"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here" read the now-famous words above
the gate through which Dante, the protagonist of Inferno, crosses the
threshold. But that forbidding inscription applies only to those without
faith; and though Dante's journey through the nine circles of Hell
begins with terror and confusion, it ends with an understanding of the
divine plan and the realization of divine love. Along the way, Dante
meets an array of sinners from Christian and classical history and
legend--a fascinating cast of characters that has intrigued and
instructed readers since Inferno was first published in 1317.