Dante, Inferno
The Harpies of the Thorny Wood
In the second round of the seventh circle, Harpies nest in a dark forest of knotted branches and poisonous thorns. The canto describes human faces and necks combined with wings, talons and a feathered belly. A speaking tree explains that their feeding on its leaves produces pain and a vent for grief. This belongs to the poem’s punitive vision and does not establish a judgement about people who die by suicide.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryIn the second round of the seventh circle, Harpies nest in a dark forest of knotted branches and poisonous thorns. The canto describes human faces and necks combined with wings, talons and a feathered belly.
Further detail
LiteraryA speaking tree explains that their feeding on its leaves produces pain and a vent for grief. This belongs to the poem’s punitive vision and does not establish a judgement about people who die by suicide.
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
Here the brute Harpies make their nest, the same Who from the Strophades the Trojan band Drove with dire boding of their future woe. Broad areOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 97
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-P0097
- Original scan leaf
- 104
- Recorded leaf number
- 104
- Current Reader position
- 97
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
The Harpies, on its leaves Then feeding, cause both pain, and for the pain A vent to grief. We, as the rest, shall come For ourOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 100
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-P0100
- Original scan leaf
- 107
- Recorded leaf number
- 107
- Current Reader position
- 100
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Cerberus in the Third Circle
The three-throated guardian among the gluttonous souls beneath ceaseless cold rain.
Same subject and traditionGeryon, the Image of Fraud
A reassuring human face joined to a dangerous composite body at the descent into fraud.
Same subject and traditionThe Minotaur at the Broken Descent
The enraged guardian at the steep passage into the seventh circle.