Written over the gate here are the words 'Leave every hope behind, ye who enter.' Only think what a relief that is! For what is hope? A form of moral responsibility. Here there is no hope, and consequently no duty, no work, nothing to be gained by praying, nothing to be lost by doing what you like. Hell, in short is a place where you have nothing to do but amuse yourself.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the idea that entering the depicted place, presumably hell, means leaving all hope behind. It challenges the conventional notion of hope as a moral obligation and suggests that in this realm, hope is absent and therefore one is free from duties, work, or any consequences of their actions. It portrays hell as a place where individuals can solely focus on self-indulgence and amusement, implying a sense of liberation from moral responsibility and the prospect of personal gain or loss.

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