Dante, Inferno
The Furies on the Burning Tower
The travellers see three blood-stained Furies above the burning tower, their hair replaced by snakes. Virgil identifies Megaera, Alecto and Tisiphone and describes them as attendants of the queen of endless woe. They beat themselves, tear their breasts and call for Medusa to make the living traveller stone. Their threat prompts Virgil to turn Dante away and cover his eyes.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryThe travellers see three blood-stained Furies above the burning tower, their hair replaced by snakes. Virgil identifies Megaera, Alecto and Tisiphone and describes them as attendants of the queen of endless woe.
Further detail
LiteraryThey beat themselves, tear their breasts and call for Medusa to make the living traveller stone. Their threat prompts Virgil to turn Dante away and cover his eyes.
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
three hellish furies, stain'd with blood: In limb and motion feminine they seemed ; Around them greenest hydras twisting roll'd Their volumes ; adders and cerastesOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 72
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-P0072
- Original scan leaf
- 79
- Recorded leaf number
- 79
- Current Reader position
- 72
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
This is Megaera; on the right hand, she Who wails, Alecto ; and Tisiphone I' th' midst." This said, in silence he remain'd. Their breast theyOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 72
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-P0072
- Original scan leaf
- 79
- Recorded leaf number
- 79
- Current Reader position
- 72
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
The Threat of Medusa’s Gaze
The petrifying danger invoked by the Furies at the gate of Dis.
Same subject and traditionAntaeus, Bearer of the Travellers
The unfettered giant who lowers Dante and Virgil toward Cocytus.
Same subject and traditionCharon, Dante’s Ferryman
The fiery-eyed boatman who gathers the dead at Acheron and objects to Dante’s living presence.
Same subject and traditionChiron among the Armed Centaurs
The centaur who notices the physical evidence that Dante is alive.