The Divine Comedy: Inferno Cantos 21-22
6
Their punishment and how it's fitting for their crimes
The sinners having sticky hands in life, stealing and embezzling money now spend eternity in a sticky pitch. Just as their doings were hidden from the world in life their souls are hidden beneath the pitch and death. On Earth these sinners took every opportunity to take advantage of others and now they are taken advantage of by the demons.
Types of Sinners
There are thieves and manipulators.
Dante's Experience
Dante experiences fear of the demons and a new side of Virgil. As they get deeper into the circles Virgil becomes less tenderly toward Dante.
Fifth Chasm
Dante and Virgil are now in the fifth chasm. The fifth chasm is dark and filled with boiling pitch, which is compared to tar.
Summary
In this chasm sinners stay in boiling pitch. As their punishment the demons guarding the pitch pull out sinners and rip them to shreds. Before the demons can tear one sinner to shreds, Dante asks to hear the sinners story. The sinner tells that he worked for a king who was corrupt but stole from him. Which is why he is in this level of hell. Once done telling his story the demons return to what they were doing but the sinner makes a deal with them to avoid his punishment. Hesitantly the demons agree, but the sinner betrays them and escapes. The demons, now occupied with finding the sinner are distracted while Dante and Virgil are able to slip away unnoticed.