Abandon all hope ye who enter here read the now-famous words above the gate through which
Dante the protagonist of Inferno crosses the threshold. But that forbidding inscription
applies only to those without faith and though Dante's journey through the nine circles of
Hell begins with terror and confusion it ends with an understanding of the divine plan and the
realization of divine love. Along the way Dante meets an array of sinners from Christian and
classical history and legend--a fascinating cast of characters that has intrigued and
instructed readers since Inferno was first published in 1317.
