Answer: E) Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him.
Personification refers to the practice of giving human qualities and traits to inanimate objects or phenomena. It is a very common literary device. In this example, "death" is given human qualities, such as being a dignitary who receives manifestations of respect.
I believe Dante’s universe is orderly in a way that punishment for sins corresponds to the actual sinful act. What these sinners did to other in life,they expected themselves in death. Hope this helps