Dante Timeline and Summary

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• Lost in a dark wood, Dante is threatened by three wild animals – a leopard, lion, and she-wolf.
• Virgil rescues him and they begin a journey to Hell.
• But Dante has doubts. So Virgil reassures him.
• They enter Hell. Dante has trouble understanding the inscription on the Hellgate.
• They see the neutrals.
• In Limbo, Dante gets to meet his favorite poets.
• He and Virgil get a ride across the Acheron with Charon.
• In the Second Circle (Lustful), Dante talks to Francesca. And he cries because he feels sorry for her.
• In the Third Circle (Gluttons), Dante talks to Ciacco. But he’s more interested in a prophecy about Florence than in Ciacco’s personal story.
• In the Fourth Circle, Dante sees the Avaricious and Prodigal. And he listens to a lecture about Fortune from Virgil.
• While crossing into to the city of Dis, Dante gets pissed off at a Wrathful sinner and pushes him into the river. Virgil rejoices.
• At Dis, Dante is scared because Virgil has failed to get them into the city. But they’re saved by a Heavenly messenger.
• In the Sixth Circle (Heretics), Dante argues about Florentine politics with Farinata and almost lies to Cavalcante. But he does eventually tell the truth.
• During a rest, Dante listens to Virgil’s lecture on the structure of Hell.
• The two meet a group of centaurs, get a guide, and tour the Violent boiling in blood.
• Dante talks to the Suicide dude Pier della Vigna and feels bad for him because he’s a tree.
• In the last part of the Seventh Circle, Dante talks to Brunetto Latini, his former teacher. They have an emotional reunion.
• Dante talks to more Sodomites.
• While Virgil summons Geryon, Dante is sent off to meet the Usurers. He gets scared and runs back to Virgil.
• The two of them mount Geryon and are flown down to the Eighth Circle.
• Dante see the Flatterers in a pool of their own excrement.
• Dante is mistaken for Pope Boniface VIII, his hated enemy, by the Simonist Pope Nicholas III. Dante wrathfully condemns him to his punishment.
• Dante cries out of pity for the Diviners, Magicians, and Astrologers.
• They meet a group of Malebranche demons and get a party of ten to accompany them to some bridge. Dante’s scared of them.
• As the demons are busy tormenting a Barrator, Dante and Virgil make their escape.
• While talking to the Hypocrites, they learn the demons lied to them about the bridge.
• Dante and Virgil witness the horrible punishment of the Thieves. Vanni Fucci is rude to them.
• Dante and Virgil witness the dismembered Sowers of Scandal and Schism. Dante talks to Bertran de Born, who’s decapitated. He learns about contrapasso.
• In the ring of the Falsifiers, Dante talks to Alchemist Capocchio and witnesses a argument between Counterfeiter Master Adam and Falsifier of Words Sinon. Virgil rebukes him. Dante is ashamed.
• Virgil convinces a giant to carry him and Dante into the Ninth Circle.
• It’s cold; there’s ice.
• Traitor to his Homeland Bocca pisses off Dante by refusing to tell him his name. Dante threatens to rip out his hair.
• They meet Ugolino chewing off another sinner’s head. They hear his story. Dante cries.
• They meet Fra Alberigo and Dante promises to relieve his suffering if he tells them his story. Alberigo does.
• Dante breaks his promise and lets the guy suffer.
• They witness Lucifer. He’s not that great.
• Virgil picks up Dante and they climb down, then up, Lucifer’s body. Virgil explains why to Dante.
• Dante and Virgil emerge on the surface of the earth.