Fireflies

Canto Twenty-six takes place in the eighth ditch of Malebolge, where the evil counselors are punished. They are surrounded by fire and are displayed as little “flickering firelights” and as “fireflies” (267). The attention is brought immediately to two flames that are joined together. These are the flames of Diomedes and Ulysses. They are joined together because of the three treacheries they committed together. The image of fireflies is relatively peaceful considering some of the other punishments others face. Why is that? I am definitely not saying that fire is not painful, but the imagery is still not as tense as in other cantos. Could it be that Ulysses and Diomedes have a certain level of respect in Dante’s eyes because of their heroic lives?

I commented on Daniel and Nate's posts.