Alichino is one of the devils in the ''

Inferno Inferno may refer to: * Hell, an afterlife place of suffering * Conflagration, a large uncontrolled fire Film * ''L'Inferno'', a 1911 Italian film * ''Inferno'' (1953 film), a film noir by Roy Ward Baker * ''Inferno'' (1980 film), an Italian ...

'' of

Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...

's ''

Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poetry, narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of ...

''. Alichino is a member of the Malebranche, whose mission is to guard Bolgia Five in the Eighth Circle, the

Malebolge In Dante Alighieri's '' Inferno'', part of the ''Divine Comedy'', Malebolge ( ; ; ) or Fraud is the eighth circle of Hell. It is a large, funnel-shaped cavern, itself divided into ten concentric circular trenches or ditches, each called a or 'd ...

. Alichino's name is commonly regarded as a garbled version of the Italian word for

harlequin Harlequin (, , ; , ) is the best-known of the comic servant characters (Zanni) from the Italian commedia dell'arte, associated with the city of Bergamo. The role is traditionally believed to have been introduced by the Italian actor-manager Zan ...

, ''Arlecchino'', perhaps for his flying attempt to catch Ciampolo of Navarre in his escape (see picture). His only significant contribution to the plot is when he persuades the other devils to leave Ciampolo of Navarre alone. Ciampolo is supposed to summon other sinners from the lake of boiling pitch (that don't dare to appear when the devils are near), on request by Dante (who wants to speak with them). But Ciampolo doesn't call at his friends. Instead, he fools the devils and escapes back to the lake, and Alichino tries in vain to catch him. This causes a fight between Alichino and Calcabrina, which causes them to fall into the lake. The other devils put the blame on

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Rome, ancient Roman poet of the Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan period. He composed three of the most fa ...

and

Dante Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...

, though and hunt them vexed. The following strophes depict when Ciampolo fools the devils: ''"If you desire either to see or hear,"''
''The terror-stricken recommenced thereon,''
''"Tuscans or Lombards, I will make them come.'' ''But let the Malebranche cease a little,''
''So that these may not their revenges fear,''
''And I, down sitting in this very place,'' ''For one that I am will make seven come,''
''When I shall whistle, as our custom is''
''To do whenever one of us comes out."'' ''Cagnazzo at these words his muzzle lifted,''
''Shaking his head, and said: "Just hear the trick''
''Which he has thought of, down to throw himself!"'' ''Whence he, who snares in great abundance had,''
''Responded: "I by far too cunning am,''
''When I procure for mine a greater sadness."'' ''Alichino held not in, but running counter''
''Unto the rest, said to him: "If thou dive,''
''I will not follow thee upon the gallop,'' ''But I will beat my wings above the pitch;''
''The height be left, and be the bank a shield''
''To see if thou alone dost countervail us."'' ''O thou who readest, thou shalt hear new sport!''
''Each to the other side his eyes averted;''
''He first, who most reluctant was to do it.'' ''The Navarrese selected well his time;''
''Planted his feet on land, and in a moment''
''Leaped, and released himself from their design.'' ''Whereat each one was suddenly stung with shame,''
''But he most who was cause of the defeat;''
''Therefore, he moved, and cried: "Thou art o'ertakern."'' ''But little it availed, for wings could not''
''Outstrip the fear; the other one went under,''
''And, flying, upward he his breast directed;''

References

External links

* Read everything about Alichino and Malebranche in ''Divine Comedy'' at Wikisource, canto XXII and XXIII {{Divine Comedy navbox Demons in the Divine Comedy Male literary villains Harlequin ja:アリキーノ