Calcabrina is one of the

demons A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including fiction, comics, film, t ...

featured in ''Inferno'', the first canticle 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 ...

''. Calcabrina's name is possibly meant to mean "grace-stomper" or "frost trampler."

In Dante's ''Divine Comedy''

Calcabrina is a member of the Malebranche, a group of demons whose mission is to guard the fifth bolgia of the eighth circle of hell, 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 ...

, where grafters are punished. He is one of the ten devils that escorts Dante and

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 ...

through Malebolge by orders of the leader of Malebranche, the demon

Malacoda Malacoda is a character in Dante Alighieri's ''Inferno'' (Cantos 21-2), where he features as the leader of the Malebranche, the twelve demons who guard Bolgia Five of Malebolge, the eighth circle of Hell. The name ''Malacoda'' is roughly equiva ...

. The most notable mention of Calcabrina is when Alichino, a fellow demon, falls for the escape plan attempted by Bonturo Dati, one of the grafters punished in the bolgia.Dante Alighieri, ''Inferno'' 22.133-141, trans. Robert M. Durling and Ronald L. Martinez: "Trample Frost, angered by the trick, was flying just behind him, hoping the soul would escape, eager to have a scrap; and when the barrator had disappeared, he turned his talons against his fellow, and grappled with him above the ditch." Calcabrina then decides to fly after the escaping sinner and ends up fighting with Alichino, who is also in pursuit, only for them to both fall into the boiling pitch.

References

{{Divine Comedy navbox Demons in the Divine Comedy Male literary villains