Canto XII

Line 25-27 “So I saw the Minotaur do: and that alert one cried: “Run to the crossing…is in is fit.”

The Minotaur has the body of a mortal man but the head and tail of a bull. He is best known for being banished to a labyrinth due to his strength. While living in the maze, he was offered young women and children to eat. The Minotaur was killed by Theseus of Athens. When Dante and Virgil encounter the Minotaur they must run while he is distracted. The Minotaur being in Hell is equivalent to the maze he was stuck in in Greek Mythology. (MB)

Line 67-69 “That is Nessus, who died…avenged himself.”

Nessus was a centaur, a half-man and half-horse. The top half of a centaur looks like male body (torso, head, and arms) and the bottom half is the body of a horse. Nessus was in charge of ferrying people across the river Euenos, a river in west Greece. Nessus was killed because he began to assault Deianeria, Heracles’ wife. When Heracles saw this happening, he killed Nessus with an arrow. When Virgil mentions that Nessus got revenge for himself he is talking about the moment before he died. As he was dying Nessus told Deianeria that she could use his blood to make Heracles love her forever. When Deianeria gave Heracles a gift with the blood on it, she did not realize that it was actually poisonous, burning his skin and killing him. (MB)

Line 71-72 “Is the great Chiron, who brought up Achilles…so full of anger”

Chiron is another important centaur from Greek Mythology; the son of Cronus and Philyra. Chiron was not violent like most centaurs but was most known for having wisdom and knowing about medicine. Chiron was also known for being a mentor for many of the famous heroes from Greek Mythology. Chiron chose to not be immortal anymore and was shot with a poison arrow then placed among the stars. Chiron is mentioned in Inferno in a positive way, being called ‘the great Chiron’ showing how respected he was. (MB)