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Symbolism Of Limbo In Dante's Inferno

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The first Circle, Limbo, differs from the later circles of Hell because those who reside in Limbo live in painless sorrow while the souls in later circles incessantly suffer for their sins. When Dante enters Limbo, Virgil explains that the virtuous pagans have “sinned not; and if thy merit had, / ‘Tis not enough, because they had not baptism” (12). Also, Dante heard “lamentations none, but only sighs, / … And this arose from sorrow without torment” (12). Dante the Poet portrays Limbo like this because although the pagans do not deserve severe torment for living righteous lives, their lack of proper faith prevents them from entering Paradise, therefore they still remain in Hell. This causes them to live with the realization that they will never
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