, wearing the same black cap over his face. Grinning sweetly, he looked at each other, judging by long hair and some parts of the body, with a girl twisting the wounded guard. Nodding to her, the man returned to Sergei, now shaking at his feet.

“Get up, there will be a task for you,” the man croaked rudely, trying to attract the attention of the unfortunate victim. Without waiting for anything intelligible other than sniffling and sniffling, he sharply kicked him in the gut. - Get up, whoever you told!

“What... what do you want from me?” – holding onto the injured part of the body, Sergei somehow rose to his feet. His voice trembled, he was shaking, and beads of sweat appeared on his face. His pupils dilated as if he had drunk something not particularly permitted in a nightclub and was now making excuses for it to the authorities.

“You will be our tactical element of retreat if necessary,” the man in the hat finished, turning his gaze towards the girl and nodding to her. Nodding in response, the girl pulled the trigger. The guard's head jerked as the bullet entered it, and a moment later, a puddle of crimson-red blood began to gather on the floor around him.

Leaning one pistol on her shoulder and holding the second one at her foot, she marched towards Sergei and sharply hit him in the face with the butt. Falling to the floor and spitting out the rapidly flowing blood, he whined in pain and shook even more violently than before. Tears appeared in my eyes, either from pain or from fear. Now from the man, who a few minutes ago confidently communicated with the girl, only a ghostly shadow of his former greatness remained. Lounging on the floor in front of the robber Small child, who was beaten, and now a little more time could pass before he burst into tears and started calling for his mother.

“Get up, rag,” the girl practically said in a deep voice, grabbing Sergei by the collar. With a sharp pull, she pulled the hostage to his feet and turned him to face her. Looking into his eyes for a few seconds, she sharply raised her hand and again hit him in the face with the butt. - You are trash, not a man!

Having fallen into his own blood, Sergei could not hold back his tears. In addition to pain, he was humiliated by a person unknown to him.

Sergei’s torment soon ended when a third member of the team appeared from the smoke, which began to slowly leave the room through the broken windows. In his weapon-free hand he had a bag full of banknotes.

Having turned Sergei over with his foot and made sure that his partner had not killed him, the man squatted down and waved the pistol threateningly in front of his face, hinting at a desire to see him not in a horizontal, but a vertical position. Somehow nodding his head, which had suffered from the blows of the girl, Sergei tried to get up quickly so as not to receive another slap in the face. Feeling the muzzle of the girl’s pistol pressed against his temple, he, just in case, put his hands behind his head and headed with the bandits towards the exit.

- What should we do with him? – as soon as they went outside, the girl asked the man who, most likely, was the main one among them. Because he didn't do anything other than explain future fate After suffering Sergei, the latter decided that he was in charge. “I can’t leave him alive.” He heard our voices.

“Shoot him, there’s no other way,” the chief shrugged and opened the door of the minibus.

However, when the girl was ready to shoot, the main one sharply pointed the gun at Sergei. A siren was heard from the other end of the street, which was almost impossible to confuse with anything else. A patrol car was approaching them. Apparently, the girl managed to call the police while the robber was negotiating with Sergei using gestures.

- Lay down your weapons! – As soon as the car stopped, a young policeman, about twenty-five years old, jumped out of it. Pointing his weapon at the supposed leader, he watched everyone in front of him with a cold gaze. - Fast!

“Shoot, and I won’t spare the lead for him,” the chief grinned in response to the policeman’s statement, after which he poked the barrel straight into Sergei’s cheek. “If you shoot me, she will do it.” Will you accept sin on your soul?

Frowning his brows, the policeman glanced quickly at his partner. Like him, his partner had the enemy at gunpoint and was ready to shoot as soon as the opportunity arose.

Suddenly, the policeman’s gaze fell on the third member of the gang, who stood with his back to them and held a bag in his hand. As if driven by an invisible force, he sharply pointed the gun at him. A shot rang out and, under the weight of the loot, the bandit's body slammed loudly on the pavement. A shootout began.

By pressing the trigger, the chief sent Sergei to the next world and turned the weapon on the policeman who fired the ill-fated bullet. During this time, the girl managed to put down her hesitant partner and began, together with the main one, to turn the car door behind which the enemy was hiding into a colander. Finally, both bandits had empty their clips, and they ran for cover - hid behind a minibus, listening to the crunch of metal from bullets hitting the body of the car and reloading their weapons. Finally, the door of the minibus swung open and a shot rang out, calming the annoying policeman. The fourth member of the gang came out of the cabin and quickly ran to the back door, opening it for his partners, abruptly throwing in a bag of stolen goods.

- Artemka, get behind the wheel, we don’t have much time! - Trying to drive away the helping driver, the main one shouted and, together with the girl, dragged the body of the wounded soldier into the car.

Nodding, Artyom quickly got to the cabin and stepped on the gas. The minibus started and quickly rushed through the streets. Using the alternate route of retreat, they had to travel around a single area in order to lose their pursuers, who, of course, would soon appear.


- How is he? – Maria asked hesitantly, watching Felix in a panic trying to stop the bleeding from Dmitry, who was clearing his throat.

- How should I tell you... I don’t know, ask him when he wakes up. The pulse is weak, but he will live,” Felix grumbled, struggling with the uncontrollable bleeding of the wounded soldier and clutching a bandage in his teeth. - Be careful there!

“We have a tail, boss, there’s no other way,” Artyom grumbled dissatisfiedly, without turning around, and coming to another sharp turn.

- Nevermind. The main thing is not to get caught in the eyes of patrol cars,” Felix said, holding one hand on Dima’s wrist and the other hand, periodically using his own teeth, trying to make another rewind. - Crap! Pulse!

Sharply releasing his hand, he placed his palms on his chest, trying to massage his heart and make it beat.

- What about him? – Maria jumped up sharply and tried to press the wound left by Felix with her hands.

– He has almost no pulse. Lost too much blood. Although the wound was not penetrating, it caused quite a commotion in the body,” he snapped without stopping and taking slight breaks between phrases.

– Will he really survive? – she asked naively once again.

- He will survive, where will he go? If he doesn’t survive, I’ll get him in the next world so that mom don’t worry,” Felix, grinning and wiping a drop of sweat from his forehead, tried to cheer Maria up. - He’s a fighter, Mashus. To the core. Won't give up so easily. Some piece of metal will not be lethal for him!

– Can I help with something?

- Yes. Ask Artemka where the nearest hospital is.

Coughing and interrupting the conversation, Dmitry sharply raised his head and looked around at those around him with stunned eyes. Maria, Felix, even Artem - they all tried to help him in their own way. Squeezing out a slight smile, Dmitry lost consciousness. The last thing he remembered was Felix slamming his hands into his face over and over again, trying to stop the inevitable. And then - darkness. Endless and unpredictable. Dmitry's soul finally left this world.

Chapter 1. Welcome to Hell

– So, a new challenger has appeared in the arena! Fresh cannon fodder straight from the world of the living! Dmitry...” sounded with a loud echo from somewhere above. The voice broke at the last name. Apparently, the owner of a charming, deafening voice found something more interesting for himself than a recruit.

Lazily opening his eyes, Dmitry discovered that he was lying face down on metal plate. Leaning on his left hand, which was clad in a strange iron glove with a screen, he tried to roll over onto his back, but immediately closed his eyes again. The unbearably loud roar of the stands sounded from all sides.

Soon, the stands fell silent. Most likely, in anticipation of the next spectacle and something for which it will be possible to vote again.

“Eh...” Dmitry sighed barely audibly and somehow got to his feet. Bottom part the body seemed to have turned into a lump of cotton wool. Apparently, the consequences of the bullet received before his death still somehow affected him.

Leaning his hand on his knees, he looked around. There were naked, huge, metal walls, which, judging by the nearest intersections, form a whole network. Something like a labyrinth, if one could say so.

Somehow hobbling to the nearest turn, Dmitry stopped abruptly. A warm stream of crimson-red blood ran into the oral cavity.

After spitting out, he slowly lowered his head. A long, shiny blade was stuck through his clothes, straight into his stomach. Judging by the notches, this was not the first time he had participated in battles.

My vision became blurred. Raising his head slightly, he managed to see the image. The image of a girl who came around the corner, holding her hand on the handle of her weapon. Looking into the eyes of the victim, she sharply pulled out the sword.

With a slight ringing sound, the blade left Dmitry’s body, and his legs themselves buckled under the weight of the falling body. Wiping off drops of blood, the girl who owned the ill-fated weapon looked around and rushed on.

Soon, my whole body was filled with unbearable pain. Dmitry's entire body, who was still conscious, was covered in flames. However, he was not able to admire this for a long time - the picture abruptly disappeared, being replaced by pitch darkness. And a moment later the picture returned to him again. He found himself in the very center of the labyrinth, judging by the fact that within a radius of ten meters around, thin corridors began, gradually widening as they deepened.

He stood third. Third in a row of eight people, holding different parts of their bodies and with slightly displeased faces. However, they were all dressed quite simply. One could even say “everyday” if participation in bloody battles was everyday for them.

Without having time to really see everyone who was nearby, Dmitry grabbed the man standing next to him. The ground shook underfoot, and the huge concrete and metal slabs that made up the battlefield smoothly sank underground, revealing a view of a huge, empty space. It was two to three times the size of a football field, if not four. Walls were erected around, a little over twenty meters in height. At the very top there are bars holding back the screaming stands. Ahead, somewhat reminiscent of an arbitrator's cabin, there was a glassed room with reinforcement in the form of a thin steel lattice. Apparently, for the safety of those who were inside.

- Well, congratulations, Margarita. You go to next lap, - a voice thundered from somewhere to the right. Throughout the arena there were four large entrances with thick iron doors. The doors were decorated with patterns of huge spikes and hung with chains. They clearly could not boast of anything promising. And the worst thing that could happen now is if the doors opened and a huge creature ran out. And not the creature that can somehow be brought under control with a service weapon, but precisely the creature. Unknown, alien. And a creature that is not afraid of anyone or anything.

Dmitry's worst assumptions immediately came to life. With a loud creak, the doors slowly swung open. A pair of eyes looked out from the darkness towards the fighters. Bright, green, fiery eyes. Apparently, they were waiting for the doors to finally open so that they could jump out and be near the fighters in two or three leaps.

Instead, the loud clatter of hooves was soon heard from the corridor. The knocking soon stopped as soon as the hooves touched sand cover arenas. On the battlefield, recently dotted with huge walls, he rode out... it would be difficult to call him a prince. Darker than the night, black armor, apparently created by the same person who came up with the design of the doors. The helmet visor was down. The man hid his face from others.

The strangest thing is that the man’s dark armor was not noticeable. It was his method of movement – ​​a horse – that attracted all the attention of the fighters. At first glance from afar, it seemed that she was simply skinny and completely emaciated under the weight of the rider and armor. Only now, when the rider began to trot and was almost two dozen meters from them, was the secret of her emaciation revealed. It was as if the horse had been skinned, all its intestines had been taken out, and all the hair they could find had been set on fire. At the same time, pouring gasoline to give the flame green color. Instead of the expected snow-white horse, the rider rushed up on its skeleton.

Finally, having reached the goal, the man sharply pulled the bridle and stopped the horse, turning his muzzle towards Dmitry and the man whom he had grabbed hold of a few minutes ago. The horse snorted right in his face, causing a slight chill to run through his entire body.

Turning his horse, the rider galloped along to the roar of the stands around the fighters and stopped again next to Dmitry. Waving his hand to the spectators, causing them to instantly fall silent, he chuckled contentedly and took off his helmet from his head.

Contrary to all expectations, instead of a gloomy, gray, gloomy old man, the fighters saw a completely young man, about twenty-five years old, looks. He had hair just below his shoulders, as light as the rider's face. In addition to all this, a green biohazard sign with a red border, located on the left side of the man’s forehead, marked his eyes.

Smiling sweetly, he pulled back a little and turned around so that he could see all the fighters standing in front of him at once.

“Well, Maria, welcome back.” I didn't expect to see you again. Nikolai, Vlad – I’m also glad to see you back. Victoria, Ignat, Dmitry - welcome to the arena and I wish you good luck in the upcoming battles. Isabel, I was looking forward to your next visit most of all,” breaking into a smile, the rider rode up to the girl who pierced Dmitry with a blade. - Eighth time already. Maybe it's time to stop being modest in battles and start taking action?

Without waiting for any intelligible answer other than an uncertain nod, the rider snorted displeasedly and returned back to his place.

– And, of course, the winner of today’s fight is Margarita! – Having finished the greeting, the rider looked around. The stands cheered again, shouting the names of their favorite fighters. - Quiet, quiet, quiet. You shouldn’t greet so joyfully a bunch of pathetic thieves, murderers, and blasphemers. They are not worthy of your greeting. Although, you yourself are not first-class people.

“But...” after listening to the end of the speech, the man standing next to Dmitry tried to insert a word. The stands fell silent, and the rider slowly turned his head towards the troublemaker.

The arena fell silent. It didn't just become quieter. There was deathly silence. The only sound that could be heard was the breathing of those around him and the beating of his own, dead heart.

Clicking his tongue, the rider jumped to the ground and sharply struck his left hand. The glove opened and under the lid there shone the same screen as the others had.

Picking up the pace, the rider moved closer and closer towards the fighter who tried to interrupt his speech. While typing something on the screen, he abruptly stopped a meter from the target and pointed his hand towards the offender’s head. A bluish spark flashed in his hand, giving way to haze. Out of the haze appeared an old revolver, from the century before last.

A shot rang out, and a neat red mark shone in the fighter’s head. Squinting slightly, the fighter stepped forward, but was immediately carried in the opposite direction. My vision darkened. The body fell onto the sand with a crash.

“Never interrupt when I speak,” blowing away the settled haze from the muzzle of his revolver, the rider again pressed the button on the screen. Obeying, the revolver smoothly disappeared into the air. Having closed the lid and made a dissatisfied face, looking at the corpse, he sighed heavily, after which he hesitated a little and carefully passed his hand over the body, immediately heading towards his horse. The corpse was engulfed in a crimson-red flame, which appeared literally for a second, disappearing along with the victim of an accurate shot. A moment later, the fighter reappeared among the participants. – Do you have any more questions or can I finally start? – the rider shouted displeasedly as soon as he climbed back onto his horse.

Pleased with noticing how the fighters lined up as if in an army, the rider grinned. Having galloped back and forth past them, he stopped again next to Dmitry.

- So. Where did I stop there? – scratching the back of his head, the rider made a very puzzled face. - Oh, yes, I remembered. You have all become participants in our afterlife entertainment show - Arena! – once again, hearing the familiar name, the stands rejoiced, but only for a few seconds.

Gloating slightly at not having to raise his hand, he continued.

– Arena is the highest-rated program in the vastness of hell, and I am your humble servant, Commentator. After all, how much pleasure it gives to watch how sinners strive to gnaw each other's throats. Especially being a sinner. Ah, with every shot, with every blow, with every burned body part, our show becomes more and more popular. It’s not surprising, considering that in between tortures, sinners can only watch us,” the rider fell silent for a moment, after which he grinned and turned towards the stands. - Am I right?

As if expecting this, the stands burst into finally resolved screams and a surge of emotions. Having listened to them and nodded his head, the rider raised his hand. Obeying, the stands instantly fell silent.

- Well. You should probably tell me the rules. To be honest, I'm already pretty tired of all this. When will you people finally stop sinning? – The rider cracked his neck and broke into a smug grin. - So. Your path will consist of seven circles. Stronger, more agile, more resilient fighters will be waiting for you on each lap. Therefore, don’t be in too much of a hurry to move on to the next round. But don't linger. Three defeats and relegation. Today was the first fight, so your loss does not count. However, Rita's victory counts, and she can safely move on. And you, newcomers, sinners, recruits, tomorrow will again merge in the battle to escape from the seventh circle, into the depths, into the very, very inferno.

After looking around and making sure that no one in the stands screamed, the rider raised an eyebrow and continued.

“The fun part about all this is that you don’t die.” But the feeling of pain is quite real. Moreover, it is enhanced compared to what you would feel in life. This was done for preventive purposes, because having died three times, you wouldn’t want to do it again,” looking around at the fighters, the rider winked and continued. – Seven circles, seven victories and all your seven deadly sins will be forgiven. Although, I am sure that most of them will have more. Seven circles - and the gates of heaven are open for you. If you want it yourself.

Grinning once again, the rider turned towards the stands. They had already become bored with the monotonous speech of the commentator. Apparently, it was time to call it a day before the ratings started to fall.

– Perhaps, about the rules themselves. The rules of the fight are announced at the beginning of the fight. Going beyond the rules is prohibited. In each battle, you can find ammo, weapons, cookies or... in random places - the rider fell silent, squinted, looking at the grinning fighter. - Ignat, right? Did I say something funny?

“No, I’m sorry,” Ignat nervously apologized, swallowing and remembering what recently happened to another fighter.

“That’s how heaven ordered it.” The currency of the world of the living is prohibited in the arena, since not only residents of one specific country go to hell. I had to somehow get out. It would be better to use your money than to invent your own. Okay, okay. Let's get back to the cookies. Cookies are the main currency in hell. You will receive them for all your positive actions in the arena. For victory or defeat, for various actions, for beautiful murders. In principle, for a successful sigh you can already get a cookie, if the system decides so. You can spend cookies between fights to buy weapons, fashion and stylish clothes, ammunition. Improvise,” muttering something incomprehensible under his breath, the rider cracked his neck. - Let's move on. During the battle, in addition to everything previously listed, you will be able to find mutagens to strengthen your own body or abilities. Any mutation acquired during the battle remains with you forever. You can turn it off at any time using your “iClaws,” the rider looked at the uncomprehending fighters and pointed with his finger at an iron, black glove, the fingers of which were made in the shape of claws. – Through the glove you can monitor the state of your health, ammunition, turn on and off mutagens. You can also spend cookies through them during battle.

Sighing heavily, the rider glanced at the bored stands. Wrinkling his forehead a little, he continued his monologue.

“As for the battlefield,” the Commentator began in a raised tone, deciding to at least entertain the audience with something. – It depends entirely on the decision of the system. The arena is generated at the beginning of the battle, based on the memories of one of the fighters. As a rule, the fighter who is in a worse position, since there is a territorial advantage. We call the system software, which monitors all the functionality of the gloves, the arena and the flow of currency. But more about this some other time.

Exact date of birth Dante Alighieri unknown. However, there is information that on May 26, 1265 he was baptized in Florence under the name Durante.

Dante is an Italian poet, one of the founders of the literary Italian language. In his work, the poet repeatedly touched upon issues of morality and faith in God.

AiF.ru recalls one of the most famous works of Dante Alighieri - “The Divine Comedy”, which deals with the mortal essence of man, as well as the afterlife. Dante subtly and skillfully describes hell, where eternally condemned sinners go, purgatory, where they atone for their sins, and heaven, the abode of the blessed.

9 circles of hell in The Divine Comedy

According to Dante Alighieri, just before entering hell you can meet people who have led a boring life - they have done neither evil nor good.

1 lap

The first circle of hell is called Limbo. Its guardian is , who transports the souls of the departed across the River Styx. In the first circle of hell, infants who have not been baptized and virtuous non-Christians suffer torment. They are doomed to suffer eternally in silent sorrow.

2 round

The second circle of hell is guarded by the intractable judge of the damned. Passionate lovers and adulterers in this circle of hell are punished by being torn and tormented by a storm.

3 circle

- guardian of the third circle, in which gluttons, gluttons and gourmets live. All of them are punished by rotting and decay under the scorching sun and pouring rain.

4 circle

Rules in the fourth circle, which includes misers, greedy people and wasteful individuals who are unable to make reasonable expenses. Their punishment is an eternal dispute when they collide with each other.

5 circle

The fifth circle represents a gloomy and gloomy place, guarded by the son of the god of war Ares -. To get to the fifth circle of hell, you need to be very angry, lazy or sad. Then the punishment will be an eternal fight in the Styx swamp.

6 circle

The sixth circle is the Walls of the city, guarded by furies - grumpy, cruel and very evil women. They mock heretics and false teachers, whose punishment is eternal existence as ghosts in hot graves.

7 circle

The seventh circle of hell, guarded, is for those who have committed violence.

The circle is divided into three zones:

  • First belt is called Flageton. It includes those who have committed violence against their neighbor, against their material values ​​and property. These are tyrants, robbers and robbers. They all boil in a ditch of hot blood, and those who emerge are shot at by centaurs.
  • Second belt— Forest of suicides. It contains suicides, as well as those who senselessly squandered their wealth - gamblers and spendthrifts. Spenders are tortured by hound dogs, and unfortunate suicides are torn to shreds by Harpies.
  • Third belt- Burnt sands. Here reside blasphemers who have committed violence against deities and sodomites. The punishment is staying in an absolutely barren desert, the sky of which drips fiery rain on the heads of the unfortunate.

8 circle

The eighth circle of hell consists of ten ditches. The circle itself is called Evil Cracks, or Sinisters.

The guardian is a giant with six arms, six legs and wings. In the Evil Crevices, deceivers suffer their difficult fate.

9 circle

The ninth circle of hell is the Ice Lake Cocytus. This circle is guarded by stern giant guards named , son and - Antaeus, half-bull, half-snake - and - guardian of the road to purgatory. This circle has four belts - the Belt of Cain, the Belt of Antenor, the Belt of Tolomei, the Belt of Giudecca.

In this circle Judas and... languish. Besides them, traitors of their homeland, relatives, relatives, and friends are also doomed to fall into this circle. All of them are frozen in ice up to their necks and experience eternal torment in the cold.

Dante is depicted holding a copy of the Divine Comedy next to the entrance to Hell, the seven terraces of the Mount of Purgatory, the city of Florence and the spheres of Heaven above in a fresco by Domenico di Michelino. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Charon- in Greek mythology, the carrier of the souls of the dead across the River Styx (Acheron). Son of Erebus and Nyukta.

Minos— Dante has a demon with a snake’s tail, entwining the newly arrived soul and indicating the circle of hell into which the soul will descend.

Cerberus- in Greek mythology, the offspring of Typhon and Echidna, a three-headed dog with a poisonous mixture flowing from its mouth. Guards the exit from the kingdom of the dead Hades, not allowing the dead to return to the world of the living. The creature was defeated by Hercules in one of his labors.

Plutos- a bestial demon who guards access to the fourth circle of Hell, where misers and spendthrifts are executed.

Phlegy- in ancient Greek mythology, the son of Ares - the god of war - and Chryse. Phlegias burned the temple of the god Apollo and, as punishment for this, was killed by his arrows. In the underworld, he was condemned to eternal execution - to sit under a rock, ready to collapse every minute.

“Charon transports souls across the River Styx” (Litovchenko A.D., 1861). Photo:

Briareus- in Greek mythology, the son of the sky god Uranus and the earth goddess Gaia. A monstrous creature with 50 heads and a hundred arms.

Lucifer- a fallen angel identified with the Devil.

Brutus Marcus Junius- V Ancient Rome led (together with Cassius) a conspiracy in 44 BC. e. against Julius Caesar. According to legend, he was one of the first to stab him with a dagger.

Cassius Gaius Longinus- killer of Julius Caesar, organized an attempt on his life.

    The circles of hell are described by Alighieri Dante in his Divine Comedy. In the poem, he builds a strict system of the afterlife in the form of 9 circles of hell, not 7. That's why they say it wrong. These are terrible circles of retribution and punished crimes. Circles 1-5 are for intemperate in all respects, 7 - for rapists, 8-9 - for deceivers, traitors.

    This is most likely due to the variety of sins and the degree and severity of the guilt and the punishment for it, in general there are nine of them, and the main ones that are considered the most serious are seven. You can read more about them from the answers above!

    Dante Alighieri, like Aristotle, has nine circles of hell (in the Divine Comedy). But according to Christian teaching, a person, in order to atone for his sins, in order to get to heaven, must be cleansed by going through the seven circles of hell.

    Since there is still no evidence of the existence of hell, nor even a consensus on this matter among those who believe in it, we can assume that the differences are explained simply different views the authors of these theories, which may have been influenced by accepted beliefs or teachings and his personal views.

    The number 7 is often used to denote completeness, since in the world around us it is often found in this particular perspective, for example, 7 colors of the rainbow or 7 notes. Therefore, when they say that a person has gone through 7 circles of hell, intuitively we understand that he has passed all the difficult tests that are possible.

    There may be 3, 5, 7, or even 9, they correlate with defects and their aggravation in the individual.

    If we proceed from Dante, then there are only nine circles of hell, and the seventh circle contains rapists, but in a broader sense than what is familiar to us. The rapists included rapists against their neighbors and their property (tyrants and robbers), rapists against themselves and their property (suicide gamblers and spendthrifts), rapists against deity and nature (blasphemers, sodomites, covetous people). The eighth circle contained deceivers - namely: seducers, flatterers, all kinds of soothsayers, bribe-takers, hypocrites, thieves, provocateurs and all kinds of swindlers. The ninth contained traitors to relatives, homeland, friends, benefactors and faith.

    From this enumeration it becomes clear that when a person talks about the seven circles of hell, he admits that he led a far from sinless life and even resorted to violence, but still never committed the most terrible sins the eighth and ninth circles - deception of those who trusted and betrayal.

    Sometimes you study human thoughts and wonder how people can come up with so many things; there have been science fiction writers at all times of human life...

    So, here's what the fevered minds came up with:

    1 circle of hell, so to speak, the easy level, there are good non-Christians sitting there, including babies who did not have time to be baptized...

    2nd circle of hell, heavier, there are those who loved to eat well during their lifetime...

    3rd circle of hell intended for those who loved to walk to the left during their lifetime...

    4th circle of hell for those who spent money left and right...

    5th circle of hell for unrestrained people who shout at everyone and swear...

    6th circle of hell for scientists who go against God's laws...

    7th circle of hell for criminals, thieves, robbers, etc.

    8th circle of hell for those who deceived other people and received bribes to enrich themselves...

    9 circle of hell for moral traitors, traitors to the people and the Motherland...

    Hell is a place where sinners serve their punishment.

    In hell, sinners suffer and suffer.

    Hell has nine circles.

    The lower the circle, the more serious the sinners in it. Their sins are more severe.

    The seventh, eighth and ninth circle are still divided into separate parts.

    Below you can see what sins people fall into in one circle or another:

    All world religions have the idea of ​​hell. But even if it exists, then so far there is not a single dead person who could come back and tell everyone that hell really is.

    We know that Dante described nine circles of hell in his Divine Comedy, but this is just the author’s fiction, reflecting ideas about afterlife, people of that time.

    It was believed that there were 9 circles in hell different categories sinners:

    • At first The circle included infants who did not have time to be baptized, and non-Christians who were distinguished by virtue during their lifetime.
    • In the second Fornicators and adulterers suffered.
    • Third was created for those who indulged in gluttony.
    • On the fourth there were wasteful and stingy sinners.
    • Fifth inhabited by lazy people and those prone to anger.
    • In the sixth Heretics and preachers of false teachings, so hated by the church, languished.
    • In the seventh There were various rapists: tyrants, blasphemers, robbers and tyrants.
    • Eighth the circle was full of deceivers: flatterers, fortune-tellers, thieves, hypocrites, bribe-takers, sorcerers, etc.
    • At nine the last circle were those who betrayed the trust of their parents, homeland, friends, etc.

    In each of these circles, terrible suffering and trials awaited the deceased person. Therefore, about a man who endured a lot in his life path and did not break, they say that he went through seven circles of real hell. This is simply a figurative expression designed to convey the unbearable pain and torment that someone had to go through.

    The answer to this question may be different, depending on who you take as the authority. According to Christianity, there are still 7 circles of hell, but theologians have still not come to a consensus on what this number means. I like the option when the seven circles of hell are the mandatory seven stages of self-improvement that the soul of every person must go through, by analogy with the seven days of creation. These are ways of acquiring knowledge about the nature of things and one's place in the world.

    The Italian writer Dante described in colorful form 9 circles of hell, in each of which sinners fall for strictly defined crimes. This point of view also seems very attractive and seems fair - after all, crimes and torment.

    IN Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri represents hell, which has 9 circles (the last circles are also divided into belts), and the lower the circle, the more serious the sins committed by a person during his lifetime. There are 7 main circles, which is why they say the Seven Circles of Hell.

    Before entering Hell pitiful souls are placed who during their lifetime did neither evil nor good.

    First Circle of Hell unbaptized infants, virtuous non-Christians

    II voluptuaries

    III gourmets, gluttons, gluttons

    IV hoarders and spendthrifts

    V lazy and angry

    VI false teachers

    VII tyrants, robbers, suicides, gamblers and spendthrifts, sodomites

    VIII seducers, flatterers, soothsayers, fortune tellers, bribe takers, hypocrites, thieves.

    IX deceived those who trusted them.

    Dante's model of Hell is the same as that of Aristotle, who

    in the 1st circle sins of intemperance

    2 sins of violence

    c 3 sins of deception.

    Dante in the work

    placed intemperate people in circles 2-5

    in the 7th circle - rapists

    in the 8th circle - deceivers

    in the 9th circle - traitors

    The more a sin is connected with a person’s spiritual fall, the more unforgivable it is, and vice versa, the more material the sin, the more forgivable it is. In Catholicism, the most terrible 9-9 is the lower circle of CAIN, which contains those who have encroached on the life of their neighbor.

    And some believe that there are only 12 or even 14 circles of hell.

    Proverb

    Go through the seven circles of hell

    is associated with Christian teaching, according to which, in order for a sinful soul to have a chance to go to heaven, it is necessary to go through seven circles of hell, in which to be cleansed of the sins accumulated over life. And the degree of torment during these circles will be comparable to the magnitude of sin.

In the first circle of Dante's Hell, virtuous non-Christians and unbaptized pagans who are punished are tormented eternal life in a kind of heaven. They are in a palace with seven gates, which symbolizes the seven virtues. Here Dante meets outstanding people eras of antiquity, such as Homer, Socrates, Aristotle, Cicero, Hippocrates and Julius Caesar.

Circle two, adultery

In the second circle of hell, Dante and Virgil meet people who are overcome by lust. Their punishment is strong wind, which spins them in the air. There is no rest for them. This incessant wind symbolizes people driven by the thirst for carnal pleasures. Here again Dante meets many famous people of a bygone era: Cleopatra, Tristan, Helen of Troy and other sinners whose vice was adultery.

Circle three, gluttony

Having reached the third circle of hell, Dante and Virgil meet the souls of gluttons, who are guarded by the monster Cerberus. Sinners there are punished by lying in a dirty mess under the incessant freezing rain. Dirt symbolizes the degradation of those who abuse food, drink and other earthly pleasures. Gluttonous sinners do not see those lying next to them. This symbolizes their selfishness and insensitivity.

Circle four, greed

In the fourth circle of hell, Dante and Virgil see the souls of those punished for greed. Sinners in this circle are divided into two: those who accumulated material wealth and those who spent them without measure. They push heavy things, which symbolizes their attachment to wealth. Sinners are guarded by Pluto, the Greek god of the underworld. Here Dante sees many priests, including popes and cardinals.

Circle eight, deception

The eighth circle of hell is inhabited by deceivers. Dante and Virgil get there on the back of Geryon, a flying monster. This circle is divided into ten stone ditches connected by bridges. In the first ditch, Dante encounters pimps and seducers, in the second - flatterers, in the third - those guilty of simony, in the fourth - false prophets and sorcerers. The fifth ditch is inhabited by corrupt politicians, the sixth by hypocrites, and the rest by thieves, advisers, forgers, alchemists, forgers and false witnesses.