Dante's Inferno

The Divine Comedy is divded into three sections:
"Inferno" (Hell)
"Purgatorio" (Purgatory)
"Paradiso" (Paradise, or Heaven)

The poetic story goes explains in depth Dante's journey into Hell. The detail taken into account is impressive. Even Dante's basics were related to the Bible: his age, his life choices, his death choices and even the manner in which he exists.

"Inferno" defines Hell as being divided into nine layers.
Before entering the ninth layer, there is a layer of "opportunists," or outcasts. These are those who did neither good now bad in their lives. References of specific people who have died exist throughout the text. In this outcast layer Dante refers to either Pope Celestine V or Pontius Pilot. I have read interpretations of both, but I have read more stating that he was referring to Pontius Pilot. Interpretation depends on perception.

The first true layer of Hell is where unbaptized babies and those who refused to accept Christ, but were good throughout their lives. No form of punishment occurs in this layer, only the separation from God and the hope for redemption. Dante speaks to people in each layer. Among those to whom he speaks in the first layer are Socrates and Aristotle: two famous philosophers. I found this very interesting.

The second layer of Hell contains those overtaken by lust. The second layer is the first layer where punishment is effected. It is filled with violent storms that never allow those within the layer to rest or sleep. The storm symbolizes the way in which lust has the ability to pull us in the wrong directions.

The third layer of Hell contains the glutens. They lie in a thick layer of sludge, symbolizing the waste that was these glutons' lives.

The fourth layer of Hell contains those whose lives were controlled by material goods. They are split into two groups: those who were greedy with their possessions and those who wasted them. The two groups are damned to an eternity of labor. One group pushes a giant weight against the other, and vise-versa.

The fifth layer of Hell contains those both those who lived their lives with wrath, and the sloth. They reside in the River Styx where the wrathful remain over the water, constantly battling each other; the sloth lie immobilized at the bottom of the river.

The sixth layer of Hell is possibly my favorite, containing the Heretics, trapped in flaming caskets. For the definition of Heretics, read my older post "An Elaboration of Heresy's Relation to Corporatism."

The seventh layer of Hell is divided into three rings. The first ring contains the violent. This is violence against people and property. They are dipped in boiling blood, and those who attempt escape are shot with flaming arrows.
The second ring contains those who committed suicide. They exist as bushes and trees covered in thorns. They are constantly attacked by wild dogs and by a mythical greek demon. They are the only dead that will not be bodily resurrected after they are judged. Their resurrection as trees reveals irony. They died to evade pain, they experience pain in death.
The third and final ring contains those who were violent against religion and God, against God's nature, and against God's order. They all reside in the desert of flaming sand, where flaming rain falls from the sky. They are split into three groups depending on the violence committed.

The eighth layer of Hell is very complex. It consists of those who lived fraudulant lives, they live in death with ditches of stone, and are separated into specific groups (with elaboration that is not necessary for this summary):
-"Pimps" and seducers
-Flatterers
-Various forms of traffickers
-"Sorcerors" (psychics, palm readers, etc.) and false prophets
-Corrupt Politicians
-Hypocrites
-Theives
-Fraudulent Advisors
-Unclear to me, but does hold Muhhamed
-Alcheimists, impersonators, counterfitters and perjurers

The ninth and final layer is also complex and very interesting. Different groups are encased in ice in different manners.
-Traitors of friends
-Traitors to political entities
-Traitors to their guests
-Traitors of the Lord (This is where Judas presides)

I have also heard the interpretation that the final layer of Hell lies Satan, with Judas in one hand and either Hitler or Muhhamed in the other. He bites of their heads, excretes them, places them back on their body, and then repeats...endlessly. I quite like this interpretation.

You could find this information anywhere on the internet, or read the book yourself as it is a very easy read. I thought it necessary to share it though as it poses interesting questions.
What if a sinner commits more than one of these sins?
In my opinion, they are split into each layer, but remain full, as to fully experience full punishment from each layer. I've also considered the possibility that they are simply put in the layer for the worst of all their sins.
There are other questions which i have opinionated answers for, but it leaves me with one final skepticism.

Between all of these, nobody can make it to paradise. I have not yet read "Paradiso" or "Purgatorio," but based on the information from "Inferno," we are all damned.