circle, ruled by Plutus, god of wealth, who allows them to proceed,
only after Virgil has informed him their journey is ordained, and is
to be pursued to the very spot where Michael confined Satan. The mere
mention of his master, the ex-archangel, causes Plutus to grovel; and
Dante and Virgil, proceeding on their journey, discover that the
fourth circle is occupied by all whom avarice mastered, as well as by
prodigals, who are here condemned to roll heavy rocks, because their
lives on earth were spent scuffling for money or because they failed
to make good use of their gold. Dante descries among the victims
tonsured polls, proving that monks themselves are not exempt from
these sins. Meanwhile Virgil expounds how the Creator decreed nations
should wield the mastery in turn, adding that these people are victims
of Fortune, whose proverbial fickleness he ably describes.

After passing a well, whose boiling waters overflow and form a stream,
they follow the latter's downward course to the marsh called Styx,
where hundreds of naked creatures wallow in the mire, madly clutching
and striking each other. Virgil explains that these are those "whom
anger overcame," and adds that the sullen are buried beneath the slimy
waters, where their presence is betrayed by bubbles caused by their
breath which continually rise to the surface. Edging around this
loathsome pool, the two poets finally arrive at the door of a tall
tower.

_Canto VIII._ From the lofty turret flash flaming signals, evidently
designed to summon some bark or ferry, since a vessel soon appears.
Once more Virgil has to silence a snarling boatman (Phlegyas) ere he
can enter his skiff, where he invites Dante to follow him. Then they
row across the mire, whence heads keep emerging from time to time. One
of the sufferers confined here suddenly asks Dante, "Who art thou that