Inferno, Canto 17 with Dr. Valeria Forte

Inferno canto 17 has a central position within  the cantica inferno and presents fundamental   issues or moral importance to the reader. In this  canto we find numerous mythological references   and two main ideas which are the importance  of Virgil as Dante's leading master   and the portrayal of the deceptive nature  of fraud as embodied by the beast Geryon. While literary commentary has focused  on Dante's representational fraud   less critical attention has been placed on  the important role of Virgil as a leading   master gifted with wisdom and integrity. The need  for a leading master to accompany the pilgrim   Dante's longest spiritual journey is an idea  that Dante inherited from biblical tradition. In Exodus chapters 14 and 20 we learned that  successful journeys through adverse conditions   were made possible by divine intervention and the  prodigious efforts and wisdom of a leading master.   In this celebrated biblical accounts Moses first  facilitates the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea   and later functions as a spiritual guide in  conveying the ten commandments to the Israelites. In the Divine Comedy Virgil is not only a  spiritual guide who inspires and elevates   Dante, he is also a guardian of the poet to  protect the pilgrim Dante from physical peril. To emphasize the leading role  of Virgil in Inferno canto 17   Dante assigns the opening words of this canto  to Virgil who alerts Dante with the following   "warning behold the beast who bears the pointy tail  who crosses mountains shatters weapons and walls   behold the one whose stench fills all the world" Dante clearly illustrates the dual role   of Virgil as a leading master. Virgil first  warns Dante about the physical peril of the   monster and then elaborates on the insidious  nature of fraud which infiltrates the world.   In tercera 5 Virgil then indicates to Dante that  the beast should not be avoided but face directly   therefore Virgil calls Geryon on to come ashore. It is interesting to note that when the monster   reaches the shore he keeps his poisonous tale  hidden. Dante describes the deceptive nature   of Geryon in the following manner "and he came  on that filthy effigy of fraud and landed with   his head and torso but did not draw his tail onto  the bank" The vivid imagination of Dante's poetry   is revealed through the majestic description  of Geryon as having the face of a just man   whose back chest and flanks were distinguished by  beautiful designs comparable to a Turkish fabric.   Dante describes Geryon in the following  way "the face he wore was that of a just man   so gracious was his features out or semblance  and only strung the body of a serpent   he had two paws with hair up to the armpits  his back and chest as well as both these flanks   had been adorned with twinging knots  and circulates no Turks or Tartars   ever fashioned fabrics more colorful in background  and relief nor had an Arachne ever loomed such   webs" The symbolic details in this description  allude to the complex nature of fraud. So how should we define fraud? Fraud could  be described as deceptive behavior adopted   by humans to infringe divine laws for personal  gain; to further clarify the idea of deception   in relation to fraud Dante refers to the myth  of Arachne as recounted by the roman poet Ovid.   In Metamorphosis Ovid describes the transformation  of Arachne into a spider as punishment for weaving   a flawless tapestry perceived by the goddess  Minerva to be deceptive. As the journey progresses   Virgil then instructs Dante to alter their path to  the right in order to approach the malicious beast.   Once in proximity of the monster Virgil creates a  strategic destruction for Dante so he can control   and tame Geryon, before the two travelers mount  the beast to continue their journey through the   underworld. While Virgil engages with Geryon Dante  encounters three users whose obsession with wealth   deprived them from experiencing the joy of the  divine gift of life. The poet states "so I went on   alone and even further along the seventh circle's  outer margin to where the melancholy people set"  We may ask how does Dante describe this  group of sinners? The users are depicted   as being tormented by flames and burning soil and  wearing a money pouch around their neck that was   the primary source of their attention. Their money  pouches were distinguished by the detailed crust   of their noble family. It is important to note  that during the middle age the practice of usury   was viewed as the accumulation of wealth without  the employment of human labor. Usury was therefore   judged by Dante in a negative way as it was  not in agreement with the biblical account of   God who labored to form creation. After leaving  the sinners Dante returns to Virgil who instructs   the poet to mount Geryon in front so that Virgil  can protect Dante from the beast's dangerous tail. Virgil advices Dante in the following manner "be  strong and daring now for our descent is by this   kind of stairs you mount in the front I want to  be between so that the tail can't do you any harm"   With these words Virgil demonstrates the primary  role of the leading master who provides wisdom   in addition to physical and emotional protection  for the poet. This episode is also of importance   as it emphasizes Dante's trust in Virgil; although Dante is terrified by the master   he exercises humility and obediently mounts Geryon in accordance with his master instructions. After mounting the monster Virgil holds the poet  to protect him from falling off the beast. In describing his fear while on the back of Geryon Dante references the mythical account of Phaethon and Icarus whose failure at flight was caused  by their reckless pride and disobedience to the   guidance of their fathers. Virgil then instructs  Geryon to proceed slowly to ensure a safe descent.   Dante describes Geryon's delicate descent between  two layers of inferno as a dynamic and gentle   circular flight that creates a restorative pause  for the reader from the chaotic nature of inferno.   Their slow descent is beautifully described  in the following manner "slowly slowly swimming   he moves on he wields and descends  but I feel only the wind up on my face   and the wind rising" Inferno 17 concludes  with Virgil and Dante's safe landing   and Geryon's swift retreat. So what can we  learn from this canto? The positive conclusion   of Virgil and Dante's descent celebrates  the integrity of Virgil in leading Dante safely through danger and the wisdom of Virgil  in imparting an essential lesson on how to turn   an adverse circumstance represented by  the fraudulent Geryon into a favorable   opportunity for the successful continuation  of Dante's journey toward spiritual elevation.

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Length: 10min 23sec (623 seconds)

Published: Fri Oct 15 2021