Dante's Inferno by Dante Alighieri

New Characters
Venedico Caccianemico: Member of the Guelphs who sold his own sister

Horned Fiends: Those who beat the naked sinners in the Malbowges

Jason: Greek hero who searched for the golden fleece and seduced others

Alessio Interminei: A White Guelph; a flatterer with “slick” manners

Summary
Dante describes the region in Hell called the Malbowges, or Evil Pockets. He explains that this area is made of iron-gray stone and has ten divisions. In the middle of this cone, or narrowing round, is a well. Dante describes how the traffic of the souls in the Malbowges is controlled: one side keeps their eyes on the Castle (perhaps the Castle on the road called the Castello Sant’ Angelo) and the other side keeps their eyes on the Mount (perhaps the mountain called Janiculum).

Dante observes the naked sinners and the horned fiends who beat them and drive them along with heavy whips. The trail moves in opposite ways; the first procession is composed of panders and the second procession is composed of seducers. Dante recognizes Venedico Caccianemico coming from one direction and Jason moving from the other...