Dante, Inferno
The Flames That Enclose Speakers
Dante surveys a hollow filled with lights, compared to fireflies visible from a hillside. Virgil explains that each flame contains a spirit rather than merely burning beside one. A flame with a divided crest encloses Ulysses and Diomede together. Virgil links their shared fire to episodes of cunning, including the wooden horse associated with the fall of Troy.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryDante surveys a hollow filled with lights, compared to fireflies visible from a hillside. Virgil explains that each flame contains a spirit rather than merely burning beside one.
Further detail
LiteraryA flame with a divided crest encloses Ulysses and Diomede together. Virgil links their shared fire to episodes of cunning, including the wooden horse associated with the fall of Troy.
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
A sinner so enfolded close in each, That none exhibits token of the theft. Upon the bridge I forward bent to look, And grasp'd a flintyOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 175
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-P0175
- Original scan leaf
- 182
- Recorded leaf number
- 182
- Current Reader position
- 175
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
Ulysses there and Diomede endure Their penal tortures, thus to vengeance now Together hasting, as erewhile to wrath. These in the flame with ceaseless groans deploreOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 175
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-P0175
- Original scan leaf
- 182
- Recorded leaf number
- 182
- Current Reader position
- 175
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Acheron in Dante’s Journey
The river where the arriving dead assemble for Charon’s crossing.
Same subject and traditionAntenora, the Second Frozen Round
The part of the ice where the encounter with Bocca leads to accusations of betrayal.
Same subject and traditionCaina, the First Frozen Round
The first division of the frozen circle, introduced through entangled family figures.
Same subject and traditionCocytus, the Frozen Lake
The lake of immobilising cold at the bottom of Dante’s Inferno.