Dante's History

By Mallon Khan

Education History Religion & Spirituality Spirituality

What's Dante's History about?

The poem is allegorical, with multiple meanings. Each episode will cover a canto at a time, summarizing and interpreting the poem based on dozens of commentaries. Check the website for further reading.

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Dante's History episodes:

09.14.2023
Inferno: Canto 25 - The Transforming Thieves
In this canto, Dante and Virgil continue to observe the thieves that reside in the seventh ditch of the 8th circle of the inferno, aka The Malebolge. Virgil will tell him about us about the raging centaur that terrorizes the...
09.06.2021
Inferno: Canto 24 - The Den of Snakes
In this canto, Dante and Virgil finally make it out of the sixth subring of the 8th circle. As they cross the next bolgia, a disgruntled voice draws them down to take a closer look. They discover the seventh subring...
06.17.2021
Inferno: Canto 23 - The Heavy Hypocrites
In this canto our travelers venture into the sixth bolgia of the 8th circle and walk with a procession of miserable monks who've been forced to wear heavy cloaks. We'll meet two of these sad hypocrites and learn why some...
05.12.2021
Inferno: Canto 22 - The Bargaining Barrators
In this canto, our travelers are joined by the Malebranche who may be leading them into a trap. The demonic escorts also catch an escaped barrator who identifies a few others sinners that bartered for a positions of power and...
03.16.2021
Inferno: Canto 21 - The Malebranche
In this canto, our travelers meet the Malebranche; winged demons that patrol the 5th bolgia of the Circle of Fraud. We'll also learn about the sinners here and what the sin of barratry has to with sailing ships.
12.07.2020
Inferno: Canto 20 - The Seditious Soothsayers
In this canto, Virgil and the pilgrim examine the fourth ditch of the 8th circle and the group of sinners who abused the gift of prophecy. We'll learn about a few ancient prophets and Dante will have Virgil make a...
09.02.2020
Inferno: Canto 19 - The Sycophantic Simonists
In this canto, Dante and Virgil explore the 3rd valley of the Malebolge. We'll learn about the sin of Simony and meet a former Pope who has been buried upside down for twenty years. Dante also finds a way to...
06.17.2020
Inferno: Canto 18 - The Belly Of Hell
In this episode, Dante and Virgil begin exploring the 8th circle of the Inferno: The Malebolge. The pilgrim will describe the structure of this part of hell and meet two different kinds of sinners. We'll also learn how the sinners in this...
04.13.2020
Inferno: Canto 17 - The Beast of Fraud
In this canto, Dante and Virgil encounter Geryon, the beast of fraud and the pilgrim will meet the last group of violent sinners, those who make money from money.
01.22.2020
Inferno: Canto 16 - The Three Shades
In this canto, our travelers meet a trio of Florentine politicians who want to know about the current state of nobility in Florence. They also encounter a waterfall at the very edge of the 7th ring where Dante will be...
08.02.2019
Inferno: Canto 15 - The Uncivil Servants
In this canto, Dante meets the man who taught him how to speak and write-- a politician and fellow exile who has one last lesson for the pilgrim. We'll also learn about the group of sinners punished in this sub-circle--...
04.26.2019
Inferno: Canto 14 - The Burning Blasphemers
In this canto, Dante and Virgil continue across the middle ring of the 7th Circle of hell, where they encounter a giant warrior with a chip on his shoulder. Then Virgil teaches the pilgrim about the tragic source of all...
01.17.2019
Inferno: Canto 13 - The Forest of the Suicides
In this canto, Dante and his guide enter a dark forest of mangled trees. They speak with a damned soul who took his own life. He shares his sad story and the gruesome fate that awaits those who use violence...
10.07.2018
Inferno: Canto 12 - The Bloody Tyrants
In this canto, Dante and his guide will be confronted by "The Infamy of Crete" and the leader of thousands of centaurs guards threatens to shoot an arrow at the pilgrim. We'll learn about the ancient philosophy of love and hate and...
06.02.2018
Inferno: Canto 11 - The Shape of Hell
In this canto, the pilgrim and his guide are forced to take a short break. Virgil uses the opportunity to describe the architecture of lower hell and explain why the act of making money from money is considered violence against...
01.15.2018
Inferno: Canto 10 - The Soulless Nobles
In this canto our duo walk among the tombs of the city of the dead where they meet two once feuding aristocrats who must now share a grave for eternity. We'll learn about the noble Epicureans and their views...
11.09.2017
Inferno: Canto 9 - The Faithless Furies
In this canto, while Dante and Virgil wait for help to get them into the City of Dis, the pilgrim is threatened by blood-covered Furies. Then a visitor shows up and sends all the damned running in fear.
10.08.2017
Inferno: Canto 8 - The River of Wrath
In this canto, Dante and Virgil travel through the Stygian marsh where they meet another demon ferryman and another damned Florentine citizen. Then when they reach the gates of Dis, the pilgrim is told he must turn back and this...
09.03.2017
Inferno: Canto 7 - The Fools of Fortune
In this canto, the pilgrim and his guide encounter the demon Plutus, god of wealth in the Forth Circle. Here they observe the plight of the Avaricious and Prodigal, those who lust hoard or waste wealth. We'll learn a bit...
05.22.2017
Inferno: Canto 6 - The Gluttonous Hog
In this canto, the pilgrim and his guide enter the Circle of the Gluttons and encounter the hound of hell. We meet another former Florentine citizen nicknamed "Hog" and delve deeper into the poet's views on the civil war in...
02.11.2017
Inferno: Canto 5 - The Birds of Lust
The pilgrim enters the second circle and encounters Minos, judge of the dead. We'll learn about his people the once mythical Minoans. Then the pilgrim learns about two ill-fated lovers and their sin of lust.
11.18.2016
Inferno: Canto 4 - The Virtuous Pagans
The pilgrim walks through the first circle of the Inferno; Limbo. We'll get to know Dante's favorite heroes and great thinkers and learn why the poet thinks they belong in Hell.
10.15.2016
Inferno: Canto 3 - The Neutral Angels
In this episode the pilgrim reaches the gate of Hell. We'll identify the different entrances to the underworld and learn what the poet thinks of those who remain neutral.
09.17.2016
Inferno: Canto 2 - The Ladies of Mercy
In this episode, the pilgrim has second thoughts about his journey into the underworld. We'll learn about Beatrice, the woman who inspired the poet to start a new life.
08.24.2016
Inferno: Canto 1 - The Beasts of Florence
In this debut episode of Dante's History, we'll learn a bit about the author Dante Alighieri and his epic poem The Divine Comedy. Then we jump straight into the Inferno Canto 1. The pilgrim is terrorized by three savage beasts...

What's Dante's History about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Dante's History episodes:

Inferno: Canto 25 - The Transforming Thieves

Inferno: Canto 24 - The Den of Snakes

Inferno: Canto 23 - The Heavy Hypocrites

Inferno: Canto 22 - The Bargaining Barrators

Inferno: Canto 21 - The Malebranche

Inferno: Canto 20 - The Seditious Soothsayers

Inferno: Canto 19 - The Sycophantic Simonists

Inferno: Canto 18 - The Belly Of Hell

Inferno: Canto 17 - The Beast of Fraud

Inferno: Canto 16 - The Three Shades

Inferno: Canto 15 - The Uncivil Servants

Inferno: Canto 14 - The Burning Blasphemers

Inferno: Canto 13 - The Forest of the Suicides

Inferno: Canto 12 - The Bloody Tyrants

Inferno: Canto 11 - The Shape of Hell

Inferno: Canto 10 - The Soulless Nobles

Inferno: Canto 9 - The Faithless Furies

Inferno: Canto 8 - The River of Wrath

Inferno: Canto 7 - The Fools of Fortune

Inferno: Canto 6 - The Gluttonous Hog

Inferno: Canto 5 - The Birds of Lust

Inferno: Canto 4 - The Virtuous Pagans

Inferno: Canto 3 - The Neutral Angels

Inferno: Canto 2 - The Ladies of Mercy

Inferno: Canto 1 - The Beasts of Florence