Cocytus - The Ninth Circle

Cocytus, the ninth level of hell, is a huge, frozen lake at the bottom of the Central Pit. It is divided into 4 circles: Caina, Antenora, Ptolomea, and Judecca. Each is named after the four worst traitors in that category. Here are punished the four kinds of traitors: the Treacherous to Kin, Treacherous to Country, Treacherous to Guests and Hosts, and Treacherous to Masters. They are punished by being frozen up to their necks in the first circle (Treacherous to Kin), leaving their heads and faces exposed to the freezing air which grows ever colder towards the center of the lake. Some are completely encased in ice (circle 4 - Treacherous to Masters). The one's whose heads are exposed are allowed to bow their heads and weep in the first circle (Treacherous to Kin), but the tears of their anguish in circle 2 (Treacherous to Country) are frozen as soon as they encounter the cold air because they are unable to bend their necks to shield their faces from the wind. The tears of circle 3 (Treacherous to Guests and Hosts) freeze in the eye socket, and those of circle 4 have their bodies, faces and all, completely covered by ice. At the center of the lake, the three worst traitors suffer the worst punishment by being chewed eternally by Satan himself. Satan is here at the center because he is considered to be the Ultimate Traitor - the angel who rebelled against God Himself.

According to the book, being frozen in ice is likened to the conditions of the individuals heart when alive. These cold-hearted individuals had little or no love in their hearts for either God or mankind, neither did they have the kind of human warmth that allows remorse. In the lake they are allowed this remorse in the first and second circles, with the tears being frozen from the second circle on.

The presence of Satan and the reference to him as "Lucifer", "Beelzebub", and "Great Worm of Evil", etc., are all influenced by Christian doctrine. Also, the first round or circle being named after the first treasonist or traitor to kin, Cain. Round four is named after the disciple who betrayed Jesus, Judas Iscariot. There are other similarities such as Hell itself (also a teaching of Christianity), the punishment of sinners there, and the lightness or severity of the punishment according to sins committed. The Christian Holidays commemorating Jesus death and resurrection, Good Friday and Easter, play a part in the time-line of the story as well.

There is some pagan influence from Greek mythology such as Hell being referred to as the underworld, its different levels of punishment, the worst sinners being punished in the lowest part of hell - a pit, and the similarity of Satan to the three-headed dog Cerberus.

There were about 20 people in all that Dante encounters and recognizes, but the most notable and recognizable to us would probably be Judas Iscariot and Brutus (the best friend (I think) and top general who murdered Julius Caesar). Along with Cassius, they are eternally chewed by the three-headed Satan.

Traitors of our own time who Dante might ascribe to this level of Hell might be liberals (in general) and Nancy Pelosi (if he were conservatively-minded or Republican), Republicans and George Bush (if he were a liberal), Condaleeza Rice (if he were a liberal African American), Saddam Hussein, O.J. Simpson, and John Walker Lindh. Also Adam Yahiye Gadahn who was indicted Oct. 11, 2006 for treason against the U.S. - the first indictment since 1952. If he were to consider the traitors over the last 200 year period he would probably think of Alger Hiss, the Rosenbergs, Confederates (during American Civil War), Benedict Arnold, and Aaron Burr.