The Ninth Bolgia: Schismatics and Mahomet

Dante and Virgil descend to the ninth Bolgia, where the sowers of discord are horribly mutilated by a devil with a sword. Mahomet is split from chin to groin, his entrails hanging; he explains that he and Ali are punished for causing schism. He warns Dante to warn Fra Dolcino to prepare for the crusade against him. Pier da Medicina, with his throat pierced, prophesies the betrayal of two men of Fano by Malatestino. Curio, with his tongue slit, is pointed out for his advice to Caesar to cross the Rubicon. Mosca, with his hands severed, laments his advice that 'a thing done has an end,' which led to the Guelph-Ghibelline conflict. Bertrand de Born carries his own severed head like a lantern, punished for setting father against son. This episode is a gruesome catalogue of the consequences of division and schism.