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Yes, This is Partly Written in Spite- Jamie Peters

Okay, since I was shot down so quickly in class, I am going to write about the first level of Hell and the first category of sin, incontinence. I am fully aware that the place that all the pre-Christ characters are is in Limbo, a more "space between" than an actual circle of hell, and without it, the number of circles would be eight. In numerology, the number eight symbolizes balance, an equal give and take, which honestly makes sense considering that Hell is considered to be divine justice and judgement for our sins (numerology.com). In relation to that, the added ninth circle of Limbo gives the whole place a different meaning, pretty much symbolizing a mockery of the Trinity. This reasoning makes sense, considering that Hell is run by Satan, who abhors justice and God, so these two ideas combined apply perfectly.

Back to the point at hand, the first three levels of hell, Limbo, Lust, and Gluttony, deal with the sin of incontinence, or lack of self-control. In Limbo, the ancient world's greatest thinkers and writers, people such as Homer, Horace, Ovid, and Lucan, are found there, along with unborn infants (IV. 30, 86-90). By Virgil's own description, the people found in Limbo "...have not sinned. But their great worth alone / was not enough, for they did not know Baptism" (IV.34-35). Although Virgil defends their lack of sin, I believe they still fall under that sin of incontinence for their lack of control over their circumstances. It is a very Stoic idea, considering yourself at fault for events outside of your control, but I think that it is the truth nonetheless. And, besides, if they did not fall under that sin, how come they are being punished as if they had? They are forever cursed to suffer, "...cut off from hope, we live on in desire" (IV. 42). As I said in class about the lustful living in a whirlwind of their own design, the people of Limbo live in a world handcrafted by them; they found true knowledge too late, and there are no more answers to look for.


I commented on Emmett's and Rachael's posts.





"Number 8 Meaning in Numerology". Zapallas, 2021. numerology.com

Comments

  1. Brooke HutchesonMarch 12, 2021 at 8:30 PM

    It is interesting that Dante put those characters in Hell and that Dante makes these characters seem "holier." Why are they the supreme beings? Since they are all in Hell, then they had commit some sort of sin. Like you said, it really could be incontinence.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Brooke HutchesonMarch 12, 2021 at 8:31 PM

    *to

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hailey MorganMarch 13, 2021 at 10:56 AM

    The whole idea of Limbo is still so strange to me. Even Dante states that the individual’s own worth is not enough to get into Heaven and, as Christians, we know that nothing we can do can ensure this. The only way to Heaven is through Christ, so I would most definitely agree with your argument.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lily CaswellMarch 15, 2021 at 8:53 PM

    I agree with Hailey on this one. Yes, while our worth and our good works don’t get us into Heaven and only Christ does, I’m not exactly sure where I stand on where people who never heard or had the chance to hear the gospel go when they die.

    ReplyDelete

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