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La Divina Commedia #3
丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞 - 丕賱賮乇丿賵爻
Dorothy L. Sayers's landmark translation follows Dante's terza rima stanza's and brings his poetry vividly to life. Her work was completed after her death by Barbara Reynolds, who provides a foreword on the importance of the translation and an introduction on Dante's view of Heaven. This edition also includes a new foreword, updated further reading, notes, appendices, a glossary, diagrams and genealogical tables.
698 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1320
846 people are currently reading
24.9k people want to read
About the author
Dante Alighieri
3,774听books5,911听followersDante Alighieri, or simply Dante (May 14/June 13 1265 鈥� September 13/14, 1321), is one of the greatest poets in the Italian language; with the comic story-teller, Boccaccio, and the poet, Petrarch, he forms the classic trio of Italian authors. Dante Alighieri was born in the city-state Florence in 1265. He first saw the woman, or rather the child, who was to become the poetic love of his life when he was almost nine years old and she was some months younger. In fact, Beatrice married another man, Simone di' Bardi, and died when Dante was 25, so their relationship existed almost entirely in Dante's imagination, but she nonetheless plays an extremely important role in his poetry. Dante attributed all the heavenly virtues to her soul and imagined, in his masterpiece The Divine Comedy, that she was his guardian angel who alternately berated and encouraged him on his search for salvation.
Politics as well as love deeply influenced Dante's literary and emotional life. Renaissance Florence was a thriving, but not a peaceful city: different opposing factions continually struggled for dominance there. The Guelfs and the Ghibellines were the two major factions, and in fact that division was important in all of Italy and other countries as well. The Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor were political rivals for much of this time period, and in general the Guelfs were in favor of the Pope, while the Ghibellines supported Imperial power. By 1289 in the battle of Campaldino the Ghibellines largely disappeared from Florence. Peace, however, did not insue. Instead, the Guelf party divided between the Whites and the Blacks (Dante was a White Guelf). The Whites were more opposed to Papal power than the Blacks, and tended to favor the emperor, so in fact the preoccupations of the White Guelfs were much like those of the defeated Ghibellines. In this divisive atmosphere Dante rose to a position of leadership. in 1302, while he was in Rome on a diplomatic mission to the Pope, the Blacks in Florence seized power with the help of the French (and pro-Pope) Charles of Valois. The Blacks exiled Dante, confiscating his goods and condemning him to be burned if he should return to Florence.
Dante never returned to Florence. He wandered from city to city, depending on noble patrons there. Between 1302 and 1304 some attempts were made by the exiled Whites to retrieve their position in Florence, but none of these succeeded and Dante contented himself with hoping for the appearance of a new powerful Holy Roman Emperor who would unite the country and banish strife. Henry VII was elected Emperor in 1308, and indeed laid seige to Florence in 1312, but was defeated, and he died a year later, destroying Dante's hopes. Dante passed from court to court, writing passionate political and moral epistles and finishing his Divine Comedy, which contains the Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. He finally died in Ravenna in 1321.
Politics as well as love deeply influenced Dante's literary and emotional life. Renaissance Florence was a thriving, but not a peaceful city: different opposing factions continually struggled for dominance there. The Guelfs and the Ghibellines were the two major factions, and in fact that division was important in all of Italy and other countries as well. The Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor were political rivals for much of this time period, and in general the Guelfs were in favor of the Pope, while the Ghibellines supported Imperial power. By 1289 in the battle of Campaldino the Ghibellines largely disappeared from Florence. Peace, however, did not insue. Instead, the Guelf party divided between the Whites and the Blacks (Dante was a White Guelf). The Whites were more opposed to Papal power than the Blacks, and tended to favor the emperor, so in fact the preoccupations of the White Guelfs were much like those of the defeated Ghibellines. In this divisive atmosphere Dante rose to a position of leadership. in 1302, while he was in Rome on a diplomatic mission to the Pope, the Blacks in Florence seized power with the help of the French (and pro-Pope) Charles of Valois. The Blacks exiled Dante, confiscating his goods and condemning him to be burned if he should return to Florence.
Dante never returned to Florence. He wandered from city to city, depending on noble patrons there. Between 1302 and 1304 some attempts were made by the exiled Whites to retrieve their position in Florence, but none of these succeeded and Dante contented himself with hoping for the appearance of a new powerful Holy Roman Emperor who would unite the country and banish strife. Henry VII was elected Emperor in 1308, and indeed laid seige to Florence in 1312, but was defeated, and he died a year later, destroying Dante's hopes. Dante passed from court to court, writing passionate political and moral epistles and finishing his Divine Comedy, which contains the Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. He finally died in Ravenna in 1321.
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September 21, 2021
Paradiso = Paradise = Heaven (La Divina Commedia #3), Dante Alighieri
Paradiso is the third and final part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno and the Purgatorio.
It is an allegory telling of Dante's journey through Heaven, guided by Beatrice, who symbolizes theology.
In the poem, Paradise is depicted as a series of concentric spheres surrounding the Earth, consisting of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Fixed Stars, ... It was written in the early 14th century. Allegorically, the poem represents the soul's ascent to God.
The glory of Him who moveth everything
Doth penetrate the universe, and shine
In one part more and in another less.
Within that heaven which most his light receives
Was I, and things beheld which to repeat
Nor knows, nor can, who from above descends;
Because in drawing near to its desire
Our intellect ingulphs itself so far,
That after it the memory cannot go.
Truly whatever of the holy realm
I had the power to treasure in my mind
Shall now become the subject of my song.
O good Apollo, for this last emprise
Make of me such a vessel of thy power
As giving the beloved laurel asks!
One summit of Parnassus hitherto
Has been enough for me, but now with both
I needs must enter the arena left.
Enter into my bosom, thou, and breathe
As at the time when Marsyas thou didst draw
Out of the scabbard of those limbs of his.
O power divine, lend鈥檚t thou thyself to me
So that the shadow of the blessed realm
Stamped in my brain I can make manifest,
Thou鈥檒t see me come unto thy darling tree,
And crown myself thereafter with those leaves
Of which the theme and thou shall make me worthy.
So seldom, Father, do we gather them
For triumph or of Caesar or of Poet,
(The fault and shame of human inclinations,)
That the Peneian foliage should bring forth
Joy to the joyous Delphic deity,
When any one it makes to thirst for it.
A little spark is followed by great flame;
Perchance with better voices after me
Shall prayer be made that Cyrrha may respond!
To mortal men by passages diverse
Uprises the world鈥檚 lamp; but by that one
Which circles four uniteth with three crosses,
With better course and with a better star
Conjoined it issues, and the mundane wax
Tempers and stamps more after its own fashion.
Almost that passage had made morning there
And evening here, and there was wholly white
That hemisphere, and black the other part,
When Beatrice towards the left-hand side
I saw turned round, and gazing at the sun;
Never did eagle fasten so upon it!
And even as a second ray is wont
To issue from the first and reascend,
Like to a pilgrim who would fain return,
Thus of her action, through the eyes infused
In my imagination, mine I made,
And sunward fixed mine eyes beyond our wont.
There much is lawful which is here unlawful
Unto our powers, by virtue of the place
Made for the human species as its own.
Not long I bore it, nor so little while
But I beheld it sparkle round about
Like iron that comes molten from the fire;
And suddenly it seemed that day to day
Was added, as if He who has the power
Had with another sun the heaven adorned.
With eyes upon the everlasting wheels
Stood Beatrice all intent, and I, on her
Fixing my vision from above removed,
Such at her aspect inwardly became
As Glaucus, tasting of the herb that made him
Peer of the other gods beneath the sea.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 爻丕賱 1968賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 亘賴卮鬲貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丿丕賳鬲賴 丌賱蹖诏蹖乇蹖貨 亘乇诏乇丿丕賳: 卮噩丕毓 丕賱丿蹖賳 卮賮丕貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丕賲蹖乇讴亘蹖乇貙 1335貨 趩丕倬 丿蹖诏乇 1347貨 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 丕夭 爻賴 噩賱丿貨 趩丕倬 卮卮賲 1378貨 卮丕亘讴 噩賱丿 丿賵賲 9640003999貨 趩丕倬 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 蹖讴賲 1393貨 噩賱丿 賳禺爻鬲 丿賵夭禺貨 噩賱丿 丿賵賲 亘乇夭禺貨 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 亘賴卮鬲貨 鬲乇噩賲賴 丕夭 夭亘丕賳 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕卅蹖貨 賲賵囟賵毓 卮毓乇 卮丕毓乇丕賳 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕 - 爻丿賴 14賲
爻乇賵丿 丕賵賱 亘賴卮鬲: (噩賱丕賱 賽 丌賳 讴爻 讴賴 诏乇丿丕賳賳丿賴 蹖 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭 丕爻鬲貙 爻乇鬲丕爻乇 噩賴丕賳 丌賮乇蹖賳卮 乇丕 亘賴 賮乇賲丕賳 禺賵蹖卮 丿丕乇丿貨 賵賱蹖 丿乇 丕蹖賳噩丕 (丌爻賲丕賳) 亘蹖卮鬲乇貙 賵 丿乇 噩丕賴丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 讴賲鬲乇 賲鬲噩賱蹖 丕爻鬲貨 亘丿丕賳 丌爻賲丕賳蹖 乇賮鬲賲貙 讴賴 亘蹖卮 丕夭 賴乇 丌爻賲丕賳 丿诏乇 丕夭 賮乇賵睾 丕賵 亘賴乇賴 賲賳丿 丕爻鬲貙 賵 趩蹖夭賴丕蹖蹖 乇丕 丿蹖丿賲貙 讴賴 丌賳 讴爻 讴賴 丕夭 丌賳 亘丕賱丕 賮乇賵丿 丌賲丿賴 亘丕卮丿貙 賳賴 賲蹖丿丕賳丿 賵 賳賴 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳丿 亘丕夭 诏賮鬲貨 夭蹖乇丕 讴賴 丨爻 丕丿乇丕讴 賲丕貙 亘丕 賳夭丿蹖讴蹖 亘賴 賲丕蹖賴 蹖 丕卮鬲蹖丕賯 禺賵丿貙 趩賳丕賳 賲噩匕賵亘 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 讴賴 丨丕賮馗賴 蹖 賲丕 乇丕 蹖丕乇丕蹖 賴賲乇丕賴蹖 亘丕 丌賳 賳賲蹖賲丕賳丿貨 亘丕 丕蹖賳 賴賲賴貙 丌賳趩賴 乇丕 讴賴 丕夭 賯賱賲乇賵 賲賯丿爻 (亘賴卮鬲) 丿乇 诏賳噩蹖賳賴 蹖 丕賳丿蹖卮賴貙 噩丕蹖 鬲賵丕賳爻鬲賴 丕賲 丿丕丿貙 丕讴賳賵賳 賲丕蹖賴 蹖 丕蹖賳 爻乇賵丿 禺賵蹖卮 賲蹖讴賳賲貙 賵 亘丕夭卮 賲蹖诏賵蹖賲貨 丕蹖 芦丌倬賵賱賵蹖禄 賳蹖讴 賳賴丕丿貙 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 爻賴賲 丌禺乇蹖賳貙 賲乇丕 丌賳 丕賳丿丕夭賴貙 丕夭 賳亘賵睾 禺賵蹖卮 毓胤丕 讴賳貙 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 爻倬乇丿賳 鬲丕噩 丕賮鬲禺丕乇 賲丨亘賵亘 禺賵丿 亘賴 讴爻丕賳貙 丕夭 丌賳丕賳 胤賱亘 賲蹖讴賳蹖...)貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 05/12/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 29/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Paradiso is the third and final part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno and the Purgatorio.
It is an allegory telling of Dante's journey through Heaven, guided by Beatrice, who symbolizes theology.
In the poem, Paradise is depicted as a series of concentric spheres surrounding the Earth, consisting of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Fixed Stars, ... It was written in the early 14th century. Allegorically, the poem represents the soul's ascent to God.
The glory of Him who moveth everything
Doth penetrate the universe, and shine
In one part more and in another less.
Within that heaven which most his light receives
Was I, and things beheld which to repeat
Nor knows, nor can, who from above descends;
Because in drawing near to its desire
Our intellect ingulphs itself so far,
That after it the memory cannot go.
Truly whatever of the holy realm
I had the power to treasure in my mind
Shall now become the subject of my song.
O good Apollo, for this last emprise
Make of me such a vessel of thy power
As giving the beloved laurel asks!
One summit of Parnassus hitherto
Has been enough for me, but now with both
I needs must enter the arena left.
Enter into my bosom, thou, and breathe
As at the time when Marsyas thou didst draw
Out of the scabbard of those limbs of his.
O power divine, lend鈥檚t thou thyself to me
So that the shadow of the blessed realm
Stamped in my brain I can make manifest,
Thou鈥檒t see me come unto thy darling tree,
And crown myself thereafter with those leaves
Of which the theme and thou shall make me worthy.
So seldom, Father, do we gather them
For triumph or of Caesar or of Poet,
(The fault and shame of human inclinations,)
That the Peneian foliage should bring forth
Joy to the joyous Delphic deity,
When any one it makes to thirst for it.
A little spark is followed by great flame;
Perchance with better voices after me
Shall prayer be made that Cyrrha may respond!
To mortal men by passages diverse
Uprises the world鈥檚 lamp; but by that one
Which circles four uniteth with three crosses,
With better course and with a better star
Conjoined it issues, and the mundane wax
Tempers and stamps more after its own fashion.
Almost that passage had made morning there
And evening here, and there was wholly white
That hemisphere, and black the other part,
When Beatrice towards the left-hand side
I saw turned round, and gazing at the sun;
Never did eagle fasten so upon it!
And even as a second ray is wont
To issue from the first and reascend,
Like to a pilgrim who would fain return,
Thus of her action, through the eyes infused
In my imagination, mine I made,
And sunward fixed mine eyes beyond our wont.
There much is lawful which is here unlawful
Unto our powers, by virtue of the place
Made for the human species as its own.
Not long I bore it, nor so little while
But I beheld it sparkle round about
Like iron that comes molten from the fire;
And suddenly it seemed that day to day
Was added, as if He who has the power
Had with another sun the heaven adorned.
With eyes upon the everlasting wheels
Stood Beatrice all intent, and I, on her
Fixing my vision from above removed,
Such at her aspect inwardly became
As Glaucus, tasting of the herb that made him
Peer of the other gods beneath the sea.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 爻丕賱 1968賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 亘賴卮鬲貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丿丕賳鬲賴 丌賱蹖诏蹖乇蹖貨 亘乇诏乇丿丕賳: 卮噩丕毓 丕賱丿蹖賳 卮賮丕貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丕賲蹖乇讴亘蹖乇貙 1335貨 趩丕倬 丿蹖诏乇 1347貨 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 丕夭 爻賴 噩賱丿貨 趩丕倬 卮卮賲 1378貨 卮丕亘讴 噩賱丿 丿賵賲 9640003999貨 趩丕倬 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 蹖讴賲 1393貨 噩賱丿 賳禺爻鬲 丿賵夭禺貨 噩賱丿 丿賵賲 亘乇夭禺貨 噩賱丿 爻賵賲 亘賴卮鬲貨 鬲乇噩賲賴 丕夭 夭亘丕賳 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕卅蹖貨 賲賵囟賵毓 卮毓乇 卮丕毓乇丕賳 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕 - 爻丿賴 14賲
爻乇賵丿 丕賵賱 亘賴卮鬲: (噩賱丕賱 賽 丌賳 讴爻 讴賴 诏乇丿丕賳賳丿賴 蹖 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭 丕爻鬲貙 爻乇鬲丕爻乇 噩賴丕賳 丌賮乇蹖賳卮 乇丕 亘賴 賮乇賲丕賳 禺賵蹖卮 丿丕乇丿貨 賵賱蹖 丿乇 丕蹖賳噩丕 (丌爻賲丕賳) 亘蹖卮鬲乇貙 賵 丿乇 噩丕賴丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 讴賲鬲乇 賲鬲噩賱蹖 丕爻鬲貨 亘丿丕賳 丌爻賲丕賳蹖 乇賮鬲賲貙 讴賴 亘蹖卮 丕夭 賴乇 丌爻賲丕賳 丿诏乇 丕夭 賮乇賵睾 丕賵 亘賴乇賴 賲賳丿 丕爻鬲貙 賵 趩蹖夭賴丕蹖蹖 乇丕 丿蹖丿賲貙 讴賴 丌賳 讴爻 讴賴 丕夭 丌賳 亘丕賱丕 賮乇賵丿 丌賲丿賴 亘丕卮丿貙 賳賴 賲蹖丿丕賳丿 賵 賳賴 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳丿 亘丕夭 诏賮鬲貨 夭蹖乇丕 讴賴 丨爻 丕丿乇丕讴 賲丕貙 亘丕 賳夭丿蹖讴蹖 亘賴 賲丕蹖賴 蹖 丕卮鬲蹖丕賯 禺賵丿貙 趩賳丕賳 賲噩匕賵亘 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 讴賴 丨丕賮馗賴 蹖 賲丕 乇丕 蹖丕乇丕蹖 賴賲乇丕賴蹖 亘丕 丌賳 賳賲蹖賲丕賳丿貨 亘丕 丕蹖賳 賴賲賴貙 丌賳趩賴 乇丕 讴賴 丕夭 賯賱賲乇賵 賲賯丿爻 (亘賴卮鬲) 丿乇 诏賳噩蹖賳賴 蹖 丕賳丿蹖卮賴貙 噩丕蹖 鬲賵丕賳爻鬲賴 丕賲 丿丕丿貙 丕讴賳賵賳 賲丕蹖賴 蹖 丕蹖賳 爻乇賵丿 禺賵蹖卮 賲蹖讴賳賲貙 賵 亘丕夭卮 賲蹖诏賵蹖賲貨 丕蹖 芦丌倬賵賱賵蹖禄 賳蹖讴 賳賴丕丿貙 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 爻賴賲 丌禺乇蹖賳貙 賲乇丕 丌賳 丕賳丿丕夭賴貙 丕夭 賳亘賵睾 禺賵蹖卮 毓胤丕 讴賳貙 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 爻倬乇丿賳 鬲丕噩 丕賮鬲禺丕乇 賲丨亘賵亘 禺賵丿 亘賴 讴爻丕賳貙 丕夭 丌賳丕賳 胤賱亘 賲蹖讴賳蹖...)貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 05/12/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 29/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
March 30, 2025
The old prose translation of Dante by Charles Eliot Norton is the BEST - for it gives us the Logic behind all his great Poetry. If you want to understand what Dante MEANS, especially in his medieval physics, history and theology, LOOK NO FURTHER!
So what is Dante really saying?
What it takes for a medieval man to gain Heaven at his life鈥檚 close, Dante says, is the constant practice of the Seven Cardinal Virtues. And this virtue must be crowned - as by the watchful and life-giving Paraclete - by the WISDOM OF DISCERNMENT.
To know yourself and your friends inside and out - the good AND the bad - is Discernment in Action.
You know, a very wise philosopher by the name of Leibniz compared the knowledge of the human psyche to peering through the windows of a house. When we鈥檙e looking outside of this house of our selves from the windows of our senses, we see the details of the outside world going about its busy business.
Fine.
But people Outside our house can鈥檛 see us in our indoor world. They have no idea of the decor we take for granted unless we invite them inside.
That 鈥榠nside鈥� is our inner world. And we normally only TALK about our inner selves to the people closest to us. So they in turn can look out our windows as if they are for a moment living our lives. THAT鈥檚 discernment.
Just so, Dante, by knowing as much as he could about his contemporaries鈥� lives, thought he DISCERNED the final disposition of their souls!
But the afterlife holds plenty of surprises in store for each of us.
Including for Dante, as he finds out in Heaven...
Take Picata Donati, a noble acquaintance from his old days. She discerns a religious vocation in herself and joins a cloister. Folks around her generally admire that decision. But not her brother.
He takes her out of the convent to marry a well-placed Italian youth: that, he thinks fondly, would reflect better on both Picata AND her family. For him that is a win/win solution. Is he right?
Before you answer, haven鈥檛 we all had acts of moral turpitude committed against us in our life? How we must have railed at our malefactors! But Picata鈥檚 situation is different, for she AGREES to what her brother asks of her. She SEES the 麓win/winness鈥� of agreeing.
Problem is, her friend Dante was a real Stickler for Rules when he heard in days past of Picata鈥檚 problem, for Picata had already taken her final monastic vows. So isn鈥檛 that a SIN, he now asks his spirit guide Beatrice in Heaven?
So Beatrice introduces him to Picata, there in heaven. She has made the right choice, and now she is happy.
Dante is disarmed by her fresh, innocent guilelessness, and falls into confusion.
Know WHY?
Dante can鈥檛 yet DISCERN.
In fact, that is the Ultimate Lesson he learns through all of his otherworldly journeying to Heaven: LEARN TO DISCERN!
For when Dante wrote this masterpiece, he was old like me -
And with age can come wisdom...
The WISDOM OF DISCERNMENT.
So what is Dante really saying?
What it takes for a medieval man to gain Heaven at his life鈥檚 close, Dante says, is the constant practice of the Seven Cardinal Virtues. And this virtue must be crowned - as by the watchful and life-giving Paraclete - by the WISDOM OF DISCERNMENT.
To know yourself and your friends inside and out - the good AND the bad - is Discernment in Action.
You know, a very wise philosopher by the name of Leibniz compared the knowledge of the human psyche to peering through the windows of a house. When we鈥檙e looking outside of this house of our selves from the windows of our senses, we see the details of the outside world going about its busy business.
Fine.
But people Outside our house can鈥檛 see us in our indoor world. They have no idea of the decor we take for granted unless we invite them inside.
That 鈥榠nside鈥� is our inner world. And we normally only TALK about our inner selves to the people closest to us. So they in turn can look out our windows as if they are for a moment living our lives. THAT鈥檚 discernment.
Just so, Dante, by knowing as much as he could about his contemporaries鈥� lives, thought he DISCERNED the final disposition of their souls!
But the afterlife holds plenty of surprises in store for each of us.
Including for Dante, as he finds out in Heaven...
Take Picata Donati, a noble acquaintance from his old days. She discerns a religious vocation in herself and joins a cloister. Folks around her generally admire that decision. But not her brother.
He takes her out of the convent to marry a well-placed Italian youth: that, he thinks fondly, would reflect better on both Picata AND her family. For him that is a win/win solution. Is he right?
Before you answer, haven鈥檛 we all had acts of moral turpitude committed against us in our life? How we must have railed at our malefactors! But Picata鈥檚 situation is different, for she AGREES to what her brother asks of her. She SEES the 麓win/winness鈥� of agreeing.
Problem is, her friend Dante was a real Stickler for Rules when he heard in days past of Picata鈥檚 problem, for Picata had already taken her final monastic vows. So isn鈥檛 that a SIN, he now asks his spirit guide Beatrice in Heaven?
So Beatrice introduces him to Picata, there in heaven. She has made the right choice, and now she is happy.
Dante is disarmed by her fresh, innocent guilelessness, and falls into confusion.
Know WHY?
Dante can鈥檛 yet DISCERN.
In fact, that is the Ultimate Lesson he learns through all of his otherworldly journeying to Heaven: LEARN TO DISCERN!
For when Dante wrote this masterpiece, he was old like me -
And with age can come wisdom...
The WISDOM OF DISCERNMENT.
December 4, 2021
銆娳┵呚� 丕賱賴蹖 趩蹖爻鬲責銆�
讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 卮毓乇蹖 丨賲丕爻蹖 丿乇 爻賴 亘禺卮 丕爻鬲 讴賴 爻賮乇 禺蹖丕賱蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 乇丕 丿乇 噩賴賳賲貙 亘乇夭禺 賵 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬧€嬝堌帝屬� 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 亘丕 賲卮丕賴丿賴 禺丿丕 亘賴 丕賵噩 賲蹖鈥屫必池�. 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 胤蹖 爻丕賱鈥屬囏й� 郾鄢郯鄹 鬲丕 郾鄢鄄郾 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲.
讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 鬲賲孬蹖賱蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 乇蹖卮賴 丿乇 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賵 丕爻胤賵乇賴 丿丕乇丿. 噩賴丕賳蹖 讴賴 丿丕賳鬲賴 鬲乇爻蹖賲 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 蹖讴 噩賴丕賳 賯乇賵賳 賵爻胤丕蹖蹖 爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 禺賵乇卮蹖丿 賵 爻鬲丕乇诏丕賳 亘賴 丿賵乇 夭賲蹖賳 賲蹖 趩乇禺賳丿貙 賵 亘丕 噩夭卅蹖丕鬲 毓賱賲 賲毓丕氐乇 賯乇賳 趩賴丕乇丿賴 賲胤丕亘賯鬲 丿丕乇丿.
丿丕賳鬲賴 丿賵夭禺 乇丕 亘賴 卮讴賱 蹖讴 賯蹖賮 賲禺乇賵胤蹖 鬲氐賵蹖乇 讴乇丿賴 讴賴 丿乇 夭蹖乇 賳蹖賲讴乇賴 卮賲丕賱蹖 賯乇丕乇 丿丕卮鬲賴 賵 亘賴 夭賲蹖賳 賮乇賵 乇賮鬲賴 丕爻鬲. 丿乇爻鬲 丿乇 胤乇賮 賲賯丕亘賱賽 毓賲蹖賯鈥屫臂屬� 賳賯胤賴 丕夭 噩賴賳賲貙 诏匕乇诏丕賴蹖 鬲乇爻蹖賲 卮丿賴 讴賴 亘賴 賳蹖賲讴乇賴 噩賳賵亘蹖 賲賳鬲賴蹖 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 丿乇 丌賳噩丕 讴賵賴 亘乇夭禺 ( 卮讴賱 丌賳 賲賳毓讴爻鈥屭┵嗁嗀� 卮讴賱 噩賴賳賲 丕爻鬲 ) 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿 讴賴 賯賱賴 丌賳 亘賴 爻賲鬲 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬧€嬝必з� 丿丕乇丿. 禺賵丿 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬧€嬝ㄙ� 氐賵乇鬲 賲噩賲賵毓賴鈥屫й� 丕夭 丿賴 丨賱賯賴 鬲氐賵乇 卮丿賴 讴賴 夭賲蹖賳 乇丕 丕丨丕胤賴 讴乇丿賴鈥屫з嗀�. 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 禺丿丕 丿乇 亘丕賱丕鬲乇蹖賳 丨賱賯賴 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿.
丿乇 噩賴丕賳 丿賵夭禺 賵 亘乇夭禺貙 亘乇丕蹖 賴乇 诏賳丕賴蹖 讴賴 丿乇 噩賴丕賳 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇丿貙 胤亘賯賴 丕蹖 丿乇 賳馗乇 诏乇賮鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲. 丿乇 丨丕賱蹖 讴賴 丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬝� 讴賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丕賵賱蹖丕蹖 丕賱賴蹖 賵 鬲孬賱蹖孬 賲賯丿爻 丕爻鬲貙 鬲賳賴丕 倬丕讴蹖 賵 毓丿賱 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇丿 賵 丕賵賱蹖丕蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丿乇 爻賱爻賱賴 賲乇丕鬲亘 丿賯蹖賯 賵 丿乇 丨賱賯賴 賴丕蹖 賲禺鬲賱賮 噩丕蹖 丿丕乇賳丿.
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銆娯藏ㄘз� 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖銆�
賳讴鬲賴 賲賴賲 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 夭亘丕賳 丕卮毓丕乇 丌賳 賱丕鬲蹖賳 賳蹖爻鬲 ( 丿乇 夭賲丕賳 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕蹖賳 賳讴鬲賴 丿乇 乇丕亘胤賴 亘丕 賴賳乇賴丕蹖 毓丕賱蹖 賲乇爻賵賲 亘賵丿). 亘賱讴賴 夭亘丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 鬲賵爻胤 丕賮乇丕丿 鬲丨氐蹖賱 讴乇丿賴 賮賱賵乇丕賳爻 賯乇賳 趩賴丕乇丿賴賲 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 賲蹖卮丿. 毓賱丕賵賴 亘乇 丕蹖賳貙 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕夭 夭亘丕賳鈥屬囏й� 亘丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 賵 诏賵蹖卮 賴丕蹖 賲丨賱蹖 賵 亘賵賲蹖 丿乇 爻乇賵丿賳 丕卮毓丕乇 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲. 賴丿賮 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕蹖賳 亘賵丿 讴賴 丕孬乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 賴賲 亘乇丕蹖 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 賵 賴賲 乇賵丨丕賳蹖賵賳 賵 丿丕賳卮诏丕賴蹖丕賳貙 賯丕亘賱 禺賵丕賳丿賳 讴賳丿.听
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銆娯ㄘωж臂屫� 讴賴 亘賵丿 賵 趩賴 讴乇丿責銆�
蹖讴蹖 丕夭 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 丕氐賱蹖听讴賲丿蹖听丕賱賴蹖听貙 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丕賴賲蹖鬲 夭蹖丕丿蹖 丿乇 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 丿丕卮鬲賴. 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕賵賱蹖賳 亘丕乇 丿乇 酃 爻丕賱诏蹖 亘丕 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 倬賵乇鬲蹖賳丕乇蹖 鄹 爻丕賱賴 丌卮賳丕 卮丿賴 賵 毓丕卮賯 丕賵 卮丿. 丌賳 賴丕 丿賵乇丕丿賵乇 丿乇 毓卮賯 賴賲 賲蹖爻賵禺鬲賳丿 鬲丕 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 丿乇 爻賳 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 趩賴丕乇 爻丕賱诏蹖 丿乇诏匕卮鬲. 丕夭 丌賳 倬爻 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 亘乇丕蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 賳賲丕丿蹖 丕夭 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭賴丕蹖 禺丕賱氐 賵 丕乇夭卮賲賳丿 卮丿. 丕賵 賲賳亘毓 丕賱賴丕賲 丿丕賳鬲賴 亘乇丕蹖 爻乇賵丿賳 丕卮毓丕乇 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 卮丿貙 鬲丕 丌賳噩丕 讴賴 丕蹖賳 卮蹖賮鬲诏蹖 丿乇 爻乇賵丿賳 亘賴卮鬲 亘賴 丨丿 丕毓賱蹖 禺賵丿 乇爻蹖丿. 丿乇 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丕蹖賳 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賵蹖乇跇蹖賱 乇丕 賲蹖 賮乇爻鬲丿 鬲丕 丿丕賳鬲賴 乇丕 丿乇 丿賵夭禺 賵 亘乇夭禺 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖蹖 讴賳丿. 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 賲爻蹖乇听亘乇夭禺貙 禺賵丿 丕賵 賲爻卅賵賱蹖鬲 丿丕賳鬲賴 乇丕 亘乇 毓賴丿賴 賲蹖 诏蹖乇丿 賵 丕蹖賳 丕賵爻鬲 讴賴 亘毓丿丕賸 卮讴賵賴 賵 噩賱丕賱听亘賴卮鬲听乇丕 亘乇丕蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 丌卮讴丕乇 讴乇丿賴 賵 亘賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丿蹖丿丕乇 禺丿丕 乇賴賳賲賵賳 賲蹖 讴賳丿.
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銆娯ㄙ囏簇� 丌乇蹖 蹖丕 賳賴責銆�
丕诏乇趩賴听丿乇 亘蹖賳 爻賴 讴鬲丕亘貙 亘賴卮鬲听讴賲鬲乇 卮賳丕禺鬲賴貙 讴賲鬲乇 賳賯賱 賯賵賱 卮丿賴 賵 讴賲鬲乇 丕夭听丿賵夭禺听賵听亘乇夭禺听賵丕賲 诏乇賮鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 丕賲丕听亘賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴 丿賵 讴鬲丕亘 賯亘賱蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 爻賴 诏丕賳賴 趩卮賲 丕賳丿丕夭蹖 賮賵賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 丿丕乇丿.听鬲毓丿丕丿 讴賲蹖 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丿乇 丿賳蹖丕蹖 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 噩乇丕鬲 鬲賵氐蹖賮 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬧€嬝必� 丿丕卮鬲賴 丕賳丿.鈥� 趩诏賵賳賴 賲蹖 鬲賵丕賳 亘賴 倬丕讴蹖貙 賳蹖讴蹖貙 丕蹖賲丕賳 賵 毓卮賯 卮讴賱蹖 毓蹖賳蹖 丿丕丿責听丕蹖賳賴丕 賲卮讴賱丕鬲蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿丕賳鬲賴 亘丕 丌賳 賲賵丕噩賴 亘賵丿 賵 禺賵丿卮 亘丕乇賴丕 亘賴 賳丕鬲賵丕賳蹖 丕卮 丿乇 亘蹖丕賳 丕賳丿蹖卮賴 賴丕蹖卮貙 氐乇賮丕 亘丕 讴賱賲丕鬲貙 丕毓鬲乇丕賮 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲. 丿丕賳鬲賴 丿乇 鬲賵氐蹖賮 丿賳蹖丕賴丕蹖 夭蹖乇蹖賳貙 鬲賵丕賳爻鬲 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 毓噩蹖亘 賵 睾乇蹖亘貙 賲賳丕馗乇 禺丕乇賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 賵 卮讴賱 賲爻禺 卮丿賴 诏賳丕賴讴丕乇丕賳 乇丕 亘賴 乇丕丨鬲蹖 亘丕夭賳賲丕蹖蹖 讴賳丿. 丕賲丕 丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 賵馗蹖賮賴 丕賵 丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲丕 乇丕 亘丕 倬丕讴蹖 賵 毓丿丕賱鬲 賵 丕賲蹖丿 丌卮賳丕 讴賳丿. 賲賮丕賴蹖賲 丕賳鬲夭丕毓蹖 讴賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴卮丕賳 丿乇 賲蹖丕賳 爻鬲丕乇诏丕賳 賵 賳賵乇 賵 賮囟丕蹖 睾蹖乇 賲丕丿蹖 丕爻鬲. 丿丕賳鬲賴 丿乇 亘賴卮鬲貙 亘賴 噩丕蹖 鬲氐丕賵蹖乇 禺丕乇賯鈥屫з勜关ж囏� 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬矩必ж槽屸€屬囏й� 乇賳诏丕乇賳诏 賵 丕馗賴丕乇賳馗乇 爻蹖丕爻蹖 丌孬丕乇 賯亘賱蹖听貙 乇賵丕蹖鬲 禺賵丿 乇丕 倬乇 丕夭 丕爻鬲丿賱丕賱 賵 诏賲丕賳賴鈥屫操嗃� 丕賱賴蹖丕鬲蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 丕睾賱亘 亘賴 賲爻丕卅賱 乇賵丨丕賳蹖 賲蹖 倬乇丿丕夭丿. 賲爻丕卅賱蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲 亘丕毓孬 卮丿賴 亘賴卮鬲 丕夭 賳馗乇 丕乇丕卅賴 賲賮丕賴蹖賲 爻禺鬲 禺賵丕賳鬲乇 丕夭 丿賵 讴鬲丕亘 賯亘賱蹖 亘丕卮丿 賵 讴賲鬲乇 禺賵丕賳丿賴 卮賵丿.
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銆娳嗀必� 亘丕蹖丿 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 亘禺賵丕賳蹖賲責銆�
蹖丕
銆娯� 讴賴 趩蹖 丨丕賱丕責銆�
讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 卮丕賴讴丕乇蹖 丕夭 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 噩賴丕賳貙 丌賲蹖夭賴鈥屫й� 丕夭 爻亘讴鈥屬囏й� 賲禺鬲賱賮貙 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 賳賲丕丿蹖賳 賲乇讴亘 丕夭 賮爻丕丿 賵 爻蹖丕爻鬲 賵 賲匕賴亘 丕爻鬲貨 賵 丕胤賱丕毓丕鬲 夭蹖丕丿蹖 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 賯乇賵賳 賵爻胤蹖貙 賮賱爻賮賴貙 賮乇賴賳诏貙 賲乇丿賲貙 丌丿丕亘 賵 乇爻賵賲 賵 胤乇夭 鬲賮讴乇 丌賳鈥屬囏� 丿乇 丕禺鬲蹖丕乇禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 賲蹖 诏匕丕乇丿.听毓賱丕賵賴 亘乇 丕蹖賳貙 賲丕 亘丕蹖丿 丌賳 乇丕 亘禺賵丕賳蹖賲 夭蹖乇丕 丕爻丕爻 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕蹖蹖 丕爻鬲.(賲诏乇 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘賴 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕 毓賱丕賯賴 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮蹖賲 賵 蹖丕 禺亘 丨丕賱丕 讴賴 趩蹖責 賲丕 讴賴 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕蹖蹖 賳蹖爻鬲賲) 禺賵亘貙 丿乇 噩賵丕亘 亘丕蹖丿 诏賮鬲 丿乇 氐賵乇鬲 禺賵丕賳丿賳 丕蹖賳 爻賴 诏丕賳賴貙 賲丕 丨丿丕賯賱 亘賴 丿丕賳卮 賮賵賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 丕蹖 丿乇 亘丕乇賴 讴鬲丕亘 賲賯丿爻貙 丕乇爻胤賵貙 丕賱賴蹖丕鬲 鬲賵賲蹖爻鬲貙 賲毓賳賵蹖鬲 亘賵賳丕賵賳鬲賵乇丕賳貙 賵乇诏蹖賱貙 丕賵賵蹖丿貙 賱賵讴丕賳貙 丕爻鬲丕鬲蹖賵爻貙 丕爻丕胤蹖乇 蹖賵賳丕賳蹖-乇賵賲蹖貙 卮毓乇 倬乇賵賵丕賳爻丕賱蹖貙 卮丕毓乇丕賳 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕蹖蹖貙 鬲丕乇蹖禺 丿毓賵丕賴丕蹖 賮賱賵乇丕賳爻蹖 亘蹖賳 诏賵賱賮 賴丕 賵 诏蹖亘賱蹖賳 賴丕 賵 乇丕亘胤賴 丌賳賴丕 亘丕 丕賲賵乇 禺丕乇噩 丕夭 賮賱賵乇丕賳爻貙 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 賵 鬲亘毓蹖丿 丕賵貙 賲丿賱 鬲賮爻蹖乇蹖 趩賴丕乇诏丕賳賴 丿丕賳鬲賴貙 鬲賮爻蹖乇 讴鬲丕亘 賲賯丿爻貙 亘賴 胤賵乇 讴賱蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 毓丕卮賯丕賳賴 丕蹖 賲孬賱 毓丕卮賯丕賳賴 丌乇鬲賵乇蹖丕蹖蹖貙 倬丕卅賵賱賵 賵 賮乇丕賳趩爻讴丕貙 賲爻卅賱賴 鬲乇賵丕貙 丕賵賱蹖爻賴... 賵 丿賵賲蹖賳蹖讴賳 賴丕 賵 賮乇丕賳爻蹖爻讴賳 賴丕貙 丿爻鬲 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖 讴賳蹖賲. 賵 鬲丕夭賴 賴賲賴 丕蹖賳賴丕 賮賯胤 賳賵讴 讴賵賴 蹖禺 賴爻鬲賳丿. 倬爻 賲蹖亘蹖賳蹖賲 讴賴 禺賵丕賳丿賳 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 趩賳丿丕賳 賴賲 亘蹖 賮丕蹖丿賴 賳蹖爻鬲.
亘賴 卮賲丕 丕蹖賳 賳賵蹖丿 乇丕 賲蹖 丿賴賲 讴賴 鬲乇噩賲賴 賴丕蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 禺賵亘蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丿乇 亘丕夭丕乇 賳卮乇 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇丿 ( 亘禺氐賵氐 賳爻禺賴 卮賮丕) 讴賴 亘丕 丨丕卮蹖賴 賳賵蹖爻蹖 賴丕 賵 鬲賵囟蹖丨丕鬲 倬丕賵乇賯蹖 讴丕賲賱貙 夭丨賲鬲 鬲賮爻蹖乇 卮毓乇 賴丕 乇丕 讴賲 讴乇丿賴 賵 亘賴 讴爻亘 賱匕鬲 丕賮夭賵丿賴 丕賳丿. 丨乇賮 丌禺乇 丕蹖賳 讴賴 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 賯丿蹖賲蹖鈥屫臂屬� 丌孬丕乇 丕丿亘蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 胤賵賱 賯乇賳鈥屬囏� (賴賳賵夭 賴賲 鬲丕 亘賴 丕賲乇賵夭 鬲賵爻胤 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 亘蹖鈥屫促呚ж臂� 讴賴 倬爻 丕夭 丿丕賳鬲賴 丌賲丿賴鈥屫з嗀�)貙 賵 亘蹖卮 丕夭 賴乇 讴鬲丕亘 丿蹖诏乇蹖貙 亘賴 丌賳 丕乇噩丕毓 丿丕丿賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲. 丕诏乇 亘賴 賴乇 丨丕賱 賯氐丿 丿丕乇蹖丿 蹖讴 讴鬲丕亘 賮丕賳鬲夭蹖貙 毓賱賲蹖 鬲禺蹖賱蹖貙 丌賲賵夭賳丿賴 蹖丕 丨鬲蹖 爻乇诏乇賲 讴賳賳丿賴 亘禺賵丕賳蹖丿貙 亘賴 禺賵丿鬲丕賳 賱胤賮 讴賳蹖丿 賵 夭賲丕賳蹖 乇丕 亘賴 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕禺鬲氐丕氐 丿賴蹖丿.
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亘乇丕蹖 卮禺氐 賲賳貙 丕蹖賳 讴賴 丌蹖丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丕蹖賳 賲噩賲賵毓賴 讴鬲丕亘 噩匕丕亘 丕爻鬲 蹖丕 賳賴貨 禺賵丕賳丿賳卮 丿乇 丿賳蹖丕蹖 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丕賴賲蹖鬲 丿丕乇丿 蹖丕 賳賴貨 賲賴賲 賳亘賵丿. 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 丕蹖賳 賮賯胤 蹖讴 讴鬲丕亘 賳蹖爻鬲. 亘賱讴賴 诏賳噩蹖賳賴鈥屫й� 诏乇丕賳 亘賴丕 賵 蹖丕丿诏丕乇蹖 丕乇夭卮賲賳丿 丕夭 禺丕胤乇丕鬲 乇賵夭賴丕蹖 爻毓丕丿鬲賲賳丿蹖 賵 丌爻賵丿诏蹖 禺丕胤乇 丕爻鬲...
讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 卮毓乇蹖 丨賲丕爻蹖 丿乇 爻賴 亘禺卮 丕爻鬲 讴賴 爻賮乇 禺蹖丕賱蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 乇丕 丿乇 噩賴賳賲貙 亘乇夭禺 賵 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬧€嬝堌帝屬� 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 亘丕 賲卮丕賴丿賴 禺丿丕 亘賴 丕賵噩 賲蹖鈥屫必池�. 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 胤蹖 爻丕賱鈥屬囏й� 郾鄢郯鄹 鬲丕 郾鄢鄄郾 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲.
讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 鬲賲孬蹖賱蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 乇蹖卮賴 丿乇 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賵 丕爻胤賵乇賴 丿丕乇丿. 噩賴丕賳蹖 讴賴 丿丕賳鬲賴 鬲乇爻蹖賲 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 蹖讴 噩賴丕賳 賯乇賵賳 賵爻胤丕蹖蹖 爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 禺賵乇卮蹖丿 賵 爻鬲丕乇诏丕賳 亘賴 丿賵乇 夭賲蹖賳 賲蹖 趩乇禺賳丿貙 賵 亘丕 噩夭卅蹖丕鬲 毓賱賲 賲毓丕氐乇 賯乇賳 趩賴丕乇丿賴 賲胤丕亘賯鬲 丿丕乇丿.
丿丕賳鬲賴 丿賵夭禺 乇丕 亘賴 卮讴賱 蹖讴 賯蹖賮 賲禺乇賵胤蹖 鬲氐賵蹖乇 讴乇丿賴 讴賴 丿乇 夭蹖乇 賳蹖賲讴乇賴 卮賲丕賱蹖 賯乇丕乇 丿丕卮鬲賴 賵 亘賴 夭賲蹖賳 賮乇賵 乇賮鬲賴 丕爻鬲. 丿乇爻鬲 丿乇 胤乇賮 賲賯丕亘賱賽 毓賲蹖賯鈥屫臂屬� 賳賯胤賴 丕夭 噩賴賳賲貙 诏匕乇诏丕賴蹖 鬲乇爻蹖賲 卮丿賴 讴賴 亘賴 賳蹖賲讴乇賴 噩賳賵亘蹖 賲賳鬲賴蹖 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 丿乇 丌賳噩丕 讴賵賴 亘乇夭禺 ( 卮讴賱 丌賳 賲賳毓讴爻鈥屭┵嗁嗀� 卮讴賱 噩賴賳賲 丕爻鬲 ) 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿 讴賴 賯賱賴 丌賳 亘賴 爻賲鬲 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬧€嬝必з� 丿丕乇丿. 禺賵丿 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬧€嬝ㄙ� 氐賵乇鬲 賲噩賲賵毓賴鈥屫й� 丕夭 丿賴 丨賱賯賴 鬲氐賵乇 卮丿賴 讴賴 夭賲蹖賳 乇丕 丕丨丕胤賴 讴乇丿賴鈥屫з嗀�. 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 禺丿丕 丿乇 亘丕賱丕鬲乇蹖賳 丨賱賯賴 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿.
丿乇 噩賴丕賳 丿賵夭禺 賵 亘乇夭禺貙 亘乇丕蹖 賴乇 诏賳丕賴蹖 讴賴 丿乇 噩賴丕賳 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇丿貙 胤亘賯賴 丕蹖 丿乇 賳馗乇 诏乇賮鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲. 丿乇 丨丕賱蹖 讴賴 丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬝� 讴賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丕賵賱蹖丕蹖 丕賱賴蹖 賵 鬲孬賱蹖孬 賲賯丿爻 丕爻鬲貙 鬲賳賴丕 倬丕讴蹖 賵 毓丿賱 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇丿 賵 丕賵賱蹖丕蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丿乇 爻賱爻賱賴 賲乇丕鬲亘 丿賯蹖賯 賵 丿乇 丨賱賯賴 賴丕蹖 賲禺鬲賱賮 噩丕蹖 丿丕乇賳丿.
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銆娯藏ㄘз� 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖銆�
賳讴鬲賴 賲賴賲 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 夭亘丕賳 丕卮毓丕乇 丌賳 賱丕鬲蹖賳 賳蹖爻鬲 ( 丿乇 夭賲丕賳 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕蹖賳 賳讴鬲賴 丿乇 乇丕亘胤賴 亘丕 賴賳乇賴丕蹖 毓丕賱蹖 賲乇爻賵賲 亘賵丿). 亘賱讴賴 夭亘丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 鬲賵爻胤 丕賮乇丕丿 鬲丨氐蹖賱 讴乇丿賴 賮賱賵乇丕賳爻 賯乇賳 趩賴丕乇丿賴賲 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 賲蹖卮丿. 毓賱丕賵賴 亘乇 丕蹖賳貙 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕夭 夭亘丕賳鈥屬囏й� 亘丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 賵 诏賵蹖卮 賴丕蹖 賲丨賱蹖 賵 亘賵賲蹖 丿乇 爻乇賵丿賳 丕卮毓丕乇 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲. 賴丿賮 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕蹖賳 亘賵丿 讴賴 丕孬乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 賴賲 亘乇丕蹖 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 賲毓賲賵賱蹖 賵 賴賲 乇賵丨丕賳蹖賵賳 賵 丿丕賳卮诏丕賴蹖丕賳貙 賯丕亘賱 禺賵丕賳丿賳 讴賳丿.听
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銆娯ㄘωж臂屫� 讴賴 亘賵丿 賵 趩賴 讴乇丿責銆�
蹖讴蹖 丕夭 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 丕氐賱蹖听讴賲丿蹖听丕賱賴蹖听貙 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丕賴賲蹖鬲 夭蹖丕丿蹖 丿乇 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 丿丕卮鬲賴. 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕賵賱蹖賳 亘丕乇 丿乇 酃 爻丕賱诏蹖 亘丕 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 倬賵乇鬲蹖賳丕乇蹖 鄹 爻丕賱賴 丌卮賳丕 卮丿賴 賵 毓丕卮賯 丕賵 卮丿. 丌賳 賴丕 丿賵乇丕丿賵乇 丿乇 毓卮賯 賴賲 賲蹖爻賵禺鬲賳丿 鬲丕 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 丿乇 爻賳 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 趩賴丕乇 爻丕賱诏蹖 丿乇诏匕卮鬲. 丕夭 丌賳 倬爻 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 亘乇丕蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 賳賲丕丿蹖 丕夭 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭賴丕蹖 禺丕賱氐 賵 丕乇夭卮賲賳丿 卮丿. 丕賵 賲賳亘毓 丕賱賴丕賲 丿丕賳鬲賴 亘乇丕蹖 爻乇賵丿賳 丕卮毓丕乇 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 卮丿貙 鬲丕 丌賳噩丕 讴賴 丕蹖賳 卮蹖賮鬲诏蹖 丿乇 爻乇賵丿賳 亘賴卮鬲 亘賴 丨丿 丕毓賱蹖 禺賵丿 乇爻蹖丿. 丿乇 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丕蹖賳 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賵蹖乇跇蹖賱 乇丕 賲蹖 賮乇爻鬲丿 鬲丕 丿丕賳鬲賴 乇丕 丿乇 丿賵夭禺 賵 亘乇夭禺 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖蹖 讴賳丿. 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 賲爻蹖乇听亘乇夭禺貙 禺賵丿 丕賵 賲爻卅賵賱蹖鬲 丿丕賳鬲賴 乇丕 亘乇 毓賴丿賴 賲蹖 诏蹖乇丿 賵 丕蹖賳 丕賵爻鬲 讴賴 亘毓丿丕賸 卮讴賵賴 賵 噩賱丕賱听亘賴卮鬲听乇丕 亘乇丕蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 丌卮讴丕乇 讴乇丿賴 賵 亘賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丿蹖丿丕乇 禺丿丕 乇賴賳賲賵賳 賲蹖 讴賳丿.
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銆娯ㄙ囏簇� 丌乇蹖 蹖丕 賳賴責銆�
丕诏乇趩賴听丿乇 亘蹖賳 爻賴 讴鬲丕亘貙 亘賴卮鬲听讴賲鬲乇 卮賳丕禺鬲賴貙 讴賲鬲乇 賳賯賱 賯賵賱 卮丿賴 賵 讴賲鬲乇 丕夭听丿賵夭禺听賵听亘乇夭禺听賵丕賲 诏乇賮鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 丕賲丕听亘賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴 丿賵 讴鬲丕亘 賯亘賱蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 爻賴 诏丕賳賴 趩卮賲 丕賳丿丕夭蹖 賮賵賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 丿丕乇丿.听鬲毓丿丕丿 讴賲蹖 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丿乇 丿賳蹖丕蹖 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 噩乇丕鬲 鬲賵氐蹖賮 亘賴卮鬲 鈥嬧€嬝必� 丿丕卮鬲賴 丕賳丿.鈥� 趩诏賵賳賴 賲蹖 鬲賵丕賳 亘賴 倬丕讴蹖貙 賳蹖讴蹖貙 丕蹖賲丕賳 賵 毓卮賯 卮讴賱蹖 毓蹖賳蹖 丿丕丿責听丕蹖賳賴丕 賲卮讴賱丕鬲蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿丕賳鬲賴 亘丕 丌賳 賲賵丕噩賴 亘賵丿 賵 禺賵丿卮 亘丕乇賴丕 亘賴 賳丕鬲賵丕賳蹖 丕卮 丿乇 亘蹖丕賳 丕賳丿蹖卮賴 賴丕蹖卮貙 氐乇賮丕 亘丕 讴賱賲丕鬲貙 丕毓鬲乇丕賮 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲. 丿丕賳鬲賴 丿乇 鬲賵氐蹖賮 丿賳蹖丕賴丕蹖 夭蹖乇蹖賳貙 鬲賵丕賳爻鬲 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 毓噩蹖亘 賵 睾乇蹖亘貙 賲賳丕馗乇 禺丕乇賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 賵 卮讴賱 賲爻禺 卮丿賴 诏賳丕賴讴丕乇丕賳 乇丕 亘賴 乇丕丨鬲蹖 亘丕夭賳賲丕蹖蹖 讴賳丿. 丕賲丕 丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 賵馗蹖賮賴 丕賵 丕蹖賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賲丕 乇丕 亘丕 倬丕讴蹖 賵 毓丿丕賱鬲 賵 丕賲蹖丿 丌卮賳丕 讴賳丿. 賲賮丕賴蹖賲 丕賳鬲夭丕毓蹖 讴賴 噩丕蹖诏丕賴卮丕賳 丿乇 賲蹖丕賳 爻鬲丕乇诏丕賳 賵 賳賵乇 賵 賮囟丕蹖 睾蹖乇 賲丕丿蹖 丕爻鬲. 丿丕賳鬲賴 丿乇 亘賴卮鬲貙 亘賴 噩丕蹖 鬲氐丕賵蹖乇 禺丕乇賯鈥屫з勜关ж囏� 卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬矩必ж槽屸€屬囏й� 乇賳诏丕乇賳诏 賵 丕馗賴丕乇賳馗乇 爻蹖丕爻蹖 丌孬丕乇 賯亘賱蹖听貙 乇賵丕蹖鬲 禺賵丿 乇丕 倬乇 丕夭 丕爻鬲丿賱丕賱 賵 诏賲丕賳賴鈥屫操嗃� 丕賱賴蹖丕鬲蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 丕睾賱亘 亘賴 賲爻丕卅賱 乇賵丨丕賳蹖 賲蹖 倬乇丿丕夭丿. 賲爻丕卅賱蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲 亘丕毓孬 卮丿賴 亘賴卮鬲 丕夭 賳馗乇 丕乇丕卅賴 賲賮丕賴蹖賲 爻禺鬲 禺賵丕賳鬲乇 丕夭 丿賵 讴鬲丕亘 賯亘賱蹖 亘丕卮丿 賵 讴賲鬲乇 禺賵丕賳丿賴 卮賵丿.
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銆娳嗀必� 亘丕蹖丿 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 亘禺賵丕賳蹖賲責銆�
蹖丕
銆娯� 讴賴 趩蹖 丨丕賱丕責銆�
讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 卮丕賴讴丕乇蹖 丕夭 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 噩賴丕賳貙 丌賲蹖夭賴鈥屫й� 丕夭 爻亘讴鈥屬囏й� 賲禺鬲賱賮貙 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 賳賲丕丿蹖賳 賲乇讴亘 丕夭 賮爻丕丿 賵 爻蹖丕爻鬲 賵 賲匕賴亘 丕爻鬲貨 賵 丕胤賱丕毓丕鬲 夭蹖丕丿蹖 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 賯乇賵賳 賵爻胤蹖貙 賮賱爻賮賴貙 賮乇賴賳诏貙 賲乇丿賲貙 丌丿丕亘 賵 乇爻賵賲 賵 胤乇夭 鬲賮讴乇 丌賳鈥屬囏� 丿乇 丕禺鬲蹖丕乇禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 賲蹖 诏匕丕乇丿.听毓賱丕賵賴 亘乇 丕蹖賳貙 賲丕 亘丕蹖丿 丌賳 乇丕 亘禺賵丕賳蹖賲 夭蹖乇丕 丕爻丕爻 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕蹖蹖 丕爻鬲.(賲诏乇 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘賴 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕 毓賱丕賯賴 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮蹖賲 賵 蹖丕 禺亘 丨丕賱丕 讴賴 趩蹖責 賲丕 讴賴 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕蹖蹖 賳蹖爻鬲賲) 禺賵亘貙 丿乇 噩賵丕亘 亘丕蹖丿 诏賮鬲 丿乇 氐賵乇鬲 禺賵丕賳丿賳 丕蹖賳 爻賴 诏丕賳賴貙 賲丕 丨丿丕賯賱 亘賴 丿丕賳卮 賮賵賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 丕蹖 丿乇 亘丕乇賴 讴鬲丕亘 賲賯丿爻貙 丕乇爻胤賵貙 丕賱賴蹖丕鬲 鬲賵賲蹖爻鬲貙 賲毓賳賵蹖鬲 亘賵賳丕賵賳鬲賵乇丕賳貙 賵乇诏蹖賱貙 丕賵賵蹖丿貙 賱賵讴丕賳貙 丕爻鬲丕鬲蹖賵爻貙 丕爻丕胤蹖乇 蹖賵賳丕賳蹖-乇賵賲蹖貙 卮毓乇 倬乇賵賵丕賳爻丕賱蹖貙 卮丕毓乇丕賳 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕蹖蹖貙 鬲丕乇蹖禺 丿毓賵丕賴丕蹖 賮賱賵乇丕賳爻蹖 亘蹖賳 诏賵賱賮 賴丕 賵 诏蹖亘賱蹖賳 賴丕 賵 乇丕亘胤賴 丌賳賴丕 亘丕 丕賲賵乇 禺丕乇噩 丕夭 賮賱賵乇丕賳爻貙 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 賵 鬲亘毓蹖丿 丕賵貙 賲丿賱 鬲賮爻蹖乇蹖 趩賴丕乇诏丕賳賴 丿丕賳鬲賴貙 鬲賮爻蹖乇 讴鬲丕亘 賲賯丿爻貙 亘賴 胤賵乇 讴賱蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖 毓丕卮賯丕賳賴 丕蹖 賲孬賱 毓丕卮賯丕賳賴 丌乇鬲賵乇蹖丕蹖蹖貙 倬丕卅賵賱賵 賵 賮乇丕賳趩爻讴丕貙 賲爻卅賱賴 鬲乇賵丕貙 丕賵賱蹖爻賴... 賵 丿賵賲蹖賳蹖讴賳 賴丕 賵 賮乇丕賳爻蹖爻讴賳 賴丕貙 丿爻鬲 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖 讴賳蹖賲. 賵 鬲丕夭賴 賴賲賴 丕蹖賳賴丕 賮賯胤 賳賵讴 讴賵賴 蹖禺 賴爻鬲賳丿. 倬爻 賲蹖亘蹖賳蹖賲 讴賴 禺賵丕賳丿賳 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 趩賳丿丕賳 賴賲 亘蹖 賮丕蹖丿賴 賳蹖爻鬲.
亘賴 卮賲丕 丕蹖賳 賳賵蹖丿 乇丕 賲蹖 丿賴賲 讴賴 鬲乇噩賲賴 賴丕蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 禺賵亘蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丿乇 亘丕夭丕乇 賳卮乇 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇丿 ( 亘禺氐賵氐 賳爻禺賴 卮賮丕) 讴賴 亘丕 丨丕卮蹖賴 賳賵蹖爻蹖 賴丕 賵 鬲賵囟蹖丨丕鬲 倬丕賵乇賯蹖 讴丕賲賱貙 夭丨賲鬲 鬲賮爻蹖乇 卮毓乇 賴丕 乇丕 讴賲 讴乇丿賴 賵 亘賴 讴爻亘 賱匕鬲 丕賮夭賵丿賴 丕賳丿. 丨乇賮 丌禺乇 丕蹖賳 讴賴 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 賯丿蹖賲蹖鈥屫臂屬� 丌孬丕乇 丕丿亘蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 胤賵賱 賯乇賳鈥屬囏� (賴賳賵夭 賴賲 鬲丕 亘賴 丕賲乇賵夭 鬲賵爻胤 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 亘蹖鈥屫促呚ж臂� 讴賴 倬爻 丕夭 丿丕賳鬲賴 丌賲丿賴鈥屫з嗀�)貙 賵 亘蹖卮 丕夭 賴乇 讴鬲丕亘 丿蹖诏乇蹖貙 亘賴 丌賳 丕乇噩丕毓 丿丕丿賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲. 丕诏乇 亘賴 賴乇 丨丕賱 賯氐丿 丿丕乇蹖丿 蹖讴 讴鬲丕亘 賮丕賳鬲夭蹖貙 毓賱賲蹖 鬲禺蹖賱蹖貙 丌賲賵夭賳丿賴 蹖丕 丨鬲蹖 爻乇诏乇賲 讴賳賳丿賴 亘禺賵丕賳蹖丿貙 亘賴 禺賵丿鬲丕賳 賱胤賮 讴賳蹖丿 賵 夭賲丕賳蹖 乇丕 亘賴 丿丕賳鬲賴 丕禺鬲氐丕氐 丿賴蹖丿.
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亘乇丕蹖 卮禺氐 賲賳貙 丕蹖賳 讴賴 丌蹖丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丕蹖賳 賲噩賲賵毓賴 讴鬲丕亘 噩匕丕亘 丕爻鬲 蹖丕 賳賴貨 禺賵丕賳丿賳卮 丿乇 丿賳蹖丕蹖 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丕賴賲蹖鬲 丿丕乇丿 蹖丕 賳賴貨 賲賴賲 賳亘賵丿. 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 丕蹖賳 賮賯胤 蹖讴 讴鬲丕亘 賳蹖爻鬲. 亘賱讴賴 诏賳噩蹖賳賴鈥屫й� 诏乇丕賳 亘賴丕 賵 蹖丕丿诏丕乇蹖 丕乇夭卮賲賳丿 丕夭 禺丕胤乇丕鬲 乇賵夭賴丕蹖 爻毓丕丿鬲賲賳丿蹖 賵 丌爻賵丿诏蹖 禺丕胤乇 丕爻鬲...
January 2, 2022
People warned me that Purgatorio and Paradiso are rough. And since I already struggled with Inferno, everyone was sure that I was gonna absolutely loathe the other cantiche as well.
To everyone's surprise (including my own!), I really really loved Purgatorio. I found it so much more accessible and engaging than its predecessor because it had a clear structure throughout, and in addition to that, I loved learning about the organisation of Mount Purgatory, especially the seven deadly sins, their countering virtues, and their Biblical and historical exemplars.
Nonetheless, I knew that Paradiso would be rough for me. I'm not particularly interested in theological musings or learning more about Christian beliefs. On top of that, everyone told me that in Paradiso Dante is, by far, much more preachy and instructive. And yeah, that's not my cup of tea at all. So, it comes as no surprise that I really really hated the last instalment of The Divine Comedy.
If I had to break it down, I think my distaste for this book can be summed up within three points:
1) Beatrice sucks. [And Dante, too.]
At the end of Purgatorio, Virgil (my poor baby boy!) left and his role as Dante's guide was taken over by Dante's muse (...love of his life, woman he's been obsessed with since he was a child... ugh) Beatrice. Beatrice is the one who pleaded with God so that Dante could go on this journey in the first place.
Even in the last canti of Purgatorio, I sensed that Bea and I would never be friends. Her holier-than-thou (in the literal sense, lmao) attitude was getting on my got damn nerves and her moral was so black-and-white it was truly off-putting. But damn, I had no idea how bad that was gonna get in Paradiso.
First of all, I hated how Dante perceived her. Basically, he couldn't do anything (!) without her in this book. He was constantly turning toward her, needing her reassurance before asking questions and marvelling at her beauty (oh my gosh, if I had to count how often he described that her beauty was indescribable ....) and her goddamns smile. It was exasperating. And whilst we're at it, the constant likening of Beatrice as the mother figure and Dante as this "little boy" was just EW. Honey, you are 35 years old. Grow the fuck up!
So, Dante just sucks in this book. He lost his goddamn head. But Beatrice wasn't better at all. She constantly (!) belittled Dante, and even worse, his thirst for knowledge. At one point, she even says that one of the questions that Dante asks is "poisonous" because it challenged a specific Christian belief? Excuse me, ma'am, can you chill the fuck out? And it gets even worse when you think about the fact that all that homeboy was asking was why Piccarda was being punished/ reproached for the horrible things that were done to her by the men in her life. A TOTALLY VALID QUESTION!
Little context for those who aren't familiar with Piccarda's story: When she was alive, she was a nun but forcibly removed from her convent by her brother Corso, in order to marry her to a Florentine man and further her family's political interests. And she died soon after her wedding.
And so in this fucking book (Paradiso, I'm talking about you), Piccarda is used to show a deficient form of virtue and is therefore held at the lowest sphere of Heaven. EXCUSE ME? This woman was literally kidnapped by her family and raped in her arranged marriage, and you're telling me it is her fault that she didn't "keep her vows" to God. Miss me with that bullshit.
But yeah, Beatrice reproaches Dante for questioning God's judgement in regards to Piccarda and she tells him 鈥� in the truest victim blaming fashion 鈥� that "for her offence there is no excuse." WHAT IS HER GODDAMN OFFENCE??? And that it's her fault because her will wasn't strong enough. Yeah, I really hate Christianity.
And what makes matters worse is that Dante is soooo easily convinced by everything that Beatrice says. I mean, this woman really couldn't defend God's judgement in any sensible way, yet Dante ate that shit up. As soon as Bea opened her mouth, Dante lost all of his braincells. And that's what I really don't appreciate about Paradiso. It gives off the vibe that people shouldn't think for themselves and come to their own conclusions but rather trust God's judgement no matter way. Umm, yeah, no, I think I'll pass.
Beatrice is supposed to embody the quest for truth by illuminating Dante鈥檚 doubts with her "insights" ... however, to me it seemed more like she was brainwashing Dante and not allowing any second opinions. Ain't nothing truthful about that.
Another of Bea's gems is that she defends the destruction of Jerusalem and the attack on the Jews after the killing of Christ. Make it make sense??? Dante exhibited zero tolerance towards Jews. Similarly to how he put Muhammad, the founder of Islam, into Hell as a "sower of discord". ISSA NO FROM ME. I'm really not religious at all but either you accept all forms of religion, buddy, or none. Miss me with the whole CHRISTIANITY IS THE BEST OF ALL RELIGIONS BULLSHIT. I really hated that.
2) Christianity is boring as fuck.
I'm not a Christian, so it isn't all that surprising that all of Dante's theological rants either flew right over my head, left me utterly confused or just bored the shit out of me. Whereas, I really loved the "architecture" of Hell and Mount Purgatory, and therefore couldn't wait to explore these places and the people who inhabited them, I really hated how Heaven was structured and everyone we met there was a fucking brainwashed psycho, so that wasn't great either.
Basically, Heaven is depicted as a series of concentric spheres surrounding the Earth, consisting of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Fixed Stars, the Primum Mobile and finally, the Empyrean. The structure of Paradiso is, obviously, not based on different classifications of sin but rather in the four cardinal virtues (Prudence, Fortitude, Justice and Temperance) and the three theological virtues (Faith, Hope and Love).
But instead of having each virtue correspond to a different sphere of Heaven (which would've made so much sense!!) the first seven (!) spheres deal solely with the cardinal virtues (and so nothing was lining up), whereas the three theological virtues are all dealt with within the 8th sphere. And then the 9th sphere and the Empyrean weren't linked to any specific virtues at all. JUST WHY? It made the whole structure of the poem super messy, especially in comparison to the clear structure of Purgatorio.
What I also didn't appreciate is the hierarchy of Heaven. I know that Dante mentions that the hierarchy (lower versus higher spheres) is nothing more than a scheme intended to accommodate the human mind, whereas in reality all souls of Heaven are equal and with God in the Empyrean. But I feel like that message didn't really come across in the poem because Dante clearly saw certain people/ souls to be "better" and "greater" than others ... and I wasn't vibing with that at all. I don't care if you're Moses, St. John or an unknown human being 鈥� in death, everyone should be treated the same. God can suck my ass with his High Court and its hierarchical seating arrangements.
In these spheres, Dante mainly meets and converses with saints of the Church, including Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Saint Peter, and St. John. Dante is also tested by different saints on the principles of Faith, Hope and Love, before he can pass on to the Primum Mobile. Therefore, the conversations in Paradiso are much more theological in nature than those in Inferno and Purgatorio. The messiness of the poem was also apparent in these conversations because they just kept being dragged on through several canti? Just why??? Most of the conversations in the other parts of The Divine Comedy were kept short and cute and confined to one canto. WHICH WAS SO MUCH BETTER!
And since of all of these people in Heaven are "good Christians" they're fucking anyone because all of their messages boil down to GOD IS GREAT AND KNOWS EVERYTHING, DO NOT EVER DOUBT HIM! I mean, where is the critical thinking? These bitches were really out here spluttering bullshit such as: 鈥楧ear brother, we in will are brought to rest / by power of caritas that makes us will / no more than what we have, nor thirst for more.鈥� They are really content with everything that God is giving them. They have no aspirations of their own.
Among the souls that Dante meets is his ancestor, Cacciaguida, who tells him of the decline of Florence and 鈥渇oretells鈥� Dante's future (= his exile). And there would've been many other opportunities for epic moments but they all fell flat: Dante talking to Adam? Underwhelming. Dante seeing the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven? Underwhelming. Dante finally looking upon God? Fucking underwhelming. It was so sad.
Instead, we "learn" so many stupid lessons like "all souls strive towards God", or "predestination is hidden within God", therefore human beings should NEVERRRR talk about it (??), or "humanity couldn't atone for Adam's sin out of their own accord and therefore God, in his generosity, chose to become Man". It was so fucking boring.
One of the lessons that really INFURIATED ME (I'm still so mad!!) is the bullshit "explanation" we got for why noble pagans are stuck in Limbo. This was one of the questions that was most pressing to me because I found it so unfair that people like Virigl & Co. are stuck in Hell, simply because they weren't Christian (at a time when Christianity wasn't even a thing!!!). And so 鈥� BRACE YOURSELF 鈥� it is explained that humans cannot comprehend God鈥檚 justice and therefore, they should never doubt Him and just accept His ruling. EXCUSE ME??
3) The social and political commentary got repetitive.
The criticism of the Church and of politics within Italy got dull and repetitive as well. Dante just seemed bitter. And his moral compass was really off. Basically all the people he liked and who were on his side (politically), he put in Heaven, whereas most of the people who opposed him, he placed in Hell and kept dragging through the mud. It was kinda cheap.
I also really didn't vibe with how Dante positioned himself. It was so narcissistic? Basically he wrote himself to be these "chosen ambassador", who is supposed to enlighten humanity with his newly acquired knowledge? Yeah, how about we don't do that. It was so self-absorbed and shitty.
At the beginning of Paradiso, Dante even warns non-Christian readers to not proceed with reading this poem because they are not ready and it is important that his message isn鈥檛 misunderstood. ARE YOU DUMB?
The only political "commentary" I enjoyed in Paradiso was St. Peter roasting the shit out of Pope Boniface VIII, simply because it was fucking brutal:
But what did you learn?
鈼� In certain folklore, Cain was seen as the Man in the Moon, and the dark spots of the Moon were regarded as the mark of Cain.
鈼� In Dante鈥檚 day, Christians didn鈥檛 believe that souls would remain eternally disembodied in Heaven, but that, at the Last Judgement, souls would be reunited with their bodies forever
鈼� Adam claims that he and Eve only lasted six hours (!) in the Garden of Eden before they committed the sin 鈥� LMAO WHAT A MOOD!!
鈼� The classification of celestial beings in Heaven was interesting, e.g. Seraphim who guard God鈥檚 throne (what a shitty job! will never understand why this is the highest honor!), Cherubim who guard the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, Archangels who are concerned with the politics of nations, Angels who are sent to humanity as messengers, etc. 鈥� it really opened my eyes to the whole "better reign in Hell than serve in Heaven"-speech from Lucifer because dang, he's totally right, all of these celestial beings are servants. Nothing more.
鈼� St. Peter, older than the rest of the disciples such as John, ran more slowly to the tomb of Christ on the morning of the Resurrection, but was quicker to believe that Christ had risen. Therefore, St. Peter represents the virtue of Faith (=> he's the one who, in Paradiso, tests Dante on his faith).
鈼� Lastly, something that I want to research a bit more is the role of women in Paradiso. I found it noticeable that a lot more women inhabited Heaven (even the highest spheres, e.g. Eve, Sara, Rachel, Anne, Rebecca, Judith, etc.) in comparison to Hell and Purgatory. I don't know if Dante was trying to make a comment about how women have a better moral compass than men, but it was definitely striking!
To everyone's surprise (including my own!), I really really loved Purgatorio. I found it so much more accessible and engaging than its predecessor because it had a clear structure throughout, and in addition to that, I loved learning about the organisation of Mount Purgatory, especially the seven deadly sins, their countering virtues, and their Biblical and historical exemplars.
Nonetheless, I knew that Paradiso would be rough for me. I'm not particularly interested in theological musings or learning more about Christian beliefs. On top of that, everyone told me that in Paradiso Dante is, by far, much more preachy and instructive. And yeah, that's not my cup of tea at all. So, it comes as no surprise that I really really hated the last instalment of The Divine Comedy.
If I had to break it down, I think my distaste for this book can be summed up within three points:
1) Beatrice sucks. [And Dante, too.]
At the end of Purgatorio, Virgil (my poor baby boy!) left and his role as Dante's guide was taken over by Dante's muse (...love of his life, woman he's been obsessed with since he was a child... ugh) Beatrice. Beatrice is the one who pleaded with God so that Dante could go on this journey in the first place.
Even in the last canti of Purgatorio, I sensed that Bea and I would never be friends. Her holier-than-thou (in the literal sense, lmao) attitude was getting on my got damn nerves and her moral was so black-and-white it was truly off-putting. But damn, I had no idea how bad that was gonna get in Paradiso.
First of all, I hated how Dante perceived her. Basically, he couldn't do anything (!) without her in this book. He was constantly turning toward her, needing her reassurance before asking questions and marvelling at her beauty (oh my gosh, if I had to count how often he described that her beauty was indescribable ....) and her goddamns smile. It was exasperating. And whilst we're at it, the constant likening of Beatrice as the mother figure and Dante as this "little boy" was just EW. Honey, you are 35 years old. Grow the fuck up!
So, Dante just sucks in this book. He lost his goddamn head. But Beatrice wasn't better at all. She constantly (!) belittled Dante, and even worse, his thirst for knowledge. At one point, she even says that one of the questions that Dante asks is "poisonous" because it challenged a specific Christian belief? Excuse me, ma'am, can you chill the fuck out? And it gets even worse when you think about the fact that all that homeboy was asking was why Piccarda was being punished/ reproached for the horrible things that were done to her by the men in her life. A TOTALLY VALID QUESTION!
Little context for those who aren't familiar with Piccarda's story: When she was alive, she was a nun but forcibly removed from her convent by her brother Corso, in order to marry her to a Florentine man and further her family's political interests. And she died soon after her wedding.
And so in this fucking book (Paradiso, I'm talking about you), Piccarda is used to show a deficient form of virtue and is therefore held at the lowest sphere of Heaven. EXCUSE ME? This woman was literally kidnapped by her family and raped in her arranged marriage, and you're telling me it is her fault that she didn't "keep her vows" to God. Miss me with that bullshit.
But yeah, Beatrice reproaches Dante for questioning God's judgement in regards to Piccarda and she tells him 鈥� in the truest victim blaming fashion 鈥� that "for her offence there is no excuse." WHAT IS HER GODDAMN OFFENCE??? And that it's her fault because her will wasn't strong enough. Yeah, I really hate Christianity.
And what makes matters worse is that Dante is soooo easily convinced by everything that Beatrice says. I mean, this woman really couldn't defend God's judgement in any sensible way, yet Dante ate that shit up. As soon as Bea opened her mouth, Dante lost all of his braincells. And that's what I really don't appreciate about Paradiso. It gives off the vibe that people shouldn't think for themselves and come to their own conclusions but rather trust God's judgement no matter way. Umm, yeah, no, I think I'll pass.
Beatrice is supposed to embody the quest for truth by illuminating Dante鈥檚 doubts with her "insights" ... however, to me it seemed more like she was brainwashing Dante and not allowing any second opinions. Ain't nothing truthful about that.
Another of Bea's gems is that she defends the destruction of Jerusalem and the attack on the Jews after the killing of Christ. Make it make sense??? Dante exhibited zero tolerance towards Jews. Similarly to how he put Muhammad, the founder of Islam, into Hell as a "sower of discord". ISSA NO FROM ME. I'm really not religious at all but either you accept all forms of religion, buddy, or none. Miss me with the whole CHRISTIANITY IS THE BEST OF ALL RELIGIONS BULLSHIT. I really hated that.
2) Christianity is boring as fuck.
I'm not a Christian, so it isn't all that surprising that all of Dante's theological rants either flew right over my head, left me utterly confused or just bored the shit out of me. Whereas, I really loved the "architecture" of Hell and Mount Purgatory, and therefore couldn't wait to explore these places and the people who inhabited them, I really hated how Heaven was structured and everyone we met there was a fucking brainwashed psycho, so that wasn't great either.
Basically, Heaven is depicted as a series of concentric spheres surrounding the Earth, consisting of the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Fixed Stars, the Primum Mobile and finally, the Empyrean. The structure of Paradiso is, obviously, not based on different classifications of sin but rather in the four cardinal virtues (Prudence, Fortitude, Justice and Temperance) and the three theological virtues (Faith, Hope and Love).
But instead of having each virtue correspond to a different sphere of Heaven (which would've made so much sense!!) the first seven (!) spheres deal solely with the cardinal virtues (and so nothing was lining up), whereas the three theological virtues are all dealt with within the 8th sphere. And then the 9th sphere and the Empyrean weren't linked to any specific virtues at all. JUST WHY? It made the whole structure of the poem super messy, especially in comparison to the clear structure of Purgatorio.
What I also didn't appreciate is the hierarchy of Heaven. I know that Dante mentions that the hierarchy (lower versus higher spheres) is nothing more than a scheme intended to accommodate the human mind, whereas in reality all souls of Heaven are equal and with God in the Empyrean. But I feel like that message didn't really come across in the poem because Dante clearly saw certain people/ souls to be "better" and "greater" than others ... and I wasn't vibing with that at all. I don't care if you're Moses, St. John or an unknown human being 鈥� in death, everyone should be treated the same. God can suck my ass with his High Court and its hierarchical seating arrangements.
In these spheres, Dante mainly meets and converses with saints of the Church, including Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Saint Peter, and St. John. Dante is also tested by different saints on the principles of Faith, Hope and Love, before he can pass on to the Primum Mobile. Therefore, the conversations in Paradiso are much more theological in nature than those in Inferno and Purgatorio. The messiness of the poem was also apparent in these conversations because they just kept being dragged on through several canti? Just why??? Most of the conversations in the other parts of The Divine Comedy were kept short and cute and confined to one canto. WHICH WAS SO MUCH BETTER!
And since of all of these people in Heaven are "good Christians" they're fucking anyone because all of their messages boil down to GOD IS GREAT AND KNOWS EVERYTHING, DO NOT EVER DOUBT HIM! I mean, where is the critical thinking? These bitches were really out here spluttering bullshit such as: 鈥楧ear brother, we in will are brought to rest / by power of caritas that makes us will / no more than what we have, nor thirst for more.鈥� They are really content with everything that God is giving them. They have no aspirations of their own.
鈥榊et here we don鈥檛 repent such things. We smileWhat I hated even more was how fucking HAPPY everyone was. Oh my, I could've killed someone every time that Dante mentioned that this souls are the pure embodiment of happiness, he even refers to some of the people he meets as "the first happiness", "the second happiness", etc. 鈥� EXCUSE ME??? What even is this?? Eternal happiness sounds so goddamn awful. The fact that these all of these souls were forced to forget about all of their sins (=> aka the purgation in the River Lethe in the Garden of Eden) was bad enough ... but I never thought what that would actually for Heaven itself. If I take one thing away from Paradiso, it's that Heaven is not the place to be. At least for me. They all seemed like a fucking cult of forced positivity and I ain't about that.
not, though, at sin 鈥� we don鈥檛 think back to that 鈥�
but at that Might that governs and provides.鈥�
Among the souls that Dante meets is his ancestor, Cacciaguida, who tells him of the decline of Florence and 鈥渇oretells鈥� Dante's future (= his exile). And there would've been many other opportunities for epic moments but they all fell flat: Dante talking to Adam? Underwhelming. Dante seeing the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven? Underwhelming. Dante finally looking upon God? Fucking underwhelming. It was so sad.
Instead, we "learn" so many stupid lessons like "all souls strive towards God", or "predestination is hidden within God", therefore human beings should NEVERRRR talk about it (??), or "humanity couldn't atone for Adam's sin out of their own accord and therefore God, in his generosity, chose to become Man". It was so fucking boring.
One of the lessons that really INFURIATED ME (I'm still so mad!!) is the bullshit "explanation" we got for why noble pagans are stuck in Limbo. This was one of the questions that was most pressing to me because I found it so unfair that people like Virigl & Co. are stuck in Hell, simply because they weren't Christian (at a time when Christianity wasn't even a thing!!!). And so 鈥� BRACE YOURSELF 鈥� it is explained that humans cannot comprehend God鈥檚 justice and therefore, they should never doubt Him and just accept His ruling. EXCUSE ME??
鈥淲ell, who are you to sit there on your throne,UMMM... WHO IS GOD?? Not even once in this fucking book did you give any reasonable explanations for Christian beliefs. Why should he be allowed to throw virtuous people in Hell just because he feels like it??? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!! And then, he makes a fucking Ripheus and King Trajan? Why?? Where is the consistency? And then, Dante comes up with the bullshit explanation that 鈥淕od resurrected Trajan so that he could be baptised and then die and come to Heaven鈥�. EHHH?? It's laughable, really.
acting the judge a thousand miles away,
eyesight as short as some mere finger span?鈥�
3) The social and political commentary got repetitive.
The criticism of the Church and of politics within Italy got dull and repetitive as well. Dante just seemed bitter. And his moral compass was really off. Basically all the people he liked and who were on his side (politically), he put in Heaven, whereas most of the people who opposed him, he placed in Hell and kept dragging through the mud. It was kinda cheap.
I also really didn't vibe with how Dante positioned himself. It was so narcissistic? Basically he wrote himself to be these "chosen ambassador", who is supposed to enlighten humanity with his newly acquired knowledge? Yeah, how about we don't do that. It was so self-absorbed and shitty.
At the beginning of Paradiso, Dante even warns non-Christian readers to not proceed with reading this poem because they are not ready and it is important that his message isn鈥檛 misunderstood. ARE YOU DUMB?
The only political "commentary" I enjoyed in Paradiso was St. Peter roasting the shit out of Pope Boniface VIII, simply because it was fucking brutal:
鈥淗e who on earth has robbed me of my place,I mean, I didn't think I would read the word "shit hole" in a translation of a 14th-century text but I ain't complaining.
my place, my place 鈥� which therefore, in the sight
of God鈥檚 dear Son, stands vacant now 鈥� has made
of my own burial ground a shit hole
reeking of blood and pus. In this the sod
who fell from here down there takes sheer delight.鈥�
But what did you learn?
鈼� In certain folklore, Cain was seen as the Man in the Moon, and the dark spots of the Moon were regarded as the mark of Cain.
鈼� In Dante鈥檚 day, Christians didn鈥檛 believe that souls would remain eternally disembodied in Heaven, but that, at the Last Judgement, souls would be reunited with their bodies forever
鈼� Adam claims that he and Eve only lasted six hours (!) in the Garden of Eden before they committed the sin 鈥� LMAO WHAT A MOOD!!
鈼� The classification of celestial beings in Heaven was interesting, e.g. Seraphim who guard God鈥檚 throne (what a shitty job! will never understand why this is the highest honor!), Cherubim who guard the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, Archangels who are concerned with the politics of nations, Angels who are sent to humanity as messengers, etc. 鈥� it really opened my eyes to the whole "better reign in Hell than serve in Heaven"-speech from Lucifer because dang, he's totally right, all of these celestial beings are servants. Nothing more.
鈼� St. Peter, older than the rest of the disciples such as John, ran more slowly to the tomb of Christ on the morning of the Resurrection, but was quicker to believe that Christ had risen. Therefore, St. Peter represents the virtue of Faith (=> he's the one who, in Paradiso, tests Dante on his faith).
鈼� Lastly, something that I want to research a bit more is the role of women in Paradiso. I found it noticeable that a lot more women inhabited Heaven (even the highest spheres, e.g. Eve, Sara, Rachel, Anne, Rebecca, Judith, etc.) in comparison to Hell and Purgatory. I don't know if Dante was trying to make a comment about how women have a better moral compass than men, but it was definitely striking!
November 15, 2016
The journey with Dante and his spiritual guides through the afterlife concludes appropriately with Paradiso. Written around 1319 to just before he died in 1321, it is his ultimate vision of God and Heaven and a wild ride. The pace is much faster - or at least it seemed to me - than Inferno and Purgatorio and he and Beatrice fly through the Heavenly Sphere (yes, you need a lot of suspension of disbelief and lots of Scholastic philosophy - even Aquinas himself is a tourguide at one point), so it is almost like a science fiction/space travel book. At times, it reminded me of the incomprehensible end of 2001: A Space Odyssey with colors and light and memories flooding by. It requires perhaps the least use of footnotes (see my lamentations in my Purgatorio review) and was fun to read. I felt like I was really surfing sometimes and enjoyed the conclusion with - as in the other two canticles - stars in the sky. It gave me pause to think that as Dante was writing this, the Pope was in Avignon, Giotto was working on his frescoes in Padua, and Copernicus had not yet talked about the sun being the center of the solar system. Quite a time warp...
To describe this with a painting, no less than Mathias Gr眉newald's Isenheim mantlepiece could do - particularly the inner panel with Christ shown in a blinding glow of light. I went to Colmar this year to finally see this piece in person and it gave me the same giddy, light-headed feeling as Paradiso did.
To describe this with a painting, no less than Mathias Gr眉newald's Isenheim mantlepiece could do - particularly the inner panel with Christ shown in a blinding glow of light. I went to Colmar this year to finally see this piece in person and it gave me the same giddy, light-headed feeling as Paradiso did.
November 23, 2021
Paradiso is the third and final part of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri which describes Dante's version of Paradise. Dante's Paradise is influenced by medieval views on Cosmology. Accordingly, it has nine concentric spheres that surround the earth. Above the spheres is the Empyrean which is where God resides.
In Paradiso, Dante journeys through Paradise. Here his guide is Beatrice. Virgil is no longer there and I missed dear old Virgil who guided Dante through the Inferno and Purgatorio. Unlike in the Inferno and Purgatorio where more classical and literary influences could be seen, Paradiso is based on Christian theology, astronomy, and classical philosophy. It is said that allegorically Beatrice represents theology. So it is all but natural that Beatrice is his guide here and that Virgil has no role to play.
The beautiful metaphors, the detailed descriptions, and lyrical beauty of the verses that I loved in both the Inferno and Purgatorio are found here as well. I enjoyed reading them. However, when compared with the other two, Paradiso was a heavy read for me. At times, especially in the middle, I found the read a little exhausting. But towards the last third cantos, the contents were lighter and I was able to get into a comfortable pace of reading.
Now that I have read all three parts, I can safely conclude that my favourite out of them all is Inferno. I find Inferno to be more creative and imaginative than the other two. Nevertheless, I enjoyed them all. With this read, I have completed my read of The Divine Comedy. I cannot say that I understood the entirety of it, but for me, poetry is more to feel than to understand.
The second reading made me better understand and appreciate Paradiso, and I enjoyed it more this time. Again and again, I marvel at the wisdom and creative power of Dante to create such a magnificent masterpiece.
In Paradiso, Dante journeys through Paradise. Here his guide is Beatrice. Virgil is no longer there and I missed dear old Virgil who guided Dante through the Inferno and Purgatorio. Unlike in the Inferno and Purgatorio where more classical and literary influences could be seen, Paradiso is based on Christian theology, astronomy, and classical philosophy. It is said that allegorically Beatrice represents theology. So it is all but natural that Beatrice is his guide here and that Virgil has no role to play.
The beautiful metaphors, the detailed descriptions, and lyrical beauty of the verses that I loved in both the Inferno and Purgatorio are found here as well. I enjoyed reading them. However, when compared with the other two, Paradiso was a heavy read for me. At times, especially in the middle, I found the read a little exhausting. But towards the last third cantos, the contents were lighter and I was able to get into a comfortable pace of reading.
Now that I have read all three parts, I can safely conclude that my favourite out of them all is Inferno. I find Inferno to be more creative and imaginative than the other two. Nevertheless, I enjoyed them all. With this read, I have completed my read of The Divine Comedy. I cannot say that I understood the entirety of it, but for me, poetry is more to feel than to understand.
The second reading made me better understand and appreciate Paradiso, and I enjoyed it more this time. Again and again, I marvel at the wisdom and creative power of Dante to create such a magnificent masterpiece.
May 5, 2017
丨丕賱 丌賳 讴爻 乇丕 丿丕乇賲 讴賴 趩蹖夭蹖 乇丕 亘賴 乇丐蹖丕 丿蹖丿賴 賵 趩賵賳 亘蹖丿丕乇 卮賵丿貙 賱匕鬲 丌賳 賴賳賵夭 亘丕賯蹖 丕爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 乇丐蹖丕 乇丕 亘賴 蹖丕丿 賳鬲賵丕賳丿 丌賵乇丿. 夭蹖乇丕 讴賴 賲讴丕卮賮賴 蹖 賲賳 丕夭 禺丕胤乇賲 乇賮鬲賴 丕爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 賱匕鬲蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 亘丕亘鬲 亘乇丿賲 賴賳賵夭 丿乇 丿賱賲 亘丕賯蹖 丕爻鬲.
丿丕賳鬲賴 亘賴 蹖丕乇蹖 乇賵丨 賲毓卮賵賯卮貙 芦亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻禄貙 亘賴 賳賯胤賴 蹖 倬丕蹖丕賳蹖 毓夭蹖賲鬲 禺賵丿 賲蹖 乇爻丿: 亘賴卮鬲 丌爻賲丕賳蹖.丕乇賵丕丨 亘賴卮鬲蹖貙 亘乇 禺賱丕賮 丕乇賵丕丨 丿賵夭禺蹖 賵 亘乇夭禺蹖貙 氐賵乇鬲 賲丕丿蹖 賵丕囟丨蹖 賳丿丕乇賳丿 賵 亘賴 鬲噩乇賾丿 賳夭丿蹖讴 鬲乇賳丿.
丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 丕蹖賳 爻賮乇貙 丿丕賳鬲賴 亘賴 讴賴讴卮丕賳 賮乇卮鬲诏丕賳 賵 亘賴卮鬲蹖丕賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丿賵乇 賳賯胤賴 蹖 賳賵乇丕賳蹖 丕賱賴蹖 賲蹖 趩乇禺賳丿 賲蹖 乇爻丿 賵 亘丕 蹖丕乇蹖 丌賳 賴丕貙 亘賴 匕丕鬲 丕賱賴蹖 賳馗乇 賲蹖 讴賳丿. 丕蹖賳 賲讴丕卮賮賴貙 丌禺乇蹖賳 賵丕賯毓賴 蹖 丕蹖賳 爻賮乇 胤賵賱丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丕夭 睾賵胤賴 禺賵乇丿賳 丿乇 诏賳丕賴丕賳 (丿賵夭禺) 丌睾丕夭 賲蹖 卮賵丿貙 亘丕 鬲賵亘賴 賵 鬲胤賴蹖乇 (亘乇夭禺) 丕丿丕賲賴 賲蹖 蹖丕亘丿 賵 亘丕 倬蹖賲賵丿賳 丿乇噩丕鬲 讴賲丕賱 (亘賴卮鬲) 亘賴 賳賯胤賴 蹖 賳賴丕蹖蹖 毓乇賵噩 丕賳爻丕賳蹖 (乇丐蹖鬲 禺丿丕賵賳丿) 賲蹖 乇爻丿.
噩睾乇丕賮蹖丕蹖 亘賴卮鬲
亘乇 丕爻丕爻 毓賱賲 賳噩賵賲 賯乇賵賳 賵爻胤丕貙 噩賴丕賳 讴乇賴 丕蹖 鬲賵 倬購乇 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 賲乇讴夭卮貙 讴乇賴 蹖 夭賲蹖賳 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿. 亘乇 诏乇丿 夭賲蹖賳貙 爻鬲丕乇诏丕賳 賵 爻蹖丕乇丕鬲貙 丿乇 胤亘賯丕鬲蹖 鬲賵 丿乇 鬲賵貙 賲丕賳賳丿 賱丕蹖賴 賴丕蹖 倬蹖丕夭貙 賲蹖 诏乇丿賳丿. 亘賴 賴乇 蹖讴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賱丕蹖賴 賴丕 蹖丕 胤亘賯丕鬲貙 蹖讴 芦賮賱讴禄 賲蹖 诏賮鬲賳丿. 丌爻賲丕賳 賳賴 賮賱讴 丿丕卮鬲 (賴賮鬲 賮賱讴 賲鬲毓賱賯 亘賴 爻蹖丕乇丕鬲 賵 賲丕賴 賵 禺賵乇卮蹖丿貙 蹖讴 賮賱讴 賲鬲毓賱賯 亘賴 爻鬲丕乇诏丕賳貙 賵 蹖讴 賮賱讴 亘賱賵乇蹖賳 賵 亘丿賵賳 爻鬲丕乇賴 賵 爻蹖丕乇賴貙 賲賵爻賵賲 亘賴 芦賮賱讴 丕賱丕賮賱丕讴禄 讴賴 讴賱 噩賴丕賳 乇丕 丿乇 亘乇 诏乇賮鬲賴 亘賵丿.) 讴賴 鬲賵爻胤 賮乇卮鬲诏丕賳 亘賴 诏乇丿 夭賲蹖賳 賲蹖 趩乇禺蹖丿賳丿. 賵 倬爻 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賳賴 賮賱讴貙 毓乇卮 丕賱賴蹖 賯乇丕乇 丿丕卮鬲.
丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 丿丕賳鬲賴貙 賴乇 蹖讴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賮賱讴 賴丕貙 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丿爻鬲賴 丕蹖 丕夭 亘賴卮鬲蹖丕賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 胤賵乇 賲賵賯鬲 丿乇 丌賳 噩丕蹖 诏乇賮鬲賴 丕賳丿. 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丕氐賱蹖 賴賲賴 蹖 丕乇賵丕丨 亘賴卮鬲蹖丕賳貙 丿乇 賵乇丕蹖 丕賮賱丕讴 丌爻賲丕賳 賵 丿乇 毓乇卮 丕賱賴蹖 丕爻鬲.
丿丕賳鬲賴 亘賴 蹖丕乇蹖 乇賵丨 賲毓卮賵賯卮貙 芦亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻禄貙 亘賴 賳賯胤賴 蹖 倬丕蹖丕賳蹖 毓夭蹖賲鬲 禺賵丿 賲蹖 乇爻丿: 亘賴卮鬲 丌爻賲丕賳蹖.丕乇賵丕丨 亘賴卮鬲蹖貙 亘乇 禺賱丕賮 丕乇賵丕丨 丿賵夭禺蹖 賵 亘乇夭禺蹖貙 氐賵乇鬲 賲丕丿蹖 賵丕囟丨蹖 賳丿丕乇賳丿 賵 亘賴 鬲噩乇賾丿 賳夭丿蹖讴 鬲乇賳丿.
丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 丕蹖賳 爻賮乇貙 丿丕賳鬲賴 亘賴 讴賴讴卮丕賳 賮乇卮鬲诏丕賳 賵 亘賴卮鬲蹖丕賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丿賵乇 賳賯胤賴 蹖 賳賵乇丕賳蹖 丕賱賴蹖 賲蹖 趩乇禺賳丿 賲蹖 乇爻丿 賵 亘丕 蹖丕乇蹖 丌賳 賴丕貙 亘賴 匕丕鬲 丕賱賴蹖 賳馗乇 賲蹖 讴賳丿. 丕蹖賳 賲讴丕卮賮賴貙 丌禺乇蹖賳 賵丕賯毓賴 蹖 丕蹖賳 爻賮乇 胤賵賱丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丕夭 睾賵胤賴 禺賵乇丿賳 丿乇 诏賳丕賴丕賳 (丿賵夭禺) 丌睾丕夭 賲蹖 卮賵丿貙 亘丕 鬲賵亘賴 賵 鬲胤賴蹖乇 (亘乇夭禺) 丕丿丕賲賴 賲蹖 蹖丕亘丿 賵 亘丕 倬蹖賲賵丿賳 丿乇噩丕鬲 讴賲丕賱 (亘賴卮鬲) 亘賴 賳賯胤賴 蹖 賳賴丕蹖蹖 毓乇賵噩 丕賳爻丕賳蹖 (乇丐蹖鬲 禺丿丕賵賳丿) 賲蹖 乇爻丿.
噩睾乇丕賮蹖丕蹖 亘賴卮鬲
亘乇 丕爻丕爻 毓賱賲 賳噩賵賲 賯乇賵賳 賵爻胤丕貙 噩賴丕賳 讴乇賴 丕蹖 鬲賵 倬購乇 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 賲乇讴夭卮貙 讴乇賴 蹖 夭賲蹖賳 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿. 亘乇 诏乇丿 夭賲蹖賳貙 爻鬲丕乇诏丕賳 賵 爻蹖丕乇丕鬲貙 丿乇 胤亘賯丕鬲蹖 鬲賵 丿乇 鬲賵貙 賲丕賳賳丿 賱丕蹖賴 賴丕蹖 倬蹖丕夭貙 賲蹖 诏乇丿賳丿. 亘賴 賴乇 蹖讴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賱丕蹖賴 賴丕 蹖丕 胤亘賯丕鬲貙 蹖讴 芦賮賱讴禄 賲蹖 诏賮鬲賳丿. 丌爻賲丕賳 賳賴 賮賱讴 丿丕卮鬲 (賴賮鬲 賮賱讴 賲鬲毓賱賯 亘賴 爻蹖丕乇丕鬲 賵 賲丕賴 賵 禺賵乇卮蹖丿貙 蹖讴 賮賱讴 賲鬲毓賱賯 亘賴 爻鬲丕乇诏丕賳貙 賵 蹖讴 賮賱讴 亘賱賵乇蹖賳 賵 亘丿賵賳 爻鬲丕乇賴 賵 爻蹖丕乇賴貙 賲賵爻賵賲 亘賴 芦賮賱讴 丕賱丕賮賱丕讴禄 讴賴 讴賱 噩賴丕賳 乇丕 丿乇 亘乇 诏乇賮鬲賴 亘賵丿.) 讴賴 鬲賵爻胤 賮乇卮鬲诏丕賳 亘賴 诏乇丿 夭賲蹖賳 賲蹖 趩乇禺蹖丿賳丿. 賵 倬爻 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賳賴 賮賱讴貙 毓乇卮 丕賱賴蹖 賯乇丕乇 丿丕卮鬲.
丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 丿丕賳鬲賴貙 賴乇 蹖讴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賮賱讴 賴丕貙 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丿爻鬲賴 丕蹖 丕夭 亘賴卮鬲蹖丕賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 胤賵乇 賲賵賯鬲 丿乇 丌賳 噩丕蹖 诏乇賮鬲賴 丕賳丿. 噩丕蹖诏丕賴 丕氐賱蹖 賴賲賴 蹖 丕乇賵丕丨 亘賴卮鬲蹖丕賳貙 丿乇 賵乇丕蹖 丕賮賱丕讴 丌爻賲丕賳 賵 丿乇 毓乇卮 丕賱賴蹖 丕爻鬲.
February 9, 2017
"What little I recall is to be told,
from this point on, in words more weak than those
of one whose infant tongue still bathes at the breast." Canto XXXIII
Note: When your eyes glaze over at any point while reading this review, simply skip ahead to the solid line __________.
Dante wrote his 'Divine Comedy' as a didactic poem. He wanted to teach his fellow citizens about what could await them after death - Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso. He also wanted to teach a lesson in Faith and Morals. He wrote it in the Italian dialect of his region so that they could easily access it. He included historical personages, including many still living at the time so that they could recognize their neighbours and themselves. And he created a stunning and beautiful work of poetic art so that they would want to read it over and over again. The very poetry carries the message in its form and structure. And here we are, 700 years later, still reading it - but do we learn what he tried to teach? Do we even understand the 'Divine Comedy'? Can any modern reader immerse herself in Dante's late medieval world to catch an inkling of his message?
I think not. Perhaps there are a few, somewhat na茂ve, Catholic scholars locked away somewhere who can grasp it all, but to really be the audience Dante intended, no. The social imaginaries have changed and no one can get back to Dante. So why do so many somewhat educated, non-believing (or at least living a totally different belief) western thinking GR members continue to read the 'Divine Comedy'?
Well, some 107 000 GR members say that they have read the 'Inferno'. (That's Best Seller status!). A lot of the reviews cite that the notes were necessary for identifying all those characters who Dante was critical of and had condemned to an eternity of suffering. Reviewers also cite their interest in the stories of these persons in life and, even more so, their delight in Dante's imagined torments. I suspect that few of us are frightened by these torments. Nor do we feel a particular sense of satisfaction or revenge that any of these souls (What's a soul?) are so condemned. But, we have scored 'Inferno' at 3.98 stars. Pretty good, even if we didn't really get where Dante wants us to be.
Now, almost 16 700 ratings are in for 'Purgatorio'. Quite a drop in readership considering the high ratings for 'Inferno'. But these readers are quite happy with a rating of 4.01 stars. Obviously, those who stick with it are those who are most devoted. Again, the comments are focused more on the characters and the suffering than on the message that Dante intended.
Finally, there is the 'Paradiso' with some 11 800 ratings. That suggests that the majority of the readers of the 'Purgatorio' persevered. And then, having made it all that way, they assigned an average of 3.98 stars. Now that is only .03 stars fewer stars than were awarded to the 'Purgatorio'. Statistically significant? I suspect so given the high numbers of raters. (I also suspect that there is a lot of the well known "Damn it. I've read all of this and I'm going to appreciate it" factor at play here. So the rating is likely skewed a bit on the high side.)
What is interesting here is that many of the reviews, while positive, do note a lack of action. Perhaps the higher rating is due to the fact that Dante has made fewer references to historical personages who mean nothing or little to the reader. (Of course, this group of readers may include those most likely to read and enjoy endnotes.) However, it is noteworthy that few of the reviews say a great deal about the theological or philosophical discussions which abound in this volume. Dante's messages are apparently not getting through, even to the most devoted readers. Why not? Because we lack the background.
The problem for most of us is that we are not born with an 'a priori' knowledge of classical literature and mythology, medieval philosophy and theology, and Dante's personal genius.
Now I'm going to reveal myself as the pedantic, intellectual snob that I've always striven to be. I'm going to to tell you that I spent months reading up on medieval philosophy and theology and then read up on Dante. (I should note that others have outdone me and have demonstrated a much greater depth of knowledge and insight. Actually, I suspect that their knowledge is 'a priori', perhaps divinely ordained.)
All of the above to say that I studied my way through the 'Paradiso', rather than reading it. I made as many connections with classical and medieval thought as I could and reconnected with those sources, which is why I spent months on this volume. And, it was fun. I will note, however, that I understood a great deal more than I would have done otherwise but the majority still evaded me. Also, I did not convert to Catholicism nor to Christianity. Not even to some vague spiritual belief (like, uhh, I don't really believe in any religion, ya know, but like, I think there's something out there, like, a god or something.) Nope. No epiphany. I'm still the same. Except I was blown away by Dante's genius. Wow. That guy had an enormous amount of information at his disposal. No internet. His own intellect had all of this within his grasp. We really should honour Dante.
______________________________________
So what did I get out of reading the Paradiso? (Finally. If you've read this far, you'll probably be disappointed.) I learned a great deal about Dante's worldview (If you're into German thought, that's "Weltanschauung".) I learned about his chain of reasoning which took him from the eyes and smile of Beatrice to love, to light, to the Sun, to all of creation, through to truth to the suffering and resurrection of Christ and then to the perfection of God. In Dante's world, not only is all of this united but, finally, it is all one, eternal and infinite.
His development of this path is one of both logic and scripture. He uses his knowledge of medieval theology and his poetry to bring his reader to this perfect knowledge, to a moral and intellectual Wisdom. The only wisdom possible.
To support this development, Dante has himself in Heaven addressed by a veritable army of saints, theologians and philosophers. He also calls forth Kings and Biblical persons as well as characters from Roman and Greek mythologies. It is all of the above who develop the imagery and the arguments necessary to lead his readers to Christ and to Wisdom. Dante presents himself as little more than a scribe chosen by Christ to bring the message to humanity. As such, of course, he can be seen as a prophet. But Dante, who was aware of his tendency to the sin of pride, and has been berated for it by Beatrice at their first encounter, often reminds his reader of his humble role. That a man of such genius has assumed this role seems somewhat unbelievable. But that may be part of his genius.
My advice to anyone wishing to read and enjoy the 'Divine Comedy' is to immerse yourself in Dante's world as much as you may have patience for. As well, there is so much more that I have not touched upon.
from this point on, in words more weak than those
of one whose infant tongue still bathes at the breast." Canto XXXIII
Note: When your eyes glaze over at any point while reading this review, simply skip ahead to the solid line __________.
Dante wrote his 'Divine Comedy' as a didactic poem. He wanted to teach his fellow citizens about what could await them after death - Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso. He also wanted to teach a lesson in Faith and Morals. He wrote it in the Italian dialect of his region so that they could easily access it. He included historical personages, including many still living at the time so that they could recognize their neighbours and themselves. And he created a stunning and beautiful work of poetic art so that they would want to read it over and over again. The very poetry carries the message in its form and structure. And here we are, 700 years later, still reading it - but do we learn what he tried to teach? Do we even understand the 'Divine Comedy'? Can any modern reader immerse herself in Dante's late medieval world to catch an inkling of his message?
I think not. Perhaps there are a few, somewhat na茂ve, Catholic scholars locked away somewhere who can grasp it all, but to really be the audience Dante intended, no. The social imaginaries have changed and no one can get back to Dante. So why do so many somewhat educated, non-believing (or at least living a totally different belief) western thinking GR members continue to read the 'Divine Comedy'?
Well, some 107 000 GR members say that they have read the 'Inferno'. (That's Best Seller status!). A lot of the reviews cite that the notes were necessary for identifying all those characters who Dante was critical of and had condemned to an eternity of suffering. Reviewers also cite their interest in the stories of these persons in life and, even more so, their delight in Dante's imagined torments. I suspect that few of us are frightened by these torments. Nor do we feel a particular sense of satisfaction or revenge that any of these souls (What's a soul?) are so condemned. But, we have scored 'Inferno' at 3.98 stars. Pretty good, even if we didn't really get where Dante wants us to be.
Now, almost 16 700 ratings are in for 'Purgatorio'. Quite a drop in readership considering the high ratings for 'Inferno'. But these readers are quite happy with a rating of 4.01 stars. Obviously, those who stick with it are those who are most devoted. Again, the comments are focused more on the characters and the suffering than on the message that Dante intended.
Finally, there is the 'Paradiso' with some 11 800 ratings. That suggests that the majority of the readers of the 'Purgatorio' persevered. And then, having made it all that way, they assigned an average of 3.98 stars. Now that is only .03 stars fewer stars than were awarded to the 'Purgatorio'. Statistically significant? I suspect so given the high numbers of raters. (I also suspect that there is a lot of the well known "Damn it. I've read all of this and I'm going to appreciate it" factor at play here. So the rating is likely skewed a bit on the high side.)
What is interesting here is that many of the reviews, while positive, do note a lack of action. Perhaps the higher rating is due to the fact that Dante has made fewer references to historical personages who mean nothing or little to the reader. (Of course, this group of readers may include those most likely to read and enjoy endnotes.) However, it is noteworthy that few of the reviews say a great deal about the theological or philosophical discussions which abound in this volume. Dante's messages are apparently not getting through, even to the most devoted readers. Why not? Because we lack the background.
The problem for most of us is that we are not born with an 'a priori' knowledge of classical literature and mythology, medieval philosophy and theology, and Dante's personal genius.
Now I'm going to reveal myself as the pedantic, intellectual snob that I've always striven to be. I'm going to to tell you that I spent months reading up on medieval philosophy and theology and then read up on Dante. (I should note that others have outdone me and have demonstrated a much greater depth of knowledge and insight. Actually, I suspect that their knowledge is 'a priori', perhaps divinely ordained.)
All of the above to say that I studied my way through the 'Paradiso', rather than reading it. I made as many connections with classical and medieval thought as I could and reconnected with those sources, which is why I spent months on this volume. And, it was fun. I will note, however, that I understood a great deal more than I would have done otherwise but the majority still evaded me. Also, I did not convert to Catholicism nor to Christianity. Not even to some vague spiritual belief (like, uhh, I don't really believe in any religion, ya know, but like, I think there's something out there, like, a god or something.) Nope. No epiphany. I'm still the same. Except I was blown away by Dante's genius. Wow. That guy had an enormous amount of information at his disposal. No internet. His own intellect had all of this within his grasp. We really should honour Dante.
______________________________________
So what did I get out of reading the Paradiso? (Finally. If you've read this far, you'll probably be disappointed.) I learned a great deal about Dante's worldview (If you're into German thought, that's "Weltanschauung".) I learned about his chain of reasoning which took him from the eyes and smile of Beatrice to love, to light, to the Sun, to all of creation, through to truth to the suffering and resurrection of Christ and then to the perfection of God. In Dante's world, not only is all of this united but, finally, it is all one, eternal and infinite.
His development of this path is one of both logic and scripture. He uses his knowledge of medieval theology and his poetry to bring his reader to this perfect knowledge, to a moral and intellectual Wisdom. The only wisdom possible.
To support this development, Dante has himself in Heaven addressed by a veritable army of saints, theologians and philosophers. He also calls forth Kings and Biblical persons as well as characters from Roman and Greek mythologies. It is all of the above who develop the imagery and the arguments necessary to lead his readers to Christ and to Wisdom. Dante presents himself as little more than a scribe chosen by Christ to bring the message to humanity. As such, of course, he can be seen as a prophet. But Dante, who was aware of his tendency to the sin of pride, and has been berated for it by Beatrice at their first encounter, often reminds his reader of his humble role. That a man of such genius has assumed this role seems somewhat unbelievable. But that may be part of his genius.
My advice to anyone wishing to read and enjoy the 'Divine Comedy' is to immerse yourself in Dante's world as much as you may have patience for. As well, there is so much more that I have not touched upon.
September 20, 2022
El Infierno y el Purgatorio son mil veces m谩s divertidos y entretenidos de leer en contenido, mensaje y todo lo dem谩s que el Para铆so.
Admito que pens茅 que nunca terminar铆a este.
Admito que pens茅 que nunca terminar铆a este.
Want to read
April 8, 2017I'm only reading the poems, and the preceding brief clarifying outlines, this first time through. I find the long critical sections to be almost wholly poem killing. I am not a Christian, so my view is literary and anthropological. All literature for me, the compelling stuff, delineates a lost or wholly imagined world or parallel sphere. ('s off-beat work comes to mind.) The Divine Comedy wonderfully creates just such an imagined existence. It is, in fact, a dystopia, very ancient and chilling. There are stanzas that take the breath away. Just two here:
Oh you, eager to hear more,The old prejudices are here strong as ever. Especially, the killing of Jesus by "the Jews." Missing as usual is Jesus's Jewish birth. Also, the ridiculous dogma of Original Sin, which was an invention of Augustine of Hippo, and adopted by the early church, late in the 4th century. Yet the beauty of the verse allows us to glimpse something of the relevance and immediacy the poem must have had for readers of Dante's day. One gets a similar effect when viewing El Greco's portraits of the saints. It is the style that transfixes.who have followed me in your little bark
my ship that singing makes its way,
turn back if you would see your shores again.
Do not set forth upon the deep,
for, losing sight of me, you would be lost.
February 19, 2025
趩賯丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 賳夭丿蹖讴 亘賵丿 丌賳 夭賲丕賳 讴賴 丿蹖賵丕乇 噩賴賳賲 乇丕 亘賳丕 賲蹖鈥屭┴必嗀�...
倬丕蹖丕賳 賲丕噩乇丕噩賵蹖蹖 蹖讴 賲丕賴賴 亘丕 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖
蹖讴 丕爻賮賳丿 1403
倬丕蹖丕賳 賲丕噩乇丕噩賵蹖蹖 蹖讴 賲丕賴賴 亘丕 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖
蹖讴 丕爻賮賳丿 1403
September 21, 2020
"Faith is the substance of the things we hope for,
And evidence of those that are not seen"
I have nothing but admiration for Dante. Wow! That was such a great ending for an iconic masterpiece.
Almost all throughout the book, our narrator runs out of words to describe the magnificence of the scenes before him. Even with subtle guides of visualization, I liked how the rest of the magic was up to the reader's mind. After reading a certain line or canto, I would find myself blankly staring at the wall because I could not get over what I just "saw" -- what Heaven, and Paradise, was like. With here I truly feel for Dante because I honest to goodness also wasn't really able to grasp all of the beauties of God's kingdom.
Frankly, though, Paradiso had been a harder read compared to the past two parts of the Divine Comedy. It was difficult to take in what the narrator says, and I found myself reading the lines excruciatingly slowly. Not that it's a bad thing. I really liked that I had to read slower than usual in order to comprehend the writing. But I feel like I have not understood every part if this book. I kinda feel guilty about it; I guess my reading comprehension is not that ready for the difficulty of this text. So for now I'm giving it four stars. I'm planning to get back on this trilogy perhaps some time in the future, when also my reading level is higher and improved. That way I can appreciate more what a masterpiece this was. Even now, after my reading it for the first time, I feel like it is.
P. S. It actually feels like a 4.5. But yeah, the minus .5 for now will be for the guilt that I wasn't able to take in everything.
And evidence of those that are not seen"
I have nothing but admiration for Dante. Wow! That was such a great ending for an iconic masterpiece.
Almost all throughout the book, our narrator runs out of words to describe the magnificence of the scenes before him. Even with subtle guides of visualization, I liked how the rest of the magic was up to the reader's mind. After reading a certain line or canto, I would find myself blankly staring at the wall because I could not get over what I just "saw" -- what Heaven, and Paradise, was like. With here I truly feel for Dante because I honest to goodness also wasn't really able to grasp all of the beauties of God's kingdom.
Frankly, though, Paradiso had been a harder read compared to the past two parts of the Divine Comedy. It was difficult to take in what the narrator says, and I found myself reading the lines excruciatingly slowly. Not that it's a bad thing. I really liked that I had to read slower than usual in order to comprehend the writing. But I feel like I have not understood every part if this book. I kinda feel guilty about it; I guess my reading comprehension is not that ready for the difficulty of this text. So for now I'm giving it four stars. I'm planning to get back on this trilogy perhaps some time in the future, when also my reading level is higher and improved. That way I can appreciate more what a masterpiece this was. Even now, after my reading it for the first time, I feel like it is.
P. S. It actually feels like a 4.5. But yeah, the minus .5 for now will be for the guilt that I wasn't able to take in everything.
October 20, 2016
As much as you have to admire Dante for his knowledge spanning over so many fields - philosophy, cosmology, history, theology, mythology, poets, politics, whatever is the word for the science of torture (Dante should be called father of that science), about local crimes etc - one can see why Borges considered it the best thing ever written; still I didn't particularly like Paradiso. It is mostly saintly souls in large groups moving in different shapes. And despite all those souls telling us everything about right and wrong; the only thing that I liked are the parts where Dante and Beatrice are flirting with each other.
or
I mean get a room, right? But that is another thing missing from Paradise. No rooms. Souls just move around in closed shapes all the time, singing prayers. Sounds boring. To be fair, there are some religious celebrities - especially towards the end which might interest the faithful. But still, isn't paradise supposed to be really,really attractive? I can't imagine anyone being sold on this idea of Paradise. I, for one, can't imagine myself climbing the stupid purgarito mountain for that.
Not that I know of too attractive an idea of paradise. Even Hindu idea of paradise with all its riches never tempted me. It is this monotony which must accompany eternity - everything becomes boring in long run. Whats the point of having your favorite food, if you have been having it for last thousand years? I could rather prefer their alternative of cycle of rebirth and death over it, which Hindu saints are trying to free themselves from. The cycle of rebirth and death means, as I see it, the opportunity of doing things repeatedly without burden of the memory of having done it before. Think of all the first loves, first kisses, first sight of your children you can have in that scenario!
Another defect of heavenly life is we will probably lose our personality, our individuality too along with our pleasure - as was the case in Borges' short story 'Immortal'. There is thus no Paradise that is not boring and that doesn't make us dull. The only incentive a paradise has is a negative one - it is not hell, so one need not suffer (except from boredom).
And so, the best thing that can happen would be if we were reborn again or didn't have a soul at all. A soul doomed to live eternally must choose between suffering of hell and monotony of paradise. I know, pretty philosophical, is my it? I should be a theologian.
I think for us, goodreaders, choice can't be more clear. There is only one suffering we can't bear - boredom. I mean we chose he books that might make us make us cry, suffer along with its protagonists over sitting idly. And if we know a book that has made someone cry, we give preference to that book. Not that there is anything wrong with that. If you shall Google 'soul-destroying', it shall offer 'monotony' as its meaning. We focus our activities on saving our souls and we must continue to avoid monotony (read paradise) even after death ... No, the money I received from Satan for making a sale-pitch for his resort has nothing to do with this. Let us face it, hell has all the interesting people. I mean where do you think all the Lawerences, Nabokovs, Calvinos are?
So, feel free to commit all the sins you want. In the end, that is what will save you soul.
... On the other hand, the Islamic Paradise with its proposal of four virgins ... tempting.
And of course, to quote "stars".
"Open thine eyes and look at what I am
Though hast behold such things, that strong enough
Has thou become to tolerate my smile."
or
"Were I to smile, then you would be
like Semele when she was turned to ashes,
because, as you have seen, my loveliness
which, even as we climb the steps of this
eternal palace, blazes with more brightness
were it not tempered here, would be so brilliant
that, as it flashed, your mortal faculty
would seem a branch a lightning bolt has cracked"
I mean get a room, right? But that is another thing missing from Paradise. No rooms. Souls just move around in closed shapes all the time, singing prayers. Sounds boring. To be fair, there are some religious celebrities - especially towards the end which might interest the faithful. But still, isn't paradise supposed to be really,really attractive? I can't imagine anyone being sold on this idea of Paradise. I, for one, can't imagine myself climbing the stupid purgarito mountain for that.
Not that I know of too attractive an idea of paradise. Even Hindu idea of paradise with all its riches never tempted me. It is this monotony which must accompany eternity - everything becomes boring in long run. Whats the point of having your favorite food, if you have been having it for last thousand years? I could rather prefer their alternative of cycle of rebirth and death over it, which Hindu saints are trying to free themselves from. The cycle of rebirth and death means, as I see it, the opportunity of doing things repeatedly without burden of the memory of having done it before. Think of all the first loves, first kisses, first sight of your children you can have in that scenario!
Another defect of heavenly life is we will probably lose our personality, our individuality too along with our pleasure - as was the case in Borges' short story 'Immortal'. There is thus no Paradise that is not boring and that doesn't make us dull. The only incentive a paradise has is a negative one - it is not hell, so one need not suffer (except from boredom).
And so, the best thing that can happen would be if we were reborn again or didn't have a soul at all. A soul doomed to live eternally must choose between suffering of hell and monotony of paradise. I know, pretty philosophical, is my it? I should be a theologian.
I think for us, goodreaders, choice can't be more clear. There is only one suffering we can't bear - boredom. I mean we chose he books that might make us make us cry, suffer along with its protagonists over sitting idly. And if we know a book that has made someone cry, we give preference to that book. Not that there is anything wrong with that. If you shall Google 'soul-destroying', it shall offer 'monotony' as its meaning. We focus our activities on saving our souls and we must continue to avoid monotony (read paradise) even after death ... No, the money I received from Satan for making a sale-pitch for his resort has nothing to do with this. Let us face it, hell has all the interesting people. I mean where do you think all the Lawerences, Nabokovs, Calvinos are?
So, feel free to commit all the sins you want. In the end, that is what will save you soul.
... On the other hand, the Islamic Paradise with its proposal of four virgins ... tempting.
And of course, to quote "stars".
September 15, 2014
鈥淚nfinite order rules in this domain.
Mere accidence can no more enter in
than hunger can, or thirst, or grief, or pain.鈥�
鈥淣ow comes this man who from the final pit
of the universe up to this height has seen,
one by one, the three lives of the spirit.鈥�
I have been reviewing each canto separately, but that is not how the poem was constructed. Dante planned his timeless masterpiece to the last detail, leaving nothing to chance or improvization. His supreme deity is one of order and meaning, and only our limited intelligence stops us from understanding His master plan. My limited intelligence also made me struggle with the last Canto much more than with the previous two. The Florentine poet urges me to put aside everything I gained through the powers of reasoning and observation of the natural world and rely on Faith for the last leg of the journey, to look inward and examine what I believe in and how strong is my conviction. More than in the other two cantos combined, I relied on the the translator鈥檚 synopsis and endnotes to explain the subtleties of the text (says Ciardi: Dante warns back the shallow reader: only those who have eaten of the knowledge of God may hope to follow him into the last reaches of his infinite voyage, for it will reveal such wonders as only faith can grasp. )
The three lives of the spirit: Inferno shows us the punishment of those who only live for themselves and for material gains. Purgatory shows us there is a path to salvation of our souls, a tortuous and exhausting climb up from the gutter. Now Paradise is the proof that Man鈥檚 spirit was made to soar up into the immaculate sphere of pure thought and unreserved Love. Ciardi, my erudite and patient guide through the intricate swirls of Dante鈥檚 argument, remarks on how the poet achieves his goals 鈥� analogies and metaphors that are started in the first Canto and are followed up and developed throughout the journey. Dante climaxes the master metaphor in which purification is equated to weightlessness. Having purged all dross from his soul he mounts effortlessly, without even being aware of it at first.
A second master metaphor I have identified is the use of light : from the darkness of Inferno to the night and day alternance in Purgatorio and now to painting with light on a white canvas. The spiris Dante meets in the celestial spheres are differentiated only by the intensity of their shining shapes, an ever increasing value that leads to the need for Dante to have his eyesight upgraded more than once in order to observe his surroundings without being burned to a crisp (he sees spirits dancing even in the middle of the Sun)
To finish with the poem wide projects, I should also make a note of the soundtrack. From the groans, wails and screams of the condemned souls in Inferno or the individual songs of praise in the Purgatory we have graduated now to hearing the celestial chorus, the synchronized dance and music of the stars, as free of the weight of routine concerns as the body of the poet is free of gravity.
鈥淥 heavenly love in smiling glory wreathed,
how ardently you sounded from those flutes
through which none but the holiest impulse breathed.鈥�
Paradise starts at the top of the Purgatory mountain, when Dante leaves behind his ancient philosopher companion (literally and spiritually) and is handed down into the hands of Beatrice, the incarnation of Divine Love. The distances the poet travel increase exponentially as he visits the celestial spheres nested one inside the other like Matrioshka dolls, but thanks to his above mentioned weightlessness after the shedding of all sinful and impure thoughts, he covers the space in a blink of an eye. Yet, for all the declared goal of writing about a spiritul voyage, I couldn鈥檛 help but notice that Dante cannot help himself from showing off his interest in astronomical observations, zodiac symbols and mythical recollections even as he visits the spheres of Air, Moon, Mercury, Sun, Venus, Jupiter, up to the final destination The Empirean. As he cannot renounce, not even when facing the highest authorities in Heaven, his right to criticize the religious excesses and the political betrayals that have sent him in exile.
As a side note, beside Ciardi I am extremely grateful to the Divine Commedy reading group here, who provided excellent illustrations and commentary to each canto. The most intriguing, and in my opinion appropriate observation was linking the journey of Dante to contemporary Arab texts describing the spiritual journey of Mohammed on the back of a winged donkey. The implications are many and I am in danger of getting derailed, but I really liked to notice how the two major religions are not so different as modern haters want me to think, and how in early Renaissance the oriental wisdom played as major a part as the Greek and Roman philosophical heritage.
Paradisio though is more focused on the Christian saints and myths, and I am less familiar with their names and their histories than with the people Dante met in Hell or Purgatorio. Yet I recognized the major influences : Aquina, Bede, Boethius, St Bernard, St Benedict, St Augustine. The higher Dante ascends, the closer he gets to the apostles, the Virgin and the Saviour. The ultimate revelation ( which amusingly for me comes only after Dante is questioned about his faith like a schoolboy reciting his catechism) is about the nature of the Trinity that is One. Despite being often confused by the sophistic arguments, I cannot help but be in awe at the conviction and passion Dante puts into this final affirmation of his creed.
鈥楾here was not, nor will be, from the first day
to the last night, an act so glorious
and so magnificent, on either way.
For God, in giving Himself that man might be
able to raise himself, gave even more
than if he had forgiven him in mercy鈥�.
God has given us a choice in our salvation. Dante sees more worth in devotion that is freely given instead of a general amnesty that forgives everybody or lip service that comes out of fear of punishment or desire for rewards. Punishment and rewards are still a major part of the poet鈥檚 project, but for me the most important question remains this one regarding free will. I was curious about how Dante would reconciliate the opposing concepts of freedom of thought with the total obedience to the tenets of the church. I found the solution weak, especially after Virgil exclaims at the end of Purgatory : 鈥淟ord of yourself I crown and mitre you!鈥�. For a second I thought Dante will be consistent in his support for the idea:
鈥淥f all creation鈥檚 bounty realized,
God鈥檚 greatest gift, the gift in which mankind
is most like Him, the gift by Him most prized,
is the freedom he bestowed upon the will.鈥�
But immediately after this exclamation comes Beatrice and tries to demonstrate that Man should use his freedom to give the gift back to God and act only in accordance with what the scriptures require of him. A second and third disappointment comes later when Dante鈥檚 inquisitive Renascentist mind can鈥檛 help but ask to understand the nature of Divine justice (for example why are countless innocent people killed in natural catastrophes?). Again Ciardi expresses the theme better than me:
Dante is afire to understand the nature of Divine justice and begs the Eagle to explain it, but he is told that the infinity of God鈥檚 excellence must forever exceed his creation, and that none may fathom His will, whereby it is presumptuous of any creature to question the Divine Justice. Man must be content with the guidance of the Scripture and with the sure knowledge that God is perfect, good, and just. Not even these enormously elevated souls can know the full answer. Likewise, in the sphere of Saturn: The mystery of predestination is beyond the reach of all but God, and man should not presume to grasp it.
Can you spell copout? This goes against all I admired in the first two cantos and all I loved about the Renaissance men 鈥� they liberated our spirit from the shackles of dogma. I need to think more about how Dante arrived at his conclusion, but for the moment colour me underwhelmed.
I got a couple of more quotes that reiterate the position of Dante as a political militant, railing against the corruption of his home city and against the sins of the Pope and of his antourage. I鈥檝e discussed the subject in my previous two reviews, so I will not spend more time on it:
鈥淔lorence [...] brings forth and spreads the accursed flower of gold
that changes the shepherd into a ravening wolf
by whom the sheep are scattered from the fold.鈥�
and,
鈥淔or all the goods of the Church, tithes and donations,
are for the poor of God, not to make fat
the families of monks 鈥� and worse relations.鈥�
and once more,
鈥淭he bride of Christ was not suckled of old
on blood of mine, of Linus, and of Cletus
to be reared as an instrument for grabbing gold.鈥�
I don鈥檛 want to say goodbye to the Divine Comedy on this negative note. I kept one last stanza to express my awe and gratitude for the fantastic journey that keeps giving us food for thought and moral support after so many centuries, a masterpiece that sees scholars dedicate their whole lives to the study and interpretation of the poet鈥檚 verses, that has dramatically influenced the vision of countless authors who borrowed and used the fruit of his imagination, a ray of hope and of joy about the future of mankind:
鈥淐ontemplating His Son with that Third Essence
of Love breated forth forever by Them both,
the omnipotent and ineffaable First Presence
created all that moves in mind and space
with such perfection that to look upon it
is to be seized by love of the Maker鈥檚 grace.鈥�
For and outstanding collection of illustrations to the cantos, please visit the Divine Comedy reading group. Thanks again for pushing me to read the books and for providing a one stop cornuccopia of knowledge and enthusiasm.
Mere accidence can no more enter in
than hunger can, or thirst, or grief, or pain.鈥�
鈥淣ow comes this man who from the final pit
of the universe up to this height has seen,
one by one, the three lives of the spirit.鈥�
I have been reviewing each canto separately, but that is not how the poem was constructed. Dante planned his timeless masterpiece to the last detail, leaving nothing to chance or improvization. His supreme deity is one of order and meaning, and only our limited intelligence stops us from understanding His master plan. My limited intelligence also made me struggle with the last Canto much more than with the previous two. The Florentine poet urges me to put aside everything I gained through the powers of reasoning and observation of the natural world and rely on Faith for the last leg of the journey, to look inward and examine what I believe in and how strong is my conviction. More than in the other two cantos combined, I relied on the the translator鈥檚 synopsis and endnotes to explain the subtleties of the text (says Ciardi: Dante warns back the shallow reader: only those who have eaten of the knowledge of God may hope to follow him into the last reaches of his infinite voyage, for it will reveal such wonders as only faith can grasp. )
The three lives of the spirit: Inferno shows us the punishment of those who only live for themselves and for material gains. Purgatory shows us there is a path to salvation of our souls, a tortuous and exhausting climb up from the gutter. Now Paradise is the proof that Man鈥檚 spirit was made to soar up into the immaculate sphere of pure thought and unreserved Love. Ciardi, my erudite and patient guide through the intricate swirls of Dante鈥檚 argument, remarks on how the poet achieves his goals 鈥� analogies and metaphors that are started in the first Canto and are followed up and developed throughout the journey. Dante climaxes the master metaphor in which purification is equated to weightlessness. Having purged all dross from his soul he mounts effortlessly, without even being aware of it at first.
A second master metaphor I have identified is the use of light : from the darkness of Inferno to the night and day alternance in Purgatorio and now to painting with light on a white canvas. The spiris Dante meets in the celestial spheres are differentiated only by the intensity of their shining shapes, an ever increasing value that leads to the need for Dante to have his eyesight upgraded more than once in order to observe his surroundings without being burned to a crisp (he sees spirits dancing even in the middle of the Sun)
To finish with the poem wide projects, I should also make a note of the soundtrack. From the groans, wails and screams of the condemned souls in Inferno or the individual songs of praise in the Purgatory we have graduated now to hearing the celestial chorus, the synchronized dance and music of the stars, as free of the weight of routine concerns as the body of the poet is free of gravity.
鈥淥 heavenly love in smiling glory wreathed,
how ardently you sounded from those flutes
through which none but the holiest impulse breathed.鈥�
Paradise starts at the top of the Purgatory mountain, when Dante leaves behind his ancient philosopher companion (literally and spiritually) and is handed down into the hands of Beatrice, the incarnation of Divine Love. The distances the poet travel increase exponentially as he visits the celestial spheres nested one inside the other like Matrioshka dolls, but thanks to his above mentioned weightlessness after the shedding of all sinful and impure thoughts, he covers the space in a blink of an eye. Yet, for all the declared goal of writing about a spiritul voyage, I couldn鈥檛 help but notice that Dante cannot help himself from showing off his interest in astronomical observations, zodiac symbols and mythical recollections even as he visits the spheres of Air, Moon, Mercury, Sun, Venus, Jupiter, up to the final destination The Empirean. As he cannot renounce, not even when facing the highest authorities in Heaven, his right to criticize the religious excesses and the political betrayals that have sent him in exile.
As a side note, beside Ciardi I am extremely grateful to the Divine Commedy reading group here, who provided excellent illustrations and commentary to each canto. The most intriguing, and in my opinion appropriate observation was linking the journey of Dante to contemporary Arab texts describing the spiritual journey of Mohammed on the back of a winged donkey. The implications are many and I am in danger of getting derailed, but I really liked to notice how the two major religions are not so different as modern haters want me to think, and how in early Renaissance the oriental wisdom played as major a part as the Greek and Roman philosophical heritage.
Paradisio though is more focused on the Christian saints and myths, and I am less familiar with their names and their histories than with the people Dante met in Hell or Purgatorio. Yet I recognized the major influences : Aquina, Bede, Boethius, St Bernard, St Benedict, St Augustine. The higher Dante ascends, the closer he gets to the apostles, the Virgin and the Saviour. The ultimate revelation ( which amusingly for me comes only after Dante is questioned about his faith like a schoolboy reciting his catechism) is about the nature of the Trinity that is One. Despite being often confused by the sophistic arguments, I cannot help but be in awe at the conviction and passion Dante puts into this final affirmation of his creed.
鈥楾here was not, nor will be, from the first day
to the last night, an act so glorious
and so magnificent, on either way.
For God, in giving Himself that man might be
able to raise himself, gave even more
than if he had forgiven him in mercy鈥�.
God has given us a choice in our salvation. Dante sees more worth in devotion that is freely given instead of a general amnesty that forgives everybody or lip service that comes out of fear of punishment or desire for rewards. Punishment and rewards are still a major part of the poet鈥檚 project, but for me the most important question remains this one regarding free will. I was curious about how Dante would reconciliate the opposing concepts of freedom of thought with the total obedience to the tenets of the church. I found the solution weak, especially after Virgil exclaims at the end of Purgatory : 鈥淟ord of yourself I crown and mitre you!鈥�. For a second I thought Dante will be consistent in his support for the idea:
鈥淥f all creation鈥檚 bounty realized,
God鈥檚 greatest gift, the gift in which mankind
is most like Him, the gift by Him most prized,
is the freedom he bestowed upon the will.鈥�
But immediately after this exclamation comes Beatrice and tries to demonstrate that Man should use his freedom to give the gift back to God and act only in accordance with what the scriptures require of him. A second and third disappointment comes later when Dante鈥檚 inquisitive Renascentist mind can鈥檛 help but ask to understand the nature of Divine justice (for example why are countless innocent people killed in natural catastrophes?). Again Ciardi expresses the theme better than me:
Dante is afire to understand the nature of Divine justice and begs the Eagle to explain it, but he is told that the infinity of God鈥檚 excellence must forever exceed his creation, and that none may fathom His will, whereby it is presumptuous of any creature to question the Divine Justice. Man must be content with the guidance of the Scripture and with the sure knowledge that God is perfect, good, and just. Not even these enormously elevated souls can know the full answer. Likewise, in the sphere of Saturn: The mystery of predestination is beyond the reach of all but God, and man should not presume to grasp it.
Can you spell copout? This goes against all I admired in the first two cantos and all I loved about the Renaissance men 鈥� they liberated our spirit from the shackles of dogma. I need to think more about how Dante arrived at his conclusion, but for the moment colour me underwhelmed.
I got a couple of more quotes that reiterate the position of Dante as a political militant, railing against the corruption of his home city and against the sins of the Pope and of his antourage. I鈥檝e discussed the subject in my previous two reviews, so I will not spend more time on it:
鈥淔lorence [...] brings forth and spreads the accursed flower of gold
that changes the shepherd into a ravening wolf
by whom the sheep are scattered from the fold.鈥�
and,
鈥淔or all the goods of the Church, tithes and donations,
are for the poor of God, not to make fat
the families of monks 鈥� and worse relations.鈥�
and once more,
鈥淭he bride of Christ was not suckled of old
on blood of mine, of Linus, and of Cletus
to be reared as an instrument for grabbing gold.鈥�
I don鈥檛 want to say goodbye to the Divine Comedy on this negative note. I kept one last stanza to express my awe and gratitude for the fantastic journey that keeps giving us food for thought and moral support after so many centuries, a masterpiece that sees scholars dedicate their whole lives to the study and interpretation of the poet鈥檚 verses, that has dramatically influenced the vision of countless authors who borrowed and used the fruit of his imagination, a ray of hope and of joy about the future of mankind:
鈥淐ontemplating His Son with that Third Essence
of Love breated forth forever by Them both,
the omnipotent and ineffaable First Presence
created all that moves in mind and space
with such perfection that to look upon it
is to be seized by love of the Maker鈥檚 grace.鈥�
For and outstanding collection of illustrations to the cantos, please visit the Divine Comedy reading group. Thanks again for pushing me to read the books and for providing a one stop cornuccopia of knowledge and enthusiasm.
December 17, 2016
Paradise: Too bright and too noisy. Not my choice for a good retirement spot.
I have decided to settle for the Earthly Paradise atop Purgatory, with its meadows, light music and pleasant breeze. Seems like the best long term investment at the end of this cosmic tour.
I have decided to settle for the Earthly Paradise atop Purgatory, with its meadows, light music and pleasant breeze. Seems like the best long term investment at the end of this cosmic tour.
March 28, 2013
For the , The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh versus The Divine Comedy
The rest of this review is in my book
My propositions are elucidatory in this way: he who understands me finally recognizes them as senseless, when he has climbed out through them, on them, over them. (He must so to speak throw away the ladder, after he has climbed up on it.) He must surmount these propositions; then he sees the world rightly.One by one, all the other animals had left the Great Expotition. Rabbit had been first, in the Sphere of Mercury; then Kanga and Roo, in the Sphere of Venus. Tigger had joined the Holy Warriors in the Sphere of Mars, and Owl and Eeyore the Wise in the Sphere of the Sun. Christopher Robin had not been able to tear himself away from the Fixed Stars. "They're too beautiful," he'd muttered apologetically as they said goodbye. "You'll have to tell me what you find higher up." And now Pooh and Piglet followed Beatrice into the final Sphere.
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
The rest of this review is in my book
December 28, 2024
丿丕賳鬲賴 倬爻 丕夭 亘賴卮鬲 夭賲蹖賳蹖 亘丕 亘卅丕鬲乇蹖爻 亘賴 亘賴卮鬲 睾蹖乇夭賲蹖賳蹖 賲蹖乇賴 讴賴 丿乇 丌爻賲丕賳賴 賵 賴乇 丌爻賲丕賳 蹖讴 胤亘賯賴 丕夭 亘賴卮鬲. 胤亘賯丕鬲 賲禺鬲賱賮 亘賴卮鬲 丿丕賳鬲賴 毓亘丕乇鬲賳丿 丕夭
丌爻賲丕賳 1: 賮賱讴 賲丕賴 - 丕乇賵丕丨蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丕蹖賮丕蹖 賳匕賵乇丕鬲 禺賵丿 讴賵鬲丕賴蹖 讴乇丿賴 丕賳丿
丌爻賲丕賳 2 :賮賱讴 毓胤丕乇丿 - 丕乇賵丕丨 讴賵卮丕 賵 賳讴賵讴丕乇
丌爻賲丕賳 3: 賮賱讴 夭賴乇賴 - 丕乇賵丕丨 毓丕卮賯
丌爻賲丕賳 4: 賮賱讴 禺賵乇卮蹖丿 - 丕乇賵丕丨 賮賯賴丕 賵 賲鬲丕賱賴蹖賳
丌爻賲丕賳 5: 賮賱讴 賲乇蹖禺 - 卮賴爻賵丕乇丕賳 賲爻蹖丨
丌爻賲丕賳 6 : 賮賱讴 賲卮鬲乇蹖 - 卮丕賴丕賳 丿丕丿诏爻鬲乇 賵 禺乇丿賲賳丿
丌爻賲丕賳 7: 賮賱讴 夭丨賱 -丕乇賵丕丨 賲噩匕賵亘
丌爻賲丕賳 8: 賮賱讴 孬賵丕亘鬲 - 倬蹖乇賵夭蹖 賲爻蹖丨 賵 賲乇蹖賲 - 倬鬲乇賵爻 蹖毓賯賵亘 賵 蹖賵丨賳丕
丌爻賲丕賳 9: 賮賱讴 亘賱賵乇蹖賳 - 賮賱讴 丕賱丕賮賱丕讴
趩蹖夭蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 賲卮禺氐賴 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 亘賴 鬲乇鬲蹖亘 丕夭 丿賵夭禺 亘賴 亘賴卮鬲 噩匕丕亘蹖鬲 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖貙 乇賵丕蹖蹖 賵 丕爻胤賵乇賴鈥屫й� 讴鬲丕亘 讴賲 賵 亘賴 亘丨孬鈥屬囏� 賵 诏賮鬲诏賵鈥屬囏� 賵 亘蹖丕賳 毓賯丕蹖丿 賲匕賴亘蹖 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賴 卮丿賴. 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 賳馗乇 賲賳 囟毓蹖賮鈥屫臂屬� 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖賳 丕蹖賳 爻賴 噩賱丿 丕夭 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 亘賵丿
倬.賳: 丕丨鬲賲丕賱丕賸 丌禺乇蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 趩賴丕乇
丌爻賲丕賳 1: 賮賱讴 賲丕賴 - 丕乇賵丕丨蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丕蹖賮丕蹖 賳匕賵乇丕鬲 禺賵丿 讴賵鬲丕賴蹖 讴乇丿賴 丕賳丿
丌爻賲丕賳 2 :賮賱讴 毓胤丕乇丿 - 丕乇賵丕丨 讴賵卮丕 賵 賳讴賵讴丕乇
丌爻賲丕賳 3: 賮賱讴 夭賴乇賴 - 丕乇賵丕丨 毓丕卮賯
丌爻賲丕賳 4: 賮賱讴 禺賵乇卮蹖丿 - 丕乇賵丕丨 賮賯賴丕 賵 賲鬲丕賱賴蹖賳
丌爻賲丕賳 5: 賮賱讴 賲乇蹖禺 - 卮賴爻賵丕乇丕賳 賲爻蹖丨
丌爻賲丕賳 6 : 賮賱讴 賲卮鬲乇蹖 - 卮丕賴丕賳 丿丕丿诏爻鬲乇 賵 禺乇丿賲賳丿
丌爻賲丕賳 7: 賮賱讴 夭丨賱 -丕乇賵丕丨 賲噩匕賵亘
丌爻賲丕賳 8: 賮賱讴 孬賵丕亘鬲 - 倬蹖乇賵夭蹖 賲爻蹖丨 賵 賲乇蹖賲 - 倬鬲乇賵爻 蹖毓賯賵亘 賵 蹖賵丨賳丕
丌爻賲丕賳 9: 賮賱讴 亘賱賵乇蹖賳 - 賮賱讴 丕賱丕賮賱丕讴
趩蹖夭蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 賲卮禺氐賴 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 亘賴 鬲乇鬲蹖亘 丕夭 丿賵夭禺 亘賴 亘賴卮鬲 噩匕丕亘蹖鬲 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖貙 乇賵丕蹖蹖 賵 丕爻胤賵乇賴鈥屫й� 讴鬲丕亘 讴賲 賵 亘賴 亘丨孬鈥屬囏� 賵 诏賮鬲诏賵鈥屬囏� 賵 亘蹖丕賳 毓賯丕蹖丿 賲匕賴亘蹖 倬乇丿丕禺鬲賴 卮丿賴. 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 賳馗乇 賲賳 囟毓蹖賮鈥屫臂屬� 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖賳 丕蹖賳 爻賴 噩賱丿 丕夭 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 亘賵丿
倬.賳: 丕丨鬲賲丕賱丕賸 丌禺乇蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘蹖爻鬲 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 趩賴丕乇
June 28, 2019
Some concluding statements. I began reading Paradiso believing it was the weakest of the three canticas of Inferno, Pugatorio, and Paradiso. Such a notion was implanted from what I can only say are biased academics. Paradiso does not have the fanciful torments of Inferno. It does not have the bodily tensions of Purgatorio. But Paradiso is special. Perhaps it is the most theological of the three canticas鈥攁nd that is why I think that academic biased developed. But the theology is dramatized in imagery, proposed in beautiful similes and metaphors, all leading to that vision of God as the Trinity. Paradiso is the most beautiful of the three canticas. The sublimity of the imagery is unsurpassed. One can be horrified at the imagery of Inferno, and feel empathy at the imagery of Purgatorio. But one longs to embrace the imagery of Pardiso. Indeed, one longs to participate in the imagery of Paradiso.
In the very first canto of Paradiso, Beatrice in response to a question as to why all things move upward provides an answer which I think is the central thesis of not just Paradiso but of the entire Devine Comedy.
That the universe has an order, that things created have an order, all of which resembles God, who has created all forms out of reason and love, is at the heart of this epic. The entire Commedia is shaped to reflect God鈥檚 order. The order in Inferno, as it winds its way down to the bottom pit of hell, reflects God鈥檚 ordering of justice. The penitential climb up the mountain in Purgatorio reflects the order to retrain the soul to what you were made to be. The order of Paradiso, with its impelling motion toward the city of God, reflects order of God鈥檚 love as He draws us into His bosom as a parent draws their child. No other epic has such a complete vision of humanity in its relationship to his universe, and, indeed, to his creator.
Which is the greater of the three canticas? You can鈥檛 think of it that way. Each fulfills the other two. They complement each other as a trinity for a unified vision. So which of the three canticas do I prefer? Whichever I have read last, which at the moment is Paradiso.
In the very first canto of Paradiso, Beatrice in response to a question as to why all things move upward provides an answer which I think is the central thesis of not just Paradiso but of the entire Devine Comedy.
'All things created have an order
in themselves, and this begets the form
that lets the universe resemble God.
'Here the higher creatures see the imprint
of the eternal Worth, the end
for which that pattern was itself set forth.
'In that order, all natures have their bent
according to their different destinies,
whether nearer to their source or farther from it.
'They move, therefore, toward different harbors
upon the vastness of the sea of being,
each imbued with instinct that impels it on its course. (Par.I.103-114)
That the universe has an order, that things created have an order, all of which resembles God, who has created all forms out of reason and love, is at the heart of this epic. The entire Commedia is shaped to reflect God鈥檚 order. The order in Inferno, as it winds its way down to the bottom pit of hell, reflects God鈥檚 ordering of justice. The penitential climb up the mountain in Purgatorio reflects the order to retrain the soul to what you were made to be. The order of Paradiso, with its impelling motion toward the city of God, reflects order of God鈥檚 love as He draws us into His bosom as a parent draws their child. No other epic has such a complete vision of humanity in its relationship to his universe, and, indeed, to his creator.
Which is the greater of the three canticas? You can鈥檛 think of it that way. Each fulfills the other two. They complement each other as a trinity for a unified vision. So which of the three canticas do I prefer? Whichever I have read last, which at the moment is Paradiso.
April 30, 2020
賵 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇 毓卮賯 亘賵丿 讴賴 禺賵乇卮蹖丿 賵 丿蹖诏乇 丕禺鬲乇丕賳 乇丕 丿乇 诏乇丿卮 丿丕乇丿.
丌禺乇蹖賳 卮毓乇 丿丕賳鬲賴 丿乇 讴賲丿蹖卮
丌禺乇蹖賳 噩賱丿 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖貙 丕孬乇蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 亘丕 丿賵 噩賱丿 賯亘賱蹖爻鬲貨 丨丕賵蹖 賲亘丕丨孬 丿卮賵丕乇貙 夭亘丕賳蹖 孬賯蹖賱 賵 賲賲賱賵 丕夭 丕爻鬲毓丕乇丕鬲 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 賵 爻乇卮丕乇 丕夭 賲賮丕賴蹖賲 毓乇賮丕賳蹖. 卮丕蹖丿 賲賴賲鬲乇蹖賳 毓賱鬲 卮賴乇鬲 賵 丕丨鬲乇丕賲 丕蹖賳 噩賱丿 丿乇 睾乇亘貙 賳丕丿乇 亘賵丿賳 趩賳蹖賳 賳賵卮鬲賴鈥屬囏й屰� 丿乇 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丌賳賴丕爻鬲 (亘乇禺賱丕賮 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 卮乇賯 賵 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 倬丕乇爻蹖). 丿乇 賲賯丿賲踿 胤賵賱丕賳蹖貙 賱丕夭賲 賵 睾賳蹖賽 賲鬲乇噩賲 賳蹖夭 亘賴 丕蹖賳 丕卮丕乇賴 卮丿賴 (丨鬲蹖 丕孬乇 亘丕 賲賳胤賯鈥屫з勜粉屫� 毓胤丕乇 賳蹖夭 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌�)貙 亘賴 诏賵賳賴鈥屫й� 讴賴 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕賸 亘乇丕蹖 噩夭亍鈥屫藏≠� 爻乇賵丿賴丕蹖 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘貙 賲蹖鈥屫堌з� 賳賲賵賳賴鈥屫й� 賲卮丕亘賴 丕夭 丕卮毓丕乇 卮毓乇丕蹖 亘夭乇诏 倬丕乇爻蹖 蹖丕賮鬲 賵 賲鬲乇噩賲 賳蹖夭 丿乇 賲賯丿賲賴鈥屬囏� 賵 丨賵丕卮蹖 亘賴鈥屫堌ㄛ� 亘賴 丌賳賴丕 丕卮丕乇賴 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲.
亘賳丕亘乇丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丿蹖诏乇 鬲賳賴丕 爻賮乇賽 亘丿蹖毓 賵 噩匕丕亘 賯賴乇賲丕賳賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘賴 胤亘賯丕鬲 亘賴卮鬲 賳蹖爻鬲貙 亘賱讴賴 丨丕賵蹖 爻乇賵丿賴 賴丕蹖 毓乇賮丕賳蹖 賵 賮賱爻賮蹖爻鬲 (亘丕 鬲賲賽 賲爻蹖丨蹖鬲) 讴賴 爻毓蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賲爻丕卅賱蹖 趩賵賳 噩亘乇 賵 丕禺鬲蹖丕乇貙 丕蹖賲丕賳貙 毓卮賯貙 蹖诏丕賳诏蹖 禺丿丕賵賳丿 賵 ... 乇丕 亘乇乇爻蹖 讴賳丿.
丕诏乇 賳诏丕賴蹖 讴賱蹖 亘賴 爻賴 賲噩賲賵毓踿 讴賲丿蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 亘蹖賳丿丕夭蹖賲貙 亘賴 诏賲丕賳賲 賲蹖鈥屫堌з� 诏賮鬲 丿賵夭禺 賵 亘乇夭禺 倬賵爻鬲踿 丕孬乇 賵 亘賴卮鬲貙 賴爻鬲踿 丌賳賴丕爻鬲. 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 丿乇 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 丕夭 爻乇賵丿賴鈥屬囏й� 芦亘賴卮鬲禄 鬲賳賴丕 亘丕 賲賮賴賵賲 爻乇賵讴丕乇 丿丕乇丿貙 賳賴 乇賵丕蹖鬲 丿丕爻鬲丕賳. 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 鬲賵氐蹖賮丕鬲 賲丨蹖胤 禺亘乇蹖 賳蹖爻鬲貨 丿蹖诏乇 丿丕賳鬲賴 賳賲蹖鈥屫з嗀� 趩诏賵賳賴 賲爻蹖乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 胤蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 鬲賳賴丕 亘丕 丕卮丕乇踿 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖卮 賲鬲賵噩賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘賴 胤亘賯賴鈥屫й� 亘丕賱丕鬲乇 氐毓賵丿 讴乇丿賴鈥屫з嗀�. 丕卮禺丕氐 鬲賳賴丕 賮乇賵睾蹖 賴爻鬲賳丿 讴賴 鬲丕 丌賳 賴賳诏丕賲 讴賴 禺賵丿卮丕賳貙 禺賵丿 乇丕 賲毓乇賮蹖 賳賳賲丕蹖賳丿貙 卮賳丕禺鬲賴 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堎嗀� 賵 诏匕乇 夭賲丕賳 賳蹖夭 丨爻 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 倬爻 鬲賲丕賲 丕卮毓丕乇蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丿賵 讴鬲丕亘 賯亘賱蹖 丿乇亘丕乇踿 趩賳蹖賳 賲胤丕賱亘蹖 爻乇賵丿賴 卮丿賳丿貙 丿乇 芦亘賴卮鬲禄 噩丕蹖 禺賵丿 乇丕 亘賴 爻乇賵丿賴丕蹖 毓乇賮丕賳蹖貙 丿蹖賳蹖 賵 賮賱爻賮蹖 丿丕丿賴鈥屫з嗀�. 丕蹖賳 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 丿乇 賲丨鬲賵丕 賵 賳诏丕乇卮 丕孬乇貙 賲賵噩亘 卮丿賴 讴賴 賮賴賲 丕孬乇 亘爻蹖丕乇 丿卮賵丕乇鬲乇 卮賵丿 (亘賴 诏賵賳賴鈥屫й� 讴賴 賲噩亘賵乇 卮賵賲 丿賵 賲乇鬲亘賴 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 亘禺賵丕賳賲) 賵 丕夭 爻賵蹖 丿蹖诏乇 賳蹖夭 亘丕 賮賴賲 爻乇賵丿賴鈥屬囏� 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 賲鬲賵噩賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 丕卮毓丕乇 趩賴鈥屫з嗀ж操� 夭蹖亘丕鬲乇 賵 丿賱賳卮蹖賳鈥屫� 賴爻鬲賳丿(丿乇 賲賯丕蹖爻賴鈥屫й� 讴賱蹖 亘丕 丿賵 讴鬲丕亘 賯亘賱蹖).
亘蹖卮 丕夭 賳氐賮賽 丨噩賲 讴鬲丕亘貙 卮丕賲賱賽 丨賵丕卮蹖貙 鬲賵囟蹖丨丕鬲 賵 賲賯丿賲丕鬲 賲鬲乇噩賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 囟乇賵乇蹖鈥屫з嗀� 賵 亘賴 诏賲丕賳賲 亘丿賵賳 丌賳賴丕 讴鬲丕亘 丌賳胤賵乇 讴賴 亘丕蹖丿 賵 卮丕蹖丿 賮賴賲 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堌�. 賲鬲乇噩賲 毓夭蹖夭 亘丕 丨賵氐賱踿 賴乇 趩賴 鬲賲丕賲鈥屫� 賴乇 丌賳趩賴 讴賴 賲賲讴賳 亘賵丿賴 亘乇丕蹖 蹖讴 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 爻丐丕賱 卮賵丿 乇丕 鬲賵囟蹖丨 丿丕丿賴 賵 丕蹖賳 鬲賵囟蹖丨丕鬲 (讴賴 趩讴蹖丿賴鈥屫й� 丕夭 趩賳丿蹖賳 鬲賮爻蹖乇 賲卮賴賵乇 噩賴丕賳蹖鈥屫з嗀�) 禺賵丿 亘蹖卮 丕夭 丕孬乇 亘賴 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 丕胤賱丕毓丕鬲 賲蹖鈥屫囐嗀�. 诏賮鬲踿 賲賳 賮賯胤 丿乇亘丕乇踿 丕蹖賳 噩賱丿 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 賳蹖爻鬲貙 亘賱讴賴 丿乇 賴乇 爻賴 噩賱丿 丕蹖賳 賲爻卅賱賴 賲卮賴賵丿 丕爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 禺亘 賲丕賳賳丿 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴貙 丕賵噩 讴丕乇 賲鬲乇噩賲 賳蹖夭 丿乇 賴賲蹖賳 噩賱丿 丌卮讴丕乇 賲蹖鈥屫促堌�.
丌禺乇蹖賳 卮毓乇 丿丕賳鬲賴 丿乇 讴賲丿蹖卮
丌禺乇蹖賳 噩賱丿 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖貙 丕孬乇蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 亘丕 丿賵 噩賱丿 賯亘賱蹖爻鬲貨 丨丕賵蹖 賲亘丕丨孬 丿卮賵丕乇貙 夭亘丕賳蹖 孬賯蹖賱 賵 賲賲賱賵 丕夭 丕爻鬲毓丕乇丕鬲 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 賵 爻乇卮丕乇 丕夭 賲賮丕賴蹖賲 毓乇賮丕賳蹖. 卮丕蹖丿 賲賴賲鬲乇蹖賳 毓賱鬲 卮賴乇鬲 賵 丕丨鬲乇丕賲 丕蹖賳 噩賱丿 丿乇 睾乇亘貙 賳丕丿乇 亘賵丿賳 趩賳蹖賳 賳賵卮鬲賴鈥屬囏й屰� 丿乇 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丌賳賴丕爻鬲 (亘乇禺賱丕賮 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 卮乇賯 賵 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 倬丕乇爻蹖). 丿乇 賲賯丿賲踿 胤賵賱丕賳蹖貙 賱丕夭賲 賵 睾賳蹖賽 賲鬲乇噩賲 賳蹖夭 亘賴 丕蹖賳 丕卮丕乇賴 卮丿賴 (丨鬲蹖 丕孬乇 亘丕 賲賳胤賯鈥屫з勜粉屫� 毓胤丕乇 賳蹖夭 賲賯丕蹖爻賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌�)貙 亘賴 诏賵賳賴鈥屫й� 讴賴 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕賸 亘乇丕蹖 噩夭亍鈥屫藏≠� 爻乇賵丿賴丕蹖 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘貙 賲蹖鈥屫堌з� 賳賲賵賳賴鈥屫й� 賲卮丕亘賴 丕夭 丕卮毓丕乇 卮毓乇丕蹖 亘夭乇诏 倬丕乇爻蹖 蹖丕賮鬲 賵 賲鬲乇噩賲 賳蹖夭 丿乇 賲賯丿賲賴鈥屬囏� 賵 丨賵丕卮蹖 亘賴鈥屫堌ㄛ� 亘賴 丌賳賴丕 丕卮丕乇賴 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲.
亘賳丕亘乇丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丿蹖诏乇 鬲賳賴丕 爻賮乇賽 亘丿蹖毓 賵 噩匕丕亘 賯賴乇賲丕賳賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘賴 胤亘賯丕鬲 亘賴卮鬲 賳蹖爻鬲貙 亘賱讴賴 丨丕賵蹖 爻乇賵丿賴 賴丕蹖 毓乇賮丕賳蹖 賵 賮賱爻賮蹖爻鬲 (亘丕 鬲賲賽 賲爻蹖丨蹖鬲) 讴賴 爻毓蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賲爻丕卅賱蹖 趩賵賳 噩亘乇 賵 丕禺鬲蹖丕乇貙 丕蹖賲丕賳貙 毓卮賯貙 蹖诏丕賳诏蹖 禺丿丕賵賳丿 賵 ... 乇丕 亘乇乇爻蹖 讴賳丿.
丕诏乇 賳诏丕賴蹖 讴賱蹖 亘賴 爻賴 賲噩賲賵毓踿 讴賲丿蹖 丿丕賳鬲賴 亘蹖賳丿丕夭蹖賲貙 亘賴 诏賲丕賳賲 賲蹖鈥屫堌з� 诏賮鬲 丿賵夭禺 賵 亘乇夭禺 倬賵爻鬲踿 丕孬乇 賵 亘賴卮鬲貙 賴爻鬲踿 丌賳賴丕爻鬲. 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 丿乇 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 丕夭 爻乇賵丿賴鈥屬囏й� 芦亘賴卮鬲禄 鬲賳賴丕 亘丕 賲賮賴賵賲 爻乇賵讴丕乇 丿丕乇丿貙 賳賴 乇賵丕蹖鬲 丿丕爻鬲丕賳. 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 鬲賵氐蹖賮丕鬲 賲丨蹖胤 禺亘乇蹖 賳蹖爻鬲貨 丿蹖诏乇 丿丕賳鬲賴 賳賲蹖鈥屫з嗀� 趩诏賵賳賴 賲爻蹖乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 胤蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賵 鬲賳賴丕 亘丕 丕卮丕乇踿 乇丕賴賳賲丕蹖卮 賲鬲賵噩賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 亘賴 胤亘賯賴鈥屫й� 亘丕賱丕鬲乇 氐毓賵丿 讴乇丿賴鈥屫з嗀�. 丕卮禺丕氐 鬲賳賴丕 賮乇賵睾蹖 賴爻鬲賳丿 讴賴 鬲丕 丌賳 賴賳诏丕賲 讴賴 禺賵丿卮丕賳貙 禺賵丿 乇丕 賲毓乇賮蹖 賳賳賲丕蹖賳丿貙 卮賳丕禺鬲賴 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堎嗀� 賵 诏匕乇 夭賲丕賳 賳蹖夭 丨爻 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 倬爻 鬲賲丕賲 丕卮毓丕乇蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丿賵 讴鬲丕亘 賯亘賱蹖 丿乇亘丕乇踿 趩賳蹖賳 賲胤丕賱亘蹖 爻乇賵丿賴 卮丿賳丿貙 丿乇 芦亘賴卮鬲禄 噩丕蹖 禺賵丿 乇丕 亘賴 爻乇賵丿賴丕蹖 毓乇賮丕賳蹖貙 丿蹖賳蹖 賵 賮賱爻賮蹖 丿丕丿賴鈥屫з嗀�. 丕蹖賳 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 丿乇 賲丨鬲賵丕 賵 賳诏丕乇卮 丕孬乇貙 賲賵噩亘 卮丿賴 讴賴 賮賴賲 丕孬乇 亘爻蹖丕乇 丿卮賵丕乇鬲乇 卮賵丿 (亘賴 诏賵賳賴鈥屫й� 讴賴 賲噩亘賵乇 卮賵賲 丿賵 賲乇鬲亘賴 讴鬲丕亘 乇丕 亘禺賵丕賳賲) 賵 丕夭 爻賵蹖 丿蹖诏乇 賳蹖夭 亘丕 賮賴賲 爻乇賵丿賴鈥屬囏� 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 賲鬲賵噩賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 丕卮毓丕乇 趩賴鈥屫з嗀ж操� 夭蹖亘丕鬲乇 賵 丿賱賳卮蹖賳鈥屫� 賴爻鬲賳丿(丿乇 賲賯丕蹖爻賴鈥屫й� 讴賱蹖 亘丕 丿賵 讴鬲丕亘 賯亘賱蹖).
亘蹖卮 丕夭 賳氐賮賽 丨噩賲 讴鬲丕亘貙 卮丕賲賱賽 丨賵丕卮蹖貙 鬲賵囟蹖丨丕鬲 賵 賲賯丿賲丕鬲 賲鬲乇噩賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 囟乇賵乇蹖鈥屫з嗀� 賵 亘賴 诏賲丕賳賲 亘丿賵賳 丌賳賴丕 讴鬲丕亘 丌賳胤賵乇 讴賴 亘丕蹖丿 賵 卮丕蹖丿 賮賴賲 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堌�. 賲鬲乇噩賲 毓夭蹖夭 亘丕 丨賵氐賱踿 賴乇 趩賴 鬲賲丕賲鈥屫� 賴乇 丌賳趩賴 讴賴 賲賲讴賳 亘賵丿賴 亘乇丕蹖 蹖讴 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 爻丐丕賱 卮賵丿 乇丕 鬲賵囟蹖丨 丿丕丿賴 賵 丕蹖賳 鬲賵囟蹖丨丕鬲 (讴賴 趩讴蹖丿賴鈥屫й� 丕夭 趩賳丿蹖賳 鬲賮爻蹖乇 賲卮賴賵乇 噩賴丕賳蹖鈥屫з嗀�) 禺賵丿 亘蹖卮 丕夭 丕孬乇 亘賴 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 丕胤賱丕毓丕鬲 賲蹖鈥屫囐嗀�. 诏賮鬲踿 賲賳 賮賯胤 丿乇亘丕乇踿 丕蹖賳 噩賱丿 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 賳蹖爻鬲貙 亘賱讴賴 丿乇 賴乇 爻賴 噩賱丿 丕蹖賳 賲爻卅賱賴 賲卮賴賵丿 丕爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 禺亘 賲丕賳賳丿 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴貙 丕賵噩 讴丕乇 賲鬲乇噩賲 賳蹖夭 丿乇 賴賲蹖賳 噩賱丿 丌卮讴丕乇 賲蹖鈥屫促堌�.
June 12, 2018
Rileggendolo a distanza di una dozzina d'anni dalla prima volta, mi sento di confermare l'impopolare giudizio che mi formai all'epoca: questa 猫 la migliore delle tre cantiche.
Superficialmente lo si potrebbe spiegare con una motivazione meramente quantitativa: sia l'Inferno sia il Purgatorio contengono tre o quattro canti che forse avrebbero potuto far la fortuna di altri ma che nel repertorio dantesco risultano un po' sottotono. Il Paradiso 猫 perfetto, dall'inizio alla fine.
Ma il vero motivo 猫 che quella che oggi definiremmo sperimentazione, gi脿 presente nella poesia di Dante sin dalla Vita nova e con sempre maggiore finezza nelle prime due cantiche, qui raggiunge il suo culmine. Non solo non c'猫 un singolo verso del Paradiso che non fosse, a inizio Trecento, di una novit脿 sbalorditiva: a far trasecolare 猫 che a distanza di sette secoli si pu貌 ben dire che molte delle novit脿 qui presenti non sono ancora state recepite. I canti puramente teologici, dai pi霉 considerati i momenti noiosi della Commedia, sono in realt脿 la pura avanguardia dantesca, il suo tentativo (riuscitissimo, ovviamente) di far entrare nella dimensione poetica generi considerati altri, come appunto il trattato (oggi diremmo il saggio): in un'epoca in cui i generi erano strettamente canonizzati si trattava chiaramente di qualcosa di inconcepibile, e per trovare altri poeti che tentino sistematicamente una cosa del genere si dovr脿 aspettare il periodo a cavallo tra Novecento e ventunesimo secolo, l'adesso insomma, in cui la commistione di generi sembra la tendenza pi霉 forte tra i letterati che cercano d'innovare (in poesia come in narrativa come a teatro); per trovare altri poeti che lo facciano con la grazia e l'umanit脿 di Dante non ci 猫 dato di sapere: potremmo dover aspettare altri sette secoli, potremmo metterci il cuore in pace perch茅 non ne arriveranno mai.
Superficialmente lo si potrebbe spiegare con una motivazione meramente quantitativa: sia l'Inferno sia il Purgatorio contengono tre o quattro canti che forse avrebbero potuto far la fortuna di altri ma che nel repertorio dantesco risultano un po' sottotono. Il Paradiso 猫 perfetto, dall'inizio alla fine.
Ma il vero motivo 猫 che quella che oggi definiremmo sperimentazione, gi脿 presente nella poesia di Dante sin dalla Vita nova e con sempre maggiore finezza nelle prime due cantiche, qui raggiunge il suo culmine. Non solo non c'猫 un singolo verso del Paradiso che non fosse, a inizio Trecento, di una novit脿 sbalorditiva: a far trasecolare 猫 che a distanza di sette secoli si pu貌 ben dire che molte delle novit脿 qui presenti non sono ancora state recepite. I canti puramente teologici, dai pi霉 considerati i momenti noiosi della Commedia, sono in realt脿 la pura avanguardia dantesca, il suo tentativo (riuscitissimo, ovviamente) di far entrare nella dimensione poetica generi considerati altri, come appunto il trattato (oggi diremmo il saggio): in un'epoca in cui i generi erano strettamente canonizzati si trattava chiaramente di qualcosa di inconcepibile, e per trovare altri poeti che tentino sistematicamente una cosa del genere si dovr脿 aspettare il periodo a cavallo tra Novecento e ventunesimo secolo, l'adesso insomma, in cui la commistione di generi sembra la tendenza pi霉 forte tra i letterati che cercano d'innovare (in poesia come in narrativa come a teatro); per trovare altri poeti che lo facciano con la grazia e l'umanit脿 di Dante non ci 猫 dato di sapere: potremmo dover aspettare altri sette secoli, potremmo metterci il cuore in pace perch茅 non ne arriveranno mai.
December 8, 2019
Asta este.
"Un adev膬r, de nu te-ajut膬 firea,
degeaba-l ca葲i, c膬ci de la mal la fel
cum ai plecat te-ntoarce am膬girea."
"Iubirea 卯ns膬, c卯nd pecetea vie
a Tat膬lui 卯n verbul sf卯nt o-mpl卯nt膬,
des膬v卯r葯it e ce-a fost scris s膬 fie."
"Tot ce-i etern 葯i tot ce-astfel s-ar vrea
e numai forma-n care se-oglinde葯te
cerescul tat膬 葯i iubirea sa."
"Un adev膬r, de nu te-ajut膬 firea,
degeaba-l ca葲i, c膬ci de la mal la fel
cum ai plecat te-ntoarce am膬girea."
"Iubirea 卯ns膬, c卯nd pecetea vie
a Tat膬lui 卯n verbul sf卯nt o-mpl卯nt膬,
des膬v卯r葯it e ce-a fost scris s膬 fie."
"Tot ce-i etern 葯i tot ce-astfel s-ar vrea
e numai forma-n care se-oglinde葯te
cerescul tat膬 葯i iubirea sa."
March 17, 2020
"Ey 艧a艧k谋nl谋kla izledi臒im ruhlar, yery眉z眉nde
k枚t眉 枚rne臒in do臒ru yoldan sapt谋rd谋klar谋
i莽in dualar edin."
Bir yolculu臒u daha bitirdik...
鈽赌锔�
k枚t眉 枚rne臒in do臒ru yoldan sapt谋rd谋klar谋
i莽in dualar edin."
Bir yolculu臒u daha bitirdik...
鈽赌锔�
May 20, 2008
Something about this passage gets me. I always come back to it. Sad and beautiful. Dante asks a woman in the lowest rung of Paradise - the moon - if she doesn't hanker to go higher:
"A smile at this
Lightened her eyes, and those who crowded near
Smiled with her. Then she spoke, and all the bliss
Of Love's first flame, it seemed, was hers to sing,
She was so joyous in her answering.
"Brother, the quality of our Love doth still
The impulse of rebellion; all our will
Being God's only. Here we rest content.
What God hath in his perfect counsel meant
In our assorting is our certain good.
Incapable of a different thirst are we,
And, that you may the clear occasion see,
Consider that Love rules omnipotent
From threshold unto threshold, from this low
Soon-circling moon, that for our home we know,
To the vast Ultimate Heaven. And think again.
What is Love's nature? Love itself were vain
If envy could corrupt it. Love must be
Surrender by its own necessity
Unto the God from Whom itself derives.
No more desire in emulation strives,
But all our joy is in this will supreme;
And thence is His joy also, that our wills
Find peace in His - the universal sea
Which to Itself all that Itself creates,
And all that Nature thence originates,
Draws in divine attraction."
"A smile at this
Lightened her eyes, and those who crowded near
Smiled with her. Then she spoke, and all the bliss
Of Love's first flame, it seemed, was hers to sing,
She was so joyous in her answering.
"Brother, the quality of our Love doth still
The impulse of rebellion; all our will
Being God's only. Here we rest content.
What God hath in his perfect counsel meant
In our assorting is our certain good.
Incapable of a different thirst are we,
And, that you may the clear occasion see,
Consider that Love rules omnipotent
From threshold unto threshold, from this low
Soon-circling moon, that for our home we know,
To the vast Ultimate Heaven. And think again.
What is Love's nature? Love itself were vain
If envy could corrupt it. Love must be
Surrender by its own necessity
Unto the God from Whom itself derives.
No more desire in emulation strives,
But all our joy is in this will supreme;
And thence is His joy also, that our wills
Find peace in His - the universal sea
Which to Itself all that Itself creates,
And all that Nature thence originates,
Draws in divine attraction."
June 13, 2021
禺亘 鬲賲賵賲 卮丿
丨賯蹖賯鬲卮 丿賵夭禺 賲丨亘賵亘 鬲乇蹖賳賲 亘賵丿 賵 鬲賵賯毓賲 乇賵 卮丕蹖丿 禺蹖賱蹖 亘乇丿賴 亘賵丿 亘丕賱丕
丌禺乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 禺賵亘 賲蹖卮賴 賴丕
賵賱蹖 賵爻胤丕卮 賵丕賯毓賳 賲蹖禺賵丕爻鬲賲 亘匕丕乇賲卮 讴賳丕乇
丕诏賴 亘丕 丿賵爻鬲賲 賳賲蹖禺賵賳丿賲卮 賵 鬲卮賵蹖賯賲 賳賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 讴賴 鬲賴卮 禺賵亘 賲蹖卮賴 丕丿丕賲賴 賳賲蹖鈥屫ж�:)))
丿乇 丨蹖賳 禺賵賳丿賳 讴賱蹖 趩蹖夭 賲蹖夭 賳賵卮鬲賲貙 丕诏賴 亘乇爻賲 賲乇鬲亘卮賵賳 讴賳賲 賲蹖丕賲 丕蹖賳 夭蹖乇 丕囟丕賮賴 賲蹖讴賳賲.
丨賯蹖賯鬲卮 丿賵夭禺 賲丨亘賵亘 鬲乇蹖賳賲 亘賵丿 賵 鬲賵賯毓賲 乇賵 卮丕蹖丿 禺蹖賱蹖 亘乇丿賴 亘賵丿 亘丕賱丕
丌禺乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 禺賵亘 賲蹖卮賴 賴丕
賵賱蹖 賵爻胤丕卮 賵丕賯毓賳 賲蹖禺賵丕爻鬲賲 亘匕丕乇賲卮 讴賳丕乇
丕诏賴 亘丕 丿賵爻鬲賲 賳賲蹖禺賵賳丿賲卮 賵 鬲卮賵蹖賯賲 賳賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 讴賴 鬲賴卮 禺賵亘 賲蹖卮賴 丕丿丕賲賴 賳賲蹖鈥屫ж�:)))
丿乇 丨蹖賳 禺賵賳丿賳 讴賱蹖 趩蹖夭 賲蹖夭 賳賵卮鬲賲貙 丕诏賴 亘乇爻賲 賲乇鬲亘卮賵賳 讴賳賲 賲蹖丕賲 丕蹖賳 夭蹖乇 丕囟丕賮賴 賲蹖讴賳賲.
May 30, 2018
脺莽 kitaptan akl谋mda kalanlar谋 toparlayabilirsem mutlaka bir yorum yazaca臒谋m.
April 8, 2020
Beautiful! I need to read it a few more times to really own it, though. It is filled with music and smiles and light.
February 4, 2025
I began my journey with Dante in mid-November. How could I have known then that, along the way, I would develop such an admiration and fascination with the Comedy? Not only have I read all three parts now, but I have listened to three online classes about the poem (from The Great Courses; Word on Fire; and Hillsdale College). I also profited greatly from Joseph Gallagher鈥檚 handbook, A Modern Reader鈥檚 Guide to Dante鈥檚 The Divine Comedy. His 2-3 page, easily readable explanations were a tremendous aid.
Had I known what a challenge it would be to read the poetic translation of the work by Dorothy Sayer, I would have chosen a different version to read for my first time. But I persevered. Her rendering is lovely, yes, but also rather stilted and archaic at times. The notes she provides, however, are always illuminating and concise. On my next reading through the poem, I will use John Ciardi's translation and keep Sayers鈥� close for commentary.
This oft-quoted remark fits my experience as well: 鈥淣ow that I have read the Divine Comedy, I am ready to read the Divine Comedy.鈥�
Had I known what a challenge it would be to read the poetic translation of the work by Dorothy Sayer, I would have chosen a different version to read for my first time. But I persevered. Her rendering is lovely, yes, but also rather stilted and archaic at times. The notes she provides, however, are always illuminating and concise. On my next reading through the poem, I will use John Ciardi's translation and keep Sayers鈥� close for commentary.
This oft-quoted remark fits my experience as well: 鈥淣ow that I have read the Divine Comedy, I am ready to read the Divine Comedy.鈥�
May 31, 2020
Ovviamente non si pu貌 non dire che questo 猫 un capolavoro assoluto non solo della poesia italiana, ma di tutta la produzione intellettuale occidentale. Senza se e senza ma.
Ma - e lo so, non ce la faccio!!! - ma, in fondo anche il nostro sommo Dante, se amava il paradiso come entit脿 pi霉 di tutto il resto, non ci credo abbia amato il terzo libro della sua fatica come i primi due. E' tutto troppo...dovuto; troppo didascalico. Lo doveva per educare il suo popolo; ma come si 猫 divertito a mettere nella bocca di Lucifero i suoi concittadini o i Papi di cui aborriva l'operato, non ci credo che abba goduto altrettanto nel descrivere la contemplazione della luce eterna. Insomma, anche per la lettura sicuramente si fa molta pi霉 fatica!
Per貌 per carit脿: chapeau!
Non avea case di famiglia v貌te;
non v鈥檈ra giunto ancor Sardanapalo
a mostrar ci貌 che 鈥榥 camera si puote.
Tu proverai s矛 come sa di sale
lo pane altrui, e come 猫 duro calle
lo scendere e 鈥榣 salir per l鈥檃ltrui scale.
Ma - e lo so, non ce la faccio!!! - ma, in fondo anche il nostro sommo Dante, se amava il paradiso come entit脿 pi霉 di tutto il resto, non ci credo abbia amato il terzo libro della sua fatica come i primi due. E' tutto troppo...dovuto; troppo didascalico. Lo doveva per educare il suo popolo; ma come si 猫 divertito a mettere nella bocca di Lucifero i suoi concittadini o i Papi di cui aborriva l'operato, non ci credo che abba goduto altrettanto nel descrivere la contemplazione della luce eterna. Insomma, anche per la lettura sicuramente si fa molta pi霉 fatica!
Per貌 per carit脿: chapeau!
Non avea case di famiglia v貌te;
non v鈥檈ra giunto ancor Sardanapalo
a mostrar ci貌 che 鈥榥 camera si puote.
Tu proverai s矛 come sa di sale
lo pane altrui, e come 猫 duro calle
lo scendere e 鈥榣 salir per l鈥檃ltrui scale.
Read
December 31, 2021130th book of the year. Artist for this review is, again, for the last time, French artist Gustave Dor茅.
I have no idea what to rate this as there is so much to unpack and I'm just a lowly student (not even a student anymore). Without notes there's no way that I could possibly read or understand this. I found myself extremely grateful that I studied Classical Civilisation once again and knew a good number of the names Dante was dropping in regards to the Roman Empire, but the religious names, the Saints and countless people from Dante's own lifetime were mostly lost on me in their allusions. Paradiso has a poor reputation as being boring/difficult compared to the first two installments of the Comedy and to be honest it is the most boring and the most difficult. Beatrice is a boring guide compared to the awesomeness of having Virgil himself leading you through Hell itself (is anything cooler?) and the stories of finding God/understanding piety are far less compelling than the sufferings of those in Hell, and the same with Purgatory. In Hell we meet characters like Ulysses and in Paradise we meet Saints and Angels. Though the imagery is still wondrous as Dante and Beatrice fly through the circles of Heaven (in an end-of-2001: A Space Odyssey way), the bits around all that are not as great. Most of all I felt I needed so much outside research to understand it, I knew I'd have to read it several more times.
However, I have now read the whole of The Divine Comedy and I think I stand with Joyce in saying: Dante > Shakespeare. As a whole, one of the most amazing things I've read. I'll come back to this difficult beast when I read the whole thing all over again in another translation, probably Ciardi. But for now, it's finally farewell to Dante (and now I feel like I am on first name basis).
I have no idea what to rate this as there is so much to unpack and I'm just a lowly student (not even a student anymore). Without notes there's no way that I could possibly read or understand this. I found myself extremely grateful that I studied Classical Civilisation once again and knew a good number of the names Dante was dropping in regards to the Roman Empire, but the religious names, the Saints and countless people from Dante's own lifetime were mostly lost on me in their allusions. Paradiso has a poor reputation as being boring/difficult compared to the first two installments of the Comedy and to be honest it is the most boring and the most difficult. Beatrice is a boring guide compared to the awesomeness of having Virgil himself leading you through Hell itself (is anything cooler?) and the stories of finding God/understanding piety are far less compelling than the sufferings of those in Hell, and the same with Purgatory. In Hell we meet characters like Ulysses and in Paradise we meet Saints and Angels. Though the imagery is still wondrous as Dante and Beatrice fly through the circles of Heaven (in an end-of-2001: A Space Odyssey way), the bits around all that are not as great. Most of all I felt I needed so much outside research to understand it, I knew I'd have to read it several more times.
However, I have now read the whole of The Divine Comedy and I think I stand with Joyce in saying: Dante > Shakespeare. As a whole, one of the most amazing things I've read. I'll come back to this difficult beast when I read the whole thing all over again in another translation, probably Ciardi. But for now, it's finally farewell to Dante (and now I feel like I am on first name basis).
January 12, 2016
3.5
賱賷爻鬲 亘噩賵丿丞 丕賱噩丨賷賲 , 賵 亘毓丿 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱丕賮 丕賱丕亘賷丕鬲 匕丕鬲 丕賱賳賲胤 丕賱賲鬲卮丕亘賴 丕賱賶 丨丿 賲丕 卮毓乇鬲 亘丕賱賲賱賱 .
"賷丨丿孬 睾丕賱亘丕賸 丕賷賴丕 丕賱丕禺 , 兀賳 賷噩亘乇 丕賱賲乇亍
賱賰賷 賷鬲賮丕丿賶 禺胤兀賸 賲丕
毓賱賶 賮毓賱 卮賷亍 賰丕賳 賷賳亘睾賷 兀賳 賱丕 賷賯賵賲 亘賴 "
賱賷爻鬲 亘噩賵丿丞 丕賱噩丨賷賲 , 賵 亘毓丿 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱丕賮 丕賱丕亘賷丕鬲 匕丕鬲 丕賱賳賲胤 丕賱賲鬲卮丕亘賴 丕賱賶 丨丿 賲丕 卮毓乇鬲 亘丕賱賲賱賱 .
"賷丨丿孬 睾丕賱亘丕賸 丕賷賴丕 丕賱丕禺 , 兀賳 賷噩亘乇 丕賱賲乇亍
賱賰賷 賷鬲賮丕丿賶 禺胤兀賸 賲丕
毓賱賶 賮毓賱 卮賷亍 賰丕賳 賷賳亘睾賷 兀賳 賱丕 賷賯賵賲 亘賴 "
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