Traitors
After passing over the tenth or innermost concentric bolgia
or ditch of the eighth circle Dante and Virgil arrive at the centre of the
eighth circle to find a great well or pit. At the bottom of the pit is the
ninth and final circle of hell, named Cocytus. Dante discovers that inside the
pit are the giants and titans of the past standing guard over those in the
ninth circle. Virgil persuades on of them to take them both down into the ninth
circle.
The ninth circle is a huge frozen lake where those who were
treacherous to those whom they were bound by special ties are fixed frozen in
the lake. Dante describes the lake as having four concentric circles which
represent four classes of treachery.
The four classes of treachery:
1. Caina (those who were treacherous
against the members of own their blood)
2. Antenora (those who were treacherous against
their country)
3. Ptolomea (those who were treacherous toward
their guests and friends)
4. Judecca (those who were treacherous
toward their masters)
At the very centre of the ninth circle Dante and Virgil find
Satan or the Typhon Baphomet and they climb down his hairy back to leave hell.
Caina
The first circle of Caina is named after Cain who slew his
brother Abel. Those in the circle of Caina are those who betrayed members of
their own blood. They have their necks and heads out of the ice and can bow
their heads to avoid the freezing gale and allow their tears to fall without
freezing their eyes shut.
Antenora
The second circle or round of the ninth circle is Antenora
named after Antenor who was believed to have betrayed troy, his city to the
Greeks. Those in this circle are those who betrayed their country. They have
their heads and necks above the ice but can not bow their heads.
Ptolomea
The third circle or round of the ninth circle is Ptolomea
named after Ptolomaeus of Maccabees who murdered his father-in-law at a
banquet. Those in this circle are those who betrayed their guests or were
treacherous toward hospitality. They have their heads half frozen in the ice
and their tears freeze in their eyes sealing them shut. The comfort of tears is
denied to them. Here Dante says that this type of treachery is so grave that
those who commit it are sent straight away to this circle even being alive.
Their bodies remain on earth living but inhabited by a demon.
Judecca
Judecca is the last round or circle of the ninth circle and
is named after Judas Iscariot, those who betrayed their masters. They lie
distorted in very painful positions and completely frozen and sealed in the
ice. They can not speak.
In this round is also Satan himself fixed to the ice at a
position where all the rivers of guilt meet. He is there beating his wings
trying to escape but the wind from his wins freezes him further to the ice. He
has three faces, each with a different colour and each mouth there is someone
being ripped constantly by his teeth. Judas Iscariot is in the centre mouth,
Brutus and Cassius in the other two mouths.
Summary
Before reading this from Dante and Master Samael I didn’t
really think that treachery was so bad. But thinking about it, it certainly
really is. It is the maximum of going against something or someone and it is so
ungrateful because in all the cases of treachery, the person who betrays is
actually receiving many benefits including the benefit of trust from the party
that he or she betrays.
I think that it is not treachery when we you betray the
party that who belong to because they are going to do something very wrong.
That is rather tricky if you do it and they do not know about it, that is a
form of treachery but on the other hand you are working for a greater good.
Certainly if you tell them before you do it, I think that it is not treachery.
It is amazing how speaking, that is just a couple of words can change the whole
situation from something belonging to the 9th sphere to
something belonging to the 5th or 7th sphere.
End (368).
Great post, good work!
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