The first quote I chose is in Canto 9, lines 52-57 when Dante the pilgrim meets Medusa. Once again Dante is bringing up this idea of ancient Greek mythology by using a popular figure such as Medusa. In the stories I have read about Medusa after she was beheaded by Perseus her head was used as a weapon until it was given to Athena and put on her shield. I found the use of Medusa interesting in two ways. The first is that even in hell she has power to turn people into concrete and as Virgil tells Dante, could even prevent him (Dante) from returning to the world if he doesn't close his eyes. Basically that Dante should close his eyes before he's turned into stone. The second is that much like the Gates of Hell warn Dante about what lies ahead so Furies warn Dante and Virgil about the arrival of Medusa. It seems as though this idea of “warning” repeats itself in many circumstances. It is as though we are constantly advised about what's ahead.
The second quote that interested me is from the opening of Canto 11, line 1-12. Here Dante (the author) sets us up with yet another 'warning.” We are about to descend into the deepest circles of hell and he paints a picture while drawing our senses in by talking about the stench of hell. Interestingly enough there is an inscription on the tomb of Pope Anastasius who was also drawn from the “straight way” much like Dante stated he was in the opening lines of Canto 1. Perhaps it is here that Dante sees where he may end up should he not choose to get back on this “straight path.” We are not only warned about the consequences of straying off the path, but about the sheer torture hell is going to be for those who stray. We could say that in these opening lines we are warned that hell is going to get really REALLY bad from here on (not that is was great before, but there weren't any rivers of blood boiling people and it didn't smell).
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