Avowed Enemies of Epicurus: Dante

    Placeholder: Do I recall correctly that Dante reserved special punishment in hell for Epicureans? This post is a placeholder and reminder to find and post that quote for future reference.

    This ties into my thread about Cavalante di Cavalcanti and Farinata Degli Uberti, who were the Epicurean influences that introduced the ideas to Dante.


    Dante had placed Epicurus and his followers in the sixth circle of hell, in the fiery city of Dis. The reason for this was because the Epicureans "denied the immortality of the soul" and thus were condemned to live inside burning coffins for eternity. Farinata Degli Uberti is also spotted alongside Epicurus.

    “If the joys found in nature are crimes, then man’s pleasure and happiness is to be criminal.”

    Those are Dante's words:
    Suo cimitero da questa parte hanno

    con Epicuro tutti suoi seguaci,

    che l’anima col corpo morta fanno.


    My horrible translation:
    Here the groves of Epicurus and his followers, they think the soul will die with the body.


    Dante do not know almost anything about Epicurus.
    In his journey in the Hell he met epicureans like everybody born before Christ.

    As an Italian and an Epicurean I'm happy that Epicurus name is into the "Divina Commedia". Is one of the most beautiful poem of ever. Unfortunatly Dante do not know much about Epicurus.