"The deepest zone of the ninth and final circle of Hell is called Judecca. Here Satan is painfully encased in an ice of his own, unwitting making. He has three faces, and in each his of three mouths he gnaws on one of history’s three great traitors. In his middle set of jaws, the most nefarious of these criminals is being endlessly chewed and devoured head-first: Judas, who betrayed Christ with a kiss.
“The name Judecca reflects the unfortunate but prevalent anti-Semitism of 13th century. Christian Europeans viewed Jews as the assassins of Christ, a view that led most European countries to restrict Jews to living in specific areas away from the Christian majority. “ (Stephen Holliday)
"The first line of this Cantos, “Vexilla regis prodeunt inferni," (The banners of the king of Hell draw closer), spoken by Virgil, references an oft-sung hymn from the 6th century. Here, the hymn is played in its entirety, double-tracked on the piano. The murmur that
