In keeping with the theme of Divine Retribution that runs throughout Inferno, the sinners in the ninth chasm, the Sowers of Discord, are brutally split and mutilated, just as they split and mutilated aspects of religion, politics, or kinsmen. Each sinner is punished according to degree of sin, as well as suffering punishment specifically geared toward their particular sin. For example, Curio’s tongue is cut out because his sin was false advice, and Bertrand de Born has his head cut off because he caused a rift between father and son.
Dante obviously sees Mahomet as one of the chief sinners responsible for the division between Christianity and Islam. Dante blames Mahomet’s successor, Ali, as well. Dante describes these two shades as being split in two, just as he feels they split the church. The next three sinners sowed political discord and are punished appropriately, especially Mosca, who has both of his arms hacked off. Mosca advised the death of a man who had broken an engagement (which was a good as a marriage vow in Dante’s time). The death of the man resulted in the beginning of a long feud between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines of Florence, tearing the city asunder. This feud ultimately resulted in a great political schism that resulted in Dante’s exile, so it is no wonder that Dante treats this spirit so brutally. Finally, Bertrand de Born, the man whose head was removed, caused a rift between family members.
Ironically, Dante is less brutal and grotesque in his language when describing Bertrand de Born, even though he is in the last category of sinners, closest to the center of Hell. Dante spares the gore that he uses to describe the previous sinners, especially that of Mahomet.
