The Bishop (Dante's Inferno)

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Evil-doer
Full Name	Unknown
Alias	The Bishop Salesman of Salvation (by Lucifer)
Origin	Dante's Inferno
Occupation	Bishop
Powers / Skills	Religious oration Manipulation
Goals	To manipulate Dante Alighieri and the other crusaders into thinking they would be forgiven for their sins in exchange for their services in the Crusades within the Middle East (partially succeeded).
Crimes	Deception Treachery Bribery
Type of Villain	False Prophet

“	Mercenaries of Florentina! In payment for taking up the cross to reclaim the Holy Land, your immaculate Father hereby absolves you of ALL your sins!	„
	~ The Bishop to Dante Aligheri and the crusaders.

The Bishop is the overarching antagonist in the videogame Dante's Inferno. He is only seen during cutscenes.

He was voiced by Peter Egan, who also voiced Henselt in Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

History

The Bishop is the local "holy man" in the 12th century Italian town of Florentina (now known as Florence) who deceives Dante Aligheri and the other Crusaders into thinking they will be forgiven for all their sins for taking part in The Crusades. However, both Dante and Francesco immediately began to realize the Bishop's false promise of salvation after going to Hell and soon realize that their cause was by no means holy as he said it was. Lucifer also referred to the bishop as a "salesmen of salvation" alluding to the fact that he could not forgive sins.

In the videogame, the Bishop only appears in flashbacks, telling the crusaders that "in payment" to "reclaim the Holy Land", they are absolved of their sins. Though he doesn't appear in game, he is mentioned by Dante twice. When Death gives Dante "everlasting damnation" for sins, the latter responds that the Bishop absolved them. When in the circle Gluttony, Lucifer mocks Dante by believing the Bishop's words, calling him the "salesman of salvation".

In the comic by Diego Latorre, this Bishop also appears in the third pit of the Malebolgias, where Dante criticizes him for lying about the Crusade. The bishop, in a last-ditch effort to trick him, tells Dante that his superiors lied to him as well. Dante, going through his deception, then cuts him in a half with his Scythe.

Personality

The Bishop was the delusional and charismatic holy man who promised Dante, Francesco and the other Crusaders to absolve them for the sins they would commit in exchange for their services during the Crusades by believing anything holy. But later, the Bishop's true nature was revealed: He could not forgive the sins. Therefore, he was responsible for the damnation of the Crusaders as he had in fact controlled them.

Gallery

The Bishop declaring that God "absolves" the crusaders of their sins.

Trivia

• The Bishop is considered the Greater-Scope Villain of the entire story of Dante's Inferno as he brainwashed Dante and the other Crusaders into committing sins, with them ending up in damnation because of it.
• The Bishop shares some similarities to Ares from God of War series that shares many similarities to Dante's Inferno as they manipulated the protagonists into committing a mass murder, thus both are later killed by them as revenge.