removed, perceives an angel walking dry-shod over the Styx. At a touch
from his hand, the gates of Dis open wide, and, without paying heed to
the poets, who have instinctively assumed the humblest attitude, their
divine rescuer recrosses the bog, leaving them free to enter into the
iron fortress. There they find countless sinners cased in red-hot
coffins sunk in burning marl. On questioning his guide, Dante learns
each open sepulchre contains an arch-heretic, or leader of some
religious sect, and that each tomb is heated to a degree corresponding
to the extent of the harm done by its occupant's teachings.

_Canto X._ Gingerly treading between burning tombs and fortress wall,
Virgil conducts Dante to an open sepulchre, where lies the Ghibelline
leader Farinata. Partly rising out of his glowing tomb, this warrior
informs Dante that the Guelfs--twice driven out of Florence--have
returned thither. At that moment another victim, peering over the edge
of his coffin, anxiously begs for news of his son Guido, thus proving
that, while these unfortunates know both past and future, the present
remains a mystery to them. Too amazed at first to speak, Dante
mentions Guido in the past tense, whereupon the unhappy father, rashly
inferring his son is dead, plunges back into his sepulchre with a
desperate cry. Not being able to correct his involuntary mistake and
thus comfort this sufferer, Dante begs Farinata to inform his
neighbor, as soon as possible, that his son is still alive. Then,
perplexed by all he has seen and heard, Dante passes thoughtfully on,
noting the victims punished in this place, until, seeing his dismay,
Virgil comforts him with the assurance that Beatrice will explain all
he wishes to know at the end of his journey.

_Canto XI._ The poets now approach a depression, whence arises a
stench so nauseating that they are compelled to take refuge behind a