stone tomb to avoid choking. While they pause there, Dante perceives
this sepulchre bears the name of Pope Anastasius, who has been led
astray. Tarrying there to become acclimated to the smell, Virgil
informs his companion they are about to pass through three gradations
of the seventh circle, where are punished the violent, or those who by
force worked injury to God, to themselves, or to their fellow-men.

_Canto XII._ His charge sufficiently prepared for what awaits him,
Virgil leads the way down a steep path to the next rim, where they are
confronted by the Minotaur, before whom Dante quails, but whom Virgil
defies by mentioning Theseus. Taking advantage of the moment when the
furious, bull-like monster charges at him with lowered head, Virgil
runs with Dante down a declivity, where the stones, unaccustomed to
the weight of mortal feet, slip and roll in ominous fashion. This
passage, Virgil declares, was less dangerous when he last descended
into Hades, for it has since been riven by the earthquake which shook
this region when Christ descended into hell.

Pointing to a boiling river of blood (Phlegethon) beneath them, Virgil
shows Dante sinners immersed in it at different depths, because while
on earth they offered violence to their neighbors. Although anxious to
escape from these bloody waters, the wicked are kept within their
appointed bounds by troops of centaurs, who, armed with bows and
arrows, continually patrol the banks. When these guards threateningly
challenge Virgil, he calmly rejoins he wishes to see their leader,
Chiron, and, while awaiting the arrival of this worthy, shows Dante
the monster who tried to kidnap Hercules' wife.

On drawing near them, Chiron is amazed to perceive one of the
intruders is alive, as is proved by the fact that he casts a shadow