Symbolism Of Dante's Inferno

When Dante and Virgil ventured further into the Seventh Circle, they walked into a forest scattered with darkly-colored trees that were covered in black leaves. This forest was where the Harpies – half human, half brute – lived. They had large wings, humanistic necks and faces, sharp feet, and stomachs covered in feathers (13.10-14). Curious about the other trees, Dante approached one and tore off a twig, where a steady stream of black blood oozed out and the trunk of the tree cried in agony. The tree told Dante and Virgil about how all of the trees surrounding them were once “men and now are arid stumps: your hand might well have shown us greater mercy had we been nothing more than souls of serpents” (13.37-39). Apologizing for being inconsiderate