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Through me you pass into the city of woe: Through me you pass into eternal pain: Through me among the people lost for aye. Justice the founder of my fabric moved: To rear me was the task of power divine, Supremest wisdom, and primeval love. Before me things create were none, save things Eternal, and eternal I shall endure. All hope abandon, ye who enter here.
Dante Alighieri
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote illustrates the threshold to despair and the permanence of suffering and justice.

In this excerpt from Dante Alighieri's 'Inferno,' the speaker describes the entrance to Hell, emphasizing the irreversible nature of despair and the consequences of human actions. It reflects on the themes of justice and divine power, suggesting that the eternal suffering within is a necessary consequence of moral laws, leading one to abandon all hope when entering this realm of lost souls.

Themes

SufferingJusticeEternalDespairHopeWisdom

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about moral philosophy, one might quote Dante's lines to emphasize the consequences of actions.

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