North American Literature Poems

A Short History of Goodbye

by Silvia Curbelo

The grass tells nothing.

The sky sits in its simple
cage of days. No sound
like the past blowing through.

Only the wind knows whats

at stake here, moving into
the scenery, running at the mouth.
Hush, say the daylilies

shaking their heads a bit.

Silence is its own music,
soft as dirt. No one notices
the orphan drift of clouds,

the wingtip scar of the horizon

balanced between nowhere
and this. Hush,
whisper the azaleas.

But nothings as wordless

as a young girl standing on the lawn
waving her handkerchief.
 Life of Author

Silvia Curbelo was born in Matanzas, Cuba, and emigrated to the

U.S. as a child. She is the author of two full-length poetry
collections, Falling Landscape and The Secret History of Water,
both from Anhinga Press, and two chapbooks, Ambush, winner of
the Main Street Rag chapbook contest, and The Geography of
Leaving (Silverfish Review Press). She is the recipient of a
National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, three Florida Division
of Cultural Affairs Grants, and two Cintas Foundation Fellowships,
all for poetry, as well as the Jessica Noble Maxwell Poetry Prize
from American Poetry Review, and the James Wright Poetry Prize
from Mid-American Review. Her poems have been published
widely in literary journals and more than two dozen anthologies,
including The Body Electric (W.W. Norton), Touching the Fire: 15
Poets of the New Latino Renaissance (Anchor/Doubleday), and
the Norton Anthology of Latino Literature. Spanish translations of
her poems are featured in the anthology Usos de la
Imaginacin (Editorial de la Univ. Nacional), Mar de
Plata, Argentina. Silvia lives in Tampa, Florida.

North American Literature Short Stories

 The Oval Portrait
Edgar Allan Poe

The chateau into which my valet had ventured to make forcible entrance, rather
than permit me, in my desperately wounded condition, to pass a night in the open
air, was one of those piles of commingled gloom and grandeur which have so long
frowned among the Appennines, not less in fact than in the fancy of Mrs. Radcliffe.
To all appearance it had been temporarily and very lately abandoned. We
established ourselves in one of the smallest and least sumptuously furnished
apartments. It lay in a remote turret of the building. Its decorations were rich, yet
tattered and antique. Its walls were hung with tapestry and bedecked with manifold
and multiform armorial trophies, together with an unusually great number of very
spirited modern paintings in frames of rich golden arabesque. In these paintings,
which depended from the walls not only in their main surfaces, but in very many
nooks which the bizarre architecture of the chateau rendered necessary- in these
paintings my incipient delirium, perhaps, had caused me to take deep interest; so
that I bade Pedro to close the heavy shutters of the room- since it was already
night- to light the tongues of a tall candelabrum which stood by the head of my bed-
and to throw open far and wide the fringed curtains of black velvet which enveloped
the bed itself. I wished all this done that I might resign myself, if not to sleep, at
least alternately to the contemplation of these pictures, and the perusal of a small
volume which had been found upon the pillow, and which purported to criticise and
describe them.

Long - long I read - and devoutly, devotedly I gazed. Rapidly and gloriously the
hours flew by and the deep midnight came. The position of the candelabrum
displeased me, and outreaching my hand with difficulty, rather than disturb my
slumbering valet, I placed it so as to throw its rays more fully upon the book.

But the action produced an effect altogether unanticipated. The rays of the
numerous candles (for there were many) now fell within a niche of the room which
had hitherto been thrown into deep shade by one of the bed-posts. I thus saw in
vivid light a picture all unnoticed before. It was the portrait of a young girl just
ripening into womanhood. I glanced at the painting hurriedly, and then closed my
eyes. Why I did this was not at first apparent even to my own perception. But while
my lids remained thus shut, I ran over in my mind my reason for so shutting them. It
was an impulsive movement to gain time for thought- to make sure that my vision
had not deceived me- to calm and subdue my fancy for a more sober and more
certain gaze. In a very few moments I again looked fixedly at the painting.

That I now saw aright I could not and would not doubt; for the first flashing of the
candles upon that canvas had seemed to dissipate the dreamy stupor which was
stealing over my senses, and to startle me at once into waking life.

The portrait, I have already said, was that of a young girl. It was a mere head
and shoulders, done in what is technically termed a vignette manner; much in the
style of the favorite heads of Sully. The arms, the bosom, and even the ends of the
radiant hair melted imperceptibly into the vague yet deep shadow which formed the
back-ground of the whole. The frame was oval, richly gilded and filigreed in
Moresque. As a thing of art nothing could be more admirable than the painting
itself. But it could have been neither the execution of the work, nor the immortal
beauty of the countenance, which had so suddenly and so vehemently moved me.
Least of all, could it have been that my fancy, shaken from its half slumber, had
mistaken the head for that of a living person. I saw at once that the peculiarities of
the design, of the vignetting, and of the frame, must have instantly dispelled such
idea- must have prevented even its momentary entertainment. Thinking earnestly
upon these points, I remained, for an hour perhaps, half sitting, half reclining, with
my vision riveted upon the portrait. At length, satisfied with the true secret of its
effect, I fell back within the bed. I had found the spell of the picture in an absolute
life-likeliness of expression, which, at first startling, finally confounded, subdued,
and appalled me. With deep and reverent awe I replaced the candelabrum in its
former position. The cause of my deep agitation being thus shut from view, I sought
eagerly the volume which discussed the paintings and their histories. Turning to the
number which designated the oval portrait, I there read the vague and quaint words
which follow:

"She was a maiden of rarest beauty, and not more lovely than full of glee. And
evil was the hour when she saw, and loved, and wedded the painter. He, passionate,
studious, austere, and having already a bride in his Art; she a maiden of rarest
beauty, and not more lovely than full of glee; all light and smiles, and frolicsome as
the young fawn; loving and cherishing all things; hating only the Art which was her
rival; dreading only the pallet and brushes and other untoward instruments which
deprived her of the countenance of her lover. It was thus a terrible thing for this
lady to hear the painter speak of his desire to pourtray even his young bride. But
she was humble and obedient, and sat meekly for many weeks in the dark, high
turret-chamber where the light dripped upon the pale canvas only from overhead.
But he, the painter, took glory in his work, which went on from hour to hour, and
from day to day. And be was a passionate, and wild, and moody man, who became
lost in reveries; so that he would not see that the light which fell so ghastly in that
lone turret withered the health and the spirits of his bride, who pined visibly to all
but him. Yet she smiled on and still on, uncomplainingly, because she saw that the
painter (who had high renown) took a fervid and burning pleasure in his task, and
wrought day and night to depict her who so loved him, yet who grew daily more
dispirited and weak. And in sooth some who beheld the portrait spoke of its
resemblance in low words, as of a mighty marvel, and a proof not less of the power
of the painter than of his deep love for her whom he depicted so surpassingly well.
But at length, as the labor drew nearer to its conclusion, there were admitted none
into the turret; for the painter had grown wild with the ardor of his work, and turned
his eyes from canvas merely, even to regard the countenance of his wife. And he
would not see that the tints which he spread upon the canvas were drawn from the
cheeks of her who sate beside him. And when many weeks bad passed, and but
little remained to do, save one brush upon the mouth and one tint upon the eye, the
spirit of the lady again flickered up as the flame within the socket of the lamp. And
then the brush was given, and then the tint was placed; and, for one moment, the
painter stood entranced before the work which he had wrought; but in the next,
while he yet gazed, he grew tremulous and very pallid, and aghast, and crying with
a loud voice, 'This is indeed Life itself!' turned suddenly to regard his beloved:- She
was dead!

Life of the Author

Although one of America's first important writers, Poe's tragic private life
provokes almost as much discussion as his writing. Born in Boston the son of
peniless actors, Poe was orphaned at the age of three and taken into the
home of Scotish tobacco merchant John Allan. An increasingly strained
relationship with Allan lead to expulsion from both the University of Virginia
and West Point and, after a brief but distinguished period in the army, Poe
turned to journalism. Though he became well known both as an journalist
and a writer of fiction, his salary never matched his fame and Poe spent most
of his life in extreme poverty. In 1836 he married his then thirteen year old
cousin Virginia Clemm - a relationship into which much has been read. After a
period of increasing mental instability following the death of Virginia, Poe
died of 'delerium' in Baltimore in unexplained circumstances.
Poe is widely remembered as the master of Gothic Horror, but he also
developed many of the conventions of Science Fiction and, with 'Rue
Morgue', created the detective fiction genre. Poe had both a deep fascination
with science and a suspicion of its dogmatism and materialism. This conflict
of the rational and the imaginative, natural and supernatural and a desire to
see it resolved lies at the heart of much of his work.
 Works and Life

Confucius

Confucius was an influential Chinese philosopher, teacher and political

figure known for his popular aphorisms and for his models of social
interaction.

Kong Qui, better known as Confucius, was born in 551 B.C. in the Lu
state of China (near present-day Qufu). His teachings, preserved in
the Analects, focused on creating ethical models of family and public
interaction, and setting educational standards. He died in 479 B.C.
Confucianism later became the official imperial philosophy of China, and was
extremely influential during the Han, Tang and Song dynasties.

Major Works

Confucius is credited with writing and editing some of the most

influential traditional Chinese classics. These include a rearrangement of
the Book of Odes as well as a revision of the historical Book of Documents.
He also compiled a historical account of the 12 dukes of Lu, called the Spring
and Autumn Annals. Lunyu, which sets forth Confucius philosophical and
political beliefs, is thought to be compiled by his disciples. It is one of the
"Four Books" of Confucianism that Chinese philosopher Zhu Xi, a self-
proclaimed Neo-Confucian, published as Sishu in 1190. Far-reaching in its
influence, Lunyu was later translated into English under the title The
Analects of Confucius.

Li - po

Li Po was born in what is now Sichuan Province. At 19 he left home and

lived with a Taoist hermit. After a time of wandering, he married and lived
with his wife's family. Then he lived briefly as a poet at the Tang court in
Chang'an. He decided to return to a life of Taoist study and poetry writing.
During his wanderings in 744 he met Tu Fu, another famous poet of the
period. In 756, Li Po became an un official poet laureate to Prince Lin. The
prince was soon accused of intending to set up an independent kingdom and
was executed. Li Po was arrested and imprisoned, but a high official looked
into Li Po's case. The high official had Li Po released and made him a staff
secretary. In the summer of 758, the charges were revived. Li Po was
banished to Yeh-lang. Li Po frequently celebrated the joy of drinking.
According to legend, Li Po drowned while drunkenly leaning from a boat to
embrace the moon's reflection on the water. Most scholars believe he died
from cirrhosis of the liver or from mercury poisoning due to Taoist longevity
elixirs.
Works
Most of Li Po's works are lost, but almost 2000 poems were collected in 1080.
Li Po is best known for his pieces describing voyages through imaginary
landscapes. Li Po prefers older poetic forms such as songs or ballads. Some
themes expressed in Li Po's works are the sorrows of those separated by the
demands of duty and the relief found in wine. He also wrote about friendship,
solitude, the passage of time, and the joys of nature. Some of his works are
"Saying Goodbye to Meng-Hao Ran," "Leaving a Friend," "Bitter Love," "River
Trip from Bai Di," "The River Merchant's Wife," "Down the Mountain," "Li Po
Alone Drinking," and many more.

Tu - fu

Born in Kung-hsien, Honan, of a scholar-official family, Tu Fu lost his mother

in early childhood. His father, a minor district official, remarried, and the boy
lived for some time with his aunt in Loyang, the eastern capital. In his youth
he traveled widely in the Yangtze River and Yellow River regions. He first met
the poet Li Po (c. 701762) in 744 in North China and formed a lasting
friendship with him. In 746 Tu Fu went to Ch'ang-an, the capital, in search of
an official position, but he failed to pass the literary examination or to win
the support of influential people. In 751 he sent a fu (rhymed prose)
composition to the emperor for each of three grand state ceremonials. While
the emperor appreciated Tu Fu's literary talents, he failed to award the poet
an office or payment.
Tu Fu's poetry
The rich and varied experiences in Tu Fu's life went into the making of a
great poet. His works reveal his loyalty and love of the country, his dreams
and frustrations, and his sympathy for the sad status of the common people.
He was an eyewitness to the historical events in a critical period that saw a
great, prosperous nation ruined by military rebellions and wars with border
tribes. Eager to serve the country, Tu Fu was helpless in stopping its disasters
and could only faithfully record in poems his own observations and feelings.
While some of his poems reflect his mood in happier moments, most of them
tell of his poverty, his separation from and longings for his family, his terrible
life during the war, and his encounters with refugees, draftees, and recruiting
officers.
Tu Fu possesses a remarkable power of description, with which he clearly
presents human affairs and natural scenery. Into his poetry he introduces an
intense, dramatic, and touching personalism through the use of symbols and
images, irony and contrast. Above all, he has the ability to rise above the
world of reality to the world of imagination. An artist among poets, he
excelled in a difficult verse-form called l-shih (regulated verse), of which he
is considered a master.

Po - chu

Po Ch-i (772-846) was a Chinese poet best known for his ballads and
satirical poems. He held the view that good poetry should be readily
understood by the common people and exemplified it in poems noted for
simple diction, natural style, and social content.
On Feb. 28, 772, Po Ch-i was born in Hsin-cheng, Honan, to a family of poets
and minor officials. In his childhood he stayed with his mother and other
members of the family while his father went south to take up prefectural
positions in the Yangtze region. When military governors of the northern
provinces rebelled against the government in 782, the family moved
southward to Fu-li (northern Anhwei) and later to Ch-chou (western
Chekiang) to be near Po's father, who held successive official appointments
in these districts.

Works
The best-known English translator of Po Ch-i is Arthur Waley, who has done
a large number of Po's poems. Waley's Life and Times of Po Ch-i (1949) is a
critical study with new translations of 100 poems; his Chinese Poems (1948)
is recommended for wider familiarity with Chinese poetry. See also Eugene
Feifel, Po Ch-i as a Censor (1961), and Howard S. Levy, Translations from Po
Ch-i's Collected Works, vol. 1: The Old Style Poems and vol. 2: The
Regulated Poems (1971).

Li - yian

Li Yan is an oil painting artist, born in Jilin, China in 1977, who lives and works
in Beijing, China. Li Yan put on a series of paintings called his Accident Series
at the Saatchi Gallery in London. The actual names of the acrylic paintings
were Accident No. 5 and Accident No. 6. "Approaching painting as a forensic
activity, Li's works are comprised of groups of small canvases to reconstruct
disaster scenes as elaborate narratives."
The main point of Li Yans accident series is to show the microcosmic power
of violence in an individual setting. When disaster is portrayed as a whole, Li
Yan feels that much of what actually happens is lost to the viewer. For
instance, when a news helicopter flies over a burnt down area of a town, the
whole picture of the town just looks chaotic, and the viewer only gets a sense
of a town burning down. When Li Yan takes a giant disaster, and paints
individual parts of the disaster, he feels the actually expression of disaster is
portrayed in a better way to the viewer.
Yan will paint something as large as the giant disaster itself, but then also
something as small as a room where things have been pushed to the floor.
With the combination of these elements, the viewer can almost put
themselves in the shoes of someone who is at the actual scene.

Works
2007 AccidentPlatform ChinaBeijing
2008 Quotidian Truths -Paintings by LiYan, Moronokiang Gallery, Los
Angeles
2009 Snippet, Yamamoto Gendai Gallery, Tokyo
2010 Accidents, Galerie Ling, Berlin
2011 The Catastrophic World -A Chinese paints our age, Ling
Gallery, Berlin
 Japanese Literature
Examples of Tanka

I.

Beautiful mountains
Rivers with cold, cold water.
White cold snow on rocks
Trees over the place with frost
White sparkly snow everywhere.

II.

Pretty colored trees

That are orange, red and yellow
In the Autumn air
An old barn by the water
With a white fence around it.

Manyu Shu

Of many hills in the land of Yamato,

I climb heavenly Kagu Hill richly adorned with green foliage,

And stand on the summit to view my realm.

I see smoke rising on the open plain of land

And gulls taking off from the surface of the lake.

A splendid land, is this land of Yamato!

Indian Literature
SANSKRIT
 Summary of Ramayana and Mahabarata

Dasharatha was the King of Ayodhya and had three wives and four
sons. Rama was the eldest and his mother was Kaushalya. Bharata was the
son of Dasharathas second and favorite wife, Queen Kaikeyi. The other two
were twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna whose mother was Sumithra. In the
neighboring city the rulers daughter was named Sita. When it was time for
Sita to choose her bridegroom (at a ceremony called a swayamvara) princes
from all over the land were asked to string a giant bow which no one could
lift. However, as Rama picked it up, he not only strung the bow, he broke it.
Seeing this, Sita indicated that she had chosen Rama as her husband by
putting a garland around his neck. Their love became a model for the entire
kingdom as they looked over the kingdom under the watchful eye of his
father the king.

A few years later, King Dasharatha decided it was time to give his
throne to his eldest son Rama and retire to the forest. Everyone seemed
pleased, save Queen Kaikeyi since she wanted her son Bharata to rule.
Because of an oath Dasharatha had made to her years before, she got the
king to agree to banish Rama for fourteen years and to crown Bharata, even
though the king pleaded with her not to demand such a request. The
devastated King could not face Rama and it was Queen Kaikeyi who told
Rama the Kings decree. Rama, always obedient, was content to go into
banishment in the forest. Sita and Lakshmana accompanied him on his exile.

One day Rama and Lakshmana wounded a rakshasas (demon) princess who
tried to seduce Rama. She returned to her brother Ravana, the ten-headed
ruler of Lanka. In retaliation, Ravana devised a plan to abduct Sita after
hearing about her incomparable beauty. He sent one of his demons
disguised as a magical golden deer to entice Sita. To please her, Rama and
Lakshmana went to hunt the deer down. Before they did though, they drew a
protective circle around Sita and told her that she would be safe for as long
as she did not step outside the circle. After Rama and Lakshmana left,
Ravana appeared as a holy man begging alms. The moment Sita stepped
outside the circle to give him food, Ravana grabbed her and carried her to
his kingdom in Lanka.

Rama then sought the help of a band of monkeys offer to help him find
Sita. Hanuman, the general of the monkey band can fly since his father is
the wind. He flew to Lanka and, finding Sita in the grove, comforted her and
told her Rama would come to save her soon. Ravanas men captured
Hanuman, and Ravana ordered them to wrap Hanuman's tail in cloth and to
set it on fire. With his tail burning, Hanuman escaped and hopped from
house-top to house-top, setting Lanka on fire. He then flew back to Rama to
tell him where Sita was.

Rama, Lakshmana and the monkey army built a causeway from the tip of
India to Lanka and crossed over to Lanka where a cosmic battle ensued.
Rama killed several of Ravanas brothers and eventually confronted the ten-
headed Ravana. He killed Ravana, freed Sita and after Sita proved here
purity, they returned to Ayodhya where Bharata returned the crown to him.
 Latin American Literature
DOA BARBARA
Brbara is an attractive woman raised mostly on the rivers of Venezuela by
her riverboat captain father. Her mother was an Indian woman who died
while giving birth to her. She was madly in love with young Asdrbal until
tragedy smashed everything. Some of the men who worked for her father
steal their boat and kill her father. The bandits then rape her and shoot her
boyfriend. This causes her to hate men, but at the same time sleep with
them to get what she wants. She becomes involved with Lorenzo Barquero,
the owner of a cattle ranch, with whom she becomes pregnant and has a
daughter named Marisela. Barbara later steals Lorenzo's home and fortune
and kicks both him and their daughter out, leaving them to fend for
themselves with absolutely nothing. Santos is the only remaining son of the
Luzardo family, who had a feud with the Barqueros. He returns to his
hacienda, Altamira, planning to sell it. Undeterred, Santos sets out to save
his cousin Lorenzo and to educate young Marisela. After Barbara sees one of
her old rapists and kills him she decides that in order to gain back the peace
and happiness that was stolen from her that horrible night she must find and
kill all 5 of her rapists. When she meets Santos she instantly falls in love with
him seeing as he reminds her of her first love Asdrubal. In him she thinks she
can find happiness and that he can help her change and become a different
person. Santos is very attracted to Barbara and genuinely cares for her and
wants to help save her from herself, they go through a long, drama filled
romance in which he is never sure he should be with her because of all the
horrible things he hears of her and it is only until she is raped a second time
and almost killed by "Chepo", one of the same men that raped her as a girl,
that he admits he is in love with her. When Chepo dies in front of Barbara
from a heart attack she is furious and sad at the same time because after he
rapes her a second time she wasn't able to kill him, she then destroys her
prayer room and says she can manage on her own, this action makes her
rebullones (imaginary birds that sometimes symbolise her mood) die. Santos
and Barbara were living happily at her ranch for some period. Her happiness
with Santos doesn't last as one day he realizes he loves Marisela and when
he reads Mr. Danger's diary (one of Barbara's accomplices) in which he finds
out all of the things Barbara has done he decides he can't be with her any
more and that no matter what he has done she can't be saved.

When Marisela comes back from the city educated and civilized she decides
to take her mother to court and take back her father's ranch with the help
and support of Santos, during the trials it is known that Sapo, Barbara's
worst enemy (one of the rapists), bought the judge and made him favor
Marisela. When Barbara loses el Miedo she is not willing to give it up and
comes to an arrangement with Marisela to buy it. While Marisela and Santos
are happy living their romance Barbara finds out that she is two months
pregnant. When Santos hears the news he is furious and decides not to
believe Barbara and accuses her of having cheated on him but Marisela
knows that Barbara would have never done such a thing and believes her
and decides to break off their relationship. Santos slowly comes to realize his
mistake and accept the baby is his. When word of Barbara's pregnancy gets
to "El Sapo" (her worst enemy, one of the rapers) who is now a high ranking
and powerful drug trafficker sends his men to burn Barbara's ranch and to kill
anyone who is in it, including her. As the hacienda burns Barbara is able to
get Eustaquia, her nanny (mother figure) to the basement for safety seeing
as there is no other way out. She then confronts Sapo and his men and starts
firing at them from inside the house. Melquiades, Barbara's right hand, is
able to get to Marisela and warn her that her mother is in danger and she
and Santos get there in time to help her. The day after Barbara starts
suffering from abdomen pains and with the help of Juan Primito goes to la
Chusmita, place where she abandoned Marisela when she was two, to meet
up with Melquiades. There she loses her baby and goes crazy. She forgets
everything that happened to her and that she lost her baby. When Marisela
finds out she tries taking Barbara to see a doctor but while they are in the
city she sees Sapo and reacts badly even though she doesn't remember who
he is. Melquiades decides to take her back to el Miedo which is fully restored.
She starts remembering everything and is heartbroken, she can't believe
that she lost her last chance at happiness and what she considered her
salvation. During that whole time Barbara and Marisela managed to become
a little close. Santos finds out that she isn't pregnant anymore and gets
happy because now there is no obstacle between him and Marisela. Marisela
has decided to stay with Gonzalo in order to spy on him after finding out that
he and "El Sapo" are allies in drug trafficking. Now, the fear caused by "El
Sapo" is bringing Barbara and Marisela back together once more to destroy
"El Sapo". Barbara decides to end her war with Sapo once and for all and in
order to do so she needs everyone she cares about to be away from her. She
makes Marisela believe that she hates her in order to scare her away (which
doesn't work) and sends Eustaquia and Juan Primito to live at Danger's
house, who is now deceased (killed by Balbino). When Sapo finds out where
Eustaquia is staying he decides to pay her a visite and, to get back at
Barbara, cuts her veins, when Barbara finds her she is lying on the floor
unconscious. Eustaquia dies in her arms but before she tells Barbara that
once everything is done she will se everything differently and that at that
moment she should go back to the river. After Eustaquias funeral Barbara
realises that "Sapo" is watching her and the battle between them starts
inside an abandoned church next to the cemetery. During the fight "Sapo" is
about to shoot Barbara but Melquiades gets in the way and takes the shot,
Barbara runs to him and he professes his love to her and tells her to not let
anyone mistreat her physically or emotionally and that if a man doesn't love
her like he did that he isn't worth the time, in that moment he dies in
Barbara's arms leaving her alone. While her fight with "Sapo" continues
Santos arrives making Barbara lose concentration and allowing "Sapo" to
capture her. "Sapo" ties both Barbara and Santos but Barbara is able to
knock him out with a sleeping dart and unties herself but refuses to untie
Santos as she knows he will stop her from doing what she must; kill "Sapo".
Once Barbara finishes tying "Sapo" up Santos tries to talk her out of it but
she refutes that she owes it to Eustaquia, to Melquiades, to Asdrubal, and to
herself, but above it all she owes it to the son she lost because of him. She
tells him that he always called her a monster and that now he would really
get to see her in action. She then muffles him and continues to wake up
"Sapo", she ignores his pleas. When he tells her that she is better than he is
and that she can't kill him she responds that she is worse than the devil. She
ends everything by setting him on fire. When everything is done she leaves
and realizes that even though her vengeance is complete she is not in any
more peace as she was before and questions if everything she did was done
in vein. The detective who was sent to capture Sapo is now after Barbara but
she is able to escape with the help of everyone, Marisela, Santos, etc. as
they now understand everything Barbara did and why she did it. Before
leaving Barbara demands Santos tell her why he is helping her, she tells him
that this is his way of setting everything right since he changed her for her
daughter, his way of saving her since he wasn't able to save her soul, he
responds that that is not it. She continues to push him until he admits that
it's because he loves her, that she is the love he can't have and that he had
to get away to save himself from her abyss and that he also loves Marisela
because she is his salvation. After finally hearing Santos be completely
honest with his feeling to her she leaves.

Once Barbara is away from everything she contemplates everything and in a

monologue says that she does love Marisela and that she has nothing out
there left and that she is going to reunite with Eustaquia and Melquiades and
that her death is her payment to those she made suffer, she lets Cabos
Blancos free saying that she is giving him his freedom back as she gave
Santos' freedom back and proceeds to drown herself in the marsh. Cabos
Blancos returns to Altamira and Marisela sees him and worries that
something happened to Barbara and goes to look for her. She finds her
sinking in the marsh, she ties a rope around herself and goes in to get
Barbara out, as Marisela starts sinking Barbara grabs her and pulls herself
and Marisela out. Barbara and Marisela have a long talk and forgive each
other for everything. Barbara tells her that she has to go, that she can't stay
because she wouldn't be able to watch her and Santos together. She says
she wants to preserve this feeling she has and that she has never felt, she
finally feels like a mother before a woman. Before leaving on her bongo
Santos arrives and watches as her and Marisela say their last goodbyes,
Antonio asks him if he isn't going to go say good bye and he responds that
he doesn't want to be an obstacle in their last moment like he has always
been. Barbara tells Marisela that they won't see each other but that she'll
know how she is every morning when she thinks about her and tells her that
when one of her children looks up at her with her eyes she'll know she's with
her. That night Barbara runs into a missionary who gives her a place to stay
because it is raining, the lady realizes that Barbara has a fever and when she
asks her name Barbara responds that she can call her Dona and never
reveals her real name. 10 years pass and Santos and Marisela have two boys
and a little girl on the way, when Maurice asks him if he still thinks of
Barbara he responds yes and that that is the only secret he keeps from
Marisela, at that moment Marisela arrives in labor pains and she is rushed to
the doctor's office. Barbara (now with long gray hair) has been constantly
visiting the missionary woman throughout the ten years giving her medicine
for the children that live with her and buying the kids candy and toys all the
while she claims to not like children, the missionary tells her she "hides" it
well. Later Barbara is lying in the hammock. She is very sick and is dying.
The next day as Marisela and Santos are admiring their new baby girl they
admit that the little girl has Barbara's eyes, that she looks like her, and at
that moment Juan Primito arrives yelling that the ravens (los rebullones)
have come back to life and that they all have to be careful. That night we see
Barbara next to the river, young again and in her all black outfit with
Eustaquia and Melquiades behind her who have come to take her far away.
She tells them that they are dead and asks if that means that she is
dreaming or if it means that she is also dead, Mealquiades responds that
only humans die and that legends like herself never die and live in the hearts
of everyone. She goes with them in the bongo and as Eustaquia asks with
who they go Barbara responds "con dios y con la virgen" (with God and the
virgin Mary).

European Literature
Summary N ibe lun ge nlie d

Siegfried Comes to Worms and Defeats the Saxons

The story begins with an introduction of the main characters. Kriemhild is
described in all her beauty; she is sister to King Gunther, Gernot and
Giselher, rulers of the land of Burgundy. Their home is Worms on the Rhine.
The attention then switches north to Siegfried, a prince of the Netherlands,
son of King Siegmund and Sieglind. He is already well renowned for his
good qualities.
Siegfried one day comes to the realization that he wishes to have Kriemhild.
He thus takes 12 warriors to Worms and threatens King Gunther, exclaiming
that he plans to wrest his lands from him by force. Hagen informs Gunther
that this man before him is Siegfried, a mighty warrior who slew a dragon
and bathed in its blood, and who won a large hoard of treasure including
a cloak of invisibility by slaying thousands of men, and that it would be
foolish to challenge him. Gunther then offers to share everything with
Siegfried freely; hearing this, the prince is pleased and stays with them for
an extended period of time.
After a long episode of befriending via jousting, hunting, and feasting, the
men are like brothers. It is then that messengers from Liudeger, king of
Saxony, and Liudegast, king of Denmark, arrive and proclaim the impending
invasion of Burgundy by a force of 30,000 Danes and Saxons. Siegfried
implores Gunther to let him defend Burgundy, and Gunther agrees. Siegfried
leads an army of 1,000 men and then gains great honor by singlehandedly
killing 30 Danes and taking King Liudegast hostage. After a good bit of
bloody battling, King Liudeger recognizes Siegfried in the mayhem and
immediately surrenders. Siegfried, his remaining soldiers, and the
many hostages then return to Worms. Six months later, a festival is held to
celebrate victory and let the prisoners go free. It is at this festival that
Siegfried finally meets Kriemhild.
"Siegfried Arriving in Worms"
Siegfried and Gunther Journey to Iceland and Both Win Brides
After some time, Gunther comes to desire Queen Brunhild of Iceland; she is
renowned for her remarkable strength and battle-prowess. Knowing that this
is a dire, dangerous idea for Gunther, considering some one thousand suitors
have lost their lives up to this point, Siegfried agrees to help him win the
queen in exchange for Kriemhilds hand in marriage. With this
agreement, they and two others take a ship to Iceland.
Upon arrival in Brunhilds domain, Siegfried pretends to be one of Gunthers
vassals, though they are equals. Queen Brunhilds wooing-task is as follows:
the suitor, wagering his head, must best her in the throwing of the javelin,
the hurling of a boulder, and leaping a great distance. It is only with
Siegfrieds help, who hides under his invisible cloak, which gives the wearer
the strength of 12 men, that Gunther is able to beat Brunhild.
Upon being beaten, Brunhild agrees to marriage, and she and thousands of
her people sail back with the Burgundians and Siegfried. They are welcomed
extravagantly outside of Worms, as is custom, and a huge festival is held to
celebrate the marriage of Gunther and Brunhild. At this festival also, Gunther
gives Kriemhild to Siegfried, and they are married as well.
"Siegfried Bows Before Kriemhild"
It is important to present the events of the following nights, the
consummation nights if you will. Siegfried and Kriemhild have a wonderful
time, but Brunhild is upset about something and does not want to sleep with
Gunther, and when Gunther tries to subdue her, she ties him up and hangs
him from the ceiling. Gunther confides in Siegfried the details of this
embarrassing event, and Siegfried agrees once again to help Gunther by
using his cloak of invisibility. So the next night, Siegfried sneaks into the
royal bed chamber and wrestles Brunhild into submission so that Gunther
could have her. While doing this task, Siegfried steals her girdle and ring (it is
unclear whether he takes her virginity or not). After this night, Brunhild loses
her strength and everyone seems to be content.
Siegfried and Kriemhild Return to Xanten While Brunhild Plots
Siegfried and Kriemhild then return to Xanten, Siegfrieds home, and
Siegmund declares his son king. The two have a son and name him Gunther,
while Gunther and Brunhild have a son and name him Siegfried. Queen
Sieglind dies and Kriemhild becomes queen.
Important digression: During these years, Brunhild is stewing over the
uncertainties in her knowledge of Siegfried and Kriemhild. She believes
Siegfried to be Gunthers vassal, and therefore sees both of them as below
her. She is incredibly annoyed and angered by the fact that Siegfried pays no
homage to them, and that Kriemhild seems to hold herself as an equal. She
is also repulsed by the fact that Kriemhild seems happier than her, though
she is married to a lower man.

As part of her plan to know the truth, Brunhild begs Gunther to invite his
sister and her husband to Worms. Since Siegfried and Kriemhild wish to see
their friends and family, they agree and bring a group of 1,200 soldiers, as
well as Siegmund; they are warmly received. During some festivities, the
queens begin to argue about the ranks of their husbands, and Kriemhild ends
up telling Brunhild that it was Siegfried that took her virginity on her wedding
night, and then shows the girdle and ring, which Siegfried had given to her.
Brunhild is so distraught, dishonored, indignant, and horrified that when
Hagen speaks to her, he vows to avenge her.
"Siegmund Crowns Siegfried King"
Hagen Murders Siegfried and Kriemhild Goes to Hungary
The following is Hagens plan, which Gunther, Gernot, and Giselher all knew
about; Giselher was the only one who spoke out against the murder of such a
good friend and ally. They would make it look as if Liudeger was invading
again, Siegfried would opt to lead the battle, Hagen would then go to
Kriemhild, feigning good intentions, and ask to know about Siegfrieds
one weak spot so that he could always protect it. This plan was carried out
and Hagen learned of Siegfrieds weak spot, right below his shoulder blade.
The next morning, the royal party went on a friendly hunt, and once many
creatures had been killed, Siegfried was thirsty and went to drink from a
stream. As he bent down to drink, Hagen threw a spear through the weak
spot on his back, thereby cowardly murdering the great warrior.
Hagen then dumped the body in front of Kriemhilds door so that she would
discover it. Her wails can be heard throughout the castle. At the funeral,
when Hagen approached the dead body, the wound begins to bleed anew, a
sign of the guilty party. Gunther swears upon Hagens innocence, but
Kriemhild knows that it was Hagen.
Siegmund and his knights returned to Xanten dejectedly, but Kriemhild
stayed with her family. Kriemhild attempts to retrieve the Nibelung treasure,
but Hagen dumps it in the Rhine.
"Hagen Kills Siegfried"
It is at this point that the story swings over to Hungary, to King Etzel who has
just lost his wife Helche. He sends messengers to Worms asking for
Kriemhilds hand. Kriemhild agrees (in her head she is still planning revenge)
and goes to Hungary. They marry, and after seven years she gives birth to a
son, Ortlieb.
After a few more years, Kriemhild urges Etzel to invite her brothers to
Hungary. Both parties agree and Gunther, Giselher, Hagen, and 3,000
soldiers head to Etzelnburg. Queen Uote warns them all of their impending
deaths. Along the way, Hagen comes across some water-fairies who also
warn that this is a trap and only the Chaplains will be spared.
Upon their arrival in Hungary, Kriemhild kisses only Giselher. To befriend his
new guests, Etzel holds a friendly joust. Hagen, to make Kriemhild angry,
wears Siegfrieds sword Balmung, and admits that he murdered her husband.
Kriemhild wants to rile the warriors and start a fight between the
Burgundians and Huns, so she brings her son Ortlieb out. Upon seeing the
boy, Hagen goes into a rage and beheads him. Battle ensues and all of the
Burgundians die, except Gunther and Hagen.
Kriemhild decapitates Gunther and presents his head to Hagen; she then
cuts Hagens head off with Balmung. Her revenge is complete. Hildebrand,
horrified at seeing Hagen slain by a woman, kills Kriemhild.
King Etzel mourns deeply and the saga ends.

Summary The Song of Roland

Charlemagne's army is fighting the Muslims in Spain. The last city standing is
Saragossa, held by the Muslim king Marsilla. Terrified of the might of
Charlemagne's army of Franks, Marsilla sends out messengers to
Charlemagne, promising treasure and Marsilla's conversion to Christianity if
the Franks will go back to France. Charlemagne and his men are tired of
fighting and decide to accept this peace offer. They need now to select a
messenger to go back to Marsilla's court. The bold warrior Roland nominates
his stepfather Ganelon. Ganelon is enraged; he fears that he'll die in the
hands of the bloodthirsty pagans and suspects that this is just Roland's
intent. He has long hated and envied his stepson, and, riding back to
Saragossa with the Saracen messengers, he finds an opportunity for
revenge. He tells the Saracens how they could ambush the rear guard of
Charlemagne's army, which will surely be led by Roland as the Franks pick
their way back to Spain through the mountain passes, and helps the
Saracens plan their attack.

Just as the traitor Ganelon predicted, Roland gallantly volunteers to lead the
rear guard. The wise and moderate Olivier and the fierce archbishop Turpin
are among the men Roland picks to join him. Pagans ambush them at
Roncesvals, according to plan; the Christians are overwhelmed by their sheer
numbers. Seeing how badly outnumbered they are, Olivier asks Roland to
blow on his oliphant, his horn made out of an elephant tusk, to call for help
from the main body of the Frankish army. Roland proudly refuses to do so,
claiming that they need no help, that the rear guard can easily take on the
pagan hordes. While the Franks fight magnificently, there's no way they can
continue to hold off against the Saracens, and the battle begins to turn
clearly against them. Almost all his men are dead and Roland knows that it's
now too late for Charlemagne and his troops to save them, but he blows his
oliphant anyway, so that the emperor can see what happened to his men
and avenge them. Roland blows so hard that his temples burst. He dies a
glorious martyr's death, and saints take his soul straight to Paradise.

When Charlemagne and his men reach the battlefield, they find only dead
bodies. The pagans have fled, but the Franks pursue them, chasing them into
the river Ebro, where they all drown. Meanwhile, the powerful emir of
Babylon, Baligant, has arrived in Spain to help his vassal Marsilla fend off the
Frankish threat. Baligant and his enormous Muslim army ride after
Charlemagne and his Christian army, meeting them on the battlefield at
Roncesvals, where the Christians are burying and mourning their dead. Both
sides fight valiantly. But when Charlemagne kills Baligant, all the pagan army
scatter and flee. Now Saragossa has no defenders left; the Franks take the
city. With Marsilla's wife Bramimonde, Charlemagne and his men ride back to
Aix, their capital in sweet France.

The Franks discovered Ganelon's betrayal some time ago and keep him in
chains until it is time for his trial. Ganelon argues that his action was
legitimate revenge, openly proclaimed, not treason. While the council of
barons, which Charlemagne gathered to decide the traitor's fate is initially
swayed by this claim, one man, Thierry, argues that, because Roland was
serving Charlemagne when Ganelon delivered his revenge on him, Ganelon's
action constitutes a betrayal of the emperor. Ganelon's friend Pinabel
challenges Thierry to trial by combat; the two will fight a duel to see who's
right. By divine intervention, Thierry, the weaker man, wins, killing Pinabel.
The Franks are convinced by this of Ganelon's villainy and sentence him to a
most painful death. The traitor is torn limb from limb by galloping horses and
thirty of his relatives are hung for good measure.

EL CID Summary

He was born Rodrigo (or Ruy) Daz de Vivar. Vivar being the town where he
was born. It is near Burgos. He was born either in 1040 or 1043. Historians
are not sure of the date. He died in Valencia in 1099. His name, "El Cid"
was given to him by the Moors. In the mixture of the Spanish and Arabic
language they used, they called him "As-Sid" (Lord or Chief). This was
pronounced by the Spaniards as "El Cid", but they themselves actually called
him "Campeador" (Champion).

El Cid was brought up in the court of King Fernand I and he lived in the
household of the King's eldest son, who was to be the future Sancho II. In
1065 Fernand I died. He divided his kingdom among his three sons, Sancho,
Alfonso and Garcia, and his two daughters, Elvira and Urraca. (Unlike today,
Spain was not one kingdom, but ruled by many kings including some
Arabics. The kingdom that Fernand left his children was only a portion of
modern day Spain.)

Fernand had hoped that his children would be happy with their lands.
Sancho being the eldest thought that he should have inherited all of his
father's lands. Sancho first needed to do battle with the Kingdom of Aragon
which was not under control of any of his family. El Cid proved to be such a
help in defeating the Kingdom of Aragon that he was named Commander of
the Royal Armies. At this time he was only about 23 years old.

About 1070 Sancho began his war against his brothers and sisters. He first
waged war against his brothers in Leon and Galicia. Both victories were
accomplished with the great assistance of El Cid who turned almost certain
defeats into victories. Sancho exiled his brothers to the city of Toledo.
Sancho then took the city of Toro which was the domain of his sister, Elvira.
He then began a battle with his sister Urraca and her city of Zamora in
1072. However Sancho was killed by one of Urraca's soldiers right at the city
gates. Upon hearing of his brother's death, Alfonso rushed to Zamora to
claim his brother's lands and most importantly the throne. He became
Alfonso VI.

El Cid became concerned for his life. He had after all helped Sancho wage
war against Alfonso who was now the King. But El Cid had a couple of things
in his favor. One he was a very good soldier. Alfonso knew that he would
need a leader like El Cid. Also the people in Castile were not happy that they
were being led by a king from Leon. El Cid was from Castile and was liked by
the people.

Although the Alfonso removed El Cid as Commander of the Royal Armies, in

1074 he married El Cid to his niece, Jimena. El Cid was now related to
Alfonso. (Their house in Zamora is shown in the picture on the left.)

Alfonso did not really like El Cid. He was afraid that El Cid might attempt to
take the throne. Alfonso sent El Cid to the king of Seville to collect money.
When El Cid returned he accused El Cid of keeping some of the money. He
banished El Cid from his kingdom and from then on El Cid was not able to
live safely in any area ruled by Alfonso.

El Cid now needed not only money, but also protection of a king. He offered
his services to the Ruler of Saragossa in northeastern Spain. The Ruler of
Saragossa was the arabic leader, al-Mu'tamin. Unlike Alfonso, al-Mu'tamin
was quite happy to have such as successful soldier as El Cid. El Cid served
al-Mu'tamin and his successor, al-Musta'in for nearly 10 years.

In 1082 he defeated the Moorish (arabic) king of Lrida and the king's ally,
the Count of Barcelona. In 1084 he defeated a large army lead by King
Sancho Ramrez of Aragon.

In 1086 Alfonso VI came under attack from the Almoravid armies from North
Africa. He suffered a great defeat at Sagrajas on October 23rd. Realizing
that he needed El Cid's help to save his Kingdom, Alfonso recalled El Cid from
exile.
El Cid returned to Alfonso, but now he had his own plans. He only stayed a
short while and returned to Saragossa. El Cid was content to let the
Almoravid armies and the armies of Alfonso fight without his help. Even
when there was a chance that the armies of Almoravid might defeat Alfonso
and take over all of Alfonso's lands. The reason El Cid did not want to fight
was because he was hoping that both armies would become weak. That
would make it easier for him to carry out his own plan which was to become
ruler of the Kingdom of Valencia.

The first thing El Cid needed to do was to remove the influence of the Count
of Barcelona. Barcelona was the major city in the area and the Count was a
powerful man. He defeated the Count (Berenguer Ramn II) at the battle of
Tbar in May 1090. Valencia, however was stilled ruled by an Arabic leader,
al-Qadir. El Cid became lucky when in October 1092 al-Qadir was killed by
one of his noblemen, Ibn Jahhaf. The city of Valencia was thrown into
confusion. It was at this time that El Cid decided to attack. He surrounded
the city and began a long siege. In May, 1094 Ibn Jahhaf surrendered the
city.

Although El Cid was a soldier he understood some of the politics of being a

ruler. Through his service to Sancho II and then Alfonso VI he learned about
Spanish politics. Through his service to al-Mu'tamin and al-Musta'in he
learned about Arabic politics. He knew that because Valencia contained a
great number of Moors (Arabs) that he would have to have the support of Ibn
Jahhaf. He forgave Ibn Jahhaf of all of his crimes including the killing of al-
Qadir. Ibn Jahhaf agreed to use his influence over the Moors so that they
would accept El Cid as their ruler. Once this was accomplished, El Cid
decided that he did not need Ibn Jahhaf and had him arrested and killed.

El Cid technically ruled Valencia for Alfonso. But, Alfonso was not about to
wage war against El Cid, so he let him rule with almost no control. El Cid
began to act as a king. He appointed a Bishop and he encouraged people to
settle in Valencia. He married one daughter, Cristina to a prince of Aragon,
Ramiro and his other daughter Mara to Count of Barcelona, Ramn
Berenguer III, whose father he had earlier defeated.

El Cid ruled Valencia until his death. After his death the Almoravids attacked
the city and Alfonso had to personally go there to save it. However, he
decided that he could not defend unless he kept a great number of soldiers
there permanently. So he decided to abandon the city and ordered it
burned. On May 5, 1102, the Almoravids occupied Valencia and ruled it until
1238.

The body of El Cid was returned to Burgos and buried in a monastery.

Almost immediately he became regarded as a national hero of Castile. In
the 12th century a 3700 line poem "El Cantar de Mo Cid" (The Song of the
Cid) was written about him. The poem and later writings such as a play in
1637 made his exploits almost legendary to the point that some people
began to doubt that whether El Cid was ever a real person. Unlike King
Arthur of English legend, El Cid really did exist. And the poem about him
(although it does in some cases stretch the truth), is considered to be the
beginning of Spanish literature.

Divine Comedy Summary

At the age of thirty-five, on the night of Good Friday in the year 1300, Dante
finds himself lost in a dark wood and full of fear. He sees a sun-drenched
mountain in the distance, and he tries to climb it, but three beasts, a
leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf, stand in his way. Dante is forced to return to
the forest where he meets the spirit of Virgil, who promises to lead him on a
journey through Hell so that he may be able to enter Paradise. Dante agrees
to the journey and follows Virgil through the gates of Hell.

The two poets enter the vestibule of Hell where the souls of the uncommitted
are tormented by biting insects and damned to chase a blank banner around
for eternity. The poets reach the banks of the river Acheron where souls
await passage into Hell proper. The ferryman, Charon, reluctantly agrees to
take the poets across the river to Limbo, the first circle of Hell, where Virgil
permanently resides. In Limbo, the poets stop to speak with other great
poets, Homer, Ovid, Horace, and Lucan, and then enter a great citadel where
philosophers reside.

Dante and Virgil enter Hell proper, the second circle, where monster, Minos,
sits in judgment of all of the damned, and sends them to the proper circle
according to their sin. Here, Dante meets Paolo and Francesca, the two
unfaithful lovers buffeted about in a windy storm.

The poets move on to the third circle, the Gluttons, who are guarded by the
monster Cerberus. These sinners spend eternity wallowing in mud and mire,
and here Dante recognizes a Florentine, Ciacco, who gives Dante the first of
many negative prophesies about him and Florence.

Upon entering the fourth circle, Dante and Virgil encounter the Hoarders and
the Wasters, who spend eternity rolling giant boulders at one another.

They move to the fifth circle, the marsh comprising the river Styx, where
Dante is accosted by a Florentine, Filippo Argenti; he is amongst the Wrathful
that fight and battle one another in the mire of the Styx.
The city of Dis begins Circle VI, the realm of the violent. The poets enter and
find themselves in Circle VI, realm of the Heretics, who reside among the
thousands in burning tombs. Dante stops to speak with two sinners, Farinata
degli Uberti, Dante's Ghibelline enemy, and Cavalcante dei Cavalcanti, father
of Dante's poet friend, Guido.

The poets then begin descending through a deep valley. Here, they meet the
Minotaur and see a river of boiling blood, the Phlegethon, where those
violent against their neighbors, tyrants, and war-makers reside, each in a
depth according to their sin.

Virgil arranges for the Centaur, Nessus, to take them across the river into the
second round of circle seven, the Suicides. Here Dante speaks with the soul
of Pier delle Vigne and learns his sad tale.

In the third round of Circle VII, a
snowflakes, Dante recognizes
blasphemer. He also speaks to
Latini. This is the round held
Usurers.
desert wasteland awash in a rain of burning
and speaks with Capaneus, a famous
his beloved advisor and scholar, Brunetto
for the Blasphemers, Sodomites, and the

The poets then enter Circle VIII, which contains ten chasms, or ditches. The
first chasm houses the Panderers and the Seducers who spend eternity
lashed by whips. The second chasm houses the Flatterers, who reside in a
channel of excrement. The third chasm houses the Simonists, who are
plunged upside-down in baptismal fonts with the soles of their feet on fire.
Dante speaks with Pope Nicholas, who mistakes him for Pope Boniface. In the
fourth chasm, Dante sees the Fortune Tellers and Diviners, who spend
eternity with their heads on backwards and their eyes clouded by tears.

At the fifth chasm, the poets see the sinners of Graft plunged deeply into a
river of boiling pitch and slashed at by demons.

At the sixth chasm, the poets encounter the Hypocrites, mainly religious men
damned to walk endlessly in a circle wearing glittering leaden robes. The
chief sinner here, Caiaphas, is crucified on the ground, and all of the other
sinners must step on him to pass.

Two Jovial friars tell the poets the way to the seventh ditch, where the
Thieves have their hands cut off and spend eternity among vipers that
transform them into serpents by biting them. They, in turn, must bite
another sinner to take back a human form.
At the eighth chasm Dante sees many flames that conceal the souls of the
Evil Counselors. Dante speaks to Ulysses, who gives him an account of his
death.

At the ninth chasm, the poets see a mass of horribly mutilated bodies. They
were the sowers of discord, such as Mahomet. They are walking in a circle.
By the time they come around the circle, their wounds knit, only to be
opened again and again. They arrive at the tenth chasm the Falsifiers. Here
they see the sinners afflicted with terrible plagues, some unable to move,
some picking scabs off of one another.

They arrive at the ninth circle. It is comprised of a giant frozen lake, Cocytus,
in which the sinners are stuck. Dante believes that he sees towers in the
distance, which turn out to be the Giants. One of the Giants, Antaeus, takes
the poets on his palm and gently places them at the bottom of the well.

Circle IX is composed of four rounds, each housing sinners, according to the

severity of their sin. In the first round, Caina, the sinners are frozen up to
their necks in ice.

In the second round, Antenora, the sinners are frozen closer to their heads.
Here, Dante accidentally kicks a traitor in the head, and when the traitor will
not tell him his name, Dante treats him savagely. Dante hears the terrible
story of Count Ugolino, who is gnawing the head and neck of Archbishop
Ruggieri, due to Ruggieri's treacherous treatment of him in the upper world.

In the third round, Ptolomea, where the Traitors to Guests reside, Dante
speaks with a soul who begs him to take the ice visors, formed from tears,
out of his eyes. Dante promises to do so, but after hearing his story refuses.

The fourth round of Circle IX, and the very final pit of Hell, Judecca, houses
the Traitors to Their Masters, who are completely covered and fixed in the
ice, and Satan, who is fixed waist deep in the ice and has three heads, each
of which is chewing a traitor: Judas, Brutus, and Cassius.

The poets climb Satan's side, passing the center of gravity, and find
themselves at the edge of the river Lethe, ready to make the long journey to
the upper world. They enter the upper world just before dawn on Easter
Sunday, and they see the stars overhead.