Dante, Inferno
Ugolino’s Account of Hunger
Ugolino identifies himself and the Archbishop Ruggieri, whose head he gnaws in the ice. He recounts having trusted the archbishop before capture and turns to the suffering of the prisoners in the tower. His account describes the children dying over successive days and his blind search among their bodies. The closing phrase about fasting overcoming grief is retained without turning its ambiguity into an assertion of cannibalism.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryUgolino identifies himself and the Archbishop Ruggieri, whose head he gnaws in the ice. He recounts having trusted the archbishop before capture and turns to the suffering of the prisoners in the tower.
Further detail
LiteraryHis account describes the children dying over successive days and his blind search among their bodies. The closing phrase about fasting overcoming grief is retained without turning its ambiguity into an assertion of cannibalism.
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
Count Ugolino de' Gherardeschi of the creel manner in which he and his children were famished in the tower at Pisa, by command of the ArchbishopOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 223
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-P0223
- Original scan leaf
- 230
- Recorded leaf number
- 230
- Current Reader position
- 223
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
mastery of grief." Thus having spoke, Once more upon the wretched skull his teeth He fasten'd like a mastiff's 'gainst the bone, Firm and unyielding. Oh,Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 227
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-P0227
- Original scan leaf
- 234
- Recorded leaf number
- 234
- Current Reader position
- 227
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
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Literary & Visionary Figures ↗
Ruggieri in Ugolino’s Accusation
The archbishop named by Ugolino and represented as the pursuer in his prison dream.
Shared source pagePtolomea and Premature Descent
The frozen round where Alberigo claims a soul can arrive before its body dies.
Shared source pageThe Tower of Famine
The remembered place of confinement within Ugolino’s speech in the frozen circle.
Same subject and traditionAlberigo and the Frozen Tears
The speaker who requests relief from the ice over his eyes but does not receive it.