The thieves: Vanni Fucci
Circle VIII (Malebolge), bolgia VII. The thieves run naked and terrified in the midst of horrifying snakes of all kinds, whose monstruosity is unknown on Earth. They tie their hands behind their backs, wrap with their coils around the bodies of the damned and then knot on their bellies while those undergo horrible transformations
"I rained from Tuscany
A short time since into this cruel gorge.A bestial life, and not a human, pleased me,
Even as the mule I was; I'm Vanni Fucci,
Beast, and Pistoia was my worthy den.
[...]
It pains me more that thou hast caught me
Amid this misery where thou seest me,
Than when I from the other life was taken.
What thou demandest I cannot deny;
So low am I put down because I robbed
The sacristy of the fair ornaments,
And falsely once 'twas laid upon another;
But that thou mayst not such a sight enjoy,
If thou shalt e'er be out of the dark places,
Thine ears to my announcement ope and hear:
Pistoia first of Neri groweth meagre;
Then Florence doth renew her men and manners;
Mars draws a vapour up from Val di Magra,
Which is with turbid clouds enveloped round,
And with impetuous and bitter tempest
Over Campo Picen shall be the battle;
When it shall suddenly rend the mist asunder,
So that each Bianco shall thereby be smitten.
And this I've said that it may give thee pain.
[...]
Take that, God, for at thee I aim them."
Inferno, XXIV 122- 126; 133-151; XXV 3
