The Fourth Terrace: The Slothful

Dante and Virgil ascend to the fourth terrace, where the slothful are purged. The souls run with great haste, crying out examples of zeal and condemning sloth. Two groups run in opposite directions, shouting encouragement. The Abbot of San Zeno speaks to them, lamenting the corruption of his monastery. Virgil explains the nature of love and the different forms of sin that arise from misdirected or insufficient love. Dante falls into a reverie and then into a dream. This terrace emphasizes the need for spiritual diligence and the proper direction of love.