The epic progresses as Dante continues to weep and feel pity for the souls in the 4th circle admonished for their greed. Dante, upon witnessing the torture of these souls feels physical pain out of empathy, "And I, who felt my heart almost pierced through…" Dante even deigns to make a moral judgement about the tortures of hell and God's ability to serve justice, "Justice of God! Who has amassed as many strange tortures as I have seen?" This questioning of God's will and judgement shows more clearly than anything the tremendous journey Dante will have to endure to be brought to God. Yet, while Dante is steadfastly sticking with his empathy, Virgil begins to condemn the sinners more overtly calling them "filthy," "ill-giving," and "ill-keeping."
