I have the greatest term paper topic ever. I’m taking a class on Dante, Petrarca and Boccaccio this semester, and for my term paper, I get to pull together my own version of Hell.
Yes.
So what does this entail? Well, May’s short story will be written by Thursday (nothing like a little pressure). And I get to explore Hell, complete with my own guide, decide which sins end up where, the punishment, and so forth. It’s going to be great.
At this point, I’m part of the way through Hell. I’ve been through the antechamber, down through the first two levels. By this afternoon, I’ll have made it through all six. Why six? From what I remember from my Biblical literature courses, six is an imperfect number. There will be seven sections to my Hell, and an eighth section occurring outside of Hell (creating the seven days of one’s life and the eighth day of the Resurrection…what I’ve learned here in Florence).
Well, I’m off to Hell. I’ll be back soon.
Ned Wolfe 
Beth,
Do not stay too long, it could get pretty hot 😉
LikeLike
Well, Dante’s vision of the after life, Inferno, Purgatory and Heaven all use the number 7 because those are the seven sins and seven virtues (plus the seven trials in purgatory for the imperfect who wish to ascend to heave).
Most people concentrate on Inferno (Hell) but I find both his vision of Purgatory and Heaven just as fascinating if not more so. And the last level is frozen, where all the traitor are encased in a lake of ice, devoured by a tripled face Satan, the biggest traitor of them all.
LikeLike
I read part of Mendelbaum’s translation of Inferno for my class–I hope to finish it this summer (and hopefully read Purgatorio as well. What I know of Purgatorio and Paradiso, I find very interesting.
I have a very long summer reading list going…
LikeLike
Have a nice trip. Be sure to send some post cards.
LikeLike