Barbariccia is one of the demon

Demon

call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...

s in the Inferno

Inferno (Dante)

Inferno is the first part of Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. It is followed by Purgatorio and Paradiso. It is an allegory telling of the journey of Dante through what is largely the medieval concept of Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. In the poem, Hell is depicted as...

of Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri

Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...

's Divine Comedy. Barbariccia is member of the Malebranche

Malebranche (Divine Comedy)

The Malebranche are the demons in the Inferno of Dante's Divine Comedy who guard Bolgia Five of the Eighth Circle . They figure in Cantos XXI, XXII, and XXIII...

, whose mission is to guard Bolgia Five in the Eighth Circle, the Malebolge

Malebolge

In Dante Alighieri's Inferno, part of the Divine Comedy, Malebolge is the eighth circle of Hell. Roughly translated from Italian, Malebolge means "evil ditches". Malebolge is a large, funnel-shaped cavern, itself divided into ten concentric circular trenches or ditches. Each trench is called a bolgia...

. Barbariccia's name means "curly beard" in Italian (from barba=beard, and riccia=curly). It is possible that Dante also alludes to a historical person. Barbariccia seems to be the most important devil after Malacoda

Malacoda

Malacoda is a character in Dante Alighieri's Inferno, part of the Divine Comedy. He is the leader of the Malebranche, the nine demons who guard Bolgia Five of Malebolge, the eighth circle of Hell. The name Malacoda is roughly equivalent to "bad tail" or "evil tail" in Italian...

 as he becomes the "provost" of nine other devils, when Malacoda commands them to escort Dante

DANTE

Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...

 and Virgil

Virgil

Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...

, which can be read out of the following text (the speaker is Malacoda):

"I send in that direction some of mine

To see if any one doth air himself;

Go ye with them; for they will not be vicious.

Step forward, Alichino and Calcabrina,"

Began he to cry out, "and thou, Cagnazzo;

And Barbariccia, do thou guide the ten.

Come forward, Libicocco and Draghignazzo,

And tusked Ciriatto and Graffiacane,

And Farfarello and mad Rubicante;

Search ye all round about the boiling pitch;

Let these be safe as far as the next crag,

That all unbroken passes o'er the dens." (Inferno, Canto XXI, Line 115-126)

Barbariccia seems also to have a specificity among the other nine devils, according to:

Thus sometimes, to alleviate his pain,

One of the sinners would display his back,

And in less time conceal it than it lightens.

As on the brink of water in a ditch

The frogs stand only with their muzzles out,

So that they hide their feet and other bulk,

So upon every side the sinners stood;

But ever as Barbariccia near them came,

Thus underneath the boiling they withdrew. (Inferno, Canto XXII, Line 22-30)

He is also the most serious and dutiful of the devils, since he allows Danta and Virgil to speak to the sinner (Bonturo Dati

Bonturo Dati

Bonturo Dati was an early 14th century leader of the liberals in Lucca. He expelled his political enemies in 1308, gaining control of the government of the city. Boasting that he would put an end to barratry, ironically he became famous for his venality...

) that Graffiacane caught, and order the devils to save Alichino

Alichino (devil)

Alichino is one of the devils in the Inferno of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. Alichino is member of the Malebranche, whose mission is to guard Bolgia Five in the Eighth Circle, the Malebolge. Alichino's name is commonly regarded as a garbled version of the Italian word for harlequin, Arlecchino,...

 and Calcabrina when they fall into the lake of boiling pitch:
And Ciriatto, from whose mouth projected,

On either side, a tusk, as in a boar,

Caused him to feel how one of them could rip.

Among malicious cats the mouse (the sinner) had come;

But Barbariccia clasped him in his arms,

And said: "Stand ye aside, while I enfork him."

And to my Master he turned round his head;

"Ask him again," he said, "if more thou wish

To know from him, before some one destroy him." (Inferno, Canto XXII, Line 55-63)


But sooth the other was a doughty sparhawk

To clapperclaw him well; and both of them

Fell in the middle of the boiling pond.

A sudden intercessor was the heat;

But ne'ertheless of rising there was naught,

To such degree they had their wings belimed.

Lamenting with the others, Barbariccia

Made four of them fly to the other side

With all their gaffs, and very speedily

This side and that they to their posts descended;

They stretched their hooks towards the pitch-ensnared,

Who were already baked within the crust,

And in this manner busied did we leave them. (Inferno, Canto XXII, Line 139-151)