Underground Rivers - University of New Mexico

The Inferno's Cocytus is not a river, but
rather a lake, and a frozen one at that. We'll
discuss ice caves in Chapter 41,
Underground Rivers in Caverns other than
Karst, but compared to Gustave Doré's 1890
engraving (right), photographic illustrations
aren't as gripping.
Chapter 6 -- And Back to the Cross
Below are works from the 19th and 20th centuries depicting the travelers overlooking the waters.
Gustave Moreau
Are Dante's rivers underground?
Domenico Mastroianni
Botticelli's is the standard physiographic interpretation of the Inferno's landscape, a funnelshaped
pit. The Illustrations of Chapter 33 generally portray sky -- not rock -- arching the scenes,
but that may be because painters are known to prefer light. "Dentro dal monte" is Dante's nod to
classical underpinnings, but his Acheron, Styx, Phlegethon and Cocytus aren't particularly
subterranean.
Are Dante's rivers even rivers?
From the first English translation, Charles Rogers (1782),
In la palude va c’ha nome Stige
A marsh it makes known by name of Styx
"Palude" can likewise mean bog, swamp or morass, but doesn't connote flowing water. Dante's
Styx is a more-significant deviation from ancient lore than simply its undergroundedness, to coin
a term. The writer bows to the dictates of Rome where a Charon wouldn't have authority to
shepherd the repentant for appropriate remuneration, a job for which holy orders are qualification.
56
DRAFT 1122//66//22001122
Uppddaatteess aatt hhttttpp::////www. .uunnm. .eedduu//~rrhheeggggeenn//UnnddeerrggrroouunnddRi ivveerrss. .hhttml l