#cocycus

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As a child, I have always imagined where I would be heading after death. Heaven or Hell? That was the question. Now that I am dead, I couldn’t have predicted that I would be going straight to the 9th circle of hell. This pit of hell contains the traitors of family, country, guests, and lords. I have no idea why I am here.

Feeling the chill of the lake, the phrase “When Hell Freezes Over” comes to mind. Turns out the darkest pits of hell is covered in ice, not fire.

Arriving at the 9th circle of hell was surreal. I was expecting blistering fires and lakes lava. What I saw was a frozen lake, Cocytus, with dead bodies scattered through it.

I noticed that this pit was actually divided into four rings. Caina, Antenora, Ptolomea, and Judecca. These rings is named after the individual that personifies the sin.

Caina is named after Cain, who represents treachery against family. The dead in this round are frozen up to their necks. Antenora is named after Anthenor of Troy, who represents traitors to the country. Ptolomea is named afer Ptolomy, who represents treachery to guests. Last but not the least is Judecca which is named after Judas Iscariot, who embodies treachery to his Lord.

The ninth circle of hell is guarded by classical and biblical giants, who symbolizes arrogance and spiritual faults behind acts of treachery. They attempt to punish the dead by freezing their breaths.

The lake is also known to contain Lucifer. Cocytus is actually made from the tears of Satan, frozen by the flapping of his wings. Satan is portrayed to be buried waist-high in ice He is described to have three different faces. The central mouth gnaws Judas. Brutus and Cassius are both chewed feet foremost with their heads protruding.

Scary as it sounds, Cocytus is not that bad. It is actually like an air-conditioned room for the evil.