Air Quote by Dante Alighieri
“There are souls beneath that water. Fixed in slimethey speak their piece, end it, and start again:'Sullen were we in the air made sweet by the Sun;in the glory of his shining our hearts poureda bitter smoke. Sullen were we begun;sullen we lie forever in this ditch.'This litany they gargle in their throatsas if they sand, but lacked the words and pitch.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Divine Comedy (Inferno) by Dante Alighieri, 1320
The verses describe souls trapped in a fluid realm, endlessly repeating their lament, reflecting on human suffering and the cyclical nature of despair.
In simple terms: Souls trapped in water repeat their sorrow.
Key Takeaway
Recognize cycles of suffering and seek release.
Themes
suffering
repetition
spirituality
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- grief counseling
- spiritual meditation
- creative writing
- theological study
Key Concepts
afterlife
existential angst
redemption
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you break repetitive cycles of sorrow?
- What does water symbolize in your struggles?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may obscure concrete solutions to real pain.
![“What would it mean in practice to eliminate all the 'negative people' from one's life [as demanded by motivational speaker J.P. Maroney]? It might be a good idea to separate from a chronically carping spouse, but it is not so easy to abandon the whiny toddler, the colicky infant, or the sullen…” quote by Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/187/barbara-ehrenreich-1204_abandon_what-would-it-mean-in-practice-to-elimin_140275.jpg)
![“Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs [Less Developed Countries]?... I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that... I’ve always…” quote by Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac4/lawrence-summers-16940_air_just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-wo_4703.jpg)
![“[A]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air. And be careful what you swallow.” quote by Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/da8/dr-seuss-1224_advice_a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-f_6806.jpg)