The Third Pouch Of The Malebolge In Dante's Inferno

In Dante’s Inferno, the Third Pouch of the Malebolge is reserved for simoniacs; clergymen that sold ecclesiastical preferment and/or offices to members of the Catholic Church in return for money and material goods. In the Third Pouch, these men are hung by their feet in pits of darkness while their feet are charred by the flames of fires above them. This punishment reflects Dante’s abhorrence for simoniacs, whom he considers to be unethical, avaricious, and inconsiderate of the souls that they have condemned to Hell. Dante’s description of the punishment that these fraudulent clergymen endure reinforces the moral intent of the poem – which is meant to demonstrate that each sin is punished judiciously and that each consecutive sin is punished