Terms, Characters, Allusions and Places Mentioned in Dante's Inferno
The Leopard of Malice and Fraud, The Lion of Violence and Ambition,
and the She-Wolf of Incontinence- the three beasts who threatened and
menace Dante in the Dark Wood of Error at the beginning of the story
Virgil - symbol of Human Reason, Classical Learning
Beatrice - Symbol of God's love, Faith
Charon - ferryman across the River Acheron
Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here - sign over the gateway of hell
Limbo - Circle One, home of the Virtuous Pagans
Minos - judge of the souls condemned to hell; assigns circles with
coils of the tail
Paolo and Francesca - lovers in the Second Circle
Cerberus - savage three-headed dog in the Third Circle
Plutus - monster god of wealth
Phlegyas - ferryman of the Styx
Medusa - mythological Gorgon who turns all who gaze upon her to stone
Furies - malignant spirits covered with hydras
Phlegethon - river of blood
centaurs - half man/half horse (Chiron is the chief)
Harpies - horrible bird-like creatures with faces like women
Rebellious Angels - guards of the Iron Gate of Hell
Heavenly Messenger - sent by Beatrice
Cavalcante del Cavalcante- father of Dante's friend Guido
Blasphemers - those who profane and abuse God
usurers - those who lend money at an exorbitant rate
Simoniacs- those who sell church favors
panderer - one who leads another person astray or into sin
Tiresias - character from Greek mythology who has the power of seeing
the future. He appears in Oedipus Rex.
Terms, Characters, Allusions and Places Mentioned in Dante's Inferno
Lethe - River of Forgetfulness