Dante, Inferno
Caina, the First Frozen Round
The canto’s argument names Caina as the first round. In the encounter Dante sees two figures pressed closely together, their hair mingled and their tears freezing between their eyes. A nearby speaker identifies their shared father and origin, then describes them as especially deserving of fixation within Caina. The kinship and accusation are presented by a voice inside the poem.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryThe canto’s argument names Caina as the first round. In the encounter Dante sees two figures pressed closely together, their hair mingled and their tears freezing between their eyes.
Further detail
LiteraryA nearby speaker identifies their shared father and origin, then describes them as especially deserving of fixation within Caina. The kinship and accusation are presented by a voice inside the poem.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the supplied Thompson & Thomas edition of H. F. Cary’s translation. It describes Dante’s literary vision, distinguishing its assignments and reported claims from historical biography, other classical traditions and independently established accounts of an afterlife.
Original passages
Source 1
Dante's Inferno
called Cai'na, Dante finds Camiccione de' Pazzi, who gives him an account oi Other sinners who are there punished ; and in the next, named Antenora,Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 216
Passage read in the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace-normalised anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Associated plates separately inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0082-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0082-E001-P0216
- Original scan leaf
- 223
- Recorded leaf number
- 223
- Current Reader position
- 216
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
throughout Caina thou mayst search, nor find a shade More worthy in congealment to be fix'd ;Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 217
Passage read in the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace-normalised anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Associated plates separately inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0082-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0082-E001-P0217
- Original scan leaf
- 224
- Recorded leaf number
- 224
- Current Reader position
- 217
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Cocytus, the Frozen Lake
The lake of immobilising cold at the bottom of Dante’s Inferno.
Shared source pageAntenora, the Second Frozen Round
The part of the ice where the encounter with Bocca leads to accusations of betrayal.
Same subject and traditionAcheron in Dante’s Journey
The river where the arriving dead assemble for Charon’s crossing.
Same subject and traditionJudecca, the Innermost Ice
The final frozen division, where the souls are entirely enclosed and Lucifer occupies the centre.