List of Cultural References in Divine Comedy - J

J

  • Jacopo da Santo Andrea: Notorious spendthrift from Padua. He may have been executed by Ezzelino da Romano in 1239.
    • One of two spendthrifts (the other called "Lano" is probably Arcolano of Siena) whose punishment consists of being hunted by female hounds. Inf. XIII, 115–129.
  • Jason: Greek mythological hero who led the Argonauts to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece.
    • Found among the Seducers, for his seduction and abandonment of Hypsipyle and Medea. Inf. XVIII, 83–99.
    • The Argonauts' voyage compared to a voyage into the mysteries of the heavens. Par. II, 16–18.
  • Jason: Brother of the High Priest of Israel Onias III, he succeeded his brother in c. 175 BCE. According to 2 Maccabees he obtained his office by bribing the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
    • Pope Clement V is compared to him. Inf. XIX, 85–87.
  • Jephthah: Judge in ancient Israel who made a careless vow to offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving for victory in battle and accidentally committed his daughter to that sacrifice. The story appears in Judges 11.
    • Beatrice cites Jephthah as an example of poor judgment. Par. IV, 64–68.
  • Jerusalem: Location of the Temple of Solomon and site of Jesus' crucifixion. Considered in the Middle Ages as the geographical center of the inhabited world.
    • Hell is located directly below Jerusalem. Inf. XXXIV, 112.
    • Purgatory is a mountain at the antipodes of Jerusalem. Inf. XXXIV, 118–126, Purg. IV, 67—71.
  • Jesus: Central figure of Christianity. According to Christian legend, in what is called the Harrowing of Hell, he descended into Hell after his death and rescued certain souls from Limbo.
    • Virgil describes witnessing his descent into Hell. Inf. IV, 52–63.
    • Took spoils from Dis in the Harrowing of Hell. Inf. XII, 38–39.
    • Unlike the souls being punished for simony, Jesus asked no gold from Saint Peter in exchange for his office. Inf. XIX, 90–93.
    • In his only appearance in the Comedy, he is seen in the form of a Griffin in the Pageant of the Church Triumphant. Purg. XXIX, 106–114.
  • Jocasta: Wife and mother of Oedipus, ancient king of Thebes. They had two sons, Polynices and Eteocles. Statius' Thebaid tells the story of the family conflict.
    • Mentioned as the subject of Statius' work. Purg. XXII, 55—57.
  • John the Baptist: The desert prophet, who baptised Jesus. He became the patron saint of Florence, displacing the Roman Mars, and his image was stamped on the cities gold coin, the florin.
    • In Florence, "the first patron gave way" to him. Inf. XIII, 143–144.
    • "The currency which bears" his seal. Inf. XXX, 74.
    • A voice in Purgatory on the terrace of the gluttonous cites John as an example in Temperance. Purg. XXII, 151–154.
  • John the Evangelist: The name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John. He is also traditionally identified with John the Apostle and the author of the Book of Revelation.
    • Dante interprets a passage of John's Revelation (17:1–3) as a prophecy on the future corruption of the Roman Curia. Inf. XIX, 106–108.
    • John's vision (Rev. 4:6-11) of four beasts in the heavenly court draws from a vision of similar beasts by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:1-21). The beasts appear as allegories of the four Gospels in the Pageant of the Church Triumphant. Purg. XXIX, 103–105.
  • Jordan: River on the border of Israel.
    • Crossed by ancient Israelites led by Joshua after an older, less eager generation had died off. Mentioned as a lesson in sloth. Purg. XVIII, 133–135.
  • Jove: See Zeus.
  • Jubilee: The first Jubilee of the Roman Catholic church took place in 1300. Inf. XVIII, 28–33.
  • Judas Iscariot: Disciple who betrayed Jesus.
    • Virgil's visit to "Judas' circle". Inf. IX, 25–27.
    • "The transgressing soul" replaced by Saint Matthias. Inf. XIX 94–96.
    • Along with Brutus and Cassius, one of the three betrayer/suicides who, for those sins, were eternally chewed by one of the three mouths of Satan. Inf. XXXIV, 53–67
  • Julia : Daughter of Julius Caesar and wife of Pompey.
    • Encountered by Dante in Limbo. Inf. IV, 128.
  • Julius Caesar (100–44 BCE): The celebrated Roman dictator and military commander.
    • Virgil's remembers him (erroneously) as ruler of Rome at his birth. Inf. I, 70.
    • Souls in the terrace of sloth cite his campaigns in France and Spain as an inspiring example of energy. Purg. XVIII, 101.
    • His sexual relations with Bithynian King Nicomedes mentioned on the terrace of the lustful. Purg. XXVI, 77. (See Suetonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Julius Caesar, 49.)
    • His unlawful entry into Rome cited as the beginning of the Roman Empire which ultimately brought an imperial peace to the world. Par. VI, 55-87.
  • Juno: See Hera.
  • Justinian: Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus, an emperor of Byzantium, known as "the last Roman emperor". A saintly man respected for his law reforms.
    • His "mending bridle". Purg. VI, 88–93.
    • Encountered in the Second Sphere: Mercury, as an unnamed "holy form within his rays". Par. V, 115–139.
    • His discourse on the history of Rome. Par. VI, 1—111.
    • His description of the souls in Mercury. Par. VI, 112—42.
  • Juvenal: Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis, Roman poet of the 1st and 2nd centuries C.E.
    • On arrival in Limbo, he informed Virgil about Statius' poetic accomplishments. Purg. XXII, 13–15.

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