Out of the pit where Dante’s belt was thrown rises a terrifying monster with the head of a man, the body of a serpent, and the tail of a scorpion. This is Geryon, who “swims” through the murky air of the abyss, undulating his body like an eel while stroking the air with his claws. Geryon represents the sin of fraud, with a trusting face and a deadly tail. Incredibly, he will be giving Dante and Virgil a “ride” down to the pit.
While Virgil speaks to Geryon, Dante talks to another group of souls nearby squatting on the sand, the Usurers, or moneylenders. Their faces are unrecognizable from the burns and ash, and are identified only by the insignias of the moneybags around their necks. Dante then joins Virgil and Geryon to continue in their journey of terror.