Neha Agarwal
Neha Agarwal asked Dan Brown:

Hi. Your book Inferno inspired me to read The Divine Comedy by Dante. In the 9th circle of Hell (Treachery), the sinners and Satan are encapsulated in ice. In your opinion, why has Dante chosen ice rather than fire for the punishment of ultimate sin?

Dan Brown That’s an excellent question. Maybe Dante chose ice because fire is a consuming force, and therefore we perceive it as a finite torture (that is, we imagine we will eventually disintegrate). On the other hand, ice is a preservative force, and we perceive it as a never-ending torture. This is just a guess, and I’m open to hearing other theories if anyone has any.
Dan Brown
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