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“I disregard all notions of the "soul". With the body goes all else, so why not live out one's terrestrial days in happiness? Oh, but for these Epicurean beliefs, I am deemed "heretic", and cast into the fire.” — Farinata Uberti

Farinata degli Uberti, also known simply as Farinata, was one of The Damned who Dante must punish or absolve for "The Damned" achievement/trophy. He was encountered in the circle of Heresy.

Description[]

"Tuscan Aristocrat and military leader who believed that the soul dies with the body, denying life after death. He was condemned as a Heretic for his beliefs."

Background[]

Farinata degli Uberti was a Florentine aristocrat and military leader, a member of the Ghibelline faction. He managed to defeat the Ghibelline archenemy, the Guelphs, and capture the city of Florence from them. However, he forbade the Ghibellines from destroying the city, even going so far as to offer to fight against his fellow Ghibellines to protect it. His ironic yet ardent loyalty to Florence protected the city from total destruction at the hands of the Ghibellines.

After the death of Farinata and his wife, their bodies were exhumed and tried for heresy by an Italian subset of the Inquisition (in these times, corpses could be dug up, charged and convicted of this crime). This inquisition claimed that Uberti denied the concept of life after death in following with the teachings of Epicurus, believing that the soul died with the body. As such, Uberti felt that life should be enjoyed and indulged himself in fine foods and drink. For this impiety, the couple's bodies were burned to ash.

Dialogue[]

"I scattered my enemies to the winds."

"All who opposed my party will be purged!"

"But i defended Florence, alone, when all agreed to make an end of her."

"Siena and Naples send us a paltry force to retake the city..."

"I put my city above mere factions and what becomes of my good name?"

"My family was excommunicated, our bodies exhumed and burned..."

"Human happiness is made only of temporal pleasures..."

"Good and delicate viands, the touch of warm flesh..."

"There is no such thing as an immortal soul..."

*Grabbed by Dante* "They call me Farinata the great hearted!"

*Grabbed by Dante* "Together we can end these vendettas."

"No, we can-" *Slain by Dante*

(Subtitles read "No, we can come to an agreement!")

*Absolved by Dante* "Delightful, so delightful..."

Trivia[]

  • In The Inferno, as Dante and Virgil make their way past the fiery tombs of Dis, Farinata degli Uberti rises from one of the open tombs. He and Dante then talk before Dante moves on to the seventh circle.
Farinata in the animated film.
  • Farinata also appeared in the animated epic as an eight foot deformed shade wreathed in flames. He told Dante that while the Damned could not see the present, they could foresee the future (which he also divulged to Dante in the poem). Farinata then mocked Dante, telling him that in his future Beatrice will be wed to Lucifer while he will be damned forever. Dante simply stabbed Farinata in the eye with his cross, causing the heretic to vanish in a fiery flash. Once he was gone, Dante remarked, "I never liked him."
  • In history, Farinata's daughter was married to the son of another damned soul, Cavalcante de Cavalcanti, who is also found in Hell in the circle of Heresy (the burning tombs of both men are placed side by side).
Condemned Souls
Pontius Pilate ·  Orpheus ·  Electra ·  Francesca da Polenta ·  Paolo Malatesta ·  Semiramis ·  Ciacco ·  Clodia
Tarpeia ·  Gessius Florus ·  Fulvia ·  Boudica ·  Hecuba ·  Filippo Argenti ·  Emperor Frederick II
Cavalcante de Cavalcanti ·  Farinata degli Uberti ·  Attila the Hun ·  Pietro della Vigna ·  Brunetto Latini
Guido Guerra ·  Thaïs ·  Tiresias ·  Myrrha ·  Fra Alberigo ·  Mordred ·  Count Ugolino
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