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Canto 16 Questions and Answers
Study Questions
1. What does Dante mean when he says that he has to fall to the center?
2. What do the three shades mean when they say that Guillim Borsier’ has “but late enrolled”?
3. How does Dante feel about the three shades and their punishment in Hell?
4. What is the political affiliation of the three shades?
5. How does Virgil say that Dante is to treat the three shades?
6. What are the Acquacheta and the Forli?
7. What does Virgil throw into the water?
8. What are the Apennines?
9. Whom does Jacopo blame for his vice?
10. What is the Comedy that Dante refers to in Canto XVI?
Answers
1. When Dante says he has to fall to the center, he means that he has to continue his journey through the pit.
2. The three shades mean that Borsier’ has just come to Hell when they say that he had recently enrolled.
3. Dante feels sadness that the shades are in Hell. His inclination is to keep the fire away even if he had to jump in himself but, of course, he cannot relieve their punishment.
4. The three shades belong to the Guelph party from Florence.
5. Virgil says that Dante is to treat the shades with courtesy.
6. The Acquacheta and the Forli are rivers.
7. Virgil throws the rope girdle from Dante’s waist into the water.
8. The Apennines are mountains in Italy.
9. Jacopo blames his wife for his vice.
10. The Comedy that Dante refers to is his Divine Comedy.