I learned enough about Dante’s inferno to make it out of High School.  Mostly I used cribsheets or handy Cliff Notes.  But I never actually read it.  Lots of pre-renaissance literature is just so difficult to get through.  But the University of Kentucky was gracious enough to create a flash website that will walk you through the geography and major highlights of Dante’s descent into Hell and all of its horrible fates for the sinners.

 
Don’t steal or flying snakes will bite you in Hell.

I think the flash could have had more information , and it definitely should have ensured that all of the woodcuttings of Gustave Dore were included.  His artwork illustrating this was outstanding.  You can find a whole slew of Dore’s work here.

One part that stood out to me as particularly horrific was how theives were tortured for eternity:  Flying snakes that chased and bit the thieves in the 8th circle of Hell!  Click here to enter the flash site and abandon all hope of ye who clicks here.  Thanks to Table of Malcontents for the link!


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