Dante, Inferno
The Burdens of Hoarding and Waste
Two groups roll weights with their breasts, meet in collision, exchange accusations and turn back to repeat their course. Virgil explains that both failed to use wealth in due measure, though their faults ran in opposite directions. Their former lives make them unrecognisable to Dante. The guide contrasts their endless struggle with the inability of all earthly gold to buy them rest.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryTwo groups roll weights with their breasts, meet in collision, exchange accusations and turn back to repeat their course. Virgil explains that both failed to use wealth in due measure, though their faults ran in opposite directions.
Further detail
LiteraryTheir former lives make them unrecognisable to Dante. The guide contrasts their endless struggle with the inability of all earthly gold to buy them rest.
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
Both roll'd on weights, by main force of their bn-a^ts, Then smote together, and each one forthwith Roll'd them back voluble, turning again ; Exclaiming these,Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 58
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-P0058
- Original scan leaf
- 65
- Recorded leaf number
- 65
- Current Reader position
- 58
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
That ill they gave, And ill they kept, hath of the beauteous world Deprived, and set them at this strife, which needs No labor'd phrase ofOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 58
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-P0058
- Original scan leaf
- 65
- Recorded leaf number
- 65
- Current Reader position
- 58
- 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.