Charon, Minos, Cerberus, oh my!

"'For the triple sparks of envy, greed, and pride

Ignite their hearts.'"

Canto VI. lines 68-69

Three reappears everywhere. So far, we've got the lion, the leopard and the she-wolf; three-headed dog; triple sparks; I'm sure there're more I just can't remember. Then, naturally, there's THE threesome: father, son, holy ghost. The number three/things in triplets holds water both religiously as well as paganistically, contradictorily. Numerology is mystic...definitely not religious. According to Wikipedia, in numerology, three represents communication/interaction and neutrality. I'm not sure exactly how that fits into the story and Dante's journey. I'm sure I'll happen upon the relationship and find some convoluted way to justify that. Anyways, though, I think that this heavy use of three, of threesomes explores the relationship between intellectualism/mysticism and religion.

"Descends the grayish slopes until its torrent

Discharges into the marsh whose name is Styx."

Canto VII. lines 94-95

Dante makes countless references to Roman/Greek mythology throughout the text. He also notes the Greek philosophers' higher place in Limbo. I don't really understand the place of these references...are Christianity and mythology not in complete contradiction? It just seems strange that he would use all of these elements from Greek mythologies in the description of hell. I think he does, though, because of the narrative capabilities of the monsters he describes. Obviously, they've survived hundreds of years in stories and make the journey that much more epic. He makes the monsters more demonic it seems, though, editing them for his purposes. I'm not sure, though...