Historical
Cassius
The killer of Caesar who, together with Brutus, is placed by Dante in the mouth of Lucifer as a traitor to the Empire.
Profile
Cassius is mentioned by Dante among the traitors punished in Giudecca, where the poet sees him in the lateral mouth of Lucifer, describing him as 'sì membruto'. Together with Brutus he is recalled in the Heaven of Mars as the damned pair who shout in the depths of Hell, where they are punished as traitors to their benefactors, for having killed Caesar. The Dantesque presentation links them to the defeat at Philippi at the hands of Caesar's successor, within the framework of the punishment of the enemies of imperial authority. The authorized critical notes specify that, unlike Brutus, Cassius is simply named without further moral qualifications added by the poet.
In the text
Linked verses
2 verses| Cantica | Canto | Verso | Testo | Open verse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inferno | Canto XXXIV | 67 | e l’altro è Cassio, che par sì membruto. | Open verse |
| Paradise | Canto VI | 74 | Bruto con Cassio ne l’inferno latra, | Open verse |