The Virtuous Pagans Once across the Acheron river Dante perceives Hell to be in a funnel shape with the bottom at the Earths center Ledges follow the funnel to the bottom and each of these ledges is referred to as a circle As the funnel descends the sins and punishments become mo ID: 711462
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Canto IV
Circle 1: LimboThe Virtuous PagansSlide2
Once across the Acheron river, Dante perceives Hell to be in a funnel shape, with the bottom at the Earth’s center. Ledges follow the funnel to the bottom, and each of these ledges is referred to as a “circle.” As the funnel descends, the sins and punishments become more serious.Slide3
In the uppermost circle, Dante encounters the virtuous Pagans.
This group includes those born before Christianity and those who were not baptized a Christian.Slide4
Virgil himself belongs to this circle of Hell, and he explains to Dante,
“Their merits fail, for they lacked Baptism’s grace . . . Their birth fell before the age of Christian mysteries, and so they did not worship God’s Trinity in fullest duty.”Slide5Slide6
“For such defects we are lost, though spared the fire and suffering Hell in one affliction only: that without hope we live on in desire.”
What is the only punishment of the Pagans?
They suffer no physical punishment. They just live without hope of ever reaching God.Slide7
Virtuous Pagans
doomed to this fate
Socrates
Caesar
Homer
Plato
Hector
AeneasSlide8
Who would be in Circle 1 today?
Children who were born and died before being baptized.Slide9
Dante is dazzled by the collection of great men that he encounters in this realm.
The
poets leave this relative serenity and
head into the kingdom of eternal night.