Dante, Inferno
Lucifer and the Freezing Wings
Lucifer rises from the ice to mid-breast and bears three faces. Under each are two enormous wings whose texture the narrator compares to a bat’s rather than a feathered bird’s. Their movement produces three winds freezing Cocytus. Three mouths torment three figures, with Judas named in the foremost and Brutus and Cassius in the others across the following passage.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryLucifer rises from the ice to mid-breast and bears three faces. Under each are two enormous wings whose texture the narrator compares to a bat’s rather than a feathered bird’s.
Further detail
LiteraryTheir movement produces three winds freezing Cocytus. Three mouths torment three figures, with Judas named in the foremost and Brutus and Cassius in the others across the following passage.
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 faces : one in front Of hue vermilion, the other two with this Midway each shoulder join'd and at the crest ; The right 'twixtOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 233
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-P0233
- Original scan leaf
- 240
- Recorded leaf number
- 240
- Current Reader position
- 233
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
Three winds, wherewith Cocytus to its depth Was frozen. At six eyes he wept: the tears Adown three chins distill'd with bloody foam, At every mouthOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 233
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-P0233
- Original scan leaf
- 240
- Recorded leaf number
- 240
- Current Reader position
- 233
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Judecca, the Innermost Ice
The final frozen division, where the souls are entirely enclosed and Lucifer occupies the centre.
Same subject and traditionBarbariccia Leads the Hooked Escort
The captain who restrains his own violent company long enough for questioning.
Same subject and traditionMalacoda and the False Route
The negotiating demon whose assurance about a crossing proves unreliable.