the humblest attitude, their
divine rescuer recrosses the bog, leaving them free to enter into the
iron fortress. There they find countless sinners cased in red-hot
coffins sunk in burning marl. On questioning his guide, Dante learns
each open sepulchre contains an arch-heretic, or leader of some
religious sect, and that each tomb is heated to a degree corresponding
to the extent of the harm done by its occupant's teachings.

_Canto X._ Gingerly treading between burning tombs and fortress wall,
Virgil conducts Dante to an open sepulchre, where lies the Ghibelline
leader Farinata. Partly rising out of his glowing tomb, this warrior
informs Dante that the Guelfs--twice driven out of Florence--have
returned thither. At that moment another victim, peering over the edge
of his coffin, anxiously begs for news of his son Guido, thus proving
that, while these unfortunates know both past and future, the present
remains a mystery to them. Too amazed at first to speak, Dante
mentions Guido in the past tense, whereupon the unhappy father, rashly
inferring his son is dead, plunges back into his sepulchre with a
desperate cry. Not being able to correct his involuntary mistake and
thus comfort this sufferer, Dante begs Farinata to inform his
neighbor, as soon as possible, that his son is still alive. Then,
perplexed by all he has seen and heard, Dante passes thoughtfully on,
noting the victims punished in this place, until, seeing his dismay,
Virgil comforts him with the assurance that Beatrice will explain all
he wishes to know at the end of his journey.

_Canto XI._ The poets now approach a depression, whence arises a
stench so nauseating that they are compelled to take refuge behind a
stone tomb to avoid choking. While they pause there, Dante perceives
this sepulchre bears the name of Pope Anastasius, who has been led
astray. Tarrying there to become acclimated to the smell, Virgil
informs his companion they are about to pass through three gradations
of the seventh circle, where are punished the violent, or those who by
force worked injury to God, to themselves, or to their fellow-men.

_Canto XII._ His charge sufficiently prepared for what awaits him,
Virgil leads the way down a steep path to the next rim, where they are
confronted by the Minotaur, before whom Dante quails, but whom Virgil
defies by mentioning Theseus. Taking advantage of the moment when the
furious, bull-like monster charges at him with lowered head, Virgil
ru