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Canto 6 Summary and Analysis
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Cerberus: Three-headed dog who watches over the Third Circle of Hell
The Inhabitants of Circle Three: The gluttonous
Ciacco: Gluttonous male inhabitant of Florence; nickname means “pig”
Summary
In Circle Three Dante finds constant rain, sleet, snow, and hail. Cerberus, the three-headed dog, meets Dante and Virgil; Virgil manages to quiet the dog’s attacks by throwing mud from the ground into the three mouths. All around Virgil and Dante are gluttons lying in the mud.
One of the gluttons named Ciacco is from Florence. He speaks to Dante and Virgil. Ciacco predicts that the political strife between the Black and White factions in Florence will continue and bloodshed will come. The Wood party will drive out the other faction but within three suns, he tells them, the confidence of the Woods will suffer a fall. The other faction will rise after this time.
Ciacco answers Dante’s questions about the location of the worthy men Tegghiaio and Farinata; the zealous Rusticucci; Mosca and Arrigo; “and the rest as well.” Ciacco tells Dante that they are all deeper in Hell.
As a last request, Ciacco asks Dante to recall his name once Dante reaches the world again.
(The entire section is 395 words.)