| DIS:
Dis is the Roman equibalent of the Greek god HADES< the lord of the
underworld. The land of Dis has been called "the eternal house" and
death "eternal sleep," although the Romans clearly believe that the soul
lives on after death. Ancient tombs and MEMORIALS have been found
bearing the inscription NF F NS NC, or "non fui fui non sum non curo,"
meaning "I was not, I was, I am not, I care not." This indicates that
souls in the kingdom of Dis are pale shadows of themselves, oblivious to
their former existence on earth.
The concept of Dis as a place of sorrow
and agony for the dead was eventually incorporated into Greek myth as well.
Dis became a realm in the land of Hades. It is reserved for those who
are unworthy of paradise but not evil enough to be banished to TARTARUS, a
pit of torture for the wicked.
Dis also appears in Dante's DIVINE
COMEDY: THE INFERNO, as the walled city in the depths of hell where some
of the worst sinners are tortured, and in Virgil's AENEID as a prison
for the dead. (o)
Resource List - all entries are taken verbatim from the
original source:
(o) "The Encyclopedia of Hell."
Miriam Van Scott. St. Martin's Press. ©1998
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