User:Kashmir2001/Belacqua

Dante recognizes Belacqua, his friend, by “His lazy movements and curt speech" which causes Dante to smile, offering a comedic moment during Dante’s arduous climb up the mountain of Purgatory.

Belacqua's introduction eases the friction between Virgil and Dante, the former of whom just before firmly dismisses Dante's desire for rest. His introduction also slows down the action in the canto as Dante pauses his ascent to move horizontally towards Belacqua.

Belacqua suffers from the vice of sloth, yet Dante shows notable compassion for him in this poem of morality. Furthermore, Belacqua's late "sighs of penance" demonstrate his sloth even in his salvation. However, it is argued that Belacqua surrenders to God's will in his refusal to ascend the mountain since he will not be accepted until he completes his time in Ante-Purgatory. In this respect, he does not indulge in sloth but undergoes a contrapasso for his inattention to God for the majority of his life. Virgil, however, seems unamused by Belacqua and urges Dante to move on, perhaps implying his disapproval of Belacqua's salvation particularly since Virgil himself is damned.

Belacqua's intepretation has evolved over the years, as earlier commentators interpreted his salvation as a sign of God's generosity while modern readers more often appreciate his wit and the irony of his presence.