The Structure of Dante's Hell
There are nine circles of Hell in all. Limbo is sometimes assumed to be "Ante-Hell", but those in Limbo are damned nonetheless. The circles in order from Limbo down to Malebolge are:
- 1. Limbo
- 2. The Lustful
- 3. The Gluttonous
- 4. The Avaricious and the Prodigal
- 5. The Wrathful and the Sullen
- 6. Heretics
- 7. The Violent
- 8. The Fraudulent
- 9. The Treacherous
- N.B. All of Dante's Hell can be categorized by the three following attributes:
- Incontinence includes all wrong action due to the inadequate control of natural appetites or desires.
- Brutishness or Bestiality is characteristic of morbid states in which what is naturally repulsive becomes attractive.
- Malice or Vice consist of those evil actions which involve the abuse of the specifically human attribute of reason.
| INCONTINENCE |
i. carnality | |
| ii.gluttony |
| iii. avarice |
| iv. anger |
| |
VIOLENCE or
BRUTISHNESS | v. violent | i. against neighbor |
| ii. against self |
| iii. against God |
| |
| FRAUD or MALICE | vi. simple | i. seducerers and panderers |
| ii. flatterers |
| iii. simonists |
| iv. diviners |
| v. peculators |
| vi. hypocrites |
| vii. thieves |
| viii. thieves |
| ix. sowers of dissension |
| x. forgers |
| |
| vii. treacherous | i. against kin |
| ii. against country |
| iii. against hospitality |
| iv. against lords and benefactors |
|