Judas and Dante: On the Ninth Circle

 Even those who haven’t read the book have a general idea of what Dante’s Inferno is about. Arguably one of the most well-known books of all time, Inferno has implanted a very intense image of hell in society’s collective mind. People will often think of fire, violence, and circles of punishment whenever Inferno is mentioned. In reality, many of the circles do not include “fire and brimstone,” as it were. The ninth and deepest circle of hell is actually filled with ice. The final circle of hell is so far from warmth and light that there’s no warmth left for the sinners there. At the very bottom of hell, Satan lies buried halfway in ice, gnawing with his three heads on three of our world’s most well-known betrayers—Brutus, Cassius, and Judas (34.55-67). Judas, however, could have easily ended up in other circles. He could have been in the fourth circle with the avaricious, attacking his fellow condemned men with stones (7.25-35), and he could have been in the seventh circle, with the suicides, growing as a thorn tree in endless sorrow (13.31-39). Dante, as the author, decided that he belonged in the mouth of Satan. Most likely a lot of thought went into the decision of Judas’ place. Judas is found in the ninth circle of hell because he not only betrayed God, but he also betrayed himself and possibly future generations in the hours following Jesus’ conviction.

The highest circle that Judas might have been sent to is likely the fourth circle, with the avaricious. Avarice, which is similar to greed, can be detrimental to a person’s life and walk in light. If money becomes more important than anything in life, then the person who worships that money is only digging a hole to bury his happiness and sense of self in. Judas found himself walking down a very dark path when he chose to value money over Jesus’ life. Many other men that claimed to be followers of God are suffering in the fourth circle, having used their positions in the church for money rather than the glory of Christ (7.46-55). As Virgil explains, “Those… / were all clerks, even popes and cardinals, / whom avarice browbeats, bullying to the top” (7.46-48). Judas was meant to serve Christ with the money that he had been placed in charge of. But he, as well, let that money get to him, and he used it for his own good rather than for the good of God’s people. Judas could have ended up in the fourth circle for many reasons, but he didn’t. Most likely, Judas finds himself in the ninth circle because his ultimate monetary sin was the use of money against his savior. He sold Jesus out for the equivalent of four thousand dollars, choosing to betray his teacher’s life and trust for a bit of silver. Judas’ use of money as a method of betrayal puts him firmly in the ninth circle.

Another circle that Judas might have ended up in is the seventh circle, possibly the most well-known circle in Inferno. The circle of violence is often referenced in movies and modern books, and it is even considered a figure of speech nowadays. The seventh ring is divided into three sections: violence against one’s neighbor, violence against oneself, and violence against God (12.47-48; 13.70-72; 14.intro). In the second ring, we find the suicides. These men and women killed themselves out of distain for the lives that God had given them, or out of distain for the other people that God had placed in their lives. It’s worthy of note that not all suicide cases fall into the category of hatred of oneself or others, and at least one of those is addressed in Purgatorio. Judas, however, did kill himself out of hatred of himself and his life. He also killed himself without ever repenting of his sin. Judas’ suicide is the most tragic part of his story, and his life could have ended differently if he had repented and turned back to Christ. He would have been accepted back into the kingdom of heaven, and he could have become a great influence on future generations of Christians. He instead chose to end his life, and it’s a painful reality for Christians to see what a beautiful life he could have lived if he’d only given himself the opportunity. Such a choice as suicide could have easily placed Judas in the seventh circle, but like his love of money, his suicide was an act of betrayal. He betrayed his own life into the hands of death, and more importantly, the grip of hell. He also potentially robbed future generations of the influence his life could have provided. Thus, once again, he places his soul in Satan’s mouth when he needn’t have.

Although Judas’ love of money and disposal of his life are factors contributing to his placement in the ninth circle, the main reason that he is there is his very act of betrayal against Christ. Not only against Christ, but against himself and against Christianity. The end of his life was spent entirely in betrayal, and because of this, Dante chooses to place him in the circle with the other betrayers. As for why he is at the very bottom of hell, Virgil describes it as follows: “The soul up there [in Satan’s grasp] whose punishment is worst… / is Judas Iscariot, / whose feet stick out and who is chewed headfirst” (34.61-63). Judas receives the worst punishment of all the betrayers because his betrayal was the worst in mankind’s history. He betrayed his fellow men, most likely; he betrayed himself, most certainly. But most of all, he betrayed the Son of God. The only other being to ever betray God himself in such a way was Satan. Judas is the worst betrayer of the human race.

Judas’ tragic life ends in a tragic eternity in Satan’s literal grasp because his act of betrayal flowed through all of his last decisions. He chose to betray Jesus into the hands of evil men, he chose to betray himself into the hands of death, and he chose to betray future Christians out of the hands of all the wisdom he could have given them. Although Judas’ life could have been one of service to God, he chose to turn against his Savior in Jesus’ greatest time of need. It needn’t have been Judas, one of Jesus’ closest friends, who turned him over to his gruesome destiny. Dante chose Judas’ circle carefully as he wrote his most well-known epic, and despite the other options he had, he seems to have chosen correctly.

Works Cited

Dante. Inferno. Translated by Anthony Esolen, The Modern Library, 2003.