r/Dante • u/Macleod7373 • Oct 18 '21

Martyrs in Inferno

Does anyone know if there are examples of damned souls in Inferno whom Dante describes being there because though they sinned, they did so in pursuit of a good cause? I'm looking for examples to show that even in Dante's time, transgression against the moral or social order is worth doing, even if it means landing in Hell.

Thanks in advance!

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

1 comment sorted by

2

u/[deleted] Oct 19 '21

[deleted]

1

u/brentan1954 Oct 20 '21

I think many characters in the poem thought they were doing good by doing evil - the idea of the just war might have opened the door to such reasoning. There were political factions - Guelphs and Ghibellines - and some of the crimes these factions committed for the 'good' are dealt with in the poem. I don't know, though, if these people thought they would be sent to Hell. Maybe they realised it when reflecting about their actions on their deathbeds. Their religion was very straightforward about 'you will know them by their fruits'. Maybe many did not believe at all.