Dante, Inferno
The Seven-Walled Castle of Limbo
The poetic company reaches a magnificent castle encircled by seven high walls and a pleasant stream. They cross the water as if it were dry land and pass through seven gates into a green meadow. The inhabitants speak rarely and carry an air of authority. From an open, bright vantage Dante recognises figures from epic, public life and philosophy within the first circle.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryThe poetic company reaches a magnificent castle encircled by seven high walls and a pleasant stream. They cross the water as if it were dry land and pass through seven gates into a green meadow.
Further detail
LiteraryThe inhabitants speak rarely and carry an air of authority. From an open, bright vantage Dante recognises figures from epic, public life and philosophy within the first circle.
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
magnificent castle we arrived, Seven times with lofty walls begirt, and round Defended by a pleasant stream. O'er this As o'er dry land we pass'd. Next,Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 36
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-P0036
- Original scan leaf
- 43
- Recorded leaf number
- 43
- Current Reader position
- 36
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
seven gates, I with those sages enter'd, and we came Into a mead with lively verdure fresh. There dwelt a race, who slow their eyes aroundOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 36
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-P0036
- Original scan leaf
- 43
- Recorded leaf number
- 43
- Current Reader position
- 36
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Literary & Visionary Settings ↗
Homer in the Company of Poets
The supreme poet who leads the classical company greeting Virgil in Limbo.
Shared illustrationHorace in Dante’s Limbo
The poet named Flaccus, praised for satire within the classical company.
Shared illustrationLucan in Dante’s Limbo
The last poet named in the classical company that welcomes Dante as a sixth member.
Shared illustrationOvid in Dante’s Limbo
The poet named Naso, standing third in the company that receives Dante.