Literature Network » Virgil

Dante's 'Inferno, canto XXII: among the Malebranche.' (poem) (Special Section)

Content courtesy of

From: TriQuarterly
Date: 19931222
Author:Dante Alighieri; Pinsky, Robert

Inferno, Canto XXII: A Translator's Note

The action of Inferno XXII is impelled by a fart: the military signal emitted by the demon Malacoda at the end of the preceding canto, when he sends off the troop of demons who escort Dante and Virgil along the lake of burning pitch. Boiled in the pitch are shades guilty of barratry--the selling of offices, the crime for which Dante's political enemies banished him from Florence.

If there is any comedy in the Inferno it is here where the Malebranche--demons with names like Bad-Tail, Nastydog, Hogface, Snarleyhead--menace and squabble. ...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Other Articles on Virgil

About Our Articles: We've partnered with Highbeam Research to provide these article excerpts for your research needs. However, due to copyright laws, we cannot publish the whole article. To view these articles in full length you'll need to use the link above to access the free trial at Highbeam.