Best Mallon Khan Podcasts (2025)

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Inferno: Canto 26 - The False Flames 26:10

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2M ago26:10

26:10

In this canto, Dante and Virgil climb out of the pit of the thieves and approach the eighth ditch of the 8th circle of the Inferno, where fire itself becomes the instrument of punishment. Here, Dante will behold flickering tongues of flame that speak without mouths — and one mysterious double flame that burns unlike the others. What it reveals offe…

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Inferno: Canto 25 - The Transforming Thieves 24:42

1+ y ago24:42

24:42

In this canto, Dante and Virgil continue to observe the thieves that reside in the seventh ditch of the 8th circle of the inferno, aka The Malebolge. Virgil will tell him about us about the raging centaur that terrorizes the inhabitants here and Dante will witness a couple of grotesque transformations.…

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Inferno: Canto 24 - The Den of Snakes 17:31

3+ y ago17:31

17:31

In this canto, Dante and Virgil finally make it out of the sixth subring of the 8th circle. As they cross the next bolgia, a disgruntled voice draws them down to take a closer look. They discover the seventh subring is full of snakes and thieves. Our travelers speak with one of these thieves, a political opponent of Dante's, who tells them about hi…

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Inferno: Canto 23 - The Heavy Hypocrites 21:52

4y ago21:52

21:52

In this canto our travelers venture into the sixth bolgia of the 8th circle and walk with a procession of miserable monks who've been forced to wear heavy cloaks. We'll meet two of these sad hypocrites and learn why some of them have been crucified to the ground.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 22 - The Bargaining Barrators 16:10

4y ago16:10

16:10

In this canto, our travelers are joined by the Malebranche who may be leading them into a trap. The demonic escorts also catch an escaped barrator who identifies a few others sinners that bartered for a positions of power and are now submerged under the boiling black pitch. The barrator then tries to trick the demons with a bargain that sounds too …

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Inferno: Canto 21 - The Malebranche 24:05

4y ago24:05

24:05

In this canto, our travelers meet the Malebranche; winged demons that patrol the 5th bolgia of the Circle of Fraud. We'll also learn about the sinners here and what the sin of barratry has to with sailing ships.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 20 - The Seditious Soothsayers 31:17

4+ y ago31:17

31:17

In this canto, Virgil and the pilgrim examine the fourth ditch of the 8th circle and the group of sinners who abused the gift of prophecy. We'll learn about a few ancient prophets and Dante will have Virgil make a correction to his own work.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 19 - The Sycophantic Simonists 34:14

5y ago34:14

34:14

In this canto, Dante and Virgil explore the 3rd valley of the Malebolge. We'll learn about the sin of Simony and meet a former Pope who has been buried upside down for twenty years. Dante also finds a way to insult one of his greatest political enemies.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 18 - The Belly Of Hell 22:17

5y ago22:17

22:17

In this episode, Dante and Virgil begin exploring the 8th circle of the Inferno: The Malebolge. The pilgrim will describe the structure of this part of hell and meet two different kinds of sinners. We'll also learn how the sinners in this part of the Inferno use fraud to exploit the sins of others.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 17 - The Beast of Fraud 21:56

5y ago21:56

21:56

In this canto, Dante and Virgil encounter Geryon, the beast of fraud and the pilgrim will meet the last group of violent sinners, those who make money from money.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 16 - The Three Shades 26:44

5+ y ago26:44

26:44

In this canto, our travelers meet a trio of Florentine politicians who want to know about the current state of nobility in Florence. They also encounter a waterfall at the very edge of the 7th ring where Dante will be asked to give up something of his.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 15 - The Uncivil Servants 25:32

6y ago25:32

25:32

In this canto, Dante meets the man who taught him how to speak and write-- a politician and fellow exile who has one last lesson for the pilgrim. We'll also learn about the group of sinners punished in this sub-circle-- those who were violent against nature and order.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 14 - The Burning Blasphemers 16:51

6y ago16:51

16:51

In this canto, Dante and Virgil continue across the middle ring of the 7th Circle of hell, where they encounter a giant warrior with a chip on his shoulder. Then Virgil teaches the pilgrim about the tragic source of all the rivers of the inferno.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 13 - The Forest of the Suicides 15:56

6+ y ago15:56

15:56

In this canto, Dante and his guide enter a dark forest of mangled trees. They speak with a damned soul who took his own life. He shares his sad story and the gruesome fate that awaits those who use violence against themselves.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 12 - The Bloody Tyrants 15:27

6+ y ago15:27

15:27

In this canto, Dante and his guide will be confronted by "The Infamy of Crete" and the leader of thousands of centaurs guards threatens to shoot an arrow at the pilgrim. We'll learn about the ancient philosophy of love and hate and see which famous tyrants ended up in a boiling river of blood.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 11 - The Shape of Hell 15:38

7y ago15:38

15:38

In this canto, the pilgrim and his guide are forced to take a short break. Virgil uses the opportunity to describe the architecture of lower hell and explain why the act of making money from money is considered violence against nature.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 10 - The Soulless Nobles 19:21

7+ y ago19:21

19:21

In this canto our duo walk among the tombs of the city of the dead where they meet two once feuding aristocrats who must now share a grave for eternity. We'll learn about the noble Epicureans and their views on the immortal soul and get further insight into the poet's view of the past , present, and future of the civil war in his homeland of Floren…

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Inferno: Canto 9 - The Faithless Furies 12:13

7+ y ago12:13

12:13

In this canto, while Dante and Virgil wait for help to get them into the City of Dis, the pilgrim is threatened by blood-covered Furies. Then a visitor shows up and sends all the damned running in fear.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 8 - The River of Wrath 13:08

7+ y ago13:08

13:08

In this canto, Dante and Virgil travel through the Stygian marsh where they meet another demon ferryman and another damned Florentine citizen. Then when they reach the gates of Dis, the pilgrim is told he must turn back and this time even Virgil's won't be able to save him.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 7 - The Fools of Fortune 12:27

8y ago12:27

12:27

In this canto, the pilgrim and his guide encounter the demon Plutus, god of wealth in the Forth Circle. Here they observe the plight of the Avaricious and Prodigal, those who lust hoard or waste wealth. We'll learn a bit about the nature of fortune before entering the fifth circle, where the angry and sullen reside.…

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Inferno: Canto 6 - The Gluttonous Hog 15:24

8y ago15:24

15:24

In this canto, the pilgrim and his guide enter the Circle of the Gluttons and encounter the hound of hell. We meet another former Florentine citizen nicknamed "Hog" and delve deeper into the poet's views on the civil war in his home town.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 5 - The Birds of Lust 16:13

8+ y ago16:13

16:13

The pilgrim enters the second circle and encounters Minos, judge of the dead. We'll learn about his people the once mythical Minoans. Then the pilgrim learns about two ill-fated lovers and their sin of lust.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 4 - The Virtuous Pagans 15:36

8+ y ago15:36

15:36

The pilgrim walks through the first circle of the Inferno; Limbo. We'll get to know Dante's favorite heroes and great thinkers and learn why the poet thinks they belong in Hell.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 3 - The Neutral Angels 15:43

8+ y ago15:43

15:43

In this episode the pilgrim reaches the gate of Hell. We'll identify the different entrances to the underworld and learn what the poet thinks of those who remain neutral.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 2 - The Ladies of Mercy 24:34

8+ y ago24:34

24:34

In this episode, the pilgrim has second thoughts about his journey into the underworld. We'll learn about Beatrice, the woman who inspired the poet to start a new life.By Mallon Khan

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Inferno: Canto 1 - The Beasts of Florence 15:26

9y ago15:26

15:26

In this debut episode of Dante's History, we'll learn a bit about the author Dante Alighieri and his epic poem The Divine Comedy. Then we jump straight into the Inferno Canto 1. The pilgrim is terrorized by three savage beasts and the poet is confronted by three foes of his own.By Mallon Khan