Dante, Inferno
The Self-Serving Angels
Virgil places a band of angels among the uncommitted souls encountered before the river crossing. The account distinguishes them from both the rebellious host and those true to God. Heaven drives them out, and Hell does not receive them into its depths, lest the condemned gain grounds for boasting. Their position therefore belongs to the outer infernal threshold.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryVirgil places a band of angels among the uncommitted souls encountered before the river crossing. The account distinguishes them from both the rebellious host and those true to God.
Further detail
LiteraryHeaven drives them out, and Hell does not receive them into its depths, lest the condemned gain grounds for boasting. Their position therefore belongs to the outer infernal threshold.
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
Of angels mix'd, who nor rebellious ^ved, Nor yet were true to God, but for themselves Were only. From his bounds Heaven drove them forth, NotOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 26
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-P0026
- Original scan leaf
- 33
- Recorded leaf number
- 33
- Current Reader position
- 26
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
From his bounds Heaven drove them forth, Not to impair his luster ; nor the depth Of Hell receives them, lest the accursed tribe Should gloryOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 26
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-P0026
- Original scan leaf
- 33
- Recorded leaf number
- 33
- Current Reader position
- 26
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed