Why is Farinata in the sixth circle of the heretics in hell? And why is he damned in the first place?

The answers may lie in the structure of Canto X of INFERNO. It may also lie in the nature of the self as Dante understands it.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, in this interpolated episode of WALKING WITH DANTE. I'll step back from the weeds of Canto X to talk about Farinata, Cavalcante, the thematics of this wild canto, all in a way to get at the central problems of this canto, Dante's art, and the nature of the self for Dante.

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Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:

[01:04] Why is Farinata damned? Posthumously, he was accused of the Cathar heresy.

[10:12] A look at the difference between Farinata and Cavalcante in Canto X.

[12:39] The structure of Canto X: a chiasmus. Dante hides something from Virgil--Farinata arises--Cavalcante arises--Farinata continues--Dante tells Virgil everything. That means that Cavalcante is the fulcrum of the canto.

[19:36] Farinata isn't the only one who tells the future. Back in Canto VI, Ciacco did, too. What's the difference?

[24:40] Shame, vendetta, and the nature of the self for Dante.