Heresy

Heresy
Circle Number	6
Boss	None
Creatures	Heretics Pagans
Locations	City of Dis
Host	Farinata Uberti
Prev. Circle	Anger
Next Circle	Violence

“Here you will find the heretics and followers of every cult and pagan sect, all buried together, burning in eternal fire.” — Virgil

Heresy was the sixth Circle of Hell.

Overview

Upon entering Hell's capital, the infernal City of Dis, Dante descended into the lair of those who either denied the existence of God and the soul, or who worshiped false idols and devils. They are encased within flaming tombs or nailed to inverted burning crosses. Heretics and Pagans are free to worship the "Fallen One" and guard this circle.

Areas of the Circle

• Flaming Tombs: Different markings showed that there are those who suffered from all lands and from every epoch, forever enflamed.-Farinata Uberti
• Rescue by Christ: "Not long after my own death, I saw a mighty one come down and take forth from here a group of ancient shades. Our first parent, his son Abel, Noah, Abraham and many others. The deep foul valley trembled on all sides and I thought that the universe felt love."- Virgil
• Followers of Epicurus: "In this part of Hell, Epicurus with all of his followers who made the soul die with the body had their burial place."-Virgil

Trivia

• In the Divine Comedy, Dante encounters Cavalcante de Cavalcanti, Farinata Uberti, Epicurus, Emperor Frederick II, and Pope Anastasius II (though many scholars think Dante had mixed up this pope with the Holy Roman Emperor Anastasius I)
• Due to the Heretics denying the divinity of God, Dante places them lower in Hell as their actions are not related to Divine Love or a corrupted virtuous desire; heresy is conscious malice against what Dante deems the true religion and faith. As they actively taught others not to believe in the doctrines of God, they do not share in His Divinity or His promise of eternal life, which is why they are placed in burning graves.
• Heretics are given a more severe punishment in Hell than their more virtuous counterparts: the souls of Limbo. The latter souls, unlike the Heretics, never got a chance to know God or the Christian religion and yet maintained virtuous and morally sound behavior in life. The Heretics, in contrast, not only had conscious awareness of God but also turned their backs on that knowledge, choosing instead to subvert or contradict the traditional teachings of God.
• According to The Divine Comedy, the blazing tombs and coffins will stay open in Dis until the end of time, when they will be sealed forever. Having denied God's existence and subsequent promise of life everlasting beyond death with Him, the heretics are destined to die a final death in accordance with their own misguided beliefs (symbolized by the final closing of their burning caskets).

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