Post VII - Dante's Divine Comedy - THE HYPOCRITES

Progressing through the Inferno - Hell - Virgil takes Dante, as the "Pilgrim" in the Poem, to a ridge from where they see "painted people" "slow motioned: step by step, walking their round in tears, and seeming wasted in fatigue."

There is no better way to describe the nature and plight of these people, ourselves if we are like this or behave in this way, than to directly use these words from the Poem itself, "dazzling, gilded cloaks outside, but inside they were lined with lead." "O Cloaks of everlasting weariness."

These descriptions and the Illustration by Gustave Dore (found by entering into Google "Illustration by Gustave Dore Hypocrites Dante's Comedy.") are intended to portray the full nature of a Hypocrite, Mark Musa describing them as: the appearance of truth cloaking a false substance.

The Illustration is stunning showing Virgil and Dante standing and looking from a ridge, a mound of earth, about the height of a human being, down to a column of individuals three or four deep stretching as far as the eye can see! The cloaks of those near are white whilst those further away are grey with feint parallel lines running the full length of the cloaks. The bottom of the cloaks are on the ground. The faces of the individuals are sad, almost sullen, with their heads bowed. They look incredibly deep in thought. Maybe of what it is like not to be able to speak true words?

The text by Dante reflects their mood, gesture, internal despair and fatigue saying: "All were wearing cloaks with hoods pulled low, covering the eyes (the style was much the same as those the Benedictines wear at Cluny), ...... so heavy that the capes King Frederick used, compared to these, were straw."

The complete text of lines 58 - 67 (Canto 23 - Inferno) translated by Mark Musa are:

"And now, down there, we found a painted people,

     slow-motioned: step by step, they walked their round

     in tears, and seeming wasted in fatigue.

All were wearing cloaks with hoods pulled low

     covering the eyes (the style was much the same 

     as those the Benedictines wear at Cluny),

dazzling, gilded cloaks outside, but inside

     they were lined with lead, so heavy that the capes

     King Frederick used, compared to these, were straw.

O cloak of everlasting weariness!"

To endeavour to appreciate the plight and dilemma for this type of individual and occasions when this trait emerges spend time looking and studying the illustration by Dore and enter into the physical gestures of the individuals portrayed. If you have a coat, especially one with a hood, wear it.

Gradually, feel how an individual is with this gesture, demeanour and way of being. Hold this feeling.

Sit quietly afterwards. Write down the feelings if you wish.

I wish you well with this exploration.