Michael Gerstl
Geryon – Dante’s Divine Comedy:
Artistic and literary depictions of Geryon date back to the late Middle Ages, often drawing inspiration from ancient sources. A notable transformation occurs in Dante’s Inferno, part of his Divine Comedy. Geryon acts as a guardian and mount at the boundary between the seventh and eighth circles of Hell, which is the circle of fraud. He represents three forms: that of a human, a serpent-like being, and a lion-like predator, all featuring the face of a just and kind man. Additionally, he has a scorpion-like, venomous sting.