Cantos XXVIII-XXX

Seeing my eyes
Fastened upon him,he pulled open his chest
With both hands, saying, "Look how Mohammed claws

And mangles himself, torn open down the breast!
Look how I tear myself! And Ali goes
Weeping before me--like me, a schismatic, and cleft:

Split open from the chin along his face
Up to the forelock. All you see here, when alive,
Taught scandal and schism, so they are cleavered like this.

A devil waits with a sword back there to carve
Each of us open afresh each time we've gone
Our circuit round this road, where while we grieve

Our wounds close up before we pass him again--
But who are you that stand here, perhaps to delay
Torments pronounced on your own words to men?"

This passage attests to the complete ugliness of Hell and all of its different circles. Not only do the sensory details involved with Hell constantly remind you of its ugliness. The activities that go on in Hell serve as a constant reminder, as well. The cycles of Hell completely add to its ugliness.

Life on Earth has its cycles,too. However, the difference between the two is in the length of time it takes the cycle to run its course, as well as the monotony that's involved with completing the cycles over and over. The fact that the cycles of Hell are never-ending also contributes to Hell's ugliness.

Life on Earth, on the other hand, is short-lived compared to life after life on Earth. But because Hell goes on forever, Hell's cycles take on a whole new meaning and purpose. Both the meaning and the purposes of Hell's cycles add to it's ugliness.