Jacques-Louis David, The Sabines, 1799

Now let us pass - for Heaven also decrees that I should show another this savage road.
The demon's pride let loose his hook , which fell down at his feet,
 and said: "now no one strike him
- Inferno, Dante, Canto XXI

David's work portrays a great battle between the Romans and Sabines. During the night the Romans infiltrate the Sabine kingdom, abducting their daughters. To avenge the loss, the Sabine people declared war with Rome. Daughter of the Roman leader Romulus and married to the Sabine leader Tatiuos, Hersilia stands arms erect. The purity of her fragile white figure with her two daughters beneath her beg for this cruelty to cease. Taking from Hersilia's valor, the other mothers follow, pleading with each side to release their arms and deny any further bloodshed.

Amidst the total chaos of hell demons rage and threaten Dante and Virgil obstructing their passage into the netherworld. Dante, prodded by the demons forks, finds refuge beneath an outcropping, a brief respite from the anarchy of Hades. Virgil calls for the leader of this band of demons, Malacoda steps forth. Dropping his fork, Malacoda prohibits the torture of the men. And the pair decends further.