How do the punishment in circle 9 round 4 reflects Dante's law of hell?

Answer 1

The sinners of this circle were put in Hell because of their disobedience, through word or action, of their masters. By being trapped in ice they cannot do anything that would ever betray another. They are stuck with their decision and whatever consequences it brought, this is symbolised by the positions that they are stuck in (some are more painful than others). ). Also the constant beating of Satan's wings symbolises how the longer they lived with their decision, the more stuck with it they got, and the harder they tried to escape the tighter the trap became. Judas, Brutus, and Cassius are being constantly chewed by Satan, just like the guilt constantly chewed at them, and the special mention of how the skin on Judas' back is sometimes completely removed is symbolic of the brutal whipping that Jesus got before he was crucified, both of which were consequences of Judas' betrayal. Satan only being able to flap his wings and not escape shows just how powerless he is, this is also shown by Dante and Virgil climbing down his leg.