It is now past midnight of
Good Friday,Virgil finishes his explanation, and the two reach
a black bubbling river, which extends over its banks to form a
marsh. This is the River Styx and the Marsh of Styx, Dante and
Virgil are now in the fifth circle.
Over the marsh, Dante and
Virgil see many beings attacking each other. These are the Wrathful,
in life they fought their fellow beings, so in Hell they are punished
by eternally attacking and being attacked. Virgil shows Dante
that many of the bubbles coming up from deep in the River Styx,
are from the souls of the Sullen. They refused to see the sun
in life, which is the symbol of Divine Illumination. In Hell they
are submerged in the Styx, uttering endless chants, which is a
parody of hymn singing.
