What are the Nine Circles?
We offer this short guide to the nine circles of Hell, as described in Dante’s Inferno.
- First Circle: Limbo.
- Second Circle: Lust.
- Third Circle: Gluttony.
- Fourth Circle: Greed.
- Fifth Circle: Anger.
- Sixth Circle: Heresy.
- Seventh Circle: Violence.
- Eighth Circle: Fraud.
How does Dante’s Purgatorio demonstrate the medieval knowledge of a spherical Earth?
The Purgatorio is notable for demonstrating the medieval knowledge of a spherical Earth. During the poem, Dante discusses the different stars visible in the southern hemisphere, the altered position of the sun, and the various time zones of the Earth.
How does Dante’s Paradiso end?
In the final moments of Paradiso—and of the entire Comedy—Dante understands what he sees. Of course, we’re not allowed to see what he gets. Dante would say his understanding ultimately cannot be expressed in words, but we’re told he receives understanding that no other living man has gotten.
What did Botticelli do for Dante’s Purgatorio?
For the Purgatorio, Botticelli was somewhat more selective and made greater use of “rational” perspective: for the Paradiso, his simplified drawings capture the ethereal nature of the text. Botticelli also created a highly detailed cross section map of the underworld, and a frightening portrayal of Satan on a double sheet.
Which is the second sphere in Dante’s Paradiso?
In the Second Sphere of Heaven or Mercury, Dante and his guide Beatrice meet the souls of those who were just and righteous during their earthly lives but were primarily driven by ambition.
Who are the Wise Men in Dante’s Paradiso?
When reaching the Fourth Sphere of Heaven or the Sun, Dante and Beatrice are surrounded by a crown consisting of St. Thomas Aquinas and eleven other souls of wise men who also include Boethius, King Solomon, Peter Lombard and the Venerable Bede, to mention some of the most famous ones.
When did Sandro Botticelli paint Dante on sheepskin?
An anonymous author, writing in about 1540, informs us that Botticelli “painted and illustrated a Dante on sheepskin for Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici [who also owned the Primavera] which was held to be something marvelous.” He refers to an extraordinarily ambitious and original project.