Level 7.... Middle Ring. Suicides and Profligates.

Middle ring: In this ring are suicides and profligates (1). The suicides – the violent against self – are transformed into gnarled thorny bushes and trees and then fed upon by Harppy (2).
 The trees are a metaphor for the state of mind in which suicide is committed.    Dante learns that these suicides, unique among the dead, will not be corporally resurrected after the final judgement since they gave away their bodies through suicide; instead they will maintain their bushy form, with their own corpses hanging from the thorny limbs.

 The other residents of this ring are the profligates, who destroyed their lives by destroying the means by which life is sustained – i.e., money and property. They are perpetually chased and mauled by ferocious dogs. The destruction wrought upon the wood by the profligates' flight and punishment as they crash through the undergrowth causes further suffering to the suicides, who cannot move out of the way.

Oh, won't this be a pleasant place to spend some time.  Thorny bleeding trees being eaten by shrieking woman/bird creatures  and ferocious dogs.  I am sure if this was well known to the general population they would avoid both.  I bet those guys on Wall Street are a bit worried. 

Those of us in Cancer world feel like we have done our time in this ring of hell.  While we did not commit suicide, we feel we have given the lives of our children over to be saved and it sure feels like suicide.  We have lost control of their lives and have little or now way to know if we have done a bad thing or a good thing.  We let them be filled with poison and radiation that does very bad things for a very long time.

We feel battered by ferocious dogs that rip and tear at our very souls.  Every day you learn something new.  Something that rips your soul out and stomps on it a bit more. 

Let's see what was today's lesson.  Jaxon, a cute little 18 month old with downs will not have to worry about cancer anymore.  They tried just one last thing and it failed.  Twice this family has been told "No More".  But this time it is over. I was lucky enough to see his mom and give her a long hard, I am so so sorry Hug...  Nothing more to do.  Wishing Jaxon only rainbows..

Sometimes it is too hard to think about.  Level Seven, Middle Ring might be an okay place.



1. Profligates.... I know I am supposed to know these things... Wasteful, extravagent, spend thrift.....

2.Harpies:a foul malign creature in Greek mythology that is part woman and part bird. 2. a : a predatory person : leech. b : a shrewish woman.