Dante watches in shock as the sinner looks up from chewing on the bloody head of his companion. This sinner is Count Ugolino, and his eternal meal is Archbishop Ruggieri, traitors against their country. Ugolino describes in excruciating detail the story of how he was betrayed by Ruggieri and locked in a prison with his sons to starve to death. Ugolino leads us to believe that he probably ended up cannibalizing his own children (scholars believe they were actually his grandchildren). Dante’s punishment once again mimics the sin.

Dante and Virgil then encounter souls with only their faces above the ice, their eyes frozen in the sockets by tears. One of these was a corrupt Friar involved in a murder plot. Dante learns that even though the soul of this Friar is in Hell, his body is still alive on earth, inhabited by a demon. It’s worth noting that the center of Hell is dominated by ice, not fire. Ice represents the absence of love and separation from God. Although fire is encountered in other parts of Hell, it is often associated with the love of God and is a theme found in purgatory.

Dante and Virgil then begin incredible climax of Inferno. …continue…   …or go back…