The Fourth Circle of Hell

Avarice and Prodigality

It's okay if you don't know what that means. I had to look it up myself. Get ready to take notes. Go ahead, grab a pen, I'll wait. Like lust and gluttony, avarice is a sin of excess. It refers to people who hoarded possessions during their life. Additionally, the prodigal are people who squandered possessions and were recklessly wasteful. Okay, the lecture is concluded, moving on.

To their credit, the people in the fourth circle of Hell try to make life interesting. The avaricious and prodigal joust with huge money bags. Is that not awesome? If you've ever been to a renaissance faire or seen A Knight's Tale, you know how epic jousting can be. Just imagine Heath Ledger pushing an enormous bag of gold coins towards his opponent with "We Will Rock You" playing in the background. Now that would make a good screenplay. He may even be in the fourth circle doing that as we speak, meaning, he wouldn't even need to learn the part. I would see that movie.

"Greed will imprison us all." - Steven Reign

The word greed is synonymous with the board game Monopoly. According to the Associated Press, the Parker Brothers are responsible for the dramatic rise in divorce over the last half century. Outside of destroying families, Monopoly also teaches us to exploit resources and to crave power; traits often seen in big business today, and therefore, governments. Think big picture, think oil, think capitalism. The American Dream: The Real Game of Life. Simply put, if you play Monopoly, you're going to Hell.

The lesson here is that we shouldn't take solace in material goods and wealth. I know, it's not what you wanted to hear. Tell ya what, I like you, so I'll sacrifice myself for your well-being. In order for you to avoid this fate, I will take your possessions for safe keeping, in my safe. Money, valuables, everything. For your sake, I will do you this favor.

Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, consider this a gift.

Stay close, the people in the next circle are easily provoked.