Observations placeholder
Dante - Inferno [malebolge]
Identifier
007300
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Much of the Inferno is allegory. I also think, however, that the book was based on actual spiritual experiences in his depressed state, he combined what he saw with what he interpreted it to be.
A description of the experience
Dante – The Divine Comedy INFERNO I
CANTO XVIII
There is a place in hell called Malebolge
Made all of stone which is the colour of iron
As is the circle which delimits it
Right in the middle of the malignant plain
Opens a well, which is both broad and deep
The plan of which I will speak of in its place
The belt which this leaves therefore forms a circle
Between the well and the high difficult bank
And the bottom of it has ten distinct valleys
As when in order to guard the walls
Ditch after ditch is dug around a castle
The ground acquires a characteristic formation
So was the appearance of the valleys here
And as, from the doorways of such fortresses
There are footbridges to the outside bank
So from the base of the rock emerged projections
Which ran across the embankments and the ditches
Down to the well where they ended and met.