Commentary Inf XIII 94-102

Responding to the first of Virgil's two questions on Dante's behalf (the nature of the punishment accorded the suicides), Pier describes the process by which a suicidal soul is turned, not into an airy resemblance of its former human self, but into a thing, a thornbush tortured by Harpies (which probably represent the despair that led it to self-destruction in the first place). The commentary of Durling and Martinez (Durl.1996.1) suggests that the imprisoned Pier stands in polar relation to the similarly imprisoned Boethius, who reacted with fortitude and philosophic calm in the face of the injustice of his emperor.