The ninth and final circle
Holds the frozen lake Cocytus
Jagged spikes of ice protrude
Amidst the sleek and glacial climate
Many heads sprout from the surface
Of the glass-like, frigid lake
Each sinner is his own island
Fully encased, with no escape
The four concentric rings
House betrayals of different kinds
The outermost of which is Caina
The round for betrayals of family ties
Its namesake is Cain, first murderer
Who slayed his closest kin
Those put here allowed to bow their heads
Against the freezing wind
The next round Antenora
Where not one can bend their necks
After that comes Ptolomaea
Wherein lay traitors to their guests
Flat on their backs they lie supine
While their very tears freeze in their eyes
Crystalized, they are denied even the small release
Of being allowed to cry
But none are more removed from pity
Than in the final ring, Judecca
Those most heinous souls infamous for
Slaying their lords and benefactors
Total silence, all bodies twisted
Fully suspended in the ice
And in its very center lies
Our dark prince, the Father of lies
Gigantic, wild and bestial
In the lake he lays waste deep
Six eyes, six wings, three heads
And in each mouth, twixt gnashing teeth
Brutus, Cassius, Judas
Forever chewed by Satan's maw
Full of hate, his beating wings
Ensuring that nothing will thaw
He weeps from all six eyes
Tears mixing with bloody froth
Stricken dumb and impotent
For pride he pays the highest cost