Dante's Inferno, Canto 14

We're now at Canto 14, the first of three cantos describing those who are Violent against God, nature, and art - a place of flames of fire descending above, onto a vast plain of sand, which is catching fire from the flames coming down. We focus in on one huge man, stretched out on the ground, defying God, proclaiming that these flames aren't hurting him: "You can't make me cry!" What's going on here? Come along and explore this with us.