Dante, Inferno
The Storm of the Second Circle
In the second circle Dante hears a storm like a sea torn by opposing winds. It drives the spirits in every direction, offering neither rest nor the expectation of gentler suffering. The narrator identifies the company as those in whom reason was ruled by lust. Bird comparisons make their collective flight visible before the more intimate meeting with Francesca and her companion.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryIn the second circle Dante hears a storm like a sea torn by opposing winds. It drives the spirits in every direction, offering neither rest nor the expectation of gentler suffering.
Further detail
LiteraryThe narrator identifies the company as those in whom reason was ruled by lust. Bird comparisons make their collective flight visible before the more intimate meeting with Francesca and her companion.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the exact supplied Thompson & Thomas edition of H. F. Cary’s translation. Figures, places and events belong to Dante’s literary vision; their assigned roles are distinguished from historical biography, other classical traditions and independently established descriptions of an afterlife.
Original passages
Source 1
Dante's Inferno
The stormy blast of hell With restless fury drives the spirits on, Whirl'd round and dashed amain with sore annoy. When they arrive before the ruinousOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 41
Passage read against the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace normalised and original-leaf mapping checked. Plate art separately visually inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0082-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0082-E001-P0041
- Original scan leaf
- 48
- Recorded leaf number
- 48
- Current Reader position
- 41
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
Reason by lust is sway'd. As in large troops And multitudinous, when winter reigns, The starlings on their wings are borne abroad ; So bear theOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 41
Passage read against the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace normalised and original-leaf mapping checked. Plate art separately visually inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0082-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0082-E001-P0041
- Original scan leaf
- 48
- Recorded leaf number
- 48
- Current Reader position
- 41
- 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.