Dante's Inferno Canto IV Summary

Canto IV begins with Dante and Virgil arriving on the other side of the River Acheron. Dante has officially arrived in hell. However, the place where he is, called Limbo, is the very outer edge of hell. As they arrive, Dante notes a loud chorus of wails and Virgil's face turn white with pity. Dante also takes on this state as he notes the inhabitants of Limbo and the source of the wailing. The souls they pass by are those of the unbaptised, infants, [righteous] pagans, and the ancient Hebrews. Dante sees a castle-like structure in which the righteous pagans dwell, among whom is Aristotle. Dante and Virgil speedily continue their way through Limbo.

The first thing to strike me while reading this Canto is how similar Limbo is set almost exactly like the Elysian Fields in Book VI in Virgil's Aeneid.

Also, I find it interesting how Limbo is a place for the unbaptised, and the righteous pagans get an even more special place in Dante's hell. Limbo was an invention of the early Church fathers for the purpose of having a name for the resting place for the unbaptised infants and ancient Hebrews. Dante, however, adds the "virtuous pagans" among these. Dante reluctantly cannot place figures such as Aristotle and Virgil in heaven because they were not Christian. However, they did possess some degree of "holy" wisdom (as mentioned by Augustine), and especially Aristotle, considering his influence on the Church, itself.