Dante, Inferno
Ephialtes in Chains
Virgil identifies Ephialtes as a giant who tried his strength against Jove. One arm is bound behind him and the other in front, with the chain winding repeatedly around his visible body. Ephialtes shakes with a motion the narrator compares to a tower in an earthquake. Dante’s fear is checked only by seeing the restraints that prevent the giant’s strength from reaching him.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryVirgil identifies Ephialtes as a giant who tried his strength against Jove. One arm is bound behind him and the other in front, with the chain winding repeatedly around his visible body.
Further detail
LiteraryEphialtes shakes with a motion the narrator compares to a tower in an earthquake. Dante’s fear is checked only by seeing the restraints that prevent the giant’s strength from reaching him.
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
Ephialtes him they call. Great was his prowess, when the giants brought Fear on the gods: those arms, which then he plied, Now moves he never."Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 209
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-P0209
- Original scan leaf
- 216
- Recorded leaf number
- 216
- Current Reader position
- 209
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
As Ephialtes. More than ever then I dreaded death ; nor than the terror more Had needed, had I not seen the cords That held himOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 212
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-P0212
- Original scan leaf
- 219
- Recorded leaf number
- 219
- Current Reader position
- 212
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Antaeus, Bearer of the Travellers
The unfettered giant who lowers Dante and Virgil toward Cocytus.
Shared source pageNimrod and Unintelligible Speech
A giant whose incomprehensible cry is answered by Virgil’s direction to use his horn.
Shared source pageCocytus, the Frozen Lake
The lake of immobilising cold at the bottom of Dante’s Inferno.
Shared illustrationThe Giants around the Central Well
The apparent towers resolve into immense bodies around the pit leading to the frozen circle.