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La Divina Commedia #1-3
丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞
丕賱賳賷賱 賵丕賱賮乇丕鬲:
賲丕 亘乇丨 毓賲賱 "丿丕賳鬲賷" 丕賱卮毓乇賷 丕賱兀爻丕爻賷 "丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞" 賷爻鬲賳胤賯 丕賱丨丿丕孬丞 丕賱卮毓乇賷丞 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 賵賷孬賷乇 賮賷 賲禺鬲賱賮 丕賱賱睾丕鬲 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 鬲賱賵 丕賱兀禺乇賶. 賵賯丿 賰鬲亘 丿丕賳鬲賷 賳賮爻賴 兀賳 毓賲賱賴 賯丕亘賱 賱賯乇丕亍丕鬲 賲鬲毓丿丿丞貙 丨乇賮賷丞貙 賵乇賲夭賷丞貙 卮毓乇賷丞 賵賱丕賴賵鬲賷丞 賵兀賲孬賵賱賷丞 (兀賱賷睾賵乇賷丞). 廿賱丕 兀賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱卮毓乇賷丞-丕賱賮賱爻賮丞賷 賴賷 丕賱爻丕卅丿丞 丕賱賷賵賲. 毓賳 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱廿亘丿丕毓賷 賵毓賳 氐丕丨亘賴 賷丿賵乇 丕賱丨丿賷孬 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丨賷孬 賷噩丿 丕賱賯丕乇卅 兀賵賱丕賸 鬲氐丿賷乇丕賸 毓丕賲丕賸 賵賲賵噩夭丕賸 賷賯賮 賮賷賴 賮賵乇丕賸 毓賱賶 丕賱毓賳丕氐乇 丕賱兀爻丕爻賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷賳亘睾賷 賲毓乇賮鬲賴丕 毓賳 丕賱毓賲賱 賵氐丕丨亘賴 賵賲賰丕賳鬲賴 賮賷 丕賱禺賱賯 丕賱卮毓乇賷貙 賵賮賷賲賳 鬲賰賲賳. 亘毓丿 匕賱賰 爻賷賯賮 丕賱賯丕乇卅 毓賱賶 賲丿禺賱 賳賯丿賷 兀賵 丿乇丕爻賷 丕毓鬲賲丿 賮賷賴 丕賱亘丕丨孬 毓賱賶 毓丿丿 賲賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍丕鬲 丕賱賰亘乇賶 丕賱賲賵囟賵毓丞 賮賷 丿丕賳鬲賷 賵"賰賵賲賷丿賷丕賴 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞" (亘賵乇禺賷爻貙 乇賷爻賷賴貙 噩賷乇丕乇貙 噩丕賰賵鬲賷賴貙 丕賱禺.) 賵鬲丨賲賱 賴匕賴 丕賱賯乇丕亍丕鬲 兀賰亘乇 賲賳 丕賱鬲毓賲賯 賵丕賱鬲賮氐賷賱. 賵賱賱賯丕乇卅 兀賳 賷賯乇兀 賴匕丕 丕賱賲丿禺賱 賯亘賱 賯乇丕亍丞 鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱兀噩夭丕亍 丕賱孬賱丕孬丞 亘兀賳卮賵丿丕鬲賴丕 丕賱賲丕卅丞貙 兀賵 兀賳 賷毓賵丿 廿賱賶 賯乇丕亍鬲賴 亘毓丿 睾賵氐賴 賮賷 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱卮毓乇賷 賱丿丕賳鬲賷.
賲丕 亘乇丨 毓賲賱 "丿丕賳鬲賷" 丕賱卮毓乇賷 丕賱兀爻丕爻賷 "丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞" 賷爻鬲賳胤賯 丕賱丨丿丕孬丞 丕賱卮毓乇賷丞 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 賵賷孬賷乇 賮賷 賲禺鬲賱賮 丕賱賱睾丕鬲 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 鬲賱賵 丕賱兀禺乇賶. 賵賯丿 賰鬲亘 丿丕賳鬲賷 賳賮爻賴 兀賳 毓賲賱賴 賯丕亘賱 賱賯乇丕亍丕鬲 賲鬲毓丿丿丞貙 丨乇賮賷丞貙 賵乇賲夭賷丞貙 卮毓乇賷丞 賵賱丕賴賵鬲賷丞 賵兀賲孬賵賱賷丞 (兀賱賷睾賵乇賷丞). 廿賱丕 兀賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱卮毓乇賷丞-丕賱賮賱爻賮丞賷 賴賷 丕賱爻丕卅丿丞 丕賱賷賵賲. 毓賳 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱廿亘丿丕毓賷 賵毓賳 氐丕丨亘賴 賷丿賵乇 丕賱丨丿賷孬 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丨賷孬 賷噩丿 丕賱賯丕乇卅 兀賵賱丕賸 鬲氐丿賷乇丕賸 毓丕賲丕賸 賵賲賵噩夭丕賸 賷賯賮 賮賷賴 賮賵乇丕賸 毓賱賶 丕賱毓賳丕氐乇 丕賱兀爻丕爻賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷賳亘睾賷 賲毓乇賮鬲賴丕 毓賳 丕賱毓賲賱 賵氐丕丨亘賴 賵賲賰丕賳鬲賴 賮賷 丕賱禺賱賯 丕賱卮毓乇賷貙 賵賮賷賲賳 鬲賰賲賳. 亘毓丿 匕賱賰 爻賷賯賮 丕賱賯丕乇卅 毓賱賶 賲丿禺賱 賳賯丿賷 兀賵 丿乇丕爻賷 丕毓鬲賲丿 賮賷賴 丕賱亘丕丨孬 毓賱賶 毓丿丿 賲賳 丕賱賯乇丕亍丕鬲 丕賱賰亘乇賶 丕賱賲賵囟賵毓丞 賮賷 丿丕賳鬲賷 賵"賰賵賲賷丿賷丕賴 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞" (亘賵乇禺賷爻貙 乇賷爻賷賴貙 噩賷乇丕乇貙 噩丕賰賵鬲賷賴貙 丕賱禺.) 賵鬲丨賲賱 賴匕賴 丕賱賯乇丕亍丕鬲 兀賰亘乇 賲賳 丕賱鬲毓賲賯 賵丕賱鬲賮氐賷賱. 賵賱賱賯丕乇卅 兀賳 賷賯乇兀 賴匕丕 丕賱賲丿禺賱 賯亘賱 賯乇丕亍丞 鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱兀噩夭丕亍 丕賱孬賱丕孬丞 亘兀賳卮賵丿丕鬲賴丕 丕賱賲丕卅丞貙 兀賵 兀賳 賷毓賵丿 廿賱賶 賯乇丕亍鬲賴 亘毓丿 睾賵氐賴 賮賷 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱卮毓乇賷 賱丿丕賳鬲賷.
942 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1320
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About the author
Dante Alighieri
3,828听books5,938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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December 27, 2008
"You can recognize a small truth because its opposite is a falsehood. The opposite of a great truth is another truth."
- Niels Bohr
I was thinking about Dante the other day and wondering how one could approach him from the angle of a GoodReads review. One of the obvious problems is that he lived a long time ago, and many of the cultural referents have changed. You're constantly having to think "Well, nowadays what he's saying would correspond to THAT". It isn't so bad in Hell, when there is plenty of entertainment to be had in seeing how the different sins are punished, and indulging your schadenfreude. Then Purgatory tells a moral story that's more or less timeless if you go for that sort of thing, but once you arrive in Paradise it starts getting seriously tricky. A lot of the stuff at first sight just seems irrelevant to the 21st century world... all these explanations about the mechanics of Ptolomaic astronomy, and Dante querying the inhabitants of Heaven on obscure theological points. It's notorious that readers most often give up somewhere in the third book. I started wondering if there was any modern-day author one could identify with Dante, and if that might help us connect to his concerns. And in fact, I do have a suggestion that some people will no doubt condemn out of hand as completely heretical: Richard Dawkins.
Now of course, I am aware that Dante was deeply immersed in the Christian world-view, and Dawkins is famous for being the world's most outspoken atheist. But it's not quite as crazy as it first may seem. Dante was a Christian to the core of his being, but he was furious with the way the Church was being run; he put several of its leaders, notably Pope Boniface VIII, in Hell. On the other side, I challenge anyone to read "The Ancestor's Tale" to the end, and not, at least for a moment, entertain the idea that Dawkins is in actual fact a deeply religious man. He admits as much himself: as he puts it, it's often not so much that he disagrees with conventionally religious people, more that "they are saying it wrong". Amen to that.
As noted, both Dante and Dawkins are extremely unhappy with the way mainstream religion is being organized. The other characteristic that unites them for me is this passionate love for science. One has to remember that, for Dante, Ptolomaic astronomy was state of the art stuff, and the details of the angelic hierarchy were a topic of vital importance; of course he cross-examines the hosts of the blessed to find out more. These days, I imagine he would be trying to get inside information on what happened during the Big Bang before spontaneous symmetry breaking occurred, whether or not the Higgs particle really exists, and how evolution produced human intelligence. For Dante, there didn't seem to be any opposition between religious faith and science - they were part of the same thing. I do wonder what he would have thought if he had been able to learn that many leading religious figures, even in the early 21st century, reject a large part of science as being somehow unreligious. It's wrong to spend your life dispassionately trying to understand God's Universe? I can see him getting quite angry about this, and deciding to rearrange the seating a little down in Hell.
I keep thinking that there's a book someone ought to write called "Five Atheists You'll Meet in Heaven". Please let me know when it comes out; I'll buy a copy at once.
***
PS I couldn't help wondering what Paradise might have looked like if Dante had been writing today. Obviously we wouldn't have the old geocentric model of the Universe - it would be bang up to date. I think there is now far more material for an ambitious poet to work with than there was in the 14th century. For example, when we get to the Heaven of the Galaxy, I imagine him using this wonderful fact that all the heavy elements are made in supernova explosions. "We are all stardust", as some people like to put it. Then when we get to the Heaven of the Cosmos, we find that the light from the "Let there be light" moment at the beginning of Creation is still around - it's just cooled to 2.7 degrees K, and appears as the cosmic background radiation. But it's not completely uniform, as the quantum fluctuations left over from the period when the Universe was the size of an atomic nucleus are the beginnings of the galaxies created on the second day. Finally, we reach the Heaven of the Multiverse, and find that we are just one of many different universes. It was necessary to create all of them, so that random processes could make sure that a very small number would end up being able to support life. How impious to assume that God would only be able to create one Universe, and have to tweak all the constants Himself!
- Niels Bohr
I was thinking about Dante the other day and wondering how one could approach him from the angle of a GoodReads review. One of the obvious problems is that he lived a long time ago, and many of the cultural referents have changed. You're constantly having to think "Well, nowadays what he's saying would correspond to THAT". It isn't so bad in Hell, when there is plenty of entertainment to be had in seeing how the different sins are punished, and indulging your schadenfreude. Then Purgatory tells a moral story that's more or less timeless if you go for that sort of thing, but once you arrive in Paradise it starts getting seriously tricky. A lot of the stuff at first sight just seems irrelevant to the 21st century world... all these explanations about the mechanics of Ptolomaic astronomy, and Dante querying the inhabitants of Heaven on obscure theological points. It's notorious that readers most often give up somewhere in the third book. I started wondering if there was any modern-day author one could identify with Dante, and if that might help us connect to his concerns. And in fact, I do have a suggestion that some people will no doubt condemn out of hand as completely heretical: Richard Dawkins.
Now of course, I am aware that Dante was deeply immersed in the Christian world-view, and Dawkins is famous for being the world's most outspoken atheist. But it's not quite as crazy as it first may seem. Dante was a Christian to the core of his being, but he was furious with the way the Church was being run; he put several of its leaders, notably Pope Boniface VIII, in Hell. On the other side, I challenge anyone to read "The Ancestor's Tale" to the end, and not, at least for a moment, entertain the idea that Dawkins is in actual fact a deeply religious man. He admits as much himself: as he puts it, it's often not so much that he disagrees with conventionally religious people, more that "they are saying it wrong". Amen to that.
As noted, both Dante and Dawkins are extremely unhappy with the way mainstream religion is being organized. The other characteristic that unites them for me is this passionate love for science. One has to remember that, for Dante, Ptolomaic astronomy was state of the art stuff, and the details of the angelic hierarchy were a topic of vital importance; of course he cross-examines the hosts of the blessed to find out more. These days, I imagine he would be trying to get inside information on what happened during the Big Bang before spontaneous symmetry breaking occurred, whether or not the Higgs particle really exists, and how evolution produced human intelligence. For Dante, there didn't seem to be any opposition between religious faith and science - they were part of the same thing. I do wonder what he would have thought if he had been able to learn that many leading religious figures, even in the early 21st century, reject a large part of science as being somehow unreligious. It's wrong to spend your life dispassionately trying to understand God's Universe? I can see him getting quite angry about this, and deciding to rearrange the seating a little down in Hell.
I keep thinking that there's a book someone ought to write called "Five Atheists You'll Meet in Heaven". Please let me know when it comes out; I'll buy a copy at once.
***
PS I couldn't help wondering what Paradise might have looked like if Dante had been writing today. Obviously we wouldn't have the old geocentric model of the Universe - it would be bang up to date. I think there is now far more material for an ambitious poet to work with than there was in the 14th century. For example, when we get to the Heaven of the Galaxy, I imagine him using this wonderful fact that all the heavy elements are made in supernova explosions. "We are all stardust", as some people like to put it. Then when we get to the Heaven of the Cosmos, we find that the light from the "Let there be light" moment at the beginning of Creation is still around - it's just cooled to 2.7 degrees K, and appears as the cosmic background radiation. But it's not completely uniform, as the quantum fluctuations left over from the period when the Universe was the size of an atomic nucleus are the beginnings of the galaxies created on the second day. Finally, we reach the Heaven of the Multiverse, and find that we are just one of many different universes. It was necessary to create all of them, so that random processes could make sure that a very small number would end up being able to support life. How impious to assume that God would only be able to create one Universe, and have to tweak all the constants Himself!
July 3, 2019
I once thought I'd write an essay on how long it takes a serious author (of fiction or nonfiction) before he or she inevitably quotes Dante. If I were to write a novel myself (this is a hypothetical grammatical construction!), I'd probably manage about a page before I'd exclaim that I am lost, and middle-aged, and in the middle of a dark forest. I'd try to kill off annoying acquaintances and punish them severely for their lack of admiration for me and my creativity (not to mention my sarcasm and irony!!), and of course I would meet my teenage love and be joined together forever in eternal happiness in the end (or maybe not, come to think of it, I might skip that part!), after spending a life travelling the underworld in the company of the most brilliant author I can think of.
Dante fulfilled all his (and my!) dreams with the Divina Commedia, and I envy him his bravery and talent, not to mention his ability to write in that beautiful Italian. However, not all parts of the poem were equally appealing to me.
I found myself loving Inferno, liking Purgatorio, and not quite identifying with Paradiso at all.
I always wondered why that is, and concluded that humans are much better at depicting hell than heaven, chaos than order, dystopia than utopia. Reason being, in my (not very important) opinion: there's no storyline behind real bliss, and without stories, we are not entirely connected to humanity and its questions anymore. Paradiso is nice, but uninteresting, sort of.
"Lasciate ogni speranza, voi che entrate" - the ticket to hell: I doubt if there ever was a better advertisement for a rollercoaster adventure!
Update in Year One Of Post-Truth Wall Building:
I am still lost in that dark forest of middle age, trying to make sense of life, and Dante comes to mind more and more often, in the same way Orwell's does: it grows more realistic with every day that passes. This morning, "The Wall Of Dis" all of a sudden forced itself upon my thoughts, - the great wall separating Dante's Upper and Lower Hell. Upper Hell is for the Carnal, Gluttonous, Greedy, and Wrathful, whereas the other side of the wall contains the Heretical, Violent, Fraudulent and Treacherous. It just struck me that every wall in the world has created that kind of "mental division". The typical representatives of "upper hell", consumed by the everyday sins of wanting most of everything for themselves without being bothered by others, usually keep their "moral upper hand" by accusing the "other side of the wall" of worse crimes, such as the "wrong religion", violence, and treason.
The funny (or sad) thing is that it works both ways. You can turn hell upside down and have the same results: egotistical, narcissistic angry men accuse others of treason and heresy to deflect from their own faults. No wonder Inferno is a timeless classic: after all, Dante based it on his own experience of a divisive, violent political situation.
Dante fulfilled all his (and my!) dreams with the Divina Commedia, and I envy him his bravery and talent, not to mention his ability to write in that beautiful Italian. However, not all parts of the poem were equally appealing to me.
I found myself loving Inferno, liking Purgatorio, and not quite identifying with Paradiso at all.
I always wondered why that is, and concluded that humans are much better at depicting hell than heaven, chaos than order, dystopia than utopia. Reason being, in my (not very important) opinion: there's no storyline behind real bliss, and without stories, we are not entirely connected to humanity and its questions anymore. Paradiso is nice, but uninteresting, sort of.
"Lasciate ogni speranza, voi che entrate" - the ticket to hell: I doubt if there ever was a better advertisement for a rollercoaster adventure!
Update in Year One Of Post-Truth Wall Building:
I am still lost in that dark forest of middle age, trying to make sense of life, and Dante comes to mind more and more often, in the same way Orwell's does: it grows more realistic with every day that passes. This morning, "The Wall Of Dis" all of a sudden forced itself upon my thoughts, - the great wall separating Dante's Upper and Lower Hell. Upper Hell is for the Carnal, Gluttonous, Greedy, and Wrathful, whereas the other side of the wall contains the Heretical, Violent, Fraudulent and Treacherous. It just struck me that every wall in the world has created that kind of "mental division". The typical representatives of "upper hell", consumed by the everyday sins of wanting most of everything for themselves without being bothered by others, usually keep their "moral upper hand" by accusing the "other side of the wall" of worse crimes, such as the "wrong religion", violence, and treason.
The funny (or sad) thing is that it works both ways. You can turn hell upside down and have the same results: egotistical, narcissistic angry men accuse others of treason and heresy to deflect from their own faults. No wonder Inferno is a timeless classic: after all, Dante based it on his own experience of a divisive, violent political situation.
December 16, 2021
Canto I
In the middle of the journey of my life
I came across a man named Trump
Who seemed bent on causing much strife
O! how he was an unpleasant, fleshy lump!
Like some hobgoblin of the child's imagination
Or a thing that in the night goes bump.
But in spite of lengthy cogitation
I find I have produced fewer words
Than members of the crowd at an inauguration
I've doubtless disappointed the Dante nerds
And before long may well concede defeat
My plan, I admit, was strictly for the birds
Alas! Success will not these efforts greet
I am totally running out of steam
And will soon be mocked by some misspelled tweet
I had despaired. Then last night, in a dream
I heard a voice say, "Manny, just have some fun.
Go on, I tell you, it'll be a scream."
"Master," I said, "I think I'm not the one."
"Fear not," he answered. "All things will be well.
Recount the tale of Trump and Kim Jong-Un."
"But first," I asked, "What is the place in Hell
Reserved, I hear, for Justin Trudeau's soul
And what his punishment? I beg, please tell."
I said I would continue when I had found new inspiration. I considered changing my muse and interviewed several applicants, but Nandakishore's celestial connections turned out to be better than mine:
Canto II
But verily, the Americans did dump
This gargantuan mistake of evolution
This travesty of humanity called Trump
Down the drain; so, though not a final solution
It does prove that your Muses
Are not entirely mistaken
In clamming up; the mind refuses
To accept the fact that the presidency was taken
By a man whose only claim to fame is
Bankrupting every business he has ever lead;
In fact, one can say that the "Trump" name is
Enough to ensure that the enterprise, as a business, is dead.
And then Th茅odore also found divine inspiration:
Canto III
Thus my muse is so capricious,
She only visits me when I'm not home.
I know, it sounds so superstitious
But I have this damn syndrome.
There are so Manny reasons to take my life
But wouldn't be a sin, being so handsome ?
Oh joy! My original muse, who apparently had been off on an extended trip to the Empyrean, returned with new verses:
Canto IV
Hunky or not, to leave this vale of strife
And make my dwelling in the wood of suicides
Maybe next to Ted Hughes's ex-wife?
The sweet poetry that she to me confides
With these images my heart is riven
But my good sense the thought derides
That Sylvia will fall for me is not a given
Particularly since she'll be arboreal and dead
That's just some crap I read in Larry Niven
April 1, 2025
Every moment of Dante's gruelling masterpiece is a Revelation of a Timeless Moment:
Timeless Moments of our own or another's Hellish Anger or Hellish Lust; Timeless moments of our own or other's stinging Purgatorial guilt over Sloth or Empty Vanity;: or Timeless Moments of Heavenly Peace and Freedom at last, at the apparent end of our journey.
Once we know the Way Up and the Way Down, our Work is Cut Out for Us!
***
Reading the Divine Comedy at seventeen was, for me, to see the world sub specie aeternitatis. Apparently that鈥檚 not okay in the World鈥檚 eyes.
Writing it, in the 14th Century, was not considered okay either.
So Dante was banished for life from Florence.
In the Comedy eternal flame is the just deserts of corrupt conformity.
That doesn鈥檛 seem quite right in the eyes of the comfortably politically correct, back then as now. And they, like it or not, always have the final say. And what they say, goes! And Dante had to go.
So reading this literary landmark for the first time, when I was seventeen, marked the inauguration of a colossal climacteric in my life.
***
The winds of change, back then, were howling all around me and - as if in reaction - Dante鈥檚 vertical landscapes, ascending and descending, morphed within my mind to become the central mythos of my world and my young spirit.
For Dante鈥檚 work states clearly - from his symbolic POV - that we CAN find lasting happiness and security: in spite of the majority鈥檚 comfortable perpetual nay-saying to the contrary.
What we have to do to find it is pacify our dark impulses, work out our emotional trauma with diligence and awareness, and then aspire to reach the gates of Real and Lasting Happiness.
The faith that Dante has finally received from God when he reaches the summit of Purgatory is contained in its ultimate vision - that of the Giant and the Whore being cast, by the Gryphon, into the Pit.
In our times, the Giant is, of course, the controlling robotic Big Brother of us moderns, and the Whore, its eternally driving Desire. The one feeds the other.
And at the End of Time they are both cast into Hell by the mythical Gryphon - the Avenging Lord.
And so dawns the new Heaven and Earth, inexorable and ultimately Victorious, as Dante attains Paradise.
That sums it up: Hell. Purgation. And Paradise. And it all takes place right here on the face of this unforgiving planet.
***
Now, here鈥檚 a key point that many have missed about the Comedia: while it is easy to fall through the cracks of life into an Infernal Reality, it鈥檚 next to impossible to maintain a decent attitude while falling.
The cthonic pull of the Inferno is just too intense!
But Dante did it. So, while enduring his cruel vision in the daily life of ruthlessly divided Florence, he kept his rational cool throughout.
It speaks volumes of his character. And it tells you EXACTLY the kind of virtue you need to get to Heaven...
In the era of my first reading of it, my grandmother had a beautifully bound edition of the Longfellow translation - with its wonderful nouveau Gothic plates by Gustave Dor茅 - which I carried all around my parents鈥� house, absorbed in its mystical milieu.
By the next summer I had graduated to a library loan of the much less bulky-sized John Ciardi translation, in a limited edition with abstract modernistic illustrations.
You know, one or another edition has been with me all throughout the intervening 50+ years between then and now, my literal 鈥榮ine qua non鈥� Vade Mecum in all of its multiple shapes and sizes!
At university, it was the must-own tiny Everyman Library dual-language edition, with its graceful Pre-Raphaelite line drawings - very easy to stick into my shirt pocket going to and from lectures...
And, do you know, I recently realized that in all my many, many readings of the poetic translations available, I鈥檝e never been able to fully grasp the subtle complexities of Dante鈥檚 Aristotelian/Thomist philosophical arguments?
So I picked up Charles Eliot Norton鈥檚 eminently accessible PROSE translation for my Kindle.
So, as well as the print edition pictured above - another excellent translation - THAT is the story of my life... in One Book!
***
And now that the end of of my life is approaching Sooner - rather than Later (or that鈥檚 the impression I now get), I can look back at my life, and the world I鈥檝e lived in, and agree with The Comedy鈥檚 author that, as is inscribed in bold letters on the glorious facade of the old San Francisco Public Library:
鈥淟a gloria di colui che tutto move
Per l鈥檜niverso penetra, e risplende
In una parte piu e meno altrove.鈥�
鈥淭he glory of The Prime Mover penetrates throughout the entire universe - in one part less, and another more!鈥�
And He, the Prime Mover Himself, will guide us safely Home through the howling storms of this dark world if we鈥檙e alert to its dangers.
But knowing the dangers, how do we make that first step out of this City of Destruction and forever escape the maws of the ravenous Beasts that keep us from ascending out of its Dark Wood?
The answer is simple. It鈥檚 our own appetites that feed the power the beasts have over us. So we first have to 鈥渕ake perfect (our) Will.鈥�
So for me, Dante鈥檚 words, being lapidary - meaning etched in stone - were a portent as well as a promise.
For, as we grow older, we must keep always moving, and ever watchful and contrite -
To avoid becoming - like those who dare to dream drunkenly in the face of the Gorgon, Death - Turned Ourselves to Stone:
And SINKING into the Depths!
Cave, lector.
Timeless Moments of our own or another's Hellish Anger or Hellish Lust; Timeless moments of our own or other's stinging Purgatorial guilt over Sloth or Empty Vanity;: or Timeless Moments of Heavenly Peace and Freedom at last, at the apparent end of our journey.
Once we know the Way Up and the Way Down, our Work is Cut Out for Us!
***
Reading the Divine Comedy at seventeen was, for me, to see the world sub specie aeternitatis. Apparently that鈥檚 not okay in the World鈥檚 eyes.
Writing it, in the 14th Century, was not considered okay either.
So Dante was banished for life from Florence.
In the Comedy eternal flame is the just deserts of corrupt conformity.
That doesn鈥檛 seem quite right in the eyes of the comfortably politically correct, back then as now. And they, like it or not, always have the final say. And what they say, goes! And Dante had to go.
So reading this literary landmark for the first time, when I was seventeen, marked the inauguration of a colossal climacteric in my life.
***
The winds of change, back then, were howling all around me and - as if in reaction - Dante鈥檚 vertical landscapes, ascending and descending, morphed within my mind to become the central mythos of my world and my young spirit.
For Dante鈥檚 work states clearly - from his symbolic POV - that we CAN find lasting happiness and security: in spite of the majority鈥檚 comfortable perpetual nay-saying to the contrary.
What we have to do to find it is pacify our dark impulses, work out our emotional trauma with diligence and awareness, and then aspire to reach the gates of Real and Lasting Happiness.
The faith that Dante has finally received from God when he reaches the summit of Purgatory is contained in its ultimate vision - that of the Giant and the Whore being cast, by the Gryphon, into the Pit.
In our times, the Giant is, of course, the controlling robotic Big Brother of us moderns, and the Whore, its eternally driving Desire. The one feeds the other.
And at the End of Time they are both cast into Hell by the mythical Gryphon - the Avenging Lord.
And so dawns the new Heaven and Earth, inexorable and ultimately Victorious, as Dante attains Paradise.
That sums it up: Hell. Purgation. And Paradise. And it all takes place right here on the face of this unforgiving planet.
***
Now, here鈥檚 a key point that many have missed about the Comedia: while it is easy to fall through the cracks of life into an Infernal Reality, it鈥檚 next to impossible to maintain a decent attitude while falling.
The cthonic pull of the Inferno is just too intense!
But Dante did it. So, while enduring his cruel vision in the daily life of ruthlessly divided Florence, he kept his rational cool throughout.
It speaks volumes of his character. And it tells you EXACTLY the kind of virtue you need to get to Heaven...
In the era of my first reading of it, my grandmother had a beautifully bound edition of the Longfellow translation - with its wonderful nouveau Gothic plates by Gustave Dor茅 - which I carried all around my parents鈥� house, absorbed in its mystical milieu.
By the next summer I had graduated to a library loan of the much less bulky-sized John Ciardi translation, in a limited edition with abstract modernistic illustrations.
You know, one or another edition has been with me all throughout the intervening 50+ years between then and now, my literal 鈥榮ine qua non鈥� Vade Mecum in all of its multiple shapes and sizes!
At university, it was the must-own tiny Everyman Library dual-language edition, with its graceful Pre-Raphaelite line drawings - very easy to stick into my shirt pocket going to and from lectures...
And, do you know, I recently realized that in all my many, many readings of the poetic translations available, I鈥檝e never been able to fully grasp the subtle complexities of Dante鈥檚 Aristotelian/Thomist philosophical arguments?
So I picked up Charles Eliot Norton鈥檚 eminently accessible PROSE translation for my Kindle.
So, as well as the print edition pictured above - another excellent translation - THAT is the story of my life... in One Book!
***
And now that the end of of my life is approaching Sooner - rather than Later (or that鈥檚 the impression I now get), I can look back at my life, and the world I鈥檝e lived in, and agree with The Comedy鈥檚 author that, as is inscribed in bold letters on the glorious facade of the old San Francisco Public Library:
鈥淟a gloria di colui che tutto move
Per l鈥檜niverso penetra, e risplende
In una parte piu e meno altrove.鈥�
鈥淭he glory of The Prime Mover penetrates throughout the entire universe - in one part less, and another more!鈥�
And He, the Prime Mover Himself, will guide us safely Home through the howling storms of this dark world if we鈥檙e alert to its dangers.
But knowing the dangers, how do we make that first step out of this City of Destruction and forever escape the maws of the ravenous Beasts that keep us from ascending out of its Dark Wood?
The answer is simple. It鈥檚 our own appetites that feed the power the beasts have over us. So we first have to 鈥渕ake perfect (our) Will.鈥�
So for me, Dante鈥檚 words, being lapidary - meaning etched in stone - were a portent as well as a promise.
For, as we grow older, we must keep always moving, and ever watchful and contrite -
To avoid becoming - like those who dare to dream drunkenly in the face of the Gorgon, Death - Turned Ourselves to Stone:
And SINKING into the Depths!
Cave, lector.
August 14, 2021
Divina Commedia = Divine Comedy (La Divina Commedia #1-3), Dante Alighieri
The Divine Comedy is a long narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun c. 1308 and completed in 1320, a year before his death in 1321.
It is widely considered the preeminent work in Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature.
The poem's imaginative vision of the afterlife is representative of the medieval world-view as it had developed in the Western Church by the 14th century. It helped establish the Tuscan language, in which it is written, as the standardized Italian language.
It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.
Inferno: The poem begins on the night before Good Friday in 1300, "halfway along our life's path". Dante lost in a dark wood, he cannot evade and unable to find the "straight way" 鈥� also translatable as "right way" 鈥� to salvation. Conscious that he is ruining himself and that he is falling into a "low place" (basso loco) where the sun is silent, Dante is at last rescued by Virgil, and the two of them begin their journey to the underworld.
they had their faces twisted toward their haunches
and found it necessary to walk backward,
because they could not see ahead of them.
... and since he wanted so to see ahead,
he looks behind and walks a backward path.
Purgatorio: Having survived the depths of Hell, Dante and Virgil ascend out of the under gloom to the Mountain of Purgatory on the far side of the world. The Mountain is on an island, the only land in the Southern Hemisphere, created by the displacement of rock which resulted when Satan's fall created Hell.
The mountain has seven terraces, corresponding to the seven deadly sins or "seven roots of sinfulness." The classification of sin here is more psychological than that of the Inferno, being based on motives, rather than actions. It is also drawn primarily from Christian theology, rather than from classical sources. However, Dante's illustrative examples of sin and virtue draw on classical sources as well as on the Bible and on contemporary events. ...
Paradiso: After an initial ascension, Beatrice guides Dante through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven. These are concentric and spherical, as in Aristotelian and Ptolemaic cosmology. While the structures of the Inferno and Purgatorio were based on different classifications of sin, the structure of the Paradiso is based on the four cardinal virtues and the three theological virtues.
The seven lowest spheres of Heaven deal solely with the cardinal virtues of Prudence, Fortitude, Justice and Temperance. The first three spheres involve a deficiency of one of the cardinal virtues 鈥� the Moon, containing the inconstant, whose vows to God waned as the moon and thus lack fortitude; Mercury, containing the ambitious, who were virtuous for glory and thus lacked justice; and Venus, containing the lovers, whose love was directed towards another than God and thus lacked Temperance.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 賲丕賴 噩賵賱丕蹖 爻丕賱 1976賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丿乇 爻賴 噩賱丿: 丿賵夭禺 - 亘乇夭禺 - 亘賴卮鬲貨 爻乇賵丿賴: 丿丕賳鬲賴 丌賱蹖诏乇蹖貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 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 賲賵囟賵毓 丕卮毓丕乇 卮丕毓乇丕賳 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕 - 爻丿賴 14賲
丕賱亘鬲賴 讴賴 鬲乇噩賲賴 賴丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 丕夭 賳丕賲丿丕乇丕賳 賵 賲鬲乇噩賲丕賳 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 讴賲 亘丿蹖賱 噩丿丕诏丕賳賴 賲毓乇賮蹖 卮丿賴 丕賳丿
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 乇丕貙 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 丿诏乇貙 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 賲蹖丿丕賳丿貙 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 乇丕貙 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 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱 丕夭 亘乇诏乇丿丕賳 乇賵丕賳卮丕丿 芦卮噩丕毓 丕賱丿蹖賳 卮賮丕禄貨
賲蹖丕賳丿蹖卮賲 丕蹖賳 乇賵蹖丕賴丕 乇丕貙 卮丕蹖丿 丿乇 禺蹖丕賱 禺賵丕亘 禺賵蹖卮貙 賴賲诏丕賳 賳蹖夭 丿蹖丿賴 亘丕卮蹖賲貙 芦丿丕賳鬲賴禄 賳蹖夭 丿蹖丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 丕蹖賳 賲賳馗賵賲賴 蹖 亘賱賳丿貙 丿丕乇丕蹖 爻賴 亘禺卮 芦丿賵夭禺禄貙 芦亘乇夭禺禄 賵 芦亘賴卮鬲禄 丕爻鬲貙 賵 賴乇 亘禺卮蹖 爻蹖 鈥屬� 爻賴 趩讴丕賲賴 (讴丕賳鬲賵) 丿丕乇丿貙 讴賴 亘丕 賲賯丿賲賴貙 丿乇 讴賱 卮丕賲賱 蹖讴氐丿 趩讴丕賲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 芦丿丕賳鬲賴禄 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 丕夭 賯丕賮蹖賴 鈥屬矩必ж槽� 賳賵蹖貙 讴賴 亘賴 芦賯丕賮蹖賴 蹖 爻賵賲禄 賲卮賴賵乇 卮丿貙 爻賵丿 噩爻鬲賳丿貨 賴乇 趩讴丕賲賴貙 亘賴 亘賳丿賴丕蹖 芦爻賴 亘蹖鬲蹖禄 鬲賯爻蹖賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 亘蹖鬲 丕賵賱 賵 爻賵賲貙 賴賲 賯丕賮蹖賴 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 賵 亘蹖鬲 賲蹖丕賳蹖貙 亘丕 亘蹖鬲 丕賵賱 賵 爻賵賲 亘賳丿 亘毓丿蹖貙 丿丕乇丕蹖 賯丕賮蹖賴 噩丿丕诏丕賳賴 鈥屫ж池� 賲亘賳丕蹖 賵夭賳 賴乇 亘蹖鬲貙 蹖丕夭丿賴 賴噩丕蹖蹖 丕爻鬲貨 賲噩賲賵毓 丕亘蹖丕鬲 芦讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖禄 亘賴 丿賵丕夭丿賴 賴夭丕乇 賵 丿賵蹖爻鬲 賵 爻蹖 賵 爻賴 亘蹖鬲 賲蹖鈥屫必池� 夭亘丕賳 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 诏賵蹖卮 丕蹖丕賱鬲 芦鬲賵爻讴丕賳丕禄 丿乇 芦丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕禄蹖 丌賳 乇賵夭诏丕乇丕賳 丕爻鬲
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 26/06/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 22/05/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
The Divine Comedy is a long narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun c. 1308 and completed in 1320, a year before his death in 1321.
It is widely considered the preeminent work in Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature.
The poem's imaginative vision of the afterlife is representative of the medieval world-view as it had developed in the Western Church by the 14th century. It helped establish the Tuscan language, in which it is written, as the standardized Italian language.
It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.
Inferno: The poem begins on the night before Good Friday in 1300, "halfway along our life's path". Dante lost in a dark wood, he cannot evade and unable to find the "straight way" 鈥� also translatable as "right way" 鈥� to salvation. Conscious that he is ruining himself and that he is falling into a "low place" (basso loco) where the sun is silent, Dante is at last rescued by Virgil, and the two of them begin their journey to the underworld.
they had their faces twisted toward their haunches
and found it necessary to walk backward,
because they could not see ahead of them.
... and since he wanted so to see ahead,
he looks behind and walks a backward path.
Purgatorio: Having survived the depths of Hell, Dante and Virgil ascend out of the under gloom to the Mountain of Purgatory on the far side of the world. The Mountain is on an island, the only land in the Southern Hemisphere, created by the displacement of rock which resulted when Satan's fall created Hell.
The mountain has seven terraces, corresponding to the seven deadly sins or "seven roots of sinfulness." The classification of sin here is more psychological than that of the Inferno, being based on motives, rather than actions. It is also drawn primarily from Christian theology, rather than from classical sources. However, Dante's illustrative examples of sin and virtue draw on classical sources as well as on the Bible and on contemporary events. ...
Paradiso: After an initial ascension, Beatrice guides Dante through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven. These are concentric and spherical, as in Aristotelian and Ptolemaic cosmology. While the structures of the Inferno and Purgatorio were based on different classifications of sin, the structure of the Paradiso is based on the four cardinal virtues and the three theological virtues.
The seven lowest spheres of Heaven deal solely with the cardinal virtues of Prudence, Fortitude, Justice and Temperance. The first three spheres involve a deficiency of one of the cardinal virtues 鈥� the Moon, containing the inconstant, whose vows to God waned as the moon and thus lack fortitude; Mercury, containing the ambitious, who were virtuous for glory and thus lacked justice; and Venus, containing the lovers, whose love was directed towards another than God and thus lacked Temperance.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 賲丕賴 噩賵賱丕蹖 爻丕賱 1976賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖 丿乇 爻賴 噩賱丿: 丿賵夭禺 - 亘乇夭禺 - 亘賴卮鬲貨 爻乇賵丿賴: 丿丕賳鬲賴 丌賱蹖诏乇蹖貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 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 賲賵囟賵毓 丕卮毓丕乇 卮丕毓乇丕賳 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕 - 爻丿賴 14賲
丕賱亘鬲賴 讴賴 鬲乇噩賲賴 賴丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 丕夭 賳丕賲丿丕乇丕賳 賵 賲鬲乇噩賲丕賳 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 讴賲 亘丿蹖賱 噩丿丕诏丕賳賴 賲毓乇賮蹖 卮丿賴 丕賳丿
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 乇丕貙 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 丿诏乇貙 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 賲蹖丿丕賳丿貙 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 乇丕貙 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 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱 丕夭 亘乇诏乇丿丕賳 乇賵丕賳卮丕丿 芦卮噩丕毓 丕賱丿蹖賳 卮賮丕禄貨
賲蹖丕賳丿蹖卮賲 丕蹖賳 乇賵蹖丕賴丕 乇丕貙 卮丕蹖丿 丿乇 禺蹖丕賱 禺賵丕亘 禺賵蹖卮貙 賴賲诏丕賳 賳蹖夭 丿蹖丿賴 亘丕卮蹖賲貙 芦丿丕賳鬲賴禄 賳蹖夭 丿蹖丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 丕蹖賳 賲賳馗賵賲賴 蹖 亘賱賳丿貙 丿丕乇丕蹖 爻賴 亘禺卮 芦丿賵夭禺禄貙 芦亘乇夭禺禄 賵 芦亘賴卮鬲禄 丕爻鬲貙 賵 賴乇 亘禺卮蹖 爻蹖 鈥屬� 爻賴 趩讴丕賲賴 (讴丕賳鬲賵) 丿丕乇丿貙 讴賴 亘丕 賲賯丿賲賴貙 丿乇 讴賱 卮丕賲賱 蹖讴氐丿 趩讴丕賲賴 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 芦丿丕賳鬲賴禄 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 丕夭 賯丕賮蹖賴 鈥屬矩必ж槽� 賳賵蹖貙 讴賴 亘賴 芦賯丕賮蹖賴 蹖 爻賵賲禄 賲卮賴賵乇 卮丿貙 爻賵丿 噩爻鬲賳丿貨 賴乇 趩讴丕賲賴貙 亘賴 亘賳丿賴丕蹖 芦爻賴 亘蹖鬲蹖禄 鬲賯爻蹖賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 讴賴 亘蹖鬲 丕賵賱 賵 爻賵賲貙 賴賲 賯丕賮蹖賴 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 賵 亘蹖鬲 賲蹖丕賳蹖貙 亘丕 亘蹖鬲 丕賵賱 賵 爻賵賲 亘賳丿 亘毓丿蹖貙 丿丕乇丕蹖 賯丕賮蹖賴 噩丿丕诏丕賳賴 鈥屫ж池� 賲亘賳丕蹖 賵夭賳 賴乇 亘蹖鬲貙 蹖丕夭丿賴 賴噩丕蹖蹖 丕爻鬲貨 賲噩賲賵毓 丕亘蹖丕鬲 芦讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖禄 亘賴 丿賵丕夭丿賴 賴夭丕乇 賵 丿賵蹖爻鬲 賵 爻蹖 賵 爻賴 亘蹖鬲 賲蹖鈥屫必池� 夭亘丕賳 丕蹖賳 丕孬乇 诏賵蹖卮 丕蹖丕賱鬲 芦鬲賵爻讴丕賳丕禄 丿乇 芦丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕禄蹖 丌賳 乇賵夭诏丕乇丕賳 丕爻鬲
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 26/06/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 22/05/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
December 12, 2024
Aclaro algo: no soy religioso, ni intelectual ni estudioso de los dioses o lo que pasa antes o despu茅s de la vida y la muerte. Le铆 el libro y lo encontr茅 muy bueno.
Le铆 la obra en un solo libro, pero no sab铆a que estaba dividido en 3 partes. Al parecer, Infierno es la obra m谩s conocida, y no es para menos, pero vale la pena leer todo.
Mi cabeza vol贸 y vol贸 con tanta informaci贸n e imaginaci贸n en mi cabeza, el camino en el purgatorio, una vez estando en este, etc. Un viaje maravilloso y un libro muy denso para leer.
No me sorprende la importancia que tenga Dante ahora despu茅s de haber escrito tama帽a obra.
驴Recomendable? Hay que ser abierto de mente para leerlo, no hay que ser ni fan谩tico religioso ni fan谩tico ateo. Un poco de mente amplia y objetiva, y les aseguro que disfrutar谩n much铆simo esta lectura. Son de esas que hacen bien para el ejercicio de la mente.
Le铆 la obra en un solo libro, pero no sab铆a que estaba dividido en 3 partes. Al parecer, Infierno es la obra m谩s conocida, y no es para menos, pero vale la pena leer todo.
Mi cabeza vol贸 y vol贸 con tanta informaci贸n e imaginaci贸n en mi cabeza, el camino en el purgatorio, una vez estando en este, etc. Un viaje maravilloso y un libro muy denso para leer.
No me sorprende la importancia que tenga Dante ahora despu茅s de haber escrito tama帽a obra.
驴Recomendable? Hay que ser abierto de mente para leerlo, no hay que ser ni fan谩tico religioso ni fan谩tico ateo. Un poco de mente amplia y objetiva, y les aseguro que disfrutar谩n much铆simo esta lectura. Son de esas que hacen bien para el ejercicio de la mente.
July 27, 2019
鈥漈HROUGH ME THE WAY INTO THE SUFFERING CITY,
THROUGH ME THE WAY TO THE ETERNAL PAIN,
THROUGH ME THE WAY THAT RUNS AMONG THE LOST.
JUSTICE URGED ON MY HIGH ARTIFICER;
MY MAKER WAS DIVINE AUTHORITY,
THE HIGHEST WISDOM, AND THE PRIMAL LOVE.
BEFORE ME NOTHING BUT ETERNAL THINGS
WERE MADE, AND I ENDURE ETERNALLY.
ABANDON EVERY HOPE, WHO ENTER HERE.鈥�
Botticelli鈥檚 vision of Satan. There are 92 illustrations by Botticelli, inspired by The Divine Comedy, of which this edition contains a selection.
I read Inferno while in college and had always intended to go back and read Purgatorio and Paradiso, but somehow the years passed and I never returned to Dante鈥檚 masterpiece. When my son went off to college and asked to borrow some classics to read, I sent him, along with my copy of The Divine Comedy, Canterbury Tales, Utopia, Paradise Lost, and several other important works of literature. The rule with books, of course, is that there is no such thing as lending and returning. The lending part goes fine, but the returning is usually the tricky part. When I decided it was time to return to Dante, I didn鈥檛 ask for my copy back from my son, though he would be one of the few people who would return a book. I feel that giving a book to either of my children is an investment in all of our futures.
Since I decided to descend into hell with Dante, I was frequently glad to have Virgil as our guide. He explained the explainable. He provided a protective wing from the many monstrosities that we encounter.
鈥滸ross hailstones, water gray with filth, and snow
Come streaking down across the shadowed air;
The earth, as it receives that shower, stinks.
Over the souls of those submerged beneath
That mess, is an outlandish, vicious beast,
His three throats barking, doglike: Cerberus.
His eyes are bloodred; greasy, black, his beard;
His belly bugles, and his hands are claws;
His talons tear and flay and rend the shades.鈥�
As I was reading Dante鈥檚 descriptions of various horrendous beasts, it reminded me of the fantastical medieval expressions of imagination that I鈥檝e encountered numerous times in the margins of holy books. These early monk illustrators displayed such a vivid creativity in how they depicted their fears. I can only wonder how terrifying their nightmares were and for them to believe that these terrors were real would only add wings and claws to their trepidation. They were infected with these fears by Christianity, while being dangled the balm and possibility of heaven.
How about this for a living nightmare?
鈥滱s I kept my eyes fixed upon those sinners,
A serpent with six feet springs out against
One of the three, and clutches him completely.
It gripped his belly with its middle feet,
And with its forefeet grappled his two arms;
And then it sank its teeth in both his cheeks;
It stretched its rear feet out along his thighs
And ran its tail along between the two,
Then straightened it again behind his loins.
No ivy ever gripped a tree so fast
As when that horrifying monster clasped
And intertwined the other鈥檚 limbs with its.
Then just as if their substance were warm wax,
They stuck together and they mixed their colors,
So neither seemed what he had been before.鈥�
After seeing some of the horrors awaiting us in hell, which has proved to be a much better scare tactic for considering improving my heavenly resume than Death on the Highway or Red Asphalt II were for improving my driving skills, we encountered the pantheon of classical writers Homer, Horace, Ovid, and Lucan. Dante was so proud (we will deal with pride in Purgatory) that they accepted him as a member of their club. I was starting to wonder if Dante may have already resigning himself to a life in hell. Are great writers who don鈥檛 use their gifts glorifying God doomed to hell?
One of the wonderful things about writing, to paraphrase Chaucer, is that you can eviscerate your enemies forever in print, and certainly the people who had most offended Dante in life were experiencing the tortures of everlasting hell. Writers do play God. Because of the fame of The Divine Comedy, their names will always be associated with a list of famous sinners. I would say that Dante鈥檚 revenge was served cold, but really it was rather warmly given.
We also meet some sinners who led pious lives worthy of heaven, but because they were never baptised for the reason they lived before Christianity existed, or fell under the catchall phrase 鈥漝id not worship God in fitting ways,鈥� and were all, every one of them, consigned to hell. God does seem to be very particular about all of his children fearing him, loving him above all else, and most importantly of all worshipping him. So it wasn鈥檛 about whether these people were good people, but that they showed proper reverence to his worshipness. Later, when I visited heaven, I didn鈥檛 see any issues with overcrowding, so I鈥檓 not sure why a few get out of hell free cards couldn鈥檛 have been surreptitiously handed out to those bereft of sin who didn鈥檛 completely conform to his will. How about even just a leg up to purgatory, where eventually one might after thousands of years of suffering earn a pair of wings?
It was with some relief, my deodorant was starting to give way, we ascended to Purgatory and confronted the seven terraced mountain, representing the seven deadly sins. For those in need of a recap, there are the malicious uses of love, such as wrath, envy, and pride, and those where love is too strong, such as lust, gluttony, and greed. Sloth is the only sin not based on excesses, but on a lack of enough self-love or energy to be a contributing member of society. As I weigh myself on these scales, I can honestly say that sloth and greed have never been sins of mine. Pride, I will admit, was a struggle when I was younger, but life has a way of knocking the piss out of us and reminding us constantly that we are only half as smart as we think we are. I鈥檝e had a few wrathful moments in my life, but being around human beings for too long will test the patience of the most sainted among us. Lust I will plead the fifth, and gluttony . . well, food has never been an issue, but one could make a case that I do suffer from a serious case of book gluttony.
I did check out some of the real estate pricing while in Purgatory. *sigh*
It was with some relief that we discovered some angels in purgatory, bedraggled ones to be sure, but still ones doing what we want angels to do, which is protect us from marauding beasts.
鈥滻 saw the company of noble spirits,
silent and looking upward, pale and humble,
as if in expectation; and I saw,
emerging and descending from above,
two angels bearing flaming swords, of which
the blades were broken off, without their tips.鈥�
Angels are badass warriors, and there have been several television shows in recent years that has depicted them as soft and warm cuddle buddies, but really angels aren鈥檛 for clinking beers with, but for us to stand behind when winged, fire spitting beasts are attempting to turn us into crispy critters.
Dante shared an epiphany with me while in Purgatory that left me thinking about the creation of dreams and how important it is for all of us to continue to build new dreams as we leap the final hurdles of achieving a dream or find that other dreams may no longer suit us.
鈥滱 new thought arose inside of me and, from
that thought, still others--many and diverse--
were born: I was so drawn from random thought
to thought that, wandering in mind, I shut
my eyes, transforming thought on thought to dream.鈥�
Virgil was replaced as our guide by Beatrice as we were about three-quarters of the way through Purgatory. I was sorry to see Virgil go, but I must admit I鈥檝e always wanted to meet Beatrice, just to see what type of woman would inspire such a lifetime of devotion from a man like Dante. She was the daughter of a banker, married a banker, and with her premature death at 25 remained forever the very vision of beauty. According to Dante, he only met her twice, but those sightings must have been magical because they left him with a permanent love hangover. I wanted to ask Dante if he had ever even talked to the lass or if he just projected all of his visions of her from glimpses of her outer beauty, but then the fact that she is here in Paradise may answer that question for me.
鈥滻n ascent, her eyes--
All beauty鈥檚 living seals--gain force, and notes
that I had not yet turned to them in Mars,
can then excuse me--just as I accuse
myself , thus to excuse myself--and see
that I speak truly: here her holy beauty
is not denied--ascent makes it more perfect.鈥�
Heaven light, as it turns out, is even better than bar light. We all look our best.
If you are considering reading Dante, I would recommend for sure reading Inferno. Most likely when you encounter Dante references appearing in your reading, they will probably be from the Inferno. This Allen Mandelbaum translation is wonderful and so easy to read, and there are copious notes in the back to help guide you if Virgil loses you in a flaming forest. This is one of the classic works which I have felt for some time I鈥檝e needed to read. There will be many more this year, including but not limited to War and Peace, Magic Mountain, and Les Miserables.
If a bit of flayed skin flies out from between the pages once in a while, don鈥檛 be afraid; it鈥檚 just part of the adventure. A word of caution though, be sure to buy some SPF1000 before you take this scenic walk with Dante.
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February 16, 2016
THE DARING, somewhat COMIC, and also DIVINE, INVENTIO
It is very difficult not to be lured by the highly intelligent craft of Durante degli Aliguieri (DA). And may be it is not a coincidence that he was the exact contemporary of Giotto, his fellow Florentine. For if Giotto planted the seed for a pictorial representation of the world in which man, at the center, and through a window, delivers to us a naturalistic depiction of divine stories, Dante also used his writing to posit himself as the Author who through his fictional persona or Alter-Ego, gives us the viewpoint to contemplate the full cosmos. His cosmos, but for us to share.
Still, we modern readers, in spite of Modernist and PostModernist awareness, are still fooled by DA鈥檚 handling of illusion, and easily become pilgrims and start on a literary trip more than ready to absorb everything that DA wants us to see, and think, and believe.
POLITICS
So, for example, we will learn his political views. DA was exiled in 1301 and led a peripatetic life, outside Florence, until his death in 1321. He wrote the Commedia during the exile, from 1309 and finished it in time. By masterfully welding the fact and mythologized fiction of the world of Antiquity, he cloths himself with the full robes of Auctoritas, and presents us the complex development of European politics during the thirteenth century. He summons his views repeatedly either by the succession of visits to the traitors or in fully developed historical pageants.
Of course, Hell is populated by DA鈥檚 enemies, with the very pope responsible for his exile, Boniface VIII, holding stardom in Circle 8th. In this Inferno DA is the very Minos. He is the one who with his pen of many tails wraps around his enemies and throws them down the pit to the Circle that DA believes the chosen sinners deserve. Even if this spectacle horrifies his ingenuous Pilgrim.
The ranking of the Inferno Circles reflect also DA鈥檚 values. Lust is the least damaging while Treason, in particular political treason and the betrayal of friends, is the most despicable. In comparison even Lucifer, a rendition that remains faithful to the medieval tradition, is not much more than a grotesque, and not particularly hateful, monster.
Politics continue in Purgatory. DA鈥檚 audacity is again proved by the way he exploits to its fullest what was still a relatively new concept in Christian dogma (1274). If DA had been Minos in Inferno, he now is the discerning Cato of Purgatory. He is the one holding the Silver and Gold keys, and who claims to know the very intimate thought of those who had the luck to repent the instance just before dying. He awards then the transit ticket to Paradise. Can we be surprised if some of the awardees had some relation to those figures who had welcomed DA during his exile?
DA鈥檚 authorial knowledge is supplemented by the granting his protagonist with the role of Messenger of Hope. The Pilgrim, as the only human in Purgatory, can bid for more prayers to the still living relatives when he goes back to Earth. He can effect a change in the duration that any purging sinner is to spend in the transitional stage, the only one of the three realms in which the clock is ticking.
Could one expect DA to finally drop the political discourse in Heaven? No, of course not. There it even acquires greater strength since the discourse is cloaked with a divine mantle. In Paradiso it will be no other than Saint Peter himself who will denounce the path of degeneration that the Papacy had taken in recent years. And if Boniface VIII (died in 1303) had been repeatedly identified as the culprit for the evil in earth, now it is his succeeding popes, --and contemporary to the writing of Commedia--, who are selected by DA鈥檚 saintly mouthpiece. Pope Clement V was responsible for the transfer of the papacy to Avignon, and the cupidity of John XXII was for everyone to see.
Indeed, a secluded Apocalyptical 666 attests that politics forms a triptych in Commedia. In agreement with the intricate framework of parallels, symmetries and balances in this work, DA devoted the three chapters 6 in each book to political diatribes.
Apart from his relying on Ancient Auctoritas, DA also accorded the full weight of history to his views, and it is mostly in a couple of major pageants and in the Valley of the Kings that he exposes the political disaster that the withdrawal from the Italian peninsula by the Empire had on the various city states. It was left to the corrupt papacy and to the corrupt smaller kingdoms to spread crime along the full Europe. His solution was clear. The papacy had to govern only religious matters, and he extolled the Emperor Henry VII to hold the political reins of Europe. It is DA鈥檚 canonized Beatrice who has a reserved seat for this Emperor in God鈥檚 White Flower if he does succeed in exerting his salvific political role.
DOGMA
But the Commedia is not just about politics. This extremely complex work is also soaking in Christian Dogma. Of course politics and dogma were inextricably joined during the Middle Ages, and that was part of DA鈥檚 very complaint. And what is to me extraordinary about the immediate reception of Commedia, is that it was treated like Scripture. Even the early editions were illustrated like illuminated manuscripts鈥攚hich in a way is most befitting if we remember that it is about the progress of a Pilgrim鈥檚 as he approaches Light and gains a 20/20 vision elevated tho the Trinitarian power.
In his appeal to religious dogma DA was extraordinarily successful, even if some of his claims were shockingly daring. He modified or added realms to the Christian Cosmos, with the peculiar understanding of the Limbo to accommodate revered figures from Ancient Antiquity, or added the Pre-Purgatory for the unabsolved Rulers. He designed his own ranking of the Sins, both for Hell and Purgatory. But most importantly he proposed his understanding of Free Will and its conflicting relationship to Predetermination and God鈥檚 vision. Not by chance did he place the discussion of Free Will at the very center of the work, in Canto 16 of Purgatory.
But the most dangerous proposition, for him, was his vehement defense of the limitations of the Papacy on Earth. He started writing in 1307 just a few years after the Papal Bull of Unam Sanctam the very controversial claim of papal infallibility. Not this book, but Dante鈥檚 Monarchia, in which he strongly attacked official tenet, was burned soon after Dante鈥檚 death and was included in the list of forbidden books during the 16th century.
NARRATIVE SCHEMES
To us, however, it is not his proclamations on Dogma, and not even his political views (except for historians), which offer the greatest interest. What is most remarkable for literature addicts is how DA, the author, develops all these themes, and succeeds in weighing with the gravest authority his poetic treatise. And this he does through his masterful manipulation of the power of fiction and the sophisticated uses of voices.
For a start, there is the protagonist: DA鈥檚 Alter Ego, and the only human in the full work. His humanity, and his being in the middle of the moral mess in which he has placed himself is the perfect mirror for the reader. But we can trust him to embody us because Virgil, the greatest Roman poet and chronologist of the foundation of Rome, will guide us. We can trust him also because Christian Divinity has selected him as the, temporary, guide. It is only when Virgil鈥檚 powers have reached his limits, two thirds into the full work, that the pilgrim鈥檚 identity is revealed to us. He is Dante himself, or Dante the Pilgrim (DP). With his revealed identity he can say goodbye to the pagan guide who cannot, alas, have a place in Heaven.
Dante, however, will.
The spoiler provided by our general culture has damaged the way we read the work. The astounding pretention of DA in assigning himself the powers in deciding who goes where in his system of divine retributions has been blurred to some naive readers. Some of them try to excuse Dante precisely because they have been entirely convinced by his acting puppet. The highly successful Dante the Pilgrim (DP) as a candid personality with the qualities of kindness, fear, anger and similar emotions, distracts our attention away from the real Dante, the Author.
The Pilgrim is an alibi mechanism for his creator. He shows pity for the people DA condemns. He can go beyond the Terrace of Pride, in which the rather proud DA may be still spending some of his time. And he becomes the anointed messenger from the Heavens to deliver to us what DA is writing. But we would also be mistaken if we did not recognized that not always him, but many other characters voice DA鈥檚 opinion. His brilliant dramatization with innumerable personages constitutes the choir of a ventriloquist.
In the sophisticated Narrative technique, the handling of time is also magisterial. Apart from the symbolic unfolding of the action during Holy Week of the year 1300, and the references to eternal cosmic time, it is the numerous voices of this clever ventriloquist who continually foretell what is to happen to the sinners.
Most outstandingly the voices predict the eternal condemnation of DA鈥檚 particular enemies. Some of these were not yet dead at the time of the pilgrimage, but had already passed away when DA was writing his poem. Such an example is the premonition that the most hated pope Boniface VIII will be damned. He died three years later. But there is also the shocking case of the soul that is already in penance while his body is still living on earth. This personality died even after Dante.
Finally it is DP himself, once he has entered Heaven, who engages in this foretelling, and of course, it had to be in his warning to the Popes that were about to be in power in the years after the voyage of the Commedia, reminding them to stay out of politics and to forget material wealth.
The suitability of DP as our Alter-egos to reach salvation is certified by his examinations on the Theological Virtues by the the Apostles Peter, James and John. He passes them with flying colors, because DP acknowledges that his knowledge is based on the Holy Text.
And it is also with Text, and DA was very well versed in exploiting its four levels of interpretation (Literal, allegorical, moral and anagogical), that is, with this new poetry that Dante Aliguieri is proposing a plan for his, and our, salvation. Because after such a heavenly Graduation who can deny the Commedia its status as Prophetic and Scriptural? May be we saw it coming, when the still anonymous Pilgrim posited himself, at the very beginning of the poem, as the 6th greatest poet after the likes of Homer, Ovid, Virgil etc. So, may be it is not by chance that his identity as Dante is revealed until Virgil is used and expensed.
Several other poets also populate the triptychal poem: representatives of the two pioneering schools of Proven莽al and Sicilian schools, as well as by those Florentines who with or just before DA, started formulating the sweet new style (dolce still novo) and exploring the literary possibilities of the still vernacular Tuscan tongue. But if DA has been exploiting his abilities as ventriloquist, it is with his own voice as a poet that he makes a presence in Commedia. A few of his fictional characters quote some of Dante鈥檚 earlier verses.
Having reached the Empirium of the poem, we can stop and think about where Dante Alighieri has taken us. Because, even if not eternal salvation, he has delivered us a most extraordinary feat of literature that we cannot but qualify as divine. Furthermore, he has done so in a newly coined language, to which he added some words of his own invention, and, most outstanding of all, he positioned the Author at the very center of that literary White Rose of fiction.
And this flower continued to exude its rich scent until, in a similar process to the displacement of Giotto鈥檚 viewer, Roland Barthes, plucked it in the declaration formulated in his 1967 Essay The Death of the Author.
But before that, it had a long life.
April 2, 2022
"Quien aqu铆 entre, abandone toda esperanza. "
S铆mbolo inequ铆voco de su 茅poca, esta obra de arte inmortalizada en letras, es un legado universal que Dante nos dej贸 para siempre y que es un cl谩sico de proporciones 茅picas que disfrut茅 de principio a final.
Algunas consideraciones:
Mucha gente lee La Divina Comedia interesada solamente por el Infierno, y no es para menos.
Si alguien tiene la inmensa suerte de leer la edici贸n ilustrada por Gustave Dor茅, llega al Para铆so como si acompa帽ara a Dante buscando a Beatriz.
El Purgatorio es tan, pero tan bueno, que me atrap贸. Dante describe los siete pecados capitales de forma tan maravillosa que no la va para nada en zaga al Infierno.
El Para铆so es el la parte que menos gusta. Muchos la consideran tediosa y de una carga teol贸gica muy alta (bueno, estas eran las convicciones de Dante en la 茅poca).
Es cierto tambi茅n que por la obra desfila una larga galer铆a de personajes que no conocemos, por eso, es muy importante contar con una edici贸n que contenga notas aclaratorias, sobre todo de orden hist贸rico m谩s que mitol贸gicas o aleg贸ricas.
La elecci贸n de Virgilio no est谩 hecha para nada al azar. S贸lo un poeta de ese calibre podr铆a haber acompa帽ado a Dante al Infierno. Recordemos la brillantez de Virgilio para retratar el descenso de Eneas, quien tambi茅n baja a los infiernos para ir a buscar a su padre Anquises, en el sexto cap铆tulo de "La Eneida".
Yo le铆 una interesante edici贸n de La Divina Comedia, publicada por Editorial Losada en tres libros, con el agregado de aclaratorias notas adicionales.
Luego consegu铆 un hermoso volumen de 1946 traducido por quien fuera Presidente de la Rep煤blica Argentina, me refiero a Bartolom茅 Mitre y que sigue siendo una de las mejores hechas en espa帽ol.
Por 煤ltimo y para esta rese帽a le铆 la Commedia en prosa en un hermoso libro que tiene el agregado del pr贸logo escrito por Stefan Zweig.
Es menester leer La Divina Comedia junto con el Fausto de Goethe y El Para铆so Perdido de Milton, cuando de cl谩sicos de esta naturaleza se habla.
S铆mbolo inequ铆voco de su 茅poca, esta obra de arte inmortalizada en letras, es un legado universal que Dante nos dej贸 para siempre y que es un cl谩sico de proporciones 茅picas que disfrut茅 de principio a final.
Algunas consideraciones:
Mucha gente lee La Divina Comedia interesada solamente por el Infierno, y no es para menos.
Si alguien tiene la inmensa suerte de leer la edici贸n ilustrada por Gustave Dor茅, llega al Para铆so como si acompa帽ara a Dante buscando a Beatriz.
El Purgatorio es tan, pero tan bueno, que me atrap贸. Dante describe los siete pecados capitales de forma tan maravillosa que no la va para nada en zaga al Infierno.
El Para铆so es el la parte que menos gusta. Muchos la consideran tediosa y de una carga teol贸gica muy alta (bueno, estas eran las convicciones de Dante en la 茅poca).
Es cierto tambi茅n que por la obra desfila una larga galer铆a de personajes que no conocemos, por eso, es muy importante contar con una edici贸n que contenga notas aclaratorias, sobre todo de orden hist贸rico m谩s que mitol贸gicas o aleg贸ricas.
La elecci贸n de Virgilio no est谩 hecha para nada al azar. S贸lo un poeta de ese calibre podr铆a haber acompa帽ado a Dante al Infierno. Recordemos la brillantez de Virgilio para retratar el descenso de Eneas, quien tambi茅n baja a los infiernos para ir a buscar a su padre Anquises, en el sexto cap铆tulo de "La Eneida".
Yo le铆 una interesante edici贸n de La Divina Comedia, publicada por Editorial Losada en tres libros, con el agregado de aclaratorias notas adicionales.
Luego consegu铆 un hermoso volumen de 1946 traducido por quien fuera Presidente de la Rep煤blica Argentina, me refiero a Bartolom茅 Mitre y que sigue siendo una de las mejores hechas en espa帽ol.
Por 煤ltimo y para esta rese帽a le铆 la Commedia en prosa en un hermoso libro que tiene el agregado del pr贸logo escrito por Stefan Zweig.
Es menester leer La Divina Comedia junto con el Fausto de Goethe y El Para铆so Perdido de Milton, cuando de cl谩sicos de esta naturaleza se habla.
March 31, 2025
"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch鈥檌ntrate."
"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
Dante Alighieri鈥檚 The Divine Comedy isn鈥檛 just a poem鈥攊t鈥檚 an eternal nightmare carved into literature. a journey through Hell鈥檚 horrors, Purgatory鈥檚 trials, and Heaven鈥檚 eternal glow. Sinners burn, the repentant climb, and the blessed shine鈥攁ll under the weight of divine justice. Virgil guides, Beatrice saves, and Dante walks the path of every soul鈥攍ost, seeking, and finally found.This first part of The Divine Comedy is a journey through the nine circles of Hell, a twisted, poetic, and deeply personal exploration of sin, punishment, and divine justice. The first part of The Divine Comedy takes Dante (yes, the poet wrote himself as the main character鈥攂old move) on a terrifying journey through the nine circles of Hell, with his personal guide, Virgil, leading the way.With the legendary Virgil as his guide, Dante descends deeper and deeper into a realm of fire, ice, and eternal despair, where sinners are tormented in grotesque yet eerily poetic ways. And yes鈥擠ante literally put his real-life enemies in Hell, proving that petty is eternal.
Dante鈥檚 The Divine Comedy is a journey of the soul鈥攖hrough fire, repentance, and divine glory. A tale of justice, faith, and love, this epic masterpiece is not just a story鈥攊t is a reckoning, a reflection, and a path from darkness to eternal light
~The Journey Begins
馃抢-Inferno 鈥� The Descent into Darkness
鈥漈HROUGH ME THE WAY INTO THE SUFFERING CITY,
THROUGH ME THE WAY TO THE ETERNAL PAIN,
THROUGH ME THE WAY THAT RUNS AMONG THE LOST.
JUSTICE URGED ON MY HIGH ARTIFICER;
MY MAKER WAS DIVINE AUTHORITY,
THE HIGHEST WISDOM, AND THE PRIMAL LOVE.
BEFORE ME NOTHING BUT ETERNAL THINGS
WERE MADE, AND I ENDURE ETERNALLY.
ABANDON EVERY HOPE, WHO ENTER HERE.鈥�
*Lost in a dark forest (a metaphor for his spiritual crisis), Dante is confronted by three beasts:
-A lion (Pride)
-A leopard (Lust)
-A she-wolf (Greed)
Just as he鈥檚 about to lose all hope, Virgil appears and offers to lead him through Hell. From here, Dante begins his descent, and what follows is one of the most haunting literary journeys ever written.
~Themes of Inferno
-The Nature of Sin 鈥� People create their own suffering.
-Divine Justice 鈥� Sinners receive exactly what they deserve.
-Moral Transformation 鈥� Dante starts with sympathy but gradually accepts God鈥檚 justice.
~The Nine Circles of Hell 鈥� Sin Meets Perfect Punishment
-馃敄-The Echoes of Limbo (Circle 1)
"Noi non avem speranza, ma viviamo in disio."
"We have no hope, yet we live in longing."
Here, Dante walks among Socrates, Aristotle, Homer鈥攂rilliant minds barred from salvation simply because they were born before Christ. There is no fire, no screaming鈥攋ust a silent grief that stretches forever.
馃敄-The Storm of the Lovers (Circle 2 鈥� Lust)
"Amor, ch鈥檃l cor gentil ratto s鈥檃pprende,
prese costui de la bella persona
che mi fu tolta; e 鈥榣 modo ancor m鈥檕ffende."
"Love, which quickly kindles in noble hearts,
seized this one for the beauty of my body,
which was taken from me in a manner still painful to me."
Dante meets Francesca and Paolo, two lovers murdered for their affair, their souls now tossed forever in a violent storm, mirroring the uncontrollable winds of their passion.
Yet, it is not their crime but their love that makes Dante weep:
"Nessun maggior dolore / che ricordarsi del tempo felice nella miseria."
"There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery."
And in that moment, he faints, overwhelmed by their tragedy.
馃敄 Gluttony 鈥� Devoured by Eternal Hunger (Circle 3)
"La pioggia etterna maladetta, fredda, greve,
regola lor qualit脿 nuova."
"The eternal cursed rain, cold and heavy,
changes them into something new."
The gluttonous lie drowned in endless filth, as the three-headed Cerberus tears into them. They devoured life, now life devours them.
馃敄 Greed 鈥� The Weight of Gold (Circle 4)
"Perch茅 tieni? e perch茅 burli?"
"Why do you hoard? Why do you squander?"
Hoarders and spendthrifts roll enormous stones at each other in eternal struggle, a useless war of excess and waste. Their greed has made them unrecognizable, reduced to faceless shadows beneath their burdens.
馃敄 The Wrathful Drown in Their Own Rage (Circle 5 鈥� River Styx)
Here, the wrathful tear at each other鈥檚 flesh, while the slothful鈥攚ho in life never took action鈥攁re submerged beneath the black water, trapped in eternal silence.
Dante sees their fate and whispers:
"Questi si percotean non pur con mano,
ma con la testa e col petto e coi piedi."
"They struck not only with hands,
but also with their heads and chests and feet."
A brutal, never-ending war with no winner, no resolution鈥攋ust rage, feeding rage, feeding rage.
馃敄 Heretics Burn in Flaming Tombs (Circle 6 鈥� The City of Dis)
"Qui son li eresiarche / con lor seguaci, d鈥檕gne setta, e molto pi霉 che non credi."
"Here lie the heresiarchs and their followers,
of every sect, far more than you would believe."
Dante walks through a city of the damned, its walls glowing red with the flames of eternal suffering. Here, those who denied the soul鈥檚 immortality are buried in fire鈥攂ecause they believed the soul died with the body, their punishment makes that belief an unrelenting truth.
馃敄 The Forest of the Suicides (Circle 7 鈥� Violence Against the Self)
"Noi fummo gi脿 uomini, e or siam fatti sterpi."
"We were once men, now we are mere sticks."
Dante snaps a branch, and a voice wails in agony鈥攆or the suicides are now twisted trees, their bodies denied even the shape of humanity.
One of them whispers in sorrow:
"Io son colui che tenni ambo le chiavi del cor di Federico."
"I am the one who held both keys to Frederick鈥檚 heart."
Their only voice is pain, their only future silence, unless Dante carries their story forward.
馃敄 The Web of Deception (Circle 8 鈥� Fraud)
Here, hypocrisy, flattery, sorcery, and corruption take monstrous forms:
False prophets walk backwards forever鈥攂ecause they sought to see the future, now they can never look forward again.
Thieves are bitten by snakes, only to transform into them, losing their identities to deception.
Hypocrites wear golden robes lined with lead, shining on the outside, crushing within.
Dante watches and mutters:
"E perch茅 tu pi霉 volontier mi gratti,
sappi ch鈥檌鈥� son Bertran de Born."
"And because you find pleasure in my torment,
know that I am Bertran de Born."
馃敄 Betrayal 鈥� The Frozen Dead (Circle 9 鈥� Treachery)
"Vexilla regis prodeunt inferni."
"The banners of the King of Hell advance."
Finally, Dante reaches the ultimate sin: treachery. Here, Judas, Brutus, and Cassius are devoured in the mouths of Satan himself, who is trapped waist-deep in ice, his wings flapping but never flying, his tears frozen as he weeps for eternity.
And as Dante climbs past Lucifer鈥檚 twisted body, he emerges on the other side of the world鈥攆or Hell is only half the journey.
馃抢词Purgatorio 鈥� The Path to Redemption
Purgatory is not eternal punishment, but a place where souls are purified before entering Heaven. Unlike Hell, where there is no hope, Purgatory is a place of spiritual progress.
~Structure of Purgatory:
Purgatory is a mountain divided into seven terraces, each representing a Deadly Sin:
Pride 鈥� Souls carry heavy stones to learn humility.
Envy 鈥� The envious have their eyes sewn shut to stop them from comparing themselves to others.
Wrath 鈥� The wrathful must walk through thick smoke, symbolizing their past blindness caused by anger.
Sloth 鈥� The lazy must run constantly to make up for lost time.
Greed 鈥� The greedy lie face-down, reflecting their obsession with wealth.
Gluttony 鈥� The gluttonous are starved in front of unreachable food.
Lust 鈥� The lustful are purified by fire, cleansing their desires.
馃挱Key Moments in Purgatorio:
-Virgil鈥檚 Departure & Beatrice鈥檚 Arrival
-Virgil (representing human reason) cannot enter Heaven, showing that faith is needed beyond logic.
-Beatrice (symbol of divine love) takes over as Dante鈥檚 guide.
- The Earthly Paradise (Eden) at the Summit
The final step before entering Heaven, symbolizing mankind鈥檚 original purity before sin.
~Themes of Purgatorio:
-Hope & Redemption 鈥� Unlike in Hell, these souls can reach Heaven.
-The Role of Free Will 鈥� Sinners must actively work to cleanse themselves.
-The Power of Divine Love 鈥� Beatrice鈥檚 presence highlights that love leads to salvation.
馃抢Paradiso 鈥� The Vision of Divine Love
Paradise is the most abstract and mystical section of the poem. Dante ascends through nine celestial spheres, encountering saints, angels, and divine wisdom, before reaching the Empyrean, the dwelling place of God.
~The Nine Spheres of Heaven
Each sphere reflects a virtue or aspect of divine order:
The Moon 鈥� Souls who broke vows but were still virtuous.
Mercury 鈥� The ambitious, who did good but sought personal glory.
Venus 鈥� The lovers, purified by divine love.
The Sun 鈥� Home of great theologians and scholars.
Mars 鈥� Warriors of the faith, like Charlemagne and Cacciaguida.
Jupiter 鈥� Rulers who upheld justice.
Saturn 鈥� The contemplatives and monks.
The Fixed Stars 鈥� The saints and the apostles.
The Primum Mobile 鈥� The angels, closest to God.
The Final Vision: The Beatific Vision
At the end of his journey, Dante experiences a transcendent vision of God as a radiant light that embodies divine love. Words fail him:
"All'alta fantasia qui manc貌 possa;
ma gi脿 volgeva il mio disio e il velle,
s矛 come rota ch'igualmente 猫 mossa."
(Here my high imagination failed;
but already my desire and will were moving
like a wheel that is equally turned.)
"Nella sua volontade 猫 nostra pace." (Canto III)
"In His will is our peace."
~Themes of Paradiso
-Divine Grace 鈥� No soul can reach Heaven by logic alone; grace is required.
-The Ultimate Knowledge 鈥� Dante鈥檚 journey reflects humanity鈥檚 longing for truth and enlightenment.
-Love as the Universe鈥檚 Driving Force 鈥� The final realization: "The love that moves the sun and the other stars."
~Why It Stands Out
-The Psychological Depth 鈥� Dante doesn鈥檛 just observe Hell; he reacts. He pities some souls, rages at others, and even faints from horror.
-The Blend of Myth and Reality 鈥� Historical figures, mythological creatures, and personal enemies all find a place in Dante鈥檚 underworld.
-The Language 鈥� The haunting beauty of Italian poetry makes the suffering feel almost sacred:
-Dante and Virgil鈥檚 companionship is one of the best parts of The Divine Comedy. Their dynamic is like the ultimate mentor-student duo, with Virgil being the wise guide and Dante, the curious (sometimes terrified) traveler. Virgil is basically Dante鈥檚 emotional support poet, leading him through Hell鈥檚 horrors and Purgatory鈥檚 trials, always keeping him in check. And then comes Beatrice, bringing in a whole new level of divine guidance.
~Chilling Verses: 馃敼 The Gates of Hell Inscription:
"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch鈥檌ntrate."
"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
馃敼 Francesca and Paolo鈥檚 Tragic Love (Circle 2, Lust):
"Amor, ch'a nullo amato amar perdona."
"Love, which pardons no one loved from loving in return."
馃敼 The Forest of Suicides (Circle 7):
"Noi fummo gi脿 uomini, e or siam fatti sterpi."
"We were once men, now we are mere sticks."
馃敼 Satan鈥檚 Final Image:
"O quanto parve a me gran maraviglia / quand鈥檌o vidi tre facce alla sua testa!"
"Oh, how great my horror when I saw three faces upon his head!"
馃摉 Themes That Hit Hard -Karma at Its Most Brutal 鈥� Each sinner鈥檚 punishment fits their crime with terrifying poetic justice.
- Fear & Despair 鈥� The idea of eternal suffering is more disturbing than any horror novel.
- Dante鈥檚 Personal Vendettas 鈥� The pettiness is real. He literally wrote his political enemies into Hell.
馃摐Final Thoughts 鈥� A Masterpiece of Darkness
-Inferno warns us about sin and its consequences.
-Purgatorio teaches the value of redemption and self-growth.
-Paradiso offers the ultimate reward鈥攄ivine love and enlightenment.
Dante鈥檚 Inferno is breathtakingly dark, poetic, and disturbing. Each punishment is carved with merciless precision, and the imagery is so vivid that it still haunts literature 700 years later.
Dante鈥檚 Hell warns, his Purgatory redeems, and his Paradise uplifts. He begins the journey lost, weighed down by sin, but ends in divine clarity, gazing upon the love that moves the universe itself. Is it an easy read? Nope. But if you love dark, immersive poetry with deep symbolism, it鈥檚 a must-read.
猸� Rating: 4/5 鈥� A beautifully crafted, unsettling masterpiece.
April 1, 2023
The Divine Comedy is so divine (I pass the redundancy) that we can bring some of Dante's narration to our day. Without necessarily dividing our moments into stages, we do not have to die to see the scenes we have passed. Nowadays, humanity, so sordid and unmasked, acts, treating one another personally, as if it had a particular Heaven of false power, knowing it lives in a real Hell. Worse still is not to reach out to the next, pushing them to innumerable Purgatory at once, offering no other choice. The owners of a power gaining millions and millions pretend to have mercy on suffering humanity. They continue with their shenanigans and lies, wanting the humiliated citizen to believe he is in Heaven because they are still alive. These greedy people, whom we know very well, live in an actual and particular Hell in the dispute of who can do more. People with low incomes and suffering workers are already in Purgatory. Until, occasionally, they feed a false hope that one day they will live in the Heaven of the mighty, causing paraphernalia among the many greedy miserable ones who are taking life. Pushing and trampling those who try to pass before them because many are in a hurry and believe they can get out of Purgatory and reach the Infernal Heaven of illusion and social inequality.
January 21, 2023
I started leafing through this at the bookshop round the corner, and by the time I'd got to the third page of the introduction I was intrigued. Clive James gave an insightful analysis of the Divine Comedy's poetic structure and explained, better than anyone I'd seen try this before, just how ridiculously difficult it is to produce an English-language translation that has some meaningful relationship to the original text. Everything is difficult, needless to say, but the very worst thing is the rhyme scheme.
A prose translation is flat, and large parts of the second and third books turn into boring theology; in the original, they are sublimely beautiful, and the poem gets more and more beautiful as Dante draws closer to God. Also, Dante's poetry is propulsive, carrying the action forward at a rapid pace. But it turns out, unfortunately, that you can't do terza rima in English, the language just doesn't support that verse form. James thought about it for decades, and in the end had an idea: maybe quatrains would do the job? He experimented and decided the answer was yes. I flipped forward to Canto I and found these gorgeous lines:
I had previously only read the tepid Dorothy Sayers translation, some of the Longfellow, and some passages in the original, but my Italian, alas, is still nowhere near good enough to get through the whole thing that way. This was an acceptable substitute, and James was not overselling himself. The language, indeed, was often beautiful. And it really was propulsive: I often read several canti at a stretch, unable to put it down. By the time I reached the third book, where Dante ascends the spheres of heaven in the company of Beatrice, a third aspect became noticeable: it was wonderfully romantic. The adoration Dante feels for his angelic Lady leaps off the page in a way that I totally didn't recall from Sayers. For example (one passage of very many):
I mentioned some of my theories to Not, who scornfully told me that, as any Australian knew, Prue Shaw had unceremoniously dumped her husband in 2012 when she found he'd been deceiving her for years with a much younger woman. Maybe James had had a heavenly muse, but it was less than clear who she was. It was quite conceivable that he in fact had had two muses.
Damn. Why can't life ever be as beautiful and simple as you'd like it to be? But however it was produced, I still give an unhesitating thumbs up to James's translation. If you can't read five hundred pages of medieval Italian, this is the next best thing.
_________________
[And the next day...]
Over lunch, it occurred to me to wonder whether Leanne Edelsten was in fact Clive James's anti-muse, helping him express that sense of pervasive guilt so central to Dante. Not's explanation was simpler: she thought that James, like most male writers, was a total shit.
I said that my interpretation in no way disagreed with hers, it was just more nuanced. But I am unsure whether Not found this convincing.
A prose translation is flat, and large parts of the second and third books turn into boring theology; in the original, they are sublimely beautiful, and the poem gets more and more beautiful as Dante draws closer to God. Also, Dante's poetry is propulsive, carrying the action forward at a rapid pace. But it turns out, unfortunately, that you can't do terza rima in English, the language just doesn't support that verse form. James thought about it for decades, and in the end had an idea: maybe quatrains would do the job? He experimented and decided the answer was yes. I flipped forward to Canto I and found these gorgeous lines:
At the mid-point of my path through life, I foundI was sold: James definitely had something. I paid my $20, took it home, and carried on reading.
Myself lost in a wood so dark, the way
Ahead was blotted out. The keening sound
I still make shows how hard it is to say
How harsh and bitter that place felt to me -
Merely to think of it renews the fear -
So bad that death by only a degree
Could possibly be worse. As you shall hear
It led to good things too, eventually,
But then and there I saw no sign of those,
And can't say even now how I had come
To be there, stunned and following my nose
Away from the straight path.
I had previously only read the tepid Dorothy Sayers translation, some of the Longfellow, and some passages in the original, but my Italian, alas, is still nowhere near good enough to get through the whole thing that way. This was an acceptable substitute, and James was not overselling himself. The language, indeed, was often beautiful. And it really was propulsive: I often read several canti at a stretch, unable to put it down. By the time I reached the third book, where Dante ascends the spheres of heaven in the company of Beatrice, a third aspect became noticeable: it was wonderfully romantic. The adoration Dante feels for his angelic Lady leaps off the page in a way that I totally didn't recall from Sayers. For example (one passage of very many):
And so I am invited and made boldAs I progressed, I become more and more certain that the translator was being inspired by his own muse, and I was also sure I could identify her: in the foreword, James was very gracious about the debt he owed to his wife, Prue Shaw, who introduced him to Dante when he was still a student and eventually become an internationally acclaimed Dante scholar. When James described how Dante is dazzled by the radiance of Beatrice's smile, I thought how he was being led on his own journey by his own celestial guide. It was really quite inspiring.
To ask you of another truth less than
Clear to me, lady. Let me now be told
If ever it can happen that a man
May make it up to you by doing good
For vows he has not kept." She looked at me
With eyes so full of love my powers could
Do nothing to withstand the clarity
That sparkled there within. My vision shook.
I almost fainted, stunned by that one look.
I mentioned some of my theories to Not, who scornfully told me that, as any Australian knew, Prue Shaw had unceremoniously dumped her husband in 2012 when she found he'd been deceiving her for years with a much younger woman. Maybe James had had a heavenly muse, but it was less than clear who she was. It was quite conceivable that he in fact had had two muses.
Damn. Why can't life ever be as beautiful and simple as you'd like it to be? But however it was produced, I still give an unhesitating thumbs up to James's translation. If you can't read five hundred pages of medieval Italian, this is the next best thing.
_________________
[And the next day...]
Over lunch, it occurred to me to wonder whether Leanne Edelsten was in fact Clive James's anti-muse, helping him express that sense of pervasive guilt so central to Dante. Not's explanation was simpler: she thought that James, like most male writers, was a total shit.
I said that my interpretation in no way disagreed with hers, it was just more nuanced. But I am unsure whether Not found this convincing.
March 8, 2016
Plumbing the crucible of happenstance.
I should give a quick intro and say that I rarely EVER, EVER re-read a book. I should also mention that 3 years ago I had never cracked Dante's Divine Comedy. Now, I am finishing the Divine Comedy for the 3rd time. I've read Pinsky's translation of the Inferno. I've read Ciardi. I've flirted with Mandelbaum and danced with Hollander, but from Canto 1 of Inferno/Hell to Canto XXXIII of Paradiso/Heaven, I can't say I've read a better version than the Clive James translation. He replaced the terza rima (**A-B-A, B-C-B, C-D-C, D-E-D-E-E** a measure hard to write without poetic stretch marks in English) with the quatrain, and in doing so made the English translation his own. It gives the Divine Comedy the verbal energy and the poetry that makes inferior translations a slog and makes Dante so damn difficult to translate well. A mediocre translation might capture the stripes but lose the tiger. Clive James pulled off a master translation of one of the greatest works of art in any medium -- ever.
I should give a quick intro and say that I rarely EVER, EVER re-read a book. I should also mention that 3 years ago I had never cracked Dante's Divine Comedy. Now, I am finishing the Divine Comedy for the 3rd time. I've read Pinsky's translation of the Inferno. I've read Ciardi. I've flirted with Mandelbaum and danced with Hollander, but from Canto 1 of Inferno/Hell to Canto XXXIII of Paradiso/Heaven, I can't say I've read a better version than the Clive James translation. He replaced the terza rima (**A-B-A, B-C-B, C-D-C, D-E-D-E-E** a measure hard to write without poetic stretch marks in English) with the quatrain, and in doing so made the English translation his own. It gives the Divine Comedy the verbal energy and the poetry that makes inferior translations a slog and makes Dante so damn difficult to translate well. A mediocre translation might capture the stripes but lose the tiger. Clive James pulled off a master translation of one of the greatest works of art in any medium -- ever.
January 2, 2022
The Divine Comedy is a 14,233 lines-long Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun c. 1308 and completed in 1320, a year before his death in 1321. It is widely considered to be the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest works of world literature. I've wanted to read it for a long time but had, thus far, been too daunted to actually take up the task.
The narrative describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, while allegorically the poem represents the soul's journey towards God, beginning with the recognition and rejection of sin, followed by the penitent Christian life, and ultimately leads to the soul's ascent to God.
The three cantiche of the Comedy 鈥� Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso 鈥� each consist of 33 canti. In addition, there's an initial canto, serving as an introduction to the poem and generally considered to be part of the first cantica, which brings the total number of canti to 100.
The structure of the three realms follows a common numerical pattern of 9 plus 1, for a total of 10: 9 circles of Hell, followed by Lucifer contained at its bottom; 9 terraces of Mount Purgatory, followed by the Garden of Eden crowning its summit; and the 9 celestial spheres of Heaven, followed by the Empyrean containing the very essence of God.
Within each group of 9, seven elements correspond to a specific moral scheme, subdivided into three subcategories, while two others of greater particularity are added to total nine. For example, the seven deadly sins of the Catholic Church that are cleansed in Purgatory are joined by special realms for the late repentant and the excommunicated by the church. The core seven sins within Purgatory correspond to a moral scheme of love perverted, subdivided into three groups corresponding to excessive love (Lust, Gluttony, Greed), deficient love (Sloth), and malicious love (Wrath, Envy, Pride).
The last word in each of the three cantiche is stelle ("stars").
In central Italy's political struggle between Guelphs and Ghibellines, Dante was part of the Guelphs, who in general favored the Papacy over the Holy Roman Emperor. Florence's Guelphs split into factions around 1300 鈥� the White Guelphs and the Black Guelphs. Dante was among the White Guelphs who were exiled in 1302 by the Lord-Mayor Cante de' Gabrielli di Gubbio, after troops under Charles of Valois entered the city, at the request of Pope Boniface VIII, who supported the Black Guelphs. This exile, which lasted the rest of Dante's life, shows its influence in many parts of the Comedy, from prophecies of Dante's exile to Dante's views of politics, to the eternal damnation of some of his opponents.
"Inferno" 鈥� 2,5 stars
The poem begins on the night before Good Friday in 1300. Dante is 35 years old, half of the biblical lifespan of 70, lost in a dark wood (understood as sin), assailed by beasts (a lion, a leopard, and a she-wolf) he cannot evade and is unable to find the "straight way". Dante is at last rescued by Virgil, and the two of them begin their journey to the underworld. Each sin's punishment in Hell is a contrapasso, a symbolic instance of poetic justice by which each punishment matches its sin.
"Purgatorio" - 5 stars
Having survived the depths of Hell, Dante and Virgil ascend out of the undergloom to the Mountain of Purgatory. The Mountain is on an island and was created by the displacement of rock which resulted when Satan's fall created Hell. The classification of sin here is drawn primarily from Christian theology, rather than from classical sources. However, Dante's illustrative examples of sin and virtue draw on classical sources as well as on the Bible and on contemporary events.
"Paradiso" - 2 stars
After an initial ascension from the Garden of Eden, Beatrice guides Dante through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven. These are concentric and spherical, as in Aristotelian and Ptolemaic cosmology. While the structures of Inferno and Purgatorio were based on different classifications of sin, the structure of Paradiso is based on the four cardinal and the three theological virtues.
The narrative describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, while allegorically the poem represents the soul's journey towards God, beginning with the recognition and rejection of sin, followed by the penitent Christian life, and ultimately leads to the soul's ascent to God.
The three cantiche of the Comedy 鈥� Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso 鈥� each consist of 33 canti. In addition, there's an initial canto, serving as an introduction to the poem and generally considered to be part of the first cantica, which brings the total number of canti to 100.
The structure of the three realms follows a common numerical pattern of 9 plus 1, for a total of 10: 9 circles of Hell, followed by Lucifer contained at its bottom; 9 terraces of Mount Purgatory, followed by the Garden of Eden crowning its summit; and the 9 celestial spheres of Heaven, followed by the Empyrean containing the very essence of God.
Within each group of 9, seven elements correspond to a specific moral scheme, subdivided into three subcategories, while two others of greater particularity are added to total nine. For example, the seven deadly sins of the Catholic Church that are cleansed in Purgatory are joined by special realms for the late repentant and the excommunicated by the church. The core seven sins within Purgatory correspond to a moral scheme of love perverted, subdivided into three groups corresponding to excessive love (Lust, Gluttony, Greed), deficient love (Sloth), and malicious love (Wrath, Envy, Pride).
The last word in each of the three cantiche is stelle ("stars").
In central Italy's political struggle between Guelphs and Ghibellines, Dante was part of the Guelphs, who in general favored the Papacy over the Holy Roman Emperor. Florence's Guelphs split into factions around 1300 鈥� the White Guelphs and the Black Guelphs. Dante was among the White Guelphs who were exiled in 1302 by the Lord-Mayor Cante de' Gabrielli di Gubbio, after troops under Charles of Valois entered the city, at the request of Pope Boniface VIII, who supported the Black Guelphs. This exile, which lasted the rest of Dante's life, shows its influence in many parts of the Comedy, from prophecies of Dante's exile to Dante's views of politics, to the eternal damnation of some of his opponents.
"Inferno" 鈥� 2,5 stars
The poem begins on the night before Good Friday in 1300. Dante is 35 years old, half of the biblical lifespan of 70, lost in a dark wood (understood as sin), assailed by beasts (a lion, a leopard, and a she-wolf) he cannot evade and is unable to find the "straight way". Dante is at last rescued by Virgil, and the two of them begin their journey to the underworld. Each sin's punishment in Hell is a contrapasso, a symbolic instance of poetic justice by which each punishment matches its sin.
"Purgatorio" - 5 stars
Having survived the depths of Hell, Dante and Virgil ascend out of the undergloom to the Mountain of Purgatory. The Mountain is on an island and was created by the displacement of rock which resulted when Satan's fall created Hell. The classification of sin here is drawn primarily from Christian theology, rather than from classical sources. However, Dante's illustrative examples of sin and virtue draw on classical sources as well as on the Bible and on contemporary events.
"Paradiso" - 2 stars
After an initial ascension from the Garden of Eden, Beatrice guides Dante through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven. These are concentric and spherical, as in Aristotelian and Ptolemaic cosmology. While the structures of Inferno and Purgatorio were based on different classifications of sin, the structure of Paradiso is based on the four cardinal and the three theological virtues.
July 31, 2015
丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱賲賯丿爻丞貙 廿丨丿賶 兀毓馗賲 賳鬲丕噩丕鬲 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱廿賷胤丕賱賷 賵丕賱兀賵乇賵亘賷 毓丕賲丞貙 賵丕賱鬲丿卮賷賳 丕賱兀賰賲賱 賵丕賱兀賰孬乇 鬲毓賯賷丿丕賸 賵乇賵毓丞賸 賱賱賲夭賷噩 丕賱匕賷 氐亘睾 兀賵乇賵亘丕 賮賷 賰賱 氐丨賵丕鬲賴丕 賲賳 爻亘丕鬲 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺貙 賲賳匕 賯爻胤賳胤賷賳 廿賱賶 毓氐乇 丕賱賳賴囟丞 賵丨鬲賶 丕賱乇丕賴賳貙 賲夭賷噩 丕賱賲賷孬賵賱賵噩賷丕 丕賱賷賵賳丕賳賷丞 賵丕賱賱丕賴賵鬲 丕賱賲爻賷丨賷.
賴匕賴 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 賲賵爻賵毓丞 賲毓丕乇賮 賵賲賱丨賲丞 卮毓乇賷丞 賵賱賴賷亘 乇丕卅毓 賱賵噩丿丕賳 賳丕丿乇.
賯乇兀鬲賴丕 -毓賱賶 賲乇丕丨賱 賲鬲亘丕毓丿丞- 亘鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱爻賵乇賷 丨賳丕 毓亘賵丿貙 賱丕 毓賳 賯氐丿 賲爻亘賯 賵廿賳賲丕 丨氐賱 賱賷 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 氐丿賮丞賸貙 賵賴賷 鬲乇噩賲丞 乇卮賷賯丞 賵賲賳爻丕亘丞 亘丨賰賲 丕賳丨賷丕夭 丨賳丕 毓亘賵丿 -賰賲丕 兀毓賱賳 賮賷 丕賱賲賯丿賲丞- 賱賱爻乇丿 賵丕賱鬲氐丕毓丿 丕賱丿乇丕賲賷 賱賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 毓賱賶 丨爻丕亘 丕賱卮毓乇賷 賵丕賱賲噩丕夭 丕賱賲賱丨賲賷.
賵賴賷 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 -鬲丕乇賷禺丕賸- 亘毓丿 鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱賲氐乇賷 丨爻賳 毓孬賲丕賳貙 賵丕賱毓乇丕賯賷 賰丕馗賲 噩賴丕丿貙 賵孬賱丕孬鬲賴丕 鬲乇噩賲丕鬲 孬賲賷賳丞貙 賵賱賰賱賾 賲賷夭鬲賴丕貙 賵廿賳 賰丕賳 丕賱丕丨鬲賮丕亍 丕賱兀賰亘乇 丨馗賷鬲 亘賴 丕賱兀禺賷乇丞.
賵亘賷賳 丕賱噩丨賷賲 賵丕賱賲胤赖乇 賵丕賱賮乇丿賵爻貙 賷噩賲毓 賯乇丕亍 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 賵賳賯丕丿賴丕 毓賱賶 兀賳 丕賱噩丨賷賲 兀噩賲賱 兀噩夭丕卅賴丕 賵兀賰孬賮賴丕 亘丕賱丿賮賯 丕賱賵噩丿丕賳賷 賵丕賱賱賴賷亘 丕賱卮毓乇賷 丕賱毓丕賱賷.
賮賷 賯丕毓 丕賱噩丨賷賲 賷購乇賲賶 兀毓馗賲 丕賱毓氐丕丞 丕賱禺丕胤卅賷賳, 賵兀卮賳毓賴賲 毓匕丕亘丕賸 賮賷 賲賲賱賰丞 丕賱兀賱賲 丕賱兀亘丿賷丞, 賵賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賯毓乇 賱丕 鬲乇賶 丕賱賱賴亘 賵廿賳賲丕 亘丨賷乇丞 丕賱夭賲賴乇賷乇 賰賲丕 賷氐賮賴 丿丕賳鬲賷, 賴賳丕賰 賷乇賲賶 丕賱禺賵賳丞, 賱兀賳賴賲 賮賯丿賵丕 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賴賲 丕賱毓丕胤賮丞, 鬲禺賱賾賵丕 毓賳 丕賱丿賮亍, 賮賰丕賳 毓匕丕亘賴賲 賱丕 賱賴賷亘 丕賱賳丕乇 賵廿賳賲丕 亘乇丿 丕賱夭賲賴乇賷乇 丕賱匕賷 賷卮亘賴 兀乇賵丕丨賴賲. 亘賷賳 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀噩爻丕丿 丕賱鬲賷 丕賯鬲丨賲鬲 丕賱卮賷丕胤賷賳 兀乇賵丕丨賴丕, 賲睾乇賯丞 賮賷 丕賱噩賱賷丿 丨鬲賶 丕賱兀賮卅丿丞, 亘賷賳賲丕 兀亘賯賷 兀毓賱丕賴賲 賲卮乇毓丕賸 賱賱賷亘丕亘, 亘賵噩賵賴 賲丨賳賾胤丞 亘丕賱氐賯賷毓, 噩購賲賾丿 賮賷賴丕 賲爻丕乇 丕賱丿賲毓 賲賳 丕賱賲丌賯賷, 丨鬲賶 賷亘賯賶 丕賱兀賱賲 賴賳丕賰, 賮賷 丕賱噩賵賮 丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賯毓乇 賱賴,賮賷 丕賱丿丕禺賱 丕賱賲毓鬲賲 丕賱賲賰鬲馗賾 亘丕賱兀賱賲 賵丕賱賵丨卮丞. 賷鬲囟乇賾毓 兀丨丿賴賲 賱丿丕賳鬲賷 兀賳 賷賲爻丨 禺賷胤 丕賱噩賱賷丿 賱賷賲賰賳賴 兀賳 賷鬲丨乇乇 賵賷賳毓鬲賯 亘丕賱亘賰丕亍, 賱賷爻鬲乇丿賾 乇賵丨賴 亘丕賱丿賲賵毓, 賵賱賵 賲丨囟 孬丕賳賷丞 賯亘賱 兀賳 鬲乇丿賾賴 丕賱廿乇丕丿丞 丕賱毓賱賷丕 噩賱賷丿丕賸, 賵賱賰賳 丿丕賳鬲賷 賷鬲乇賰賴 賵賷賲囟賷. 賰丕賳 兀賯爻賶 毓匕丕亘 賮賷 賲賲賱賰丞 丕賱兀賱賲 兀賱丕 賷爻鬲胤賷毓賵丕 丕賱亘賰丕亍, 兀賱丕 賷賰賵賳 賱賴賲 丿賲賵毓.
賮賷 囟乇賷丨 乇賲夭賷賾 賱卮丕毓乇 廿賷胤丕賱賷丕 丕賱兀毓馗賲 丿丕賳鬲賷 丕賱賷睾賷賷乇賷 , 賮賷 賲丿賷賳鬲賴 賮賱賵乇賳爻丕, 丕賱鬲賷 賳賮鬲賿賴 賮賷 丕賱禺賱丕賮丕鬲 丕賱爻賷丕爻賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 丕氐胤賱鬲 亘賴丕 , 賵 乇賮囟鬲 丨賰賵賲鬲賴丕 -賵 賰賳賷爻鬲賴丕- 兀賳 賷毓賵丿 廿賱賷賴丕 廿賱賾丕 亘毓丿 兀賳 賷賰鬲亘 乇爻丕賱丞 丕毓鬲匕丕乇 賵 賷賲卮賷 丨丕賮賷丕賸 匕賱賷賱丕賸 毓賱賶 賲胤賱毓 賲賳 丕賱賳丕爻 賰毓賱丕賲丞 毓賱賶 丕賱賳丿賲, 乇賮囟 丿丕賳鬲賷 匕賱賰 胤亘毓丕賸 丨鬲賶 賲丕鬲 亘毓賷丿丕賸 毓賳賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賲賳賮賶 賮賷 胤乇賷賯 爻賮乇 丕賱鬲賴賲鬲賴 賮賷賴 丕賱賲賱丕乇賷丕, 賯亘賱 兀賳 賷賰鬲卮賮 丕賱兀賵乇賵亘賷賵賳 毓亘賯乇賷鬲賴 亘毓丿 賵賮丕鬲賴 亘毓賯賵丿 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞, 丕賱兀孬乇 丕賱兀丿亘賷 丕賱賰賱丕爻賷賰賷 丕賱兀毓馗賲 賱兀賵乇賵亘丕 賲丕 賯亘賱 丕賱賳賴囟丞. 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱囟乇賷丨 , 鬲噩丿 鬲賲孬丕賱丕賸 賱賮鬲丕丞 鬲丨賳賷 馗賴乇賴丕 賵 鬲亘賰賷 毓賱賶 丕賱賯亘乇 丕賱乇賲夭賷賾 賱賱卮丕毓乇 丕賱毓馗賷賲 ...兀亘賵 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱廿賷胤丕賱賷丞 賰賲丕 爻賲賾賵賴 , 賴匕賴 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 賴賷 賮賱賵乇賳爻丕 ,賮賷 毓賱丕賲丞 毓賱賶 賳丿賲賴丕 毓賱賶 賲丕 氐賳毓鬲賿賴 賱丿丕賳鬲賷 , 賵 賰兀賳賾賴丕 鬲胤賱亘 丕賱氐賮丨 賲賳賴 . 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賲丿賳 鬲丨鬲丕噩 賮賯胤 兀賳 鬲毓賵丿 -賰賲丕 賰丕賳鬲- 賮鬲丕丞賸 ... 賵 鬲亘賰賷 毓賱賶 兀亘賳丕卅賴丕 賵 毓卮丕賯賴丕 丕賱賰孬賷乇賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賲賱丐賵丕 丕賱賲丿丕賮賳 賵 丕賱賲賳丕賮賷 賵 丕賱毓鬲賲丕鬲.
賴匕賴 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 賲賵爻賵毓丞 賲毓丕乇賮 賵賲賱丨賲丞 卮毓乇賷丞 賵賱賴賷亘 乇丕卅毓 賱賵噩丿丕賳 賳丕丿乇.
賯乇兀鬲賴丕 -毓賱賶 賲乇丕丨賱 賲鬲亘丕毓丿丞- 亘鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱爻賵乇賷 丨賳丕 毓亘賵丿貙 賱丕 毓賳 賯氐丿 賲爻亘賯 賵廿賳賲丕 丨氐賱 賱賷 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 氐丿賮丞賸貙 賵賴賷 鬲乇噩賲丞 乇卮賷賯丞 賵賲賳爻丕亘丞 亘丨賰賲 丕賳丨賷丕夭 丨賳丕 毓亘賵丿 -賰賲丕 兀毓賱賳 賮賷 丕賱賲賯丿賲丞- 賱賱爻乇丿 賵丕賱鬲氐丕毓丿 丕賱丿乇丕賲賷 賱賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 毓賱賶 丨爻丕亘 丕賱卮毓乇賷 賵丕賱賲噩丕夭 丕賱賲賱丨賲賷.
賵賴賷 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 -鬲丕乇賷禺丕賸- 亘毓丿 鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱賲氐乇賷 丨爻賳 毓孬賲丕賳貙 賵丕賱毓乇丕賯賷 賰丕馗賲 噩賴丕丿貙 賵孬賱丕孬鬲賴丕 鬲乇噩賲丕鬲 孬賲賷賳丞貙 賵賱賰賱賾 賲賷夭鬲賴丕貙 賵廿賳 賰丕賳 丕賱丕丨鬲賮丕亍 丕賱兀賰亘乇 丨馗賷鬲 亘賴 丕賱兀禺賷乇丞.
賵亘賷賳 丕賱噩丨賷賲 賵丕賱賲胤赖乇 賵丕賱賮乇丿賵爻貙 賷噩賲毓 賯乇丕亍 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 賵賳賯丕丿賴丕 毓賱賶 兀賳 丕賱噩丨賷賲 兀噩賲賱 兀噩夭丕卅賴丕 賵兀賰孬賮賴丕 亘丕賱丿賮賯 丕賱賵噩丿丕賳賷 賵丕賱賱賴賷亘 丕賱卮毓乇賷 丕賱毓丕賱賷.
賮賷 賯丕毓 丕賱噩丨賷賲 賷購乇賲賶 兀毓馗賲 丕賱毓氐丕丞 丕賱禺丕胤卅賷賳, 賵兀卮賳毓賴賲 毓匕丕亘丕賸 賮賷 賲賲賱賰丞 丕賱兀賱賲 丕賱兀亘丿賷丞, 賵賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賯毓乇 賱丕 鬲乇賶 丕賱賱賴亘 賵廿賳賲丕 亘丨賷乇丞 丕賱夭賲賴乇賷乇 賰賲丕 賷氐賮賴 丿丕賳鬲賷, 賴賳丕賰 賷乇賲賶 丕賱禺賵賳丞, 賱兀賳賴賲 賮賯丿賵丕 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賴賲 丕賱毓丕胤賮丞, 鬲禺賱賾賵丕 毓賳 丕賱丿賮亍, 賮賰丕賳 毓匕丕亘賴賲 賱丕 賱賴賷亘 丕賱賳丕乇 賵廿賳賲丕 亘乇丿 丕賱夭賲賴乇賷乇 丕賱匕賷 賷卮亘賴 兀乇賵丕丨賴賲. 亘賷賳 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀噩爻丕丿 丕賱鬲賷 丕賯鬲丨賲鬲 丕賱卮賷丕胤賷賳 兀乇賵丕丨賴丕, 賲睾乇賯丞 賮賷 丕賱噩賱賷丿 丨鬲賶 丕賱兀賮卅丿丞, 亘賷賳賲丕 兀亘賯賷 兀毓賱丕賴賲 賲卮乇毓丕賸 賱賱賷亘丕亘, 亘賵噩賵賴 賲丨賳賾胤丞 亘丕賱氐賯賷毓, 噩購賲賾丿 賮賷賴丕 賲爻丕乇 丕賱丿賲毓 賲賳 丕賱賲丌賯賷, 丨鬲賶 賷亘賯賶 丕賱兀賱賲 賴賳丕賰, 賮賷 丕賱噩賵賮 丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賯毓乇 賱賴,賮賷 丕賱丿丕禺賱 丕賱賲毓鬲賲 丕賱賲賰鬲馗賾 亘丕賱兀賱賲 賵丕賱賵丨卮丞. 賷鬲囟乇賾毓 兀丨丿賴賲 賱丿丕賳鬲賷 兀賳 賷賲爻丨 禺賷胤 丕賱噩賱賷丿 賱賷賲賰賳賴 兀賳 賷鬲丨乇乇 賵賷賳毓鬲賯 亘丕賱亘賰丕亍, 賱賷爻鬲乇丿賾 乇賵丨賴 亘丕賱丿賲賵毓, 賵賱賵 賲丨囟 孬丕賳賷丞 賯亘賱 兀賳 鬲乇丿賾賴 丕賱廿乇丕丿丞 丕賱毓賱賷丕 噩賱賷丿丕賸, 賵賱賰賳 丿丕賳鬲賷 賷鬲乇賰賴 賵賷賲囟賷. 賰丕賳 兀賯爻賶 毓匕丕亘 賮賷 賲賲賱賰丞 丕賱兀賱賲 兀賱丕 賷爻鬲胤賷毓賵丕 丕賱亘賰丕亍, 兀賱丕 賷賰賵賳 賱賴賲 丿賲賵毓.
賮賷 囟乇賷丨 乇賲夭賷賾 賱卮丕毓乇 廿賷胤丕賱賷丕 丕賱兀毓馗賲 丿丕賳鬲賷 丕賱賷睾賷賷乇賷 , 賮賷 賲丿賷賳鬲賴 賮賱賵乇賳爻丕, 丕賱鬲賷 賳賮鬲賿賴 賮賷 丕賱禺賱丕賮丕鬲 丕賱爻賷丕爻賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 丕氐胤賱鬲 亘賴丕 , 賵 乇賮囟鬲 丨賰賵賲鬲賴丕 -賵 賰賳賷爻鬲賴丕- 兀賳 賷毓賵丿 廿賱賷賴丕 廿賱賾丕 亘毓丿 兀賳 賷賰鬲亘 乇爻丕賱丞 丕毓鬲匕丕乇 賵 賷賲卮賷 丨丕賮賷丕賸 匕賱賷賱丕賸 毓賱賶 賲胤賱毓 賲賳 丕賱賳丕爻 賰毓賱丕賲丞 毓賱賶 丕賱賳丿賲, 乇賮囟 丿丕賳鬲賷 匕賱賰 胤亘毓丕賸 丨鬲賶 賲丕鬲 亘毓賷丿丕賸 毓賳賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賲賳賮賶 賮賷 胤乇賷賯 爻賮乇 丕賱鬲賴賲鬲賴 賮賷賴 丕賱賲賱丕乇賷丕, 賯亘賱 兀賳 賷賰鬲卮賮 丕賱兀賵乇賵亘賷賵賳 毓亘賯乇賷鬲賴 亘毓丿 賵賮丕鬲賴 亘毓賯賵丿 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞, 丕賱兀孬乇 丕賱兀丿亘賷 丕賱賰賱丕爻賷賰賷 丕賱兀毓馗賲 賱兀賵乇賵亘丕 賲丕 賯亘賱 丕賱賳賴囟丞. 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱囟乇賷丨 , 鬲噩丿 鬲賲孬丕賱丕賸 賱賮鬲丕丞 鬲丨賳賷 馗賴乇賴丕 賵 鬲亘賰賷 毓賱賶 丕賱賯亘乇 丕賱乇賲夭賷賾 賱賱卮丕毓乇 丕賱毓馗賷賲 ...兀亘賵 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱廿賷胤丕賱賷丞 賰賲丕 爻賲賾賵賴 , 賴匕賴 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 賴賷 賮賱賵乇賳爻丕 ,賮賷 毓賱丕賲丞 毓賱賶 賳丿賲賴丕 毓賱賶 賲丕 氐賳毓鬲賿賴 賱丿丕賳鬲賷 , 賵 賰兀賳賾賴丕 鬲胤賱亘 丕賱氐賮丨 賲賳賴 . 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賲丿賳 鬲丨鬲丕噩 賮賯胤 兀賳 鬲毓賵丿 -賰賲丕 賰丕賳鬲- 賮鬲丕丞賸 ... 賵 鬲亘賰賷 毓賱賶 兀亘賳丕卅賴丕 賵 毓卮丕賯賴丕 丕賱賰孬賷乇賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賲賱丐賵丕 丕賱賲丿丕賮賳 賵 丕賱賲賳丕賮賷 賵 丕賱毓鬲賲丕鬲.
May 9, 2015
I finished it! Someone, bring me my medal...
the Inferno is Hieronymus Bosch with words
A few caveats to this review: I am not a theologian, philosopher, medieval historian, Dante expert, nor astrologist. I am, however, a reader who wants to read "all of teh books" and I appreciate vivid imagery and interesting human interactions in fiction. I tackled the recent Clive James version of Dante's Divine Comedy--no footnotes or canto introductions here--because I just wanted to let the story wash over me, to see how much I could "get" on my own without knowing why Dante's father's baker's frenemy's ex-lover's dog-handler was sitting upside-down in the burning pitch in Hell. And when it comes to vivid imagery, the Inferno delivers. Surprisingly (to me), the Purgatorio was also fairly easy to follow, as Dante and Virgil continue up a ceaseless barren slope past the singing, self-flagellating sinners who do their time for various sins and, each time an angel wipes an ash-mark from their foreheads, become one level closer to heaven.
From reading the inferno in high school I had recalled Dante as a sniveling, swooning sissy--but on this re-read found myself very much liking his sensitivity and sense of empathy, especially to many of the sinners in hell (well, as long as they are classical figures. If he knows them, he's more likely to go stomp on their heads). Guide Virgil has to chastise him numerous times to keep him from getting (understandably) emotionally mired in the horrors he witnesses. My favorite parts, besides perhaps the insult-throwing trident-wielding demons, were the back-and-forths between Dante and Virgil.
Sadly, though, Virgil is barred from entering heaven, and in the third book Paradiso we are stuck with the so-nauseatingly-lovely-and-perfect-that-you-just-want-to-smack-her Beatrice. Regardless of this new guide, I found Dante's heaven as impenetrable as listening to someone describe an acid-trip. It struck me as a sort of renaissance-era Yellow Submarine (complete with its own Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds) though the incessant choral music wasn't quite as catchy.
Lucy in the sky with Dante
Seriously, I'm amazed at how similar is to the Paradiso! Watch it!
*EDIT* Sorry, it looks like the Submarine link keeps breaking, so my apologies if it doesn't work. If I notice a problem, I will fix it! Should be working now, anyway.
the Inferno is Hieronymus Bosch with words
A few caveats to this review: I am not a theologian, philosopher, medieval historian, Dante expert, nor astrologist. I am, however, a reader who wants to read "all of teh books" and I appreciate vivid imagery and interesting human interactions in fiction. I tackled the recent Clive James version of Dante's Divine Comedy--no footnotes or canto introductions here--because I just wanted to let the story wash over me, to see how much I could "get" on my own without knowing why Dante's father's baker's frenemy's ex-lover's dog-handler was sitting upside-down in the burning pitch in Hell. And when it comes to vivid imagery, the Inferno delivers. Surprisingly (to me), the Purgatorio was also fairly easy to follow, as Dante and Virgil continue up a ceaseless barren slope past the singing, self-flagellating sinners who do their time for various sins and, each time an angel wipes an ash-mark from their foreheads, become one level closer to heaven.
From reading the inferno in high school I had recalled Dante as a sniveling, swooning sissy--but on this re-read found myself very much liking his sensitivity and sense of empathy, especially to many of the sinners in hell (well, as long as they are classical figures. If he knows them, he's more likely to go stomp on their heads). Guide Virgil has to chastise him numerous times to keep him from getting (understandably) emotionally mired in the horrors he witnesses. My favorite parts, besides perhaps the insult-throwing trident-wielding demons, were the back-and-forths between Dante and Virgil.
Sadly, though, Virgil is barred from entering heaven, and in the third book Paradiso we are stuck with the so-nauseatingly-lovely-and-perfect-that-you-just-want-to-smack-her Beatrice. Regardless of this new guide, I found Dante's heaven as impenetrable as listening to someone describe an acid-trip. It struck me as a sort of renaissance-era Yellow Submarine (complete with its own Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds) though the incessant choral music wasn't quite as catchy.
Lucy in the sky with Dante
Seriously, I'm amazed at how similar is to the Paradiso! Watch it!
*EDIT* Sorry, it looks like the Submarine link keeps breaking, so my apologies if it doesn't work. If I notice a problem, I will fix it! Should be working now, anyway.
sampled
August 4, 2012I propose an extra level in the Inferno for procrastinators and abandoners. I was planning to write a novel where three protagonists commit suicide and end up in Scottish Hell. Since overcrowding has plagued the old Scottish Hell HQ, the protagonists are forced to queue up for weeks on end before arriving at the building for processing. Upon their arrival, their sins are assessed by an administrator to determine which circle of Hell is appropriate for them. But due to cutbacks and financial instabilities, the three suicides are deemed unfit for service in Hell and are returned to their bodies. Back on Earth, the three characters return to their miserable lives, which they want to leave immediately. But before they commit suicide again, they have to break free from their mousy personalities and commit sins grievous enough to secure them a decent place in Hell. As the characters commit petty thefts and minor infelicities, the sin requirements to Hell become tougher and tougher, and they are repeatedly returned to their bodies. They spend their lives building up to larger and larger sins, constantly being returned to their bodies as the world around them becomes increasingly more depraved and violent. When they die, because the notion of 鈥渟in鈥� has been completely reclassified to mean the most vile, sickest violations, they are secured a place Heaven for their relatively minor embezzlements, murders and rapes. I started this book but lost impetus halfway through. I was convinced this idea was derivative of other works (the Hell-as-bureaucracy has certainly popped up in British satire) and lost heart. I also lost heart halfway through the Inferno section of this, despite the translation being very fluent and readable. So I am going to the tenth circle, for the procrastinating bolter. (I did read the graphic novel version: partial redemption?)
April 28, 2023
脦葲i trebuie un curaj nebun ca s膬 propui o recenzie a Divinei comedii. Nu am acest tupeu. De aceea voi aminti c膬 卯nsu葯i poetul a oferit o cheie de lectur膬. Nu 卯nainte de a preciza c膬 titlul originar al poemului e Commedia. Adjectivul 鈥瀌ivin膬鈥� a fost ad膬ugat mai t卯rziu de unul dintre exege葲i, poate de Boccaccio, care a scris 葯i o Via葲膬 a lui Dante.
Comentariul poetului se g膬se葯te 卯n (probabil) apocrifa Scrisoare a XIII-a, c膬tre Can Grande, vicar imperial. 脦n opinia autorului, Divina comedie prezint膬 卯ntr-o form膬 liric膬 trecerea sufletului de la o stare nefericit膬 la una fericit膬, drumul de la infern la paradis, izb卯nda asupra r膬ului. Itinerariul poetului (艧i al cititorului s膬u) se 卯ncheie cu bine. C卯nd lucrurile sf卯r葯esc prost e vorba, fire葯te, de o tragedie. Dar Dante a ales s膬 compun膬 o comedie.
脦ntr-o viziune grandioas膬, personajul Dante viziteaz膬 infernul, purgatoriul 艧i paradisul. 艦i, pentru a nu se r膬t膬ci, 卯l urmeaz膬 prin tenebre, p卯n膬 卯n pragul paradisului, pe Vergiliu, autorul Bucolicelor 艧i al Eneidei. Rostul poetului latin este s膬-l 卯ndrume pe c膬l膬tor prin ni艧te locuri rele, s膬-l protejeze, s膬-i arate ie艧irea. Rostul poetului este, 卯n chip analog, acela de a-l 卯ndruma pe cititor s膬 ias膬 cu bine din labirintul poemului. 脦n acest chip, lectura 卯ns膬艧i devine o comedie divin膬, un exerci牛iu hermeneutic reu艧it, o izb卯nd膬. 脦ntreaga abilitate a autorului vizeaz膬 tocmai 卯mp膬carea din final. Dar poetul nu se mul牛ume艧te cu at卯t.
El 卯艧i prezint膬 cu lux de am膬nunte procedeele retorice, 卯l invoc膬 pe Cicero cu lucrarea sa De inventione rhetorica, face o trimitere precis膬 la Retorica lui Aristotel, cartea a III-a, 卯艧i explic膬 metaforele, analogiile, sugestiile, precizeaz膬 sensurile suprapuse.
Literal, este vorba de 鈥瀞tarea sufletelor dup膬 moarte鈥�. Alegoric 卯ns膬, Divina comedie se refer膬 la peripe牛iile omului dup膬 c膬dere, la nechibzuita folosire a liberului arbitru, la pedeaps膬 艧i r膬splat膬, la op牛iunea dintre bine 艧i r膬u, la solu牛ia oric膬rei dificult膬牛i prin iubire, care e opusul p膬catului. Stilul ter牛inelor, face adaos poetul florentin 卯n epistol膬, este umil, 卯ntruc卯t a scris 卯n vulgar膬, pe 卯n牛elesul celor mul牛i.
Ba chiar 艧i pe 卯n葲elesul gospodinelor, adaug膬 mali葲ios.
P. S. Scrisoarea a XIII-a este un rezumat 艧i o parafraz膬 dup膬 o lucrare mai veche, Convivio: Banchetul.
Comentariul poetului se g膬se葯te 卯n (probabil) apocrifa Scrisoare a XIII-a, c膬tre Can Grande, vicar imperial. 脦n opinia autorului, Divina comedie prezint膬 卯ntr-o form膬 liric膬 trecerea sufletului de la o stare nefericit膬 la una fericit膬, drumul de la infern la paradis, izb卯nda asupra r膬ului. Itinerariul poetului (艧i al cititorului s膬u) se 卯ncheie cu bine. C卯nd lucrurile sf卯r葯esc prost e vorba, fire葯te, de o tragedie. Dar Dante a ales s膬 compun膬 o comedie.
脦ntr-o viziune grandioas膬, personajul Dante viziteaz膬 infernul, purgatoriul 艧i paradisul. 艦i, pentru a nu se r膬t膬ci, 卯l urmeaz膬 prin tenebre, p卯n膬 卯n pragul paradisului, pe Vergiliu, autorul Bucolicelor 艧i al Eneidei. Rostul poetului latin este s膬-l 卯ndrume pe c膬l膬tor prin ni艧te locuri rele, s膬-l protejeze, s膬-i arate ie艧irea. Rostul poetului este, 卯n chip analog, acela de a-l 卯ndruma pe cititor s膬 ias膬 cu bine din labirintul poemului. 脦n acest chip, lectura 卯ns膬艧i devine o comedie divin膬, un exerci牛iu hermeneutic reu艧it, o izb卯nd膬. 脦ntreaga abilitate a autorului vizeaz膬 tocmai 卯mp膬carea din final. Dar poetul nu se mul牛ume艧te cu at卯t.
El 卯艧i prezint膬 cu lux de am膬nunte procedeele retorice, 卯l invoc膬 pe Cicero cu lucrarea sa De inventione rhetorica, face o trimitere precis膬 la Retorica lui Aristotel, cartea a III-a, 卯艧i explic膬 metaforele, analogiile, sugestiile, precizeaz膬 sensurile suprapuse.
Literal, este vorba de 鈥瀞tarea sufletelor dup膬 moarte鈥�. Alegoric 卯ns膬, Divina comedie se refer膬 la peripe牛iile omului dup膬 c膬dere, la nechibzuita folosire a liberului arbitru, la pedeaps膬 艧i r膬splat膬, la op牛iunea dintre bine 艧i r膬u, la solu牛ia oric膬rei dificult膬牛i prin iubire, care e opusul p膬catului. Stilul ter牛inelor, face adaos poetul florentin 卯n epistol膬, este umil, 卯ntruc卯t a scris 卯n vulgar膬, pe 卯n牛elesul celor mul牛i.
Ba chiar 艧i pe 卯n葲elesul gospodinelor, adaug膬 mali葲ios.
P. S. Scrisoarea a XIII-a este un rezumat 艧i o parafraz膬 dup膬 o lucrare mai veche, Convivio: Banchetul.
September 25, 2022
YouTube kanal谋mda Dante'nin kitaplar谋ndan ve 陌lahi Komedya'n谋n nas谋l okunmas谋 gerekti臒inden bahsettim:
"Ya艧am yolumuzun ortas谋nda
karanl谋k bir ormanda buldum kendimi,
莽眉nk眉 do臒ru yol gitmi艧ti.
Ah, i莽imdeki korkuyu
tazeleyen, balta girmemi艧 o sarp, g眉莽l眉
orman谋 anlatabilmek ne zor!" (s. 35)
Derken bir ormanda buldum kendimi ben de Dante gibi. Y眉r眉yordum. Belki de Dante'nin ilk kez 9 ya艧谋ndayken g枚rd眉臒眉 Beatrice'e dedi臒i gibi, ben de kimsenin kimse i莽in yazmam谋艧 oldu臒u 艧eyleri 欧宝娱乐'e yazabilmek i莽in y眉r眉yordum.
O anda beklenmedik bir 艧ey oldu. Kar艧谋ma Vergilius'un Aeneas kitab谋 莽谋km谋艧t谋. Nas谋l oldu臒unu anlamad谋m. Bu ormanda, sadece 枚l眉lerin bulundu臒u bu diyarda bir kitab谋n ne i艧i olabilirdi?
Bana 艧枚yle dedi Aeneas: Seni cehennem, araf ve cennetten 枚nceki son dura臒a g枚t眉rece臒im O臒uz, gel. D眉nyevi zevklerden hi莽birinin anlam谋n谋n art谋k kalmad谋臒谋 bir yere g枚t眉rece臒im. Senin de 枚l眉lerden de臒il esas dirilerden korktu臒unu biliyorum, o y眉zden bu yolda senin rehberin olaca臒谋m! 陌lahi Komedya'y谋 hakk谋yla anlayabilmek i莽in benim rehberli臒ime ihtiyac谋n var O臒uz...
Vergilius bana bunlar谋 derken, 枚l眉ler diyar谋n谋n kap谋s谋na geldi臒imizde bu kap谋da bek莽ilik yapan 眉莽 ba艧l谋 k枚pek Kerberos'un yerine teknik yetersizliklerden dolay谋 眉莽 ba艧l谋 kedi olan Ketberos'un oldu臒unu g枚rd眉k:
Yolumuza devam ettik ve Vergilius beni rahmetli anneannemle dedemin mezar谋n谋n ba艧谋na g枚t眉rd眉. Dante ile Vergilius i艧te tam da bu noktada bulu艧mu艧tu. 脰l眉lerin dilinden en iyi anlayan iki adamla birlikte bir mezar谋n ba艧谋nday谋m, belki de hayat谋n en b眉y眉k ve en a莽谋k spoiler'谋n谋 yiyordum.
陌lahi Komedya'ya 枚l眉lerin art谋k konu艧amayaca臒谋n谋 ve hi莽bir 枚l眉den haber al谋namad谋臒谋n谋 s枚yledim. Bana inanmad谋. Hatta o anda bana tam olarak 艧unlar谋 s枚yledi...
陌lahi Komedya: Yan谋l谋yorsun O臒uz, e臒er bir 莽e艧it vecd hali ile kendinden ge莽ip ruhunun d眉nyevi zevklerinden sen de kurtulursan 枚l眉ler diyar谋n谋 sen de ziyaret edebilirsin. Ben 枚yle yapmad谋m m谋 kitab谋mda, okumad谋n m谋 beni? Cehennem, araf ve cennetteki insanlar谋n durumunu anlatt谋m. 陌nsan, d眉nyada yapt谋臒谋 ne varsa 枚ld眉kten sonra da eksiksiz olarak kar艧谋l谋臒谋n谋 al谋r. Ne ekersen onu bi莽ersin, bu b枚yledir.
O臒uz: Peki, seni ve 枚l眉ler diyar谋n谋 tam olarak anlayabilmek i莽in hangi kitaplar谋 okumam gerekli 陌lahi Komedya?
陌lahi Komedya:
陌艧te, bu foto臒raf sana yard谋mc谋 olacakt谋r. D枚n眉艧眉mler 1-15, Aeneas ve 艧iir kitab谋m olan Yeni Hayat'谋 okursan eminim ki 陌lahi Komedya'y谋 莽ok daha anlayarak okursun. 脟眉nk眉 benim i莽in hayat, Hristiyanl谋k'taki teslisler i莽indeki teslisler b眉t眉n眉nden ibarettir. Baba, O臒ul, Kutsal Ruh gibi sen de bu 3 kitab谋 okursan beni daha iyi anlars谋n. 脟眉nk眉 Beatrice ile de ilk olarak 9 ya艧谋nda kar艧谋la艧m谋艧t谋m. Bu 9 say谋s谋n谋 da 3'眉n karesi ile ba臒da艧t谋rm谋艧t谋m. Teslis ve Hz. 陌sa'n谋n bizi kurtulu艧a g枚t眉rece臒i inanc谋 benim i莽in 莽ok 枚nemlidir O臒uz.
O anda 枚l眉ler diyar谋ndan 艧枚yle bir uza臒a bakt谋m...
Herkes isterdi manzaral谋 mezar谋m olsun, sen benim manzaras谋z mezar谋md谋n demi艧ti Dante de Beatrice'e. 脟眉nk眉 en derinine g枚mm眉艧t眉 onu. Anneannemle dedem de belki 艧u an ayn谋 yerdeydi, Dante ile Beatrice'in tam da 艧imdi oldu臒u gibi.
Peki, bizim g枚m眉lece臒imiz yer nerede? Anneanne? Dede? Siz s枚yleyin bana... Cehenneme mi yoksa cennete mi gidece臒im?
Anneannem: ...
Dedem: ...
Yahu Dante, sen kitab谋nda o kadar ki艧inin cehenneme ya da cennete gidece臒ine karar vermi艧sin. Cevap versene bana... Biz nereye gidece臒iz? 脰l眉ler diyar谋ndan haber yok mu? Bildiklerin sadece 陌talya tarihindeki ki艧iler ile mi k谋s谋tl谋? Sadece Caroberto, Cunizza, Lorenzo, Valerius, Mucius, Porsenna, Piccarda, Costanza, Donati, Forese, Corso, Francesco gibi insanlar谋n m谋 枚ld眉kten sonra nereye gidece臒ine karar verebiliyorsun? Nereye gidece臒im, s枚ylesene be adam?!
Komedyan谋n anlam谋, cehennem b枚l眉m眉n眉n 眉rk眉t眉c眉 olmas谋na kar艧谋l谋k bu 艧iirin, komedilerde oldu臒u gibi mutlu sonla sonu莽lanmas谋ndan dolay谋 oldu臒unu ben de biliyorum. Peki bu inceleme neden bu kitap gibi mutlu bir sonla sonu莽lanm谋yor? Konu艧sana ulan 陌lahi Komedya!
O anda etrafta ne Vergilius, ne Dante, ne de Beatrice kalm谋艧t谋. O臒uz da o an ne oldu臒unu bilmiyordu. 11 陌hlas, 1 Fatiha okumaya gelmi艧ken kar艧谋s谋ndaki kitap ona resmen meydan okuyordu. 陌lahi Komedya o anda 莽谋ld谋rm谋艧 bir 艧ekilde 眉st眉ne geldi, O臒uz'un g枚z眉n眉n en son g枚rebildi臒i a莽谋dan sadece "陌LAH" kelimesi okunabiliyordu...
Sonra da d眉nyas谋 莽e艧itli renklere b眉r眉nd眉. O an谋 anlatmaya kelimeleri yetmedi. Dante'nin de 陌lahi Komedya'n谋n sonundaki an谋 anlatmaya kelimeleri yetmemi艧ti. Hristiyanl谋k'taki 眉莽 dinsel erdem olan sevgi, inan莽 ve umudun renkleri miydi bunlar? Cehennem, araf ve cennetin renklerinin mi bir temsiliydi yoksa?
Anneanne, dede, l眉tfen s枚yleyin. Neden hi莽bir 枚l眉den haber gelmiyor? Dante'nin kafas谋na g枚re 枚l眉leri cehenneme ve cennete yollamas谋 bana 莽ok garip geliyor, bari siz s枚yleyin. Siz 艧u an neredesiniz? Ruhunuzla beraber mi yat谋yorsunuz burada? Ruh denen bir 艧ey var m谋, yoksa sadece bedenlerimizle mi dirilece臒iz? Neden 枚l眉ler diyar谋ndan hi莽bir ses gelmiyor? Hayat谋m谋n en b眉y眉k spoiler'谋n谋 yemeye geldim buraya. Biliyorum, ben de buz gibi bir topra臒谋n i莽inde g枚zlerim kapal谋 bir 艧ekilde yataca臒谋m. Biliyorum, ben de 陌lahi Komedya'da anlat谋lan ruhlar谋n ekti臒i 艧eyleri bi莽ece臒im. Biliyorum, benim de kendi iradem var ve d眉nyevi zevkler yerine esas kal谋c谋 hayat u臒runa 莽al谋艧mam gerekti臒ini biliyorum... Peki, 艧u an neden b枚yle oldu? L眉tfen cevap verin...
Sen 艧imdi neredesin, ey Vergilius? Bana as谋l 艧imdi cevap ver! Sana as谋l 艧imdi ihtiyac谋m var rehberim ey Vergilius! Nerelerdesin ki? Ans谋z谋n yok oluverdin! Neredesin, ey cevap veren, neredesin, ey bana 枚l眉m眉 莽ok g枚ren?
"Cevap versenize!
Ni莽in susuyorsunuz? Ni莽in?
Yok mu bir cevap veren?
Kimse cevap vermiyor mu?
Kimse, hi莽 kimse cevap vermiyor mu?"
Kap谋lar谋n D谋艧谋nda
"Ya艧am yolumuzun ortas谋nda
karanl谋k bir ormanda buldum kendimi,
莽眉nk眉 do臒ru yol gitmi艧ti.
Ah, i莽imdeki korkuyu
tazeleyen, balta girmemi艧 o sarp, g眉莽l眉
orman谋 anlatabilmek ne zor!" (s. 35)
Derken bir ormanda buldum kendimi ben de Dante gibi. Y眉r眉yordum. Belki de Dante'nin ilk kez 9 ya艧谋ndayken g枚rd眉臒眉 Beatrice'e dedi臒i gibi, ben de kimsenin kimse i莽in yazmam谋艧 oldu臒u 艧eyleri 欧宝娱乐'e yazabilmek i莽in y眉r眉yordum.
O anda beklenmedik bir 艧ey oldu. Kar艧谋ma Vergilius'un Aeneas kitab谋 莽谋km谋艧t谋. Nas谋l oldu臒unu anlamad谋m. Bu ormanda, sadece 枚l眉lerin bulundu臒u bu diyarda bir kitab谋n ne i艧i olabilirdi?
Bana 艧枚yle dedi Aeneas: Seni cehennem, araf ve cennetten 枚nceki son dura臒a g枚t眉rece臒im O臒uz, gel. D眉nyevi zevklerden hi莽birinin anlam谋n谋n art谋k kalmad谋臒谋 bir yere g枚t眉rece臒im. Senin de 枚l眉lerden de臒il esas dirilerden korktu臒unu biliyorum, o y眉zden bu yolda senin rehberin olaca臒谋m! 陌lahi Komedya'y谋 hakk谋yla anlayabilmek i莽in benim rehberli臒ime ihtiyac谋n var O臒uz...
Vergilius bana bunlar谋 derken, 枚l眉ler diyar谋n谋n kap谋s谋na geldi臒imizde bu kap谋da bek莽ilik yapan 眉莽 ba艧l谋 k枚pek Kerberos'un yerine teknik yetersizliklerden dolay谋 眉莽 ba艧l谋 kedi olan Ketberos'un oldu臒unu g枚rd眉k:
Yolumuza devam ettik ve Vergilius beni rahmetli anneannemle dedemin mezar谋n谋n ba艧谋na g枚t眉rd眉. Dante ile Vergilius i艧te tam da bu noktada bulu艧mu艧tu. 脰l眉lerin dilinden en iyi anlayan iki adamla birlikte bir mezar谋n ba艧谋nday谋m, belki de hayat谋n en b眉y眉k ve en a莽谋k spoiler'谋n谋 yiyordum.
陌lahi Komedya'ya 枚l眉lerin art谋k konu艧amayaca臒谋n谋 ve hi莽bir 枚l眉den haber al谋namad谋臒谋n谋 s枚yledim. Bana inanmad谋. Hatta o anda bana tam olarak 艧unlar谋 s枚yledi...
陌lahi Komedya: Yan谋l谋yorsun O臒uz, e臒er bir 莽e艧it vecd hali ile kendinden ge莽ip ruhunun d眉nyevi zevklerinden sen de kurtulursan 枚l眉ler diyar谋n谋 sen de ziyaret edebilirsin. Ben 枚yle yapmad谋m m谋 kitab谋mda, okumad谋n m谋 beni? Cehennem, araf ve cennetteki insanlar谋n durumunu anlatt谋m. 陌nsan, d眉nyada yapt谋臒谋 ne varsa 枚ld眉kten sonra da eksiksiz olarak kar艧谋l谋臒谋n谋 al谋r. Ne ekersen onu bi莽ersin, bu b枚yledir.
O臒uz: Peki, seni ve 枚l眉ler diyar谋n谋 tam olarak anlayabilmek i莽in hangi kitaplar谋 okumam gerekli 陌lahi Komedya?
陌lahi Komedya:
陌艧te, bu foto臒raf sana yard谋mc谋 olacakt谋r. D枚n眉艧眉mler 1-15, Aeneas ve 艧iir kitab谋m olan Yeni Hayat'谋 okursan eminim ki 陌lahi Komedya'y谋 莽ok daha anlayarak okursun. 脟眉nk眉 benim i莽in hayat, Hristiyanl谋k'taki teslisler i莽indeki teslisler b眉t眉n眉nden ibarettir. Baba, O臒ul, Kutsal Ruh gibi sen de bu 3 kitab谋 okursan beni daha iyi anlars谋n. 脟眉nk眉 Beatrice ile de ilk olarak 9 ya艧谋nda kar艧谋la艧m谋艧t谋m. Bu 9 say谋s谋n谋 da 3'眉n karesi ile ba臒da艧t谋rm谋艧t谋m. Teslis ve Hz. 陌sa'n谋n bizi kurtulu艧a g枚t眉rece臒i inanc谋 benim i莽in 莽ok 枚nemlidir O臒uz.
O anda 枚l眉ler diyar谋ndan 艧枚yle bir uza臒a bakt谋m...
Herkes isterdi manzaral谋 mezar谋m olsun, sen benim manzaras谋z mezar谋md谋n demi艧ti Dante de Beatrice'e. 脟眉nk眉 en derinine g枚mm眉艧t眉 onu. Anneannemle dedem de belki 艧u an ayn谋 yerdeydi, Dante ile Beatrice'in tam da 艧imdi oldu臒u gibi.
Peki, bizim g枚m眉lece臒imiz yer nerede? Anneanne? Dede? Siz s枚yleyin bana... Cehenneme mi yoksa cennete mi gidece臒im?
Anneannem: ...
Dedem: ...
Yahu Dante, sen kitab谋nda o kadar ki艧inin cehenneme ya da cennete gidece臒ine karar vermi艧sin. Cevap versene bana... Biz nereye gidece臒iz? 脰l眉ler diyar谋ndan haber yok mu? Bildiklerin sadece 陌talya tarihindeki ki艧iler ile mi k谋s谋tl谋? Sadece Caroberto, Cunizza, Lorenzo, Valerius, Mucius, Porsenna, Piccarda, Costanza, Donati, Forese, Corso, Francesco gibi insanlar谋n m谋 枚ld眉kten sonra nereye gidece臒ine karar verebiliyorsun? Nereye gidece臒im, s枚ylesene be adam?!
Komedyan谋n anlam谋, cehennem b枚l眉m眉n眉n 眉rk眉t眉c眉 olmas谋na kar艧谋l谋k bu 艧iirin, komedilerde oldu臒u gibi mutlu sonla sonu莽lanmas谋ndan dolay谋 oldu臒unu ben de biliyorum. Peki bu inceleme neden bu kitap gibi mutlu bir sonla sonu莽lanm谋yor? Konu艧sana ulan 陌lahi Komedya!
O anda etrafta ne Vergilius, ne Dante, ne de Beatrice kalm谋艧t谋. O臒uz da o an ne oldu臒unu bilmiyordu. 11 陌hlas, 1 Fatiha okumaya gelmi艧ken kar艧谋s谋ndaki kitap ona resmen meydan okuyordu. 陌lahi Komedya o anda 莽谋ld谋rm谋艧 bir 艧ekilde 眉st眉ne geldi, O臒uz'un g枚z眉n眉n en son g枚rebildi臒i a莽谋dan sadece "陌LAH" kelimesi okunabiliyordu...
Sonra da d眉nyas谋 莽e艧itli renklere b眉r眉nd眉. O an谋 anlatmaya kelimeleri yetmedi. Dante'nin de 陌lahi Komedya'n谋n sonundaki an谋 anlatmaya kelimeleri yetmemi艧ti. Hristiyanl谋k'taki 眉莽 dinsel erdem olan sevgi, inan莽 ve umudun renkleri miydi bunlar? Cehennem, araf ve cennetin renklerinin mi bir temsiliydi yoksa?
Anneanne, dede, l眉tfen s枚yleyin. Neden hi莽bir 枚l眉den haber gelmiyor? Dante'nin kafas谋na g枚re 枚l眉leri cehenneme ve cennete yollamas谋 bana 莽ok garip geliyor, bari siz s枚yleyin. Siz 艧u an neredesiniz? Ruhunuzla beraber mi yat谋yorsunuz burada? Ruh denen bir 艧ey var m谋, yoksa sadece bedenlerimizle mi dirilece臒iz? Neden 枚l眉ler diyar谋ndan hi莽bir ses gelmiyor? Hayat谋m谋n en b眉y眉k spoiler'谋n谋 yemeye geldim buraya. Biliyorum, ben de buz gibi bir topra臒谋n i莽inde g枚zlerim kapal谋 bir 艧ekilde yataca臒谋m. Biliyorum, ben de 陌lahi Komedya'da anlat谋lan ruhlar谋n ekti臒i 艧eyleri bi莽ece臒im. Biliyorum, benim de kendi iradem var ve d眉nyevi zevkler yerine esas kal谋c谋 hayat u臒runa 莽al谋艧mam gerekti臒ini biliyorum... Peki, 艧u an neden b枚yle oldu? L眉tfen cevap verin...
Sen 艧imdi neredesin, ey Vergilius? Bana as谋l 艧imdi cevap ver! Sana as谋l 艧imdi ihtiyac谋m var rehberim ey Vergilius! Nerelerdesin ki? Ans谋z谋n yok oluverdin! Neredesin, ey cevap veren, neredesin, ey bana 枚l眉m眉 莽ok g枚ren?
"Cevap versenize!
Ni莽in susuyorsunuz? Ni莽in?
Yok mu bir cevap veren?
Kimse cevap vermiyor mu?
Kimse, hi莽 kimse cevap vermiyor mu?"
Kap谋lar谋n D谋艧谋nda
August 14, 2024
I must confess that so much was beyond my comprehension; but I think that is the mark of a great work of art...it allows you to take what you can from it from where you are. I can see why there are scholars who study this book for years; it is so complete, almost a universe itself. I was so happy when I finished this book - both exhilarated and humbled by the genius of Dante.
October 14, 2019
鈥淭hrough me you pass into the city of woe:
Through me you pass into eternal pain:
Through me among the people lost for aye.
Justice the founder of my fabric moved:
To rear me was the task of power divine,
Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.
Before me things create were none, save things
Eternal, and eternal I shall endure.
All hope abandon, ye who enter here.鈥�
There is no much one can say about this marvelous poem that has not been said before. One of the greatest epic poems to have been written, ever. The book is divided into three books, Inferno, meaning hell; Purgatorio, meaning purgatory; and Paradiso, meaning heaven. My favourite has always been Inferno, but Paradiso is highly underrated, as underrated as this brilliant work can possibly be.
鈥淭he man who lies asleep will never waken fame, and his desire and all his life drift past him like a dream, and the traces of his memory fade from time like smoke in air, or ripples on a stream.鈥�
This is a basic view of the world as Dante knew it back in the 14th century, a human鈥檚 soul journey through hell, purgatory, and heaven.
This poem mixes religion and science, everything from the most basic Christian Dogma to early Islamic astronomy, with a lot of his political views mixed in. At the time this work was being written, Dante was living in exile, he uses this work as a way to show his enemies and what he thought not only of figures of his time, but of historical figures in general, including Plato, Aesop, Alejandro Magno, Mary as well as legendary people, such as Abel, Diana, and Isaac. If one does not wish to read this simply because it is a long poem, read it for the historical view, so many interesting characters for history buffs. My favourite thing perhaps, was how he used his work to slam the people that harmed him, including Pope Boniface VIII, the man who exiled him. Basically, apart from this being a religious work, and a historical work, it is a big 鈥淔-you鈥� to everyone he disagreed with him, or harmed him in any way, those parts were hilarious to me. I have a horrible sense of humour.
Basically, read this poem, there is: Satan, angels, the circles of hell, philosophers in Tartarus, a reference to the Muslim conquest as 鈥淒ragon,鈥� 鈥渢he bird of Jove鈥� attacking a church, a bunch of symbolism for 鈥淩eason,鈥� unnecessary invocation of the Muses, Tristan and Isolde, many interesting murderers and a bunch of other cool stuff.
Through me you pass into eternal pain:
Through me among the people lost for aye.
Justice the founder of my fabric moved:
To rear me was the task of power divine,
Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.
Before me things create were none, save things
Eternal, and eternal I shall endure.
All hope abandon, ye who enter here.鈥�
There is no much one can say about this marvelous poem that has not been said before. One of the greatest epic poems to have been written, ever. The book is divided into three books, Inferno, meaning hell; Purgatorio, meaning purgatory; and Paradiso, meaning heaven. My favourite has always been Inferno, but Paradiso is highly underrated, as underrated as this brilliant work can possibly be.
鈥淭he man who lies asleep will never waken fame, and his desire and all his life drift past him like a dream, and the traces of his memory fade from time like smoke in air, or ripples on a stream.鈥�
This is a basic view of the world as Dante knew it back in the 14th century, a human鈥檚 soul journey through hell, purgatory, and heaven.
This poem mixes religion and science, everything from the most basic Christian Dogma to early Islamic astronomy, with a lot of his political views mixed in. At the time this work was being written, Dante was living in exile, he uses this work as a way to show his enemies and what he thought not only of figures of his time, but of historical figures in general, including Plato, Aesop, Alejandro Magno, Mary as well as legendary people, such as Abel, Diana, and Isaac. If one does not wish to read this simply because it is a long poem, read it for the historical view, so many interesting characters for history buffs. My favourite thing perhaps, was how he used his work to slam the people that harmed him, including Pope Boniface VIII, the man who exiled him. Basically, apart from this being a religious work, and a historical work, it is a big 鈥淔-you鈥� to everyone he disagreed with him, or harmed him in any way, those parts were hilarious to me. I have a horrible sense of humour.
Basically, read this poem, there is: Satan, angels, the circles of hell, philosophers in Tartarus, a reference to the Muslim conquest as 鈥淒ragon,鈥� 鈥渢he bird of Jove鈥� attacking a church, a bunch of symbolism for 鈥淩eason,鈥� unnecessary invocation of the Muses, Tristan and Isolde, many interesting murderers and a bunch of other cool stuff.
April 5, 2019
"兀賳鬲賲 賷丕 兀氐丨丕亘 丕賱毓賯賵賱 丕賱乇丕噩丨丞
丕爻鬲卮賮賾賵丕 丕賱毓賯賷丿丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲禺賮賷賴丕
賴匕賴 丕賱兀卮毓丕乇 丕賱睾乇賷亘丞 亘賲噩丕夭丕鬲賴丕."
-丕賱噩丨賷賲 9: 61-63
爻賲毓鬲 亘賭 "丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞" 賲賳匕 兀賳 賰賳鬲 胤丕賱亘丞 賮賷 丕賱賲丿乇爻丞貙 賵賰丕賳鬲 廿丨丿賶 丕賱賰鬲亘 丕賱鬲賷 賳賵賷鬲 賯乇丕亍鬲賴丕 毓賳丿賲丕 兀賰亘乇. 賵丨賷賳 賯乇兀鬲 乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱噩丨賷賲 賱丿丕賳 亘乇丕賵賳 兀氐亘丨鬲 兀乇賷丿 亘卮丿丞 賯乇丕亍鬲賴丕貙 賵亘丕賱賮毓賱 丕賯鬲賳賷鬲賴丕 賲賳 廿丨丿賶 賲毓丕乇囟 丕賱賰鬲亘 賯亘賱 賲丕 賷賯丕乇亘 3 爻賳賵丕鬲. 賵賱賰賳 賱賲 賷丨賳 賲賵毓丿 賯乇丕卅鬲賴丕 廿賱賾丕 賴匕丕 丕賱毓丕賲 亘毓丿 賯乇丕亍丞 乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱噩丨賷賲 賱賱賲乇丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞.
賰賳鬲 賲鬲禺賵賾賮丞 賲賳 賯乇丕亍丞 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱貙 賱賷爻 賮賯胤 賱賰亘乇 丨噩賲賴 賵廿賳賲丕 賱兀賳賴 賲賱丨賲丞 卮毓乇賷丞 丿賷賳賷丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞 賲賳 丕賱毓氐賵乇 丕賱賵爻胤賶. 賰賳鬲 賲鬲乇丿丿丞 兀賷囟丕賸 亘卮兀賳 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞貙 賵賴賱 毓爻丕賷 兀賮賴賲 兀賲 賱丕責! 賱賰賳 賲丕 廿賳 卮乇毓鬲 亘賯乇丕亍丞 賲賯丿賲丞 賴匕賴 丕賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱氐丕丿乇丞 毓賳 丿丕乇 賵乇丿貙 亘賯賱賲 丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲 丨賳丕 毓亘賵丿貙 丨鬲賶 卮毓乇鬲 亘丕賱丕胤賲卅賳丕賳.
"鬲賯賵賱 丿賵乇賵孬賷 爻丕賷乇夭 賮賷 賲賯丿賲丞 丕賱噩丨賷賲: 廿賳 丕賱胤乇賷賯丞 丕賱賲孬賱賶 賱賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞 賴賷 兀賳 賷亘丿兀 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賲賳 兀賵賱 亘賷鬲 卮毓乇 賮賷賴丕 丨鬲賶 丌禺乇 亘賷鬲貙 賲兀禺賵匕丕 亘賯賵丞 丕賱爻乇丿 賵亘丕賱丨乇賰丞 丕賱禺丕胤賮丞 賱賱卮毓乇貙 睾賷乇 丌亘賴 亘丕賱鬲賮爻賷乇丕鬲 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞 賵丕賱卮乇賵丨 丕賱賲賳胤賯賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕 鬲賯毓 兀氐賱丕 賮賷 賯賱亘 賳氐 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕" (氐 9 賲賳 胤亘毓丞 亘賳睾賵賷賳 1977)
賲賯丿賲丞 賲賱賷卅丞 亘丕賱卮乇賵丨丕鬲 賵丕賱鬲賵囟賷丨丕鬲貙 賵丨鬲賶 丕賱兀賳丕卮賷丿 賲鬲乇噩賲丞 亘卮賰賱 乇丕卅毓 賵賲賮賴賵賲 賵賵丕囟丨貙 賵賮賷 丌禺乇賴丕 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱鬲賮丕爻賷乇 賵丕賱賴賵丕賲卮貙 賵賰賵賳賷 賯丕乇卅丞 毓丕丿賷丞 丿賮毓賳賷 丕賱賮囟賵賱 丕賱兀丿亘賷 賵丕賱賲毓乇賮賷 賱賯乇丕亍丞 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱貙 賵賱爻鬲 賲鬲毓賲賯丞 兀賵 亘丕丨孬丞 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賲噩丕賱貙 賮廿賳賷 賱賲 兀賵丕噩賴 氐毓賵亘丞 鬲匕賰乇 賮賷 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕貙 賵賰賱 丕賱卮賰乇 賵丕賱賮囟賱 賮賷 賴匕丕 賱賱賲鬲乇噩賲 丕賱兀爻鬲丕匕 丨賳丕 毓亘賵丿.
"賲丕 丕賱賵爻丕卅賱 丕賱鬲賷 賷毓鬲賲丿 毓賱賷賴丕 賯丕乇卅 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕責... 廿賳 賯丕乇卅 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 賱丕 賷丨鬲丕噩 廿賱賶 兀賷 卮賷亍 爻賵賶 丕賱丿禺賵賱 賮賷 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 賲丿禺賱丕 亘乇賷卅丕貙 賱兀賳 賲丕 賮賷 丕賱賲賱丕丨馗丕鬲 賵丕賱鬲毓賱賷賯丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 鬲毓賯亘 賰賱 賳卮賷丿 賲賳 卮乇賵丨 鬲賰賮賷 丕賱賯丕乇卅 廿賱賶 丿乇噩丞 賰亘賷乇丞 賵鬲賵賮乇 賱賴 丕賱賲鬲毓丞 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 賵丕賱賮賳賷丞."
賯丿 賷賯賵賱 賯丕卅賱 亘兀賳 丿丕賳鬲賷 丕爻鬲賱賴賲 兀賵 爻乇賯 兀賵 丕爻鬲賵丨賶 兀賵 廿賱禺 毓賲賱賴 賴匕丕 賲賳 乇爻丕賱丞 丕賱睾賮乇丕賳 賱兀亘賷 丕賱毓賱丕亍 丕賱賲毓乇賷 兀賵 賲賳 丕賱廿爻乇丕亍 賵丕賱賲毓乇丕噩 兀賵 賲賳 兀賷 毓賲賱 兀丿亘賷 丌禺乇貙 賵兀賳丕 兀賯賵賱 賴賳丕貙 亘兀賳 賰賱 匕賱賰 賱丕 賷賯賱賱 賲賳 卮兀賳 賰賵賲賷丿賷丕 丿丕賳鬲賷 賵禺賷丕賱賴. 丕鬲乇賰 毓賳賰 毓夭賷夭賷 氐丕丨亘 丕賱賲賯丕乇賳丕鬲 鬲賱賰 丕賱丕鬲賴丕賲丕鬲 賵賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲 丕賱鬲亘乇卅丞 賵丕賳胤賱賯 賲毓 丿丕賳鬲賷 賮賷 乇丨賱鬲賴 丕賱賮乇賷丿丞貙 賵丨乇乇 毓賯賱賰 賵賳賮爻賰 賵乇兀賷賰 賲賳 兀賷 丕賳胤亘丕毓丕鬲 賵賯賷賵丿 賲爻亘賯丞.
"廿賳賳丕 賴賳丕 兀賲丕賲 兀孬乇 賷賯丿賲 兀毓馗賲 賲禺賷賱丞 鬲賵氐賱 廿賱賷賴丕 丕賱噩賳爻 丕賱亘卮乇賷."
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丕賱噩丨賷賲
"賲丕 賴匕丕責 廿賳賷 兀乇賶 毓匕丕亘丕鬲 噩丿賷丿丞
賵賲毓匕亘賷賳 噩丿丿丕貙 兀賷賳賲丕 鬲丨乇賰鬲
兀賳鬲賯賱 賲賳 兀賱賲 廿賱賶 兀賱賲."
-丕賱噩丨賷賲 6: 4-6
鬲賳胤賱賯 乇丨賱鬲賳丕 賲毓 丿丕賳鬲賷 賵丕賱卮丕毓乇 丕賱乇賵賲丕賳賷 丕賱賰亘賷乇貙 賮賷乇噩賷賱貙 賲賳 丕賱睾丕亘丞 丕賱賲馗賱賲丞 賵丨鬲賶 丌禺乇 丿賵丕卅乇 丕賱噩丨賷賲. 賷氐賮 丿丕賳鬲賷 毓匕丕亘丕鬲 賲賳 丿禺賱賵丕 丕賱噩丨賷賲 亘爻亘亘 賲毓丕氐賷賴賲 禺賱丕賱 丨賷丕鬲賴賲 賵賷鬲毓乇賾囟 廿賱賶 鬲賮丕氐賷賱 丕賱鬲毓匕賷亘 賵丕賱丌賱丕賲 丕賱鬲賷 爻鬲氐賷亘賴賲 亘爻亘亘 賲丕 丕賯鬲乇賮賵丕 賲賳 禺胤丕賷丕 毓賱賶 賲丿賶 34 賳卮賷丿丕賸. 兀賴賵丕賱 賲丕 亘毓丿賴丕 兀賴賵丕賱 賵毓匕丕亘丕鬲 賲禺賷賮丞 賮賷 丿賵丕卅乇 丕賱噩丨賷賲 丕賱鬲爻毓 丕賱乇賴賷亘丞.
賰丕賳 "丕賱噩丨賷賲" 兀賮囟賱 賵兀賯賵賶 賵兀賰孬乇 丿賴卮丞 賲賳 "丕賱賲胤赖乇" 賵"丕賱賮乇丿賵爻" 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賷. 賵賷爻鬲丨賯 賲賳賮乇丿丕賸 禺賲爻丞 賳噩賵賲 賰丕賲賱丞.
"賷丕 毓丿丕賱丞 丕賱賱賴貙 賲賳 賷爻鬲胤賷毓 賵氐賮
賴匕丕 丕賱兀賱賲 丕賱賲乇賷乇 丕賱匕賷 賷噩乇賷 兀賲丕賲賷責
賱賲丕匕丕 鬲購賳夭賽賱 賮賷賳丕 丌孬丕賲賳丕 賲孬賱 賴匕賴 丕賱囟乇亘丕鬲責"
-丕賱噩丨賷賲 7: 19-21
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丕賱賲胤赖乇
"毓馗賷賲丞 賰丕賳鬲 禺胤丕賷丕賷貙 賵賱賰賳
賱丕 丨丿賵丿 賱乇丨賲丞 丕賱兀賱賵賴賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲亘爻胤
匕乇丕毓賷賴丕 賱賰賱 丕賱丌鬲賷賳 廿賱賷賴丕."
-丕賱賲胤赖乇 3: 121-123
毓賳丿賲丕 賷禺乇噩 丿丕賳鬲賷 賵賮賷乇噩賷賱 賲賳 丕賱噩丨賷賲貙 賷氐賱丕 廿賱賶 噩亘賱 丕賱賲胤赖乇 賵賷亘丿兀 氐毓賵丿賴賲丕 鬲丿乇賷噩賷丕賸 廿賱賶 卮乇賮丕鬲 丕賱賲胤赖乇貙 丨賷孬 賷卮丕賴丿 丿丕賳鬲賷 丕賱賲賵鬲賶 丕賱匕賷賳 賵賴亘賵丕 丕賱禺賱丕氐 賵賴賲 賷亘丨孬賵賳 毓賳 丕賱睾賮乇丕賳 賲賳 丕賱禺胤丕賷丕 丕賱鬲賷 丕賯鬲乇賮賵賴丕 毓賱賶 丕賱兀乇囟. 賵賷賲賱兀 噩賵 賲賳 丕賱兀賲丕賳 賵丕賱兀賲賱 匕賱賰 丕賱賲賰丕賳 丕賱禺丕氐 亘丕賱鬲胤賴乇貙 毓賱賶 毓賰爻 丕賱賲毓丕賳丕丞 丕賱賰亘賷乇丞 賵丕賱賷兀爻 丕賱賱匕賷賳 賲乇丕 亘賴賲丕 賮賷 丕賱噩丨賷賲. 賷賯毓 賴匕丕 丕賱噩夭亍 賮賷 33 賳卮賷丿丕賸 賷鬲胤賴賾乇 亘賴丕 丿丕賳鬲賷 賲賳 禺胤丕賷丕賴貙 賱賷爻鬲毓丿 丿禺賵賱 丕賱賮乇丿賵爻 賲毓 丨亘賷亘鬲賴 亘賷丕鬲乇賷爻 亘毓丿 丕禺鬲賮丕亍 賮賷乇噩賷賱 賴賳丕.
兀賯賷賾賲 "丕賱賲胤赖乇" 亘賭 3 賳噩賵賲.
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丕賱賮乇丿賵爻
"乇睾丕卅亘賳丕 賱賲 鬲毓丿 鬲乇睾亘 賮賷 乇睾亘丞
廿賱賾丕 賮賷 賲爻乇賾丞 丕賱乇賵丨 丕賱賯丿爻 丕賱匕賷
賷亘賴噩賴 兀賳 賳賰賵賳 丨爻亘 兀賵丕賲乇賴."
-丕賱賮乇丿賵爻 3: 52-53
賷氐賱 丿丕賳鬲賷 賲毓 亘賷丕鬲乇賷爻 廿賱賶 丕賱噩賳丞 丕賱兀乇囟賷丞 毓賱賶 賯賲丞 噩亘賱 丕賱賲胤赖乇貙 賱賷亘丿兀 賲毓賴丕 乇丨賱丞 丕賱氐毓賵丿 廿賱賶 丕賱賮乇丿賵爻 丕賱爻賲丕賵賷 丕賱賲賰鬲賵亘丞 毓賱賶 賲丿賶 33 賳卮賷丿丕賸. 丨賷孬 鬲氐賵乇 丿丕賳鬲賷 兀賳 丕賱賮乇丿賵爻 爻賱爻賱丞 賲賳 鬲爻毓 賰乇丕鬲 鬲丿賵乇 丨賵賱 丕賱兀乇囟貙 賵賯丿 孬亘鬲 賮賷 賰賱 賰乇丞 賰賵賰亘 賵毓丿丿 賰亘賷乇 賲賳 丕賱賳噩賵賲貙 賰賲丕 鬲孬亘鬲 丕賱噩賵丕賴乇 賮賷 丕賱鬲丕噩. 賵賰賱賲丕 鬲丨乇賰鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱兀噩乇丕賲 丕賱爻賲丕賵賷丞貙 賵賯丿 賵賴亘鬲 賰賱賴丕 匕賰丕亍賸 乇亘丕賳賷丕賸 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕賱丿乇噩丕鬲貙 兀禺匕鬲 鬲鬲睾賳賶 亘亘賴噩丞 爻毓丕丿鬲賴丕 賵鬲爻賾亘丨 亘丨賲丿 禺丕賱賯賴丕貙 賵鬲睾賲乇 丕賱爻賲丕賵丕鬲 亘賲賵爻賷賯賶 鬲賱賰 丕賱賰乇丕鬲. 賵賷賯賵賱 丿丕賳鬲賷 廿賳 丕賱賳噩賵賲 賴賷 兀賵賱賷丕亍 丕賱爻賲賵丕鬲 丕賱氐丕賱丨賵賳貙 賵兀乇賵丕丨 丕賱賳丕噩賷賳貙 賵賷禺鬲賱賮 丕乇鬲賮丕毓賴丕 毓賳 丕賱兀乇囟 亘丕禺鬲賱丕賮 賲丕 賰爻亘鬲 賮賷 毓賲賱 氐丕賱丨 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 毓賱賶 馗賴乇 丕賱兀乇囟貙 賵亘賯丿乇 賴匕丕 丕賱丕乇鬲賮丕毓 鬲賰賵賳 爻毓丕丿鬲賴丕貙 賵賷賰賵賳 賯乇亘賴丕 賲賳 兀毓賱賶 丕賱爻賲賵丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賷賯賵賲 毓賱賷賴丕 毓乇卮 丕賱賱賴.
賱爻鬲 兀丿乇賷 賱賲丕匕丕 賱賲 丕爻鬲賲鬲毓 亘賴匕丕 丕賱噩夭亍 賵卮毓乇鬲 亘丕賱賲賱賱 兀孬賳丕亍 賯乇丕卅鬲賴貙 兀賯賷賾賲賴 亘賳噩賲鬲賷賳.
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賯乇丕亍丞 賲丕乇丕孬賵賳賷丞 丕爻鬲賲乇鬲 賱兀賰孬乇 卮賴乇. 賵賴賵 亘丕賱鬲兀賰賷丿 毓賲賱 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞.
"賴賳丕 丕爻鬲乇丕丨鬲 賯賵丕賷 賲賳 禺賷丕賱賴丕 丕賱賲丨賱賾賯
賱賰賳賷 卮毓乇鬲 賰兀賳 賰賷丕賳賷 - 乇睾亘鬲賷 賵毓賯賱賷
賲毓丕賸 賰賲丕 賱賵 賵囟毓丕 賮賷 毓噩賱丞 丿賵丕乇丞
賯丿 睾賷賾乇賴 丕賱丨亘 丕賱匕賷 賷丨乇賰 丕賱卮賲爻 賵爻丕卅乇 丕賱賳噩賵賲"
-丕賱賮乇丿賵爻 33: 142-145
...
March 27, 2021
In Falling Towards England, the second volume of his memoirs, Clive James recalls making an ill-prepared trip to Florence as a young man in order to meet up with a girlfriend. Seeing him deeply frustrated by his inability to speak the language, she made what turned out to be a fateful intervention:
He was lucky in his teacher: 鈥楩ran莽oise鈥� is James's pseudonym for Prue Shaw, who is now about the most famous Dantista working in English. (For many years she was also his wife, and this book is dedicated to her.) So anyone who has read much of James before will know to what extent this translation of Dante is a life's work for him, and it was indeed the last major work he finished before his death in 2019. I came to it completely fresh, never having read Dante before. As a fan of James's poetry, I wish I could say I loved it more than I did; but the truth is I found it a mixed bag, with some moments of brilliance alongside some moments of awkwardness and bewilderment.
Henry Fuseli, Dante and Virgil on the Ice of Kocythos, 1770s
Apart from his vivid imagery (especially in the Inferno), Dante is revered for the beauty of his poetry. At the risk of stating the obvious, that is a damn hard thing to recreate in another language. James makes the sensible choice to turn Dante's terza rima into rhyming quatrains, which he rightly says are a more natural form for English. But there is sometimes a sense of padding in his verses where you feel that three lines have been expanded into four, especially when interpolations have been used to make his rhyme scheme work. The famous opening runs:
That curious 鈥榢eening sound鈥� is not in the Italian at all 鈥� and it's a very specific invention to reach for, which does make it seem a bit of a laboured way to make the metre and the rhyme fit.
In terza rima, the middle line of every tercet rhymes with the first and third lines of the subsequent tercet 鈥� whose middle line rhymes with the next tercet, and so on in perpetuity. To complete the rhyme, you always have to read one more tercet. This gives the original a propulsive forward motion, which is obvious even if your Italian is as rubbish as mine is. James achieves a similar effect with heavy enjambment (which you can see something of already in that opening), although the drawback here is that it smothers his rhymes almost to the point of snuffing them out. Look at a passage like Adam's speech in the Paradiso:
It rhymes, but you'd be forgiven for not noticing. If you read through the line breaks the rhymes are elided; if you stress them, in many cases, there is a real danger of losing track of the syntax, which can sometimes be labyrinthine. Yet in fact, it's when James leans into his rhymes that his poetry comes most alive for me, and when it connects most thrillingly with the aesthetics of the original (鈥榝or an Italian poet,鈥� James comments in his introduction, 鈥榠t's not rhyming that's hard鈥�). I loved Beatrice's descriptions of the divine light in heaven, where the rhyme scheme conveys a due sense of her awe, but tempers it with a Jamesian directness:
This is at the end of a canto, where James allows himself a rhyming couplet, often to terrific effect: these are frequently the most striking bits of writing. But that distinctive tone comes through in all kinds of unexpected places 鈥� there is reference, for instance, to Pompey, whose 鈥榣ast grief came to a head. The head was his鈥�. Or felicitously colloquial passages like this, from Hell:
Overall, then, James's verse often helped me connect with Dante, but sometimes felt like it was getting in the way. And there was a lot I wanted to connect with, because this is one of those texts that you 鈥榢now鈥� in various ways before you get to it, by cultural osmosis. All the chat with Dante is really about the Inferno, and one of the things that surprised me in the Divine Comedy was how little, relatively speaking, I enjoyed the scenes in Hell and how much more, relatively speaking, I found myself interested in Purgatory and Heaven. Hell was less grotesque and fantastic than I had been led to expect, whereas Purgatory deals with much more relatable moral situations and Heaven turns out to be a crazed attempt to describe things that are literally indescribable, like moving beyond time and space.
Henry Fuseli, Dante Observing the Souls of Paolo and Francesca, 1770s
Most of all, I was increasingly awestruck by the sense of having an entire medieval worldview laid out in detail before me. Dante does his best to ground his journey in a solid physical or cosmogonic reality 鈥� so the descent to hell is basically rappelling down a tunnel into the earth; purgatory is a climb up several terraces to the Garden of Eden at the top of a mountain; and heaven involves ascending through the seven medieval 鈥榩lanets鈥� to the divine Empyrean beyond. Most of these realms turn out to be peopled by religious or political figures from Florence, of varying levels of obscurity. James tries to soften the blow here by making explicit some references which are usually only explained in footnotes 鈥� but I found that I still needed to take in some secondary commentary as I went, checking in fairly regularly with the annotated John Sinclair translation.
Of more lasting interest are Dante's attempts to wrestle with the moral implications of his religious vision. Virgil, famously, is his guide through Hell and Purgatory, but Virgil can't go any further because in the final analysis he is damned for being born too early. Dante loved and respected the Classical writers; but he cannot save them. They're stuck in Limbo 鈥� an antechamber of hell 鈥� for all eternity. To his credit, Dante does at least struggle with this issue:
But the answer is staggeringly inadequate: 鈥楪ood is itself, draws from itself all worth: / Whatever meets that mark can do no ill / And must be just.鈥� In other words, it's fair because it happens, and whatever happens has been willed by God and is therefore fair by definition. To a modern reader, this might well point up the moral inadequacy of medieval Catholicism in particular, and of religion in general. But Dante's inability to comprehend it does feel modern, and he feels modern in other ways too. There is a protoscientific insistence on rational observation and grounded realities here that surprised me, and that feels almost geeky. (Colin Burrow has said that if Dante were alive today, 鈥榟e might be a writer of metaphysical SF, with a beard and high principles, who spends his evenings debugging freeware for Linux鈥�.) 鈥楤lessedness,鈥� he is told, 鈥榗omes from the power of sight, / And not of love, which follows.鈥� First make observations of the world, and religious faith will flow from there.
I particularly enjoyed his linguistic nerdiness. In Paradise, a prominent place is given to Donatus, as the first grammarian, and Dante's first question on meeting Adam is about what language he spoke! One of the most moving things about the whole long poem for me (and for which I had to keep looking back to the original, however little I understood its subtleties) is the fact that Dante chose to write it in Tuscan dialect. A friend wrote to him near the end of his life to say that if he could write it instead in Latin, the university at Bologna would make him a laureate. But Dante had been writing about vernacular languages for years, and was deeply invested in his idea that they could be a vehicle for great literature, however much the avoidance of Latin might restrict his audience. That makes him a hero as far as I'm concerned, and it had a decisive effect on other European writers like Chaucer, who took the lesson to heart.
I found some parts of the Divine Comedy quite hard going, but it lingers. For all the things that bothered me about this translation, it does have me wanting to go back to Dante and triangulate his style through other translators. There is something thrilling about how well it still speaks through time 鈥撎齞own the long years of Clive James's life and across the space of seven centuries, and, ultimately, ahead to spans of time well beyond that:
That same night, Fran莽oise sat down beside me with a volume of Dante and construed a few lines of the Inferno to begin showing me how the language worked. Per me si va tra la perduta gente. Through me you go among the lost people. A line that crushed the heart, but in the middle of it you could say tra la. It was music.
He was lucky in his teacher: 鈥楩ran莽oise鈥� is James's pseudonym for Prue Shaw, who is now about the most famous Dantista working in English. (For many years she was also his wife, and this book is dedicated to her.) So anyone who has read much of James before will know to what extent this translation of Dante is a life's work for him, and it was indeed the last major work he finished before his death in 2019. I came to it completely fresh, never having read Dante before. As a fan of James's poetry, I wish I could say I loved it more than I did; but the truth is I found it a mixed bag, with some moments of brilliance alongside some moments of awkwardness and bewilderment.
Henry Fuseli, Dante and Virgil on the Ice of Kocythos, 1770s
Apart from his vivid imagery (especially in the Inferno), Dante is revered for the beauty of his poetry. At the risk of stating the obvious, that is a damn hard thing to recreate in another language. James makes the sensible choice to turn Dante's terza rima into rhyming quatrains, which he rightly says are a more natural form for English. But there is sometimes a sense of padding in his verses where you feel that three lines have been expanded into four, especially when interpolations have been used to make his rhyme scheme work. The famous opening runs:
At the mid-point of the path through life, I found
Myself lost in a wood so dark, the way
Ahead was blotted out. The keening sound
I still make shows how hard it is to say
How harsh and bitter that place felt to me鈥�
That curious 鈥榢eening sound鈥� is not in the Italian at all 鈥� and it's a very specific invention to reach for, which does make it seem a bit of a laboured way to make the metre and the rhyme fit.
In terza rima, the middle line of every tercet rhymes with the first and third lines of the subsequent tercet 鈥� whose middle line rhymes with the next tercet, and so on in perpetuity. To complete the rhyme, you always have to read one more tercet. This gives the original a propulsive forward motion, which is obvious even if your Italian is as rubbish as mine is. James achieves a similar effect with heavy enjambment (which you can see something of already in that opening), although the drawback here is that it smothers his rhymes almost to the point of snuffing them out. Look at a passage like Adam's speech in the Paradiso:
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听鈥淲hat was it, the first sin?
What language did I shape and use? These were
Your thoughts, my son. Hear me as I begin
To answer them. The tasting of the tree
Was not, alone, the cause of my exile
For so long. No, we crossed a boundary
Of pride, for that fell serpent had the guile
To say: 鈥楾he day you eat this, you will be
Like Gods.鈥� 鈥�
It rhymes, but you'd be forgiven for not noticing. If you read through the line breaks the rhymes are elided; if you stress them, in many cases, there is a real danger of losing track of the syntax, which can sometimes be labyrinthine. Yet in fact, it's when James leans into his rhymes that his poetry comes most alive for me, and when it connects most thrillingly with the aesthetics of the original (鈥榝or an Italian poet,鈥� James comments in his introduction, 鈥榠t's not rhyming that's hard鈥�). I loved Beatrice's descriptions of the divine light in heaven, where the rhyme scheme conveys a due sense of her awe, but tempers it with a Jamesian directness:
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 鈥淟ook at how it glows,
The height, the width of the Eternal Good:
So many mirrors where it breaks and goes
On breaking, yet remains the one thing. Could
One and the many show more harmony?
It stuns you, doesn't it? It still stuns me.鈥�
This is at the end of a canto, where James allows himself a rhyming couplet, often to terrific effect: these are frequently the most striking bits of writing. But that distinctive tone comes through in all kinds of unexpected places 鈥� there is reference, for instance, to Pompey, whose 鈥榣ast grief came to a head. The head was his鈥�. Or felicitously colloquial passages like this, from Hell:
But all those naked souls unhinged by fate
Changed colour when they heard that speech so harsh.
Clicking their bared, chipped teeth in hymns of hate,
They cursed their parents, God, the human race,
The time, the temperature, their place of birth,
Their mother's father's brother's stupid face鈥�
Overall, then, James's verse often helped me connect with Dante, but sometimes felt like it was getting in the way. And there was a lot I wanted to connect with, because this is one of those texts that you 鈥榢now鈥� in various ways before you get to it, by cultural osmosis. All the chat with Dante is really about the Inferno, and one of the things that surprised me in the Divine Comedy was how little, relatively speaking, I enjoyed the scenes in Hell and how much more, relatively speaking, I found myself interested in Purgatory and Heaven. Hell was less grotesque and fantastic than I had been led to expect, whereas Purgatory deals with much more relatable moral situations and Heaven turns out to be a crazed attempt to describe things that are literally indescribable, like moving beyond time and space.
Henry Fuseli, Dante Observing the Souls of Paolo and Francesca, 1770s
Most of all, I was increasingly awestruck by the sense of having an entire medieval worldview laid out in detail before me. Dante does his best to ground his journey in a solid physical or cosmogonic reality 鈥� so the descent to hell is basically rappelling down a tunnel into the earth; purgatory is a climb up several terraces to the Garden of Eden at the top of a mountain; and heaven involves ascending through the seven medieval 鈥榩lanets鈥� to the divine Empyrean beyond. Most of these realms turn out to be peopled by religious or political figures from Florence, of varying levels of obscurity. James tries to soften the blow here by making explicit some references which are usually only explained in footnotes 鈥� but I found that I still needed to take in some secondary commentary as I went, checking in fairly regularly with the annotated John Sinclair translation.
Of more lasting interest are Dante's attempts to wrestle with the moral implications of his religious vision. Virgil, famously, is his guide through Hell and Purgatory, but Virgil can't go any further because in the final analysis he is damned for being born too early. Dante loved and respected the Classical writers; but he cannot save them. They're stuck in Limbo 鈥� an antechamber of hell 鈥� for all eternity. To his credit, Dante does at least struggle with this issue:
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 鈥榃hat good does it do
For some man born in India who's taught
Nothing of Christ by speech or text, and yet
All his desires and deeds, with virtue filled,
In life or speech show nothing to upset
Our human reason. With not one sin willed,
Outside the faith and unbaptized he dies.
Where is the justice that condemns him? Where
Is this man's fault?鈥�
But the answer is staggeringly inadequate: 鈥楪ood is itself, draws from itself all worth: / Whatever meets that mark can do no ill / And must be just.鈥� In other words, it's fair because it happens, and whatever happens has been willed by God and is therefore fair by definition. To a modern reader, this might well point up the moral inadequacy of medieval Catholicism in particular, and of religion in general. But Dante's inability to comprehend it does feel modern, and he feels modern in other ways too. There is a protoscientific insistence on rational observation and grounded realities here that surprised me, and that feels almost geeky. (Colin Burrow has said that if Dante were alive today, 鈥榟e might be a writer of metaphysical SF, with a beard and high principles, who spends his evenings debugging freeware for Linux鈥�.) 鈥楤lessedness,鈥� he is told, 鈥榗omes from the power of sight, / And not of love, which follows.鈥� First make observations of the world, and religious faith will flow from there.
I particularly enjoyed his linguistic nerdiness. In Paradise, a prominent place is given to Donatus, as the first grammarian, and Dante's first question on meeting Adam is about what language he spoke! One of the most moving things about the whole long poem for me (and for which I had to keep looking back to the original, however little I understood its subtleties) is the fact that Dante chose to write it in Tuscan dialect. A friend wrote to him near the end of his life to say that if he could write it instead in Latin, the university at Bologna would make him a laureate. But Dante had been writing about vernacular languages for years, and was deeply invested in his idea that they could be a vehicle for great literature, however much the avoidance of Latin might restrict his audience. That makes him a hero as far as I'm concerned, and it had a decisive effect on other European writers like Chaucer, who took the lesson to heart.
I found some parts of the Divine Comedy quite hard going, but it lingers. For all the things that bothered me about this translation, it does have me wanting to go back to Dante and triangulate his style through other translators. There is something thrilling about how well it still speaks through time 鈥撎齞own the long years of Clive James's life and across the space of seven centuries, and, ultimately, ahead to spans of time well beyond that:
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听and when
A thousand years have passed, which is no more
Than one blink to the universe, what then?
The slowest wheeling stars move one degree
From west to east in every hundred years鈥�
The merest moment of eternity鈥�
And fame we measure by our falling tears,
That flow for just a while, and then run dry.
February 8, 2017
鈥庁堌池з嗁� 诏乇丕賳賯丿乇貙 芦丿丕賳鬲賴禄 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴贁 丕蹖鬲丕賱蹖丕蹖蹖 丕夭 丌賳 丿爻鬲賴 丕夭 賲匕賴亘蹖 賴丕蹖爻鬲 讴賴 賳賵卮鬲賴 賴丕蹖卮 亘乇丕蹖賽 賲匕賴亘蹖 賴丕蹖蹖 賴賲趩賵賳 卮禺氐賽 禺賵丿卮 噩丕賱亘 賲蹖亘丕卮丿 賵 亘乇丕蹖 禺乇丿诏乇丕蹖丕賳 賵 丕賳丿蹖卮賲賳丿丕賳貙 賳賵卮鬲賴 賴丕蹖 芦丿丕賳鬲賴禄 讴賴 丕夭 賲賵賴賵賲丕鬲賽 睾蹖乇 毓賯賱丕賳蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 鬲卮讴蹖賱 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 賴蹖趩诏賵賳賴 诏蹖乇丕蹖蹖 賵 噩匕丕亘蹖鬲蹖 賳丿丕乇丿貙 丨鬲蹖 丕诏乇 亘賴 趩卮賲賽 胤賳夭 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賵賴賵賲丕鬲 賳诏丕賴 讴賳蹖賲... 鬲賳賴丕 賲賵乇丿賽 賯丕亘賱 鬲賵噩賴 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘貙 鬲乇噩賲賴贁 亘爻蹖丕乇 毓丕賱蹖 丕夭 賲乇丿賽 禺乇丿賲賳丿 芦卮噩丕毓 丕賱丿蹖賳 卮賮丕禄 亘賵丿.. 丿乇賵丿 亘蹖讴乇丕賳 亘乇 丕蹖卮丕賳
鈥庁关槽屫藏з嗁呚� 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賳蹖夭 卮賲丕 趩蹖夭蹖 噩夭 賲賵賴賵賲丕鬲 賵 禺夭毓亘賱丕鬲賽 丿蹖賳蹖 賵 賲匕賴亘蹖 趩蹖夭蹖 賳賲蹖亘蹖賳蹖丿貙 賵诏乇賳賴 賲胤賲卅賳 亘丕卮蹖丿 丕夭 丌锟斤拷 丿乇 讴鬲亘賽 丿乇爻蹖 亘趩賴 賴丕蹖賽 亘蹖禺亘乇 丕夭 賴賲賴 噩丕蹖賽 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖貙 蹖丕丿 賳賲蹖讴乇丿賳丿... 賴乇趩賴 賳賵卮鬲賴 賴丕蹖 賲賵賴賵賲 賵 禺乇丕賮丕鬲賽 賲匕賴亘蹖 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇丿 丿乇 讴鬲亘 丿乇爻蹖 賮乇夭賳丿丕賳賽 爻乇夭賲蹖賳賲丕賳 趩倬丕賳丿賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲
鈥庁� "讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖" 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 蹖毓賳蹖 芦丿丕賳鬲賴禄 賳賴 丨丕囟乇 丕爻鬲 讴爻丕賳蹖 趩賵賳 亘賯乇丕胤 賵 噩丕賱賷賳賵爻 賵 丕亘賳 爻賷賳丕 賵 賲夭丿讴 賵 夭乇鬲卮鬲 賵 丿賲讴乇蹖鬲 賵 氐丿賴丕 丕賳丿蹖卮賲賳丿 賵 丕賳爻丕賳賽 亘夭乇诏 乇丕 丿乇 丌鬲卮 丿賵夭禺 賵 噩賴賳賲 賲賵賴賵賲 賵 丕丨賲賯丕賳賴贁 賲匕賴亘蹖丕賳 亘爻賵夭丕賳丿 賵 賳賴 賲蹖 鬲賵丕賳丿 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 亘禺丕胤乇 賲爻賷丨蹖 賳亘賵丿賳卮丕賳 丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 噩丕蹖 丿賴丿貙 賱匕丕 賳丕诏夭賷乇 倬賳丕賴诏丕賴蹖 亘賳丕賲 "賱蹖賲亘賵" 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳丕賳 丿乇 丿賵夭禺賽 賲賵賴賵賲 賲蹖 爻丕夭丿 讴賴 丕蹖賳 禺乇丿賲賳丿丕賳 賴賲 丿乇 噩賴賳賲 亘丕卮賳丿 賵 賴賲 丕夭 丌鬲卮 噩賴賳賲 丿乇 丕賲丕賳 亘丕卮賳丿
鈥庁堌� 毓夭蹖夭丕賳賲貙 卮賲丕 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 丿丕乇蹖丿 趩賳蹖賳 賳賵卮鬲賴 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 亘乇诏乇賮鬲賴 丕夭 毓賯丿賴贁 亘蹖禺乇丿丕賳賴贁 賲匕賴亘蹖 賵 丿蹖賳蹖 賲蹖亘丕卮丿 乇丕 亘丕 賱匕鬲 亘禺賵丕賳蹖賲 賵 丕夭 丌賳 鬲毓乇蹖賮 賵 鬲賲噩蹖丿 讴賳蹖賲!責 賴蹖趩 禺乇丿賲賳丿蹖 亘賴 亘賴卮鬲 賵 噩賴賳賲賽 賲賵賴賵賲賽 丕丿蹖丕賳賽 诏賵賳丕诏賵賳 賵 亘禺氐賵氐 丕丿蹖丕賳賽 倬賵趩賽 爻丕賲蹖 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 賳丿丕乇丿
鈥庁关槽屫藏з� 賵 賳賵乇賽 趩卮賲丕賳賲貙 丿賯鬲 讴賳蹖丿 讴賴 鬲丕 趩賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴 賲賳胤賯 丕蹖賳 丕丿蹖丕賳 賵 賲匕賴亘 賴丕蹖 爻丕賲蹖 丕亘賱賴丕賳賴 賲蹖亘丕卮丿... 蹖毓賳蹖 亘賴卮鬲 賲賵賴賵賲卮丕賳 讴賴 亘蹖卮鬲乇 亘賴 賮丕丨卮賴 禺丕賳賴 卮亘丕賴鬲 丿丕乇丿 賵 氐亘丨 鬲丕 卮亘 賴賲賴 亘乇 乇賵蹖 丌賱鬲賽 蹖讴丿蹖诏乇 賵賵賵賱 賲蹖禺賵乇賳丿貙 亘乇丕蹖 禺賵丿卮丕賳 丕爻鬲.. 噩賴賳賲卮丕賳 賳蹖夭 亘乇丕蹖 讴爻丕賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丕丿蹖丕賳 亘賳丿 鬲賲亘丕賳蹖 賵 睾蹖乇 丕賳爻丕賳蹖 爻丕賲蹖 (蹖賴賵丿蹖鬲-賲爻蹖丨蹖鬲-丕爻賱丕賲) 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 賳丿丕乇丿 賵 禺乇丿诏乇丕 亘賵丿賴 丕賳丿... 蹖毓賳蹖 鬲讴賱賷賮 賴賲賴贁 丌賳賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 倬賷卮 丕夭 馗賴賵乇 賲爻蹖丨蹖鬲 賵 丕爻賱丕賲貙 亘賴 噩賴丕賳 丌賲丿賴 賵 丕夭 噩賴丕賳 乇賮鬲賴 丕賳丿 趩賴 賲蹖 卮賵丿責 丕夭 倬賷丿丕賷卮 賳禺爻鬲賷賳 丕賳爻丕賳 賴丕 丿乇 乇賵蹖 夭賲賷賳 丨丿賵丿丕賸 爻賴 賲賷賱賷賵賳 爻丕賱 賵 丕夭 倬賷丿丕賷卮 丕賳爻丕賳 賴丕蹖 丕賲乇賵夭蹖 30 鬲丕 35 賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱 賲蹖 诏匕乇丿. 丕賵賱賷賳 鬲賲丿賳 賴丕 賳賷夭 倬賳噩 鬲丕 賴賮鬲 賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱 倬賷卮 卮讴賱 诏乇賮鬲賴 丕賳丿貙 丿乇 氐賵乇鬲賷讴賴 丕夭 丌睾丕夭 賲爻賷丨賷鬲 鬲賳賴丕 丿賵 賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱 賵 丕夭 馗賴賵乇 丕爻賱丕賲 鬲賳賴丕 賴夭丕乇 賵 趩賴丕乇氐丿 爻丕賱 賲蹖 诏匕乇丿. 丕诏乇 賴賷趩讴丿丕賲 丕夭 丌丿賲賷丕賳蹖 讴賴 倬賷卮 丕夭 丕賷賳 丿賵賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱賴 丿乇 乇賵蹖 夭賲賷賳 夭賷爻鬲賴 丕賳丿 乇丕賴蹖 亘賴 亘賴卮鬲 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳丿 亘賴 趩賴 丿賱賷賱蹖貙 賵 亘丕 趩賴 賲噩賵夭蹖 亘丕賷丿 丕賷賳 乇丕賴 乇丕 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳丿責 賵 鬲丕夭賴 丿乇 賲賷丕賳 丌丿賲賷丕賳 賴賲賷賳 丿賵賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱賴 賳賷夭貙 丌賳賴丕卅賷讴賴 趩賵賳 亘賵賲賷丕賳 丌賲乇賷讴丕蹖蹖 賷丕 丕爻鬲乇丕賱賷丕蹖蹖 賷丕 賲乇丿賲 丌賮乇賷賯丕 丕爻丕爻丕賸 賳丕賲蹖 丕夭 賲爻賷丨賷鬲 賷丕 丕夭 丕爻賱丕賲 賳卮賳賷丿賴 賵 亘丕 丌賳賴丕 丌卮賳丕卅蹖 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 丕賳丿 趩乇丕 亘丕賷丿 鬲丕 丕亘丿 賵 鬲丕 噩賴丕賳 亘丕賯蹖爻鬲貙 丿乇 丌鬲卮 丿賵夭禺 亘爻賵夭賳丿 賷丕 丿乇 亘蹖 鬲讴賱賷賮蹖 亘乇夭禺 亘爻乇 亘乇賳丿責
鈥庁й屬� 賲賳胤賯 亘鬲賽 芦丕賱賱賴賽 丕讴亘乇禄 鬲丕夭蹖丕賳 丕爻鬲!責 蹖丕 诏乇亘賴贁 爻賵禺鬲賴 卮丿賴 丿乇 氐賳丿賵賯 芦蹖賴賵賵賴禄!!責 蹖丕 賲賳胤賯 禺丿丕蹖 毓蹖爻蹖!責 丕蹖賳 趩賴 賯丕賳賵賳賽 丕亘賱賴丕賳賴 賵 賳丕亘禺乇丿丕賳賴 丕蹖 丕爻鬲責!責 賲匕賴亘蹖 賴丕 賵 亘賴 禺氐賵氐 毓乇亘 倬乇爻鬲丕賳貙 丌賳賯丿乇 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賵賴賵賲丕鬲 賵 禺夭毓亘賱丕鬲 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮蹖丿 鬲丕 賲睾夭鬲丕賳 丕夭 丕蹖賳 倬賵趩 鬲乇 卮賵丿
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鈥庁з呟屫堌ж辟� 丕蹖賳 乇蹖賵蹖賵 亘乇丕蹖賽 卮賲丕 禺乇丿诏乇丕蹖丕賳賽 丌诏丕賴貙 賲賮蹖丿 亘賵丿賴 亘丕卮賴
鈥幝聚屫辟堌� 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖禄
鈥庁关槽屫藏з嗁呚� 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賳蹖夭 卮賲丕 趩蹖夭蹖 噩夭 賲賵賴賵賲丕鬲 賵 禺夭毓亘賱丕鬲賽 丿蹖賳蹖 賵 賲匕賴亘蹖 趩蹖夭蹖 賳賲蹖亘蹖賳蹖丿貙 賵诏乇賳賴 賲胤賲卅賳 亘丕卮蹖丿 丕夭 丌锟斤拷 丿乇 讴鬲亘賽 丿乇爻蹖 亘趩賴 賴丕蹖賽 亘蹖禺亘乇 丕夭 賴賲賴 噩丕蹖賽 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖貙 蹖丕丿 賳賲蹖讴乇丿賳丿... 賴乇趩賴 賳賵卮鬲賴 賴丕蹖 賲賵賴賵賲 賵 禺乇丕賮丕鬲賽 賲匕賴亘蹖 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇丿 丿乇 讴鬲亘 丿乇爻蹖 賮乇夭賳丿丕賳賽 爻乇夭賲蹖賳賲丕賳 趩倬丕賳丿賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲
鈥庁� "讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖" 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 蹖毓賳蹖 芦丿丕賳鬲賴禄 賳賴 丨丕囟乇 丕爻鬲 讴爻丕賳蹖 趩賵賳 亘賯乇丕胤 賵 噩丕賱賷賳賵爻 賵 丕亘賳 爻賷賳丕 賵 賲夭丿讴 賵 夭乇鬲卮鬲 賵 丿賲讴乇蹖鬲 賵 氐丿賴丕 丕賳丿蹖卮賲賳丿 賵 丕賳爻丕賳賽 亘夭乇诏 乇丕 丿乇 丌鬲卮 丿賵夭禺 賵 噩賴賳賲 賲賵賴賵賲 賵 丕丨賲賯丕賳賴贁 賲匕賴亘蹖丕賳 亘爻賵夭丕賳丿 賵 賳賴 賲蹖 鬲賵丕賳丿 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 亘禺丕胤乇 賲爻賷丨蹖 賳亘賵丿賳卮丕賳 丿乇 亘賴卮鬲 噩丕蹖 丿賴丿貙 賱匕丕 賳丕诏夭賷乇 倬賳丕賴诏丕賴蹖 亘賳丕賲 "賱蹖賲亘賵" 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳丕賳 丿乇 丿賵夭禺賽 賲賵賴賵賲 賲蹖 爻丕夭丿 讴賴 丕蹖賳 禺乇丿賲賳丿丕賳 賴賲 丿乇 噩賴賳賲 亘丕卮賳丿 賵 賴賲 丕夭 丌鬲卮 噩賴賳賲 丿乇 丕賲丕賳 亘丕卮賳丿
鈥庁堌� 毓夭蹖夭丕賳賲貙 卮賲丕 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 丿丕乇蹖丿 趩賳蹖賳 賳賵卮鬲賴 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 亘乇诏乇賮鬲賴 丕夭 毓賯丿賴贁 亘蹖禺乇丿丕賳賴贁 賲匕賴亘蹖 賵 丿蹖賳蹖 賲蹖亘丕卮丿 乇丕 亘丕 賱匕鬲 亘禺賵丕賳蹖賲 賵 丕夭 丌賳 鬲毓乇蹖賮 賵 鬲賲噩蹖丿 讴賳蹖賲!責 賴蹖趩 禺乇丿賲賳丿蹖 亘賴 亘賴卮鬲 賵 噩賴賳賲賽 賲賵賴賵賲賽 丕丿蹖丕賳賽 诏賵賳丕诏賵賳 賵 亘禺氐賵氐 丕丿蹖丕賳賽 倬賵趩賽 爻丕賲蹖 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 賳丿丕乇丿
鈥庁关槽屫藏з� 賵 賳賵乇賽 趩卮賲丕賳賲貙 丿賯鬲 讴賳蹖丿 讴賴 鬲丕 趩賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴 賲賳胤賯 丕蹖賳 丕丿蹖丕賳 賵 賲匕賴亘 賴丕蹖 爻丕賲蹖 丕亘賱賴丕賳賴 賲蹖亘丕卮丿... 蹖毓賳蹖 亘賴卮鬲 賲賵賴賵賲卮丕賳 讴賴 亘蹖卮鬲乇 亘賴 賮丕丨卮賴 禺丕賳賴 卮亘丕賴鬲 丿丕乇丿 賵 氐亘丨 鬲丕 卮亘 賴賲賴 亘乇 乇賵蹖 丌賱鬲賽 蹖讴丿蹖诏乇 賵賵賵賱 賲蹖禺賵乇賳丿貙 亘乇丕蹖 禺賵丿卮丕賳 丕爻鬲.. 噩賴賳賲卮丕賳 賳蹖夭 亘乇丕蹖 讴爻丕賳蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丕丿蹖丕賳 亘賳丿 鬲賲亘丕賳蹖 賵 睾蹖乇 丕賳爻丕賳蹖 爻丕賲蹖 (蹖賴賵丿蹖鬲-賲爻蹖丨蹖鬲-丕爻賱丕賲) 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 賳丿丕乇丿 賵 禺乇丿诏乇丕 亘賵丿賴 丕賳丿... 蹖毓賳蹖 鬲讴賱賷賮 賴賲賴贁 丌賳賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 倬賷卮 丕夭 馗賴賵乇 賲爻蹖丨蹖鬲 賵 丕爻賱丕賲貙 亘賴 噩賴丕賳 丌賲丿賴 賵 丕夭 噩賴丕賳 乇賮鬲賴 丕賳丿 趩賴 賲蹖 卮賵丿責 丕夭 倬賷丿丕賷卮 賳禺爻鬲賷賳 丕賳爻丕賳 賴丕 丿乇 乇賵蹖 夭賲賷賳 丨丿賵丿丕賸 爻賴 賲賷賱賷賵賳 爻丕賱 賵 丕夭 倬賷丿丕賷卮 丕賳爻丕賳 賴丕蹖 丕賲乇賵夭蹖 30 鬲丕 35 賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱 賲蹖 诏匕乇丿. 丕賵賱賷賳 鬲賲丿賳 賴丕 賳賷夭 倬賳噩 鬲丕 賴賮鬲 賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱 倬賷卮 卮讴賱 诏乇賮鬲賴 丕賳丿貙 丿乇 氐賵乇鬲賷讴賴 丕夭 丌睾丕夭 賲爻賷丨賷鬲 鬲賳賴丕 丿賵 賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱 賵 丕夭 馗賴賵乇 丕爻賱丕賲 鬲賳賴丕 賴夭丕乇 賵 趩賴丕乇氐丿 爻丕賱 賲蹖 诏匕乇丿. 丕诏乇 賴賷趩讴丿丕賲 丕夭 丌丿賲賷丕賳蹖 讴賴 倬賷卮 丕夭 丕賷賳 丿賵賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱賴 丿乇 乇賵蹖 夭賲賷賳 夭賷爻鬲賴 丕賳丿 乇丕賴蹖 亘賴 亘賴卮鬲 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳丿 亘賴 趩賴 丿賱賷賱蹖貙 賵 亘丕 趩賴 賲噩賵夭蹖 亘丕賷丿 丕賷賳 乇丕賴 乇丕 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳丿責 賵 鬲丕夭賴 丿乇 賲賷丕賳 丌丿賲賷丕賳 賴賲賷賳 丿賵賴夭丕乇 爻丕賱賴 賳賷夭貙 丌賳賴丕卅賷讴賴 趩賵賳 亘賵賲賷丕賳 丌賲乇賷讴丕蹖蹖 賷丕 丕爻鬲乇丕賱賷丕蹖蹖 賷丕 賲乇丿賲 丌賮乇賷賯丕 丕爻丕爻丕賸 賳丕賲蹖 丕夭 賲爻賷丨賷鬲 賷丕 丕夭 丕爻賱丕賲 賳卮賳賷丿賴 賵 亘丕 丌賳賴丕 丌卮賳丕卅蹖 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 丕賳丿 趩乇丕 亘丕賷丿 鬲丕 丕亘丿 賵 鬲丕 噩賴丕賳 亘丕賯蹖爻鬲貙 丿乇 丌鬲卮 丿賵夭禺 亘爻賵夭賳丿 賷丕 丿乇 亘蹖 鬲讴賱賷賮蹖 亘乇夭禺 亘爻乇 亘乇賳丿責
鈥庁й屬� 賲賳胤賯 亘鬲賽 芦丕賱賱賴賽 丕讴亘乇禄 鬲丕夭蹖丕賳 丕爻鬲!責 蹖丕 诏乇亘賴贁 爻賵禺鬲賴 卮丿賴 丿乇 氐賳丿賵賯 芦蹖賴賵賵賴禄!!責 蹖丕 賲賳胤賯 禺丿丕蹖 毓蹖爻蹖!責 丕蹖賳 趩賴 賯丕賳賵賳賽 丕亘賱賴丕賳賴 賵 賳丕亘禺乇丿丕賳賴 丕蹖 丕爻鬲責!責 賲匕賴亘蹖 賴丕 賵 亘賴 禺氐賵氐 毓乇亘 倬乇爻鬲丕賳貙 丌賳賯丿乇 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賵賴賵賲丕鬲 賵 禺夭毓亘賱丕鬲 丕毓鬲賯丕丿 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮蹖丿 鬲丕 賲睾夭鬲丕賳 丕夭 丕蹖賳 倬賵趩 鬲乇 卮賵丿
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鈥庁з呟屫堌ж辟� 丕蹖賳 乇蹖賵蹖賵 亘乇丕蹖賽 卮賲丕 禺乇丿诏乇丕蹖丕賳賽 丌诏丕賴貙 賲賮蹖丿 亘賵丿賴 亘丕卮賴
鈥幝聚屫辟堌� 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖禄
July 1, 2024
With a good translation, particularly an annotated one that can explain gaps between his age and ours, the beautiful and powerful language and imagery will flow and you鈥檒l be enriched in your spirit.
I would say I found Inferno and Paradiso the best of the three poems. The writing in both those volumes is particularly intense and passionate. While much is made of Dante鈥檚 vision of Hell, his vision of Heaven is equally compelling.
It鈥檚 difficult to fully comprehend all the aspects of Inferno without a guide (like Virgil) to explain who all the people are that Dante fills Hell with in retribution. That鈥檚 why I recommend an annotated edition. Otherwise there is a great deal the reader won鈥檛 be able to take in.
I鈥檇 like to read the poem again. However I still need to tackle Paradise Lost for the first time.
I would say I found Inferno and Paradiso the best of the three poems. The writing in both those volumes is particularly intense and passionate. While much is made of Dante鈥檚 vision of Hell, his vision of Heaven is equally compelling.
It鈥檚 difficult to fully comprehend all the aspects of Inferno without a guide (like Virgil) to explain who all the people are that Dante fills Hell with in retribution. That鈥檚 why I recommend an annotated edition. Otherwise there is a great deal the reader won鈥檛 be able to take in.
I鈥檇 like to read the poem again. However I still need to tackle Paradise Lost for the first time.
July 6, 2024
脟ok ge莽 bir okuma, bir nedenle okuma listemde 枚ne 莽谋kmas谋 眉zerine okudum. Dante Alighieri鈥檔in (1265, Floransa - 1321, Ravenna), Cehennem, Araf ve Cennet ba艧l谋kl谋 眉莽 ciltten olu艧an 鈥溎發ahi Komedya鈥� tek kelimeyle 艧ahaser. Eserin yaz谋ld谋臒谋 d枚nem (Hristiyanl谋臒谋n dini bask谋s谋, r枚nesans谋n ve matbaan谋n olmamas谋, salg谋n hastal谋klar谋n yayg谋n olmas谋, 艧ehirler aras谋 sava艧lar谋n yo臒unlu臒u vb nedenler) g枚z枚n眉ne al谋nd谋臒谋nda ve yaz谋m tekni臒indeki zorluk (terza lima tekni臒i) d眉艧眉n眉ld眉臒眉nde yukar谋da belirtti臒im 鈥溑焌haser鈥� tan谋mlamas谋 daha net yerine oturur. 脰ncelikle 莽evirinin m眉kemmel oldu臒unu, a莽谋klay谋c谋 dipnotlarla Rekin Teksoy鈥檜n kitab谋 anla艧谋l谋r k谋lmaktaki eme臒i kar艧谋s谋nda 艧apka 莽谋kard谋臒谋m谋 belirtmeliyim. 脰yle ki; 陌lahi Komedya鈥檔谋n anla艧谋labilirli臒i a莽谋s谋ndan okunmas谋n谋n 莽ok yararl谋 olaca臒谋 vurgulanan Homeros鈥檜n 陌lyada ve Odesea destanlar谋 ile Vergilius鈥檜n Aeneis destan谋n谋n ayr谋ca Kitab-谋 Mukaddes鈥檌n okunmam谋艧 olmas谋ndaki eksikli臒i bu dipnotlar b眉y眉k 枚l莽眉de gideriyor.
脺莽 m谋sral谋 艧iir tarz谋nda (terzina) yaz谋lan bu hacimli kitap yazar Dante鈥檔in 枚teki d眉nyaya yapt谋臒谋 d眉艧sel bir geziyi destans谋 bi莽imde anlat谋r. 1300 y谋l谋nda 7 Nisan鈥檇a Cehennem ile ba艧lad谋臒谋 ve arada Araf鈥檃 u臒ray谋p Cennet ile sonland谋rd谋臒谋 ruhani gezisi bir hafta s眉rer. 陌lk iki durakta b眉y眉k hayranl谋k duydu臒u (ustam, ozan, rehberim, g枚nl眉 y眉ce g枚lge, iyi y眉rekli, bilge, g眉zel babam, g眉ne艧, uyan谋k ustam vb s谋fatlar谋 kulland谋臒谋) Latin ozan Vergilius (陌脰 70-19) rehberlik eder. Vergilius 眉nl眉 eseri Aeneis destan谋nda Truva sava艧谋ndan yenik 莽谋kan Aeneis鈥檌n 陌talya鈥檡a gelerek Romal谋lar鈥櫮眓 atalar谋n谋 olu艧turdu臒unu anlat谋r. 陌lk iki ciltte Antik Yunan mitolojisi ve felsefesi a臒谋rl谋ktayken, 眉莽眉nc眉 ciktte teoloji 枚n plana 莽谋km谋艧t谋r. Dipnotlar sayesinde say谋s谋z isimler, olaylar, bilgiler ile ba艧edilebilinmektedir. Borges, Komedya'y谋 bir alegori olarak ele al谋rsak Dante insano臒lunun, Beatrice inanc谋n, Vergilius da akl谋n simgesi olaca臒谋n谋 ileri s眉rm眉艧t眉r ki 莽ok akla yatk谋n.
陌lahi Komedya i莽ine bir a艧k hikayesi yerle艧tirmi艧tir Dante, sevdi臒i kad谋n Beatrice鈥檇ir bu a艧k谋n kahraman谋, en zor ve karamsar oldu臒u anlarda ona olan sevgisine s谋臒谋n谋r. Bu a艧k destanda ayr谋 bir ilahi tema olu艧turur. Cennet, Cehennem ve Araf鈥檛a bulunmas谋n谋 uygun buldu臒u ki艧iler 莽ok ilgin莽. 脰rne臒in antik 莽a臒 filozoflar谋n谋 ve ozanlar谋n谋 莽ok be臒enmesine ra臒men cehenneme yerle艧tirmi艧, 莽眉nk眉 bu ki艧iler vaftiz olmam谋艧lard谋r. O d枚nemde Hristiyanl谋臒谋n olup olmamas谋 枚nemli de臒ildir Dante i莽in, bu 莽ok enteresan bir mant谋k. Keza yeni bir dinin temsilcisi Hz Muhammed de Cehennemin alt katlar谋ndad谋r, peygamberli臒i Dante鈥檔in h谋艧m谋ndan kurtaramam谋艧t谋r onu ve Hz Ali鈥檡i. Kitab谋n tad谋 ka莽mas谋n diye daha fazla ayr谋nt谋 vermeyece臒im.
Kitab谋n谋 o zaman ge莽erli dil olan Latince yerine 陌talyanca, ya艧ad谋臒谋 b枚lge olan Toscana leh莽esiyle yazm谋艧t谋r ki bu devrimci se莽imi bile kitab谋n 枚nemini artt谋rmaktad谋r. Her bir kitapta 33鈥檈r b枚l眉m (kanto) vard谋r, Cehennem b枚l眉m眉ndeki giri艧 ile birlikte toplam 100 kanto (destan b枚l眉m眉) vard谋r. Vergilius rehberli臒ini Araf鈥櫮眓 tepesinde Beatrice鈥檡e b谋rak谋r, Beatrice ise Cennetin son katman谋nda kaybolup yerine Aziz Bernard ge莽er ve Cennet鈥檛eki geziyle 14 Nisan 1300鈥檇e d眉艧sel gezi sona erer. Bu arada Clairvaux manast谋r谋n谋n ba艧谋nda bulunan ba艧ke艧i艧 Bernard鈥櫮� niye se莽mi艧tir Dante acaba? Bu kitap daha 莽ok su g枚t眉r眉r asl谋nda !
Kitab谋 anlatmak zor, okunmas谋 gerekiyor 莽眉nk眉. Temel olarak antik Yunan mitolojisi, Homeros鈥檜n destanlar谋, Eski ve Yeni Ahitler, ilahiler, dini metinler ve hristiyanl谋臒a ait s枚ylenceler ile Dante鈥檔in d枚nemindeki tarihi olaylardan beslenen bir destan. Beni kitapta etkileyen olgulardan birisi de yazar谋n baz谋 枚ng枚r眉lerinin ger莽ekle艧mesi (Papal谋臒谋n bir ara Vatikan鈥檇an ta艧谋nmas谋, kendisinin s眉rg眉ne g枚nderilmesi, Floransa鈥檔谋n sava艧ta yenilgiye u臒ramas谋, Dominiken ve Fransisken tarikatlar谋 aras谋ndaki birbirini k枚t眉leme faaliyetleri vb gibi), bir di臒er olgu da tanr谋y谋 bir enerji, g眉l 艧eklinde 谋艧谋k olarak tan谋mlamas谋 keza Papa鈥檔谋n k枚t眉l眉klerini sak谋nmadan dile getirmesi oldu, ki 莽ok cesurca. O d枚nemde Luther, Calvin gibi hristiyanl谋kta rol ayr谋mlar谋n谋n olmad谋臒谋n谋 hat谋rlatmakta yarar var. Filozoflar, astroloji, tarih ve din konusunda andiklopedik bilgisi de 莽ok etkileyici. 脟a臒da艧谋 Boccacio鈥檔un 眉nl眉 eseri 鈥淒ecameron鈥漝a bahsetti臒i vebadan Dante鈥檔in hi莽 bahsetmemi艧 olmas谋 艧a艧谋rt谋c谋. Belki bir bildi臒i vard谋r diyerek kitab谋 hararetle 枚neririm. Son bir k谋sa bilgi-yorumu A. Manguel鈥檇en al谋nt谋l谋yorum: 鈥淒ante okuman谋n d枚rt d眉zeyi vard谋r; d眉z anlaml谋, alegorik, mitsel, ahlaki. Teolojik 莽er莽evenin i莽inde derin ve 艧iirsel edebi 莽er莽eve vard谋r.鈥�
脺莽 m谋sral谋 艧iir tarz谋nda (terzina) yaz谋lan bu hacimli kitap yazar Dante鈥檔in 枚teki d眉nyaya yapt谋臒谋 d眉艧sel bir geziyi destans谋 bi莽imde anlat谋r. 1300 y谋l谋nda 7 Nisan鈥檇a Cehennem ile ba艧lad谋臒谋 ve arada Araf鈥檃 u臒ray谋p Cennet ile sonland谋rd谋臒谋 ruhani gezisi bir hafta s眉rer. 陌lk iki durakta b眉y眉k hayranl谋k duydu臒u (ustam, ozan, rehberim, g枚nl眉 y眉ce g枚lge, iyi y眉rekli, bilge, g眉zel babam, g眉ne艧, uyan谋k ustam vb s谋fatlar谋 kulland谋臒谋) Latin ozan Vergilius (陌脰 70-19) rehberlik eder. Vergilius 眉nl眉 eseri Aeneis destan谋nda Truva sava艧谋ndan yenik 莽谋kan Aeneis鈥檌n 陌talya鈥檡a gelerek Romal谋lar鈥櫮眓 atalar谋n谋 olu艧turdu臒unu anlat谋r. 陌lk iki ciltte Antik Yunan mitolojisi ve felsefesi a臒谋rl谋ktayken, 眉莽眉nc眉 ciktte teoloji 枚n plana 莽谋km谋艧t谋r. Dipnotlar sayesinde say谋s谋z isimler, olaylar, bilgiler ile ba艧edilebilinmektedir. Borges, Komedya'y谋 bir alegori olarak ele al谋rsak Dante insano臒lunun, Beatrice inanc谋n, Vergilius da akl谋n simgesi olaca臒谋n谋 ileri s眉rm眉艧t眉r ki 莽ok akla yatk谋n.
陌lahi Komedya i莽ine bir a艧k hikayesi yerle艧tirmi艧tir Dante, sevdi臒i kad谋n Beatrice鈥檇ir bu a艧k谋n kahraman谋, en zor ve karamsar oldu臒u anlarda ona olan sevgisine s谋臒谋n谋r. Bu a艧k destanda ayr谋 bir ilahi tema olu艧turur. Cennet, Cehennem ve Araf鈥檛a bulunmas谋n谋 uygun buldu臒u ki艧iler 莽ok ilgin莽. 脰rne臒in antik 莽a臒 filozoflar谋n谋 ve ozanlar谋n谋 莽ok be臒enmesine ra臒men cehenneme yerle艧tirmi艧, 莽眉nk眉 bu ki艧iler vaftiz olmam谋艧lard谋r. O d枚nemde Hristiyanl谋臒谋n olup olmamas谋 枚nemli de臒ildir Dante i莽in, bu 莽ok enteresan bir mant谋k. Keza yeni bir dinin temsilcisi Hz Muhammed de Cehennemin alt katlar谋ndad谋r, peygamberli臒i Dante鈥檔in h谋艧m谋ndan kurtaramam谋艧t谋r onu ve Hz Ali鈥檡i. Kitab谋n tad谋 ka莽mas谋n diye daha fazla ayr谋nt谋 vermeyece臒im.
Kitab谋n谋 o zaman ge莽erli dil olan Latince yerine 陌talyanca, ya艧ad谋臒谋 b枚lge olan Toscana leh莽esiyle yazm谋艧t谋r ki bu devrimci se莽imi bile kitab谋n 枚nemini artt谋rmaktad谋r. Her bir kitapta 33鈥檈r b枚l眉m (kanto) vard谋r, Cehennem b枚l眉m眉ndeki giri艧 ile birlikte toplam 100 kanto (destan b枚l眉m眉) vard谋r. Vergilius rehberli臒ini Araf鈥櫮眓 tepesinde Beatrice鈥檡e b谋rak谋r, Beatrice ise Cennetin son katman谋nda kaybolup yerine Aziz Bernard ge莽er ve Cennet鈥檛eki geziyle 14 Nisan 1300鈥檇e d眉艧sel gezi sona erer. Bu arada Clairvaux manast谋r谋n谋n ba艧谋nda bulunan ba艧ke艧i艧 Bernard鈥櫮� niye se莽mi艧tir Dante acaba? Bu kitap daha 莽ok su g枚t眉r眉r asl谋nda !
Kitab谋 anlatmak zor, okunmas谋 gerekiyor 莽眉nk眉. Temel olarak antik Yunan mitolojisi, Homeros鈥檜n destanlar谋, Eski ve Yeni Ahitler, ilahiler, dini metinler ve hristiyanl谋臒a ait s枚ylenceler ile Dante鈥檔in d枚nemindeki tarihi olaylardan beslenen bir destan. Beni kitapta etkileyen olgulardan birisi de yazar谋n baz谋 枚ng枚r眉lerinin ger莽ekle艧mesi (Papal谋臒谋n bir ara Vatikan鈥檇an ta艧谋nmas谋, kendisinin s眉rg眉ne g枚nderilmesi, Floransa鈥檔谋n sava艧ta yenilgiye u臒ramas谋, Dominiken ve Fransisken tarikatlar谋 aras谋ndaki birbirini k枚t眉leme faaliyetleri vb gibi), bir di臒er olgu da tanr谋y谋 bir enerji, g眉l 艧eklinde 谋艧谋k olarak tan谋mlamas谋 keza Papa鈥檔谋n k枚t眉l眉klerini sak谋nmadan dile getirmesi oldu, ki 莽ok cesurca. O d枚nemde Luther, Calvin gibi hristiyanl谋kta rol ayr谋mlar谋n谋n olmad谋臒谋n谋 hat谋rlatmakta yarar var. Filozoflar, astroloji, tarih ve din konusunda andiklopedik bilgisi de 莽ok etkileyici. 脟a臒da艧谋 Boccacio鈥檔un 眉nl眉 eseri 鈥淒ecameron鈥漝a bahsetti臒i vebadan Dante鈥檔in hi莽 bahsetmemi艧 olmas谋 艧a艧谋rt谋c谋. Belki bir bildi臒i vard谋r diyerek kitab谋 hararetle 枚neririm. Son bir k谋sa bilgi-yorumu A. Manguel鈥檇en al谋nt谋l谋yorum: 鈥淒ante okuman谋n d枚rt d眉zeyi vard谋r; d眉z anlaml谋, alegorik, mitsel, ahlaki. Teolojik 莽er莽evenin i莽inde derin ve 艧iirsel edebi 莽er莽eve vard谋r.鈥�
January 23, 2020
La Divina Comedia es un libro asombroso. Bien es sabido que nos cuenta la historia de un viaje en un trasmundo fant谩stico: primero un descenso al abismo del Infierno, luego un ascenso por la monta帽a del Purgatorio, para terminar con la visi贸n beat铆fica de los c铆rculos conc茅ntricos del Para铆so. He tratado de leer este libro al pie de la letra, sin preocuparme demasiado de los muchos significados aleg贸ricos o de las innumerables interpretaciones que hay de ello.
Estas tres regiones metaf铆sicas se presentan como gigantescos paisajes o arquitecturas, por donde Dante y sus gu铆as (primero Virgilio, luego Beatriz) descubren fascinantes galer铆as de retratos. All铆 se mezclan visiones de la Antig眉edad (Homero, Plat贸n, Cesar, etc.), figuras del Cristianismo medieval (San Francisco de As铆s, Santo Tomas de Aquino, San Buenaventura, etc.), as铆 como los mismos coet谩neos de Dante.
El Infierno, donde Dante se encuentra al principio 鈥減or haberse apartado del camino recto鈥�, se presenta primero como una serie de nueve fosas o c铆rculos, cada vez mas profundos, donde se encuentran representados cada pecado: la incontinencia, la bestialidad, la malicia, la herej铆a鈥� Primero se encuentra con grandes poetas, como Homero, que no pudo conocer a Cristo, y a personajes entra帽ables como Francisca. Pero seg煤n va bajando por los c铆rculos de esas extra帽as cuevas, Dante divisa a ej茅rcitos que caminan al son de las trompetas que son los culos de los diablos, a reptiles que agarran a sus v铆ctimas para incorpor谩rselas, a huracanes sobre los r铆os que recorren las profundidades del Infierno, a almas torturadas que van con los intestinos colgando (Mahoma). (Es muy probable que artistas como el Bosco se hayan inspirado de algunas de estas terribles im谩genes.) Digo 鈥渁lmas鈥�, sin embargo, 隆todas estas visiones son sumamente corp贸reas! Finalmente, despu茅s de cruzarse con Ulises, se descubre la figura de Lucifer que, en una eterna pesadilla, se come a Judas, a Bruto y a Casio, los traidores de Cristo y de Cesar (vale subrayar que el acercamiento de estas dos figuras no deja de sorprenderme).
Finalmente, salen 鈥減ara volver a ver las estrellas鈥� y emprenden la ascensi贸n el monte del Purgatorio y cuando mas ascienden hacia las estrellas, mas ligeros caminan. Descubren esculturas que representan episodios hist贸ricos, como la ca铆da de Troya. Discurren sobre temas de filosof铆a moral y pol铆tica, como la necesidad del libre albedr铆o, la responsabilidad, el amor, la edad de oro de la humanidad, la decadencia de la Iglesia. Contemplan el 谩rbol del Para铆so, despojado de sus hojas. Aqu铆 finalmente, Virgilio abandona a Dante y lo deja en manos de la sublime Beatriz.
Al entrar en el Para铆so, asevera Dante: 鈥淎hora, lector, permanece tranquilo en tu asiento, meditando acerca de las cosas que aqu铆 solamente se bosquejan, si quieres que te causen mayor deleite antes que tedio鈥�. Esa apuesta es dif铆cil de mantener, ya que Dante se mete en discursos teol贸gicos de 铆ndole escol谩stico (sobre las virtudes teologales) con varios de sus interlocutores y trata, balbuceando y con suma dificultad, de traducir visiones que, se supone, son del orden de lo inefable. Sin embargo, algunas im谩genes pastoriles, en las que se complace Dante en varias ocasiones, son de destacar. El viaje se acaba con la visi贸n de la Rosa Celeste, las jerarqu铆as ang茅licas y el centro infinitamente luminoso de la Trinidad divina, la luz pura y florecida de Emp铆reo.
Acaba Dante rindi茅ndose con estas conmovedoras palabras: 鈥渁hora es preciso que mi poema desista de seguir cantando la belleza de mi Dama, como hace todo artista que llega al ultimo esfuerzo de su arte.鈥� El esfuerzo tambi茅n es del lector: a煤n tardar茅 alg煤n tiempo en digerir semejante gira celestial鈥�
Estas tres regiones metaf铆sicas se presentan como gigantescos paisajes o arquitecturas, por donde Dante y sus gu铆as (primero Virgilio, luego Beatriz) descubren fascinantes galer铆as de retratos. All铆 se mezclan visiones de la Antig眉edad (Homero, Plat贸n, Cesar, etc.), figuras del Cristianismo medieval (San Francisco de As铆s, Santo Tomas de Aquino, San Buenaventura, etc.), as铆 como los mismos coet谩neos de Dante.
El Infierno, donde Dante se encuentra al principio 鈥減or haberse apartado del camino recto鈥�, se presenta primero como una serie de nueve fosas o c铆rculos, cada vez mas profundos, donde se encuentran representados cada pecado: la incontinencia, la bestialidad, la malicia, la herej铆a鈥� Primero se encuentra con grandes poetas, como Homero, que no pudo conocer a Cristo, y a personajes entra帽ables como Francisca. Pero seg煤n va bajando por los c铆rculos de esas extra帽as cuevas, Dante divisa a ej茅rcitos que caminan al son de las trompetas que son los culos de los diablos, a reptiles que agarran a sus v铆ctimas para incorpor谩rselas, a huracanes sobre los r铆os que recorren las profundidades del Infierno, a almas torturadas que van con los intestinos colgando (Mahoma). (Es muy probable que artistas como el Bosco se hayan inspirado de algunas de estas terribles im谩genes.) Digo 鈥渁lmas鈥�, sin embargo, 隆todas estas visiones son sumamente corp贸reas! Finalmente, despu茅s de cruzarse con Ulises, se descubre la figura de Lucifer que, en una eterna pesadilla, se come a Judas, a Bruto y a Casio, los traidores de Cristo y de Cesar (vale subrayar que el acercamiento de estas dos figuras no deja de sorprenderme).
Finalmente, salen 鈥減ara volver a ver las estrellas鈥� y emprenden la ascensi贸n el monte del Purgatorio y cuando mas ascienden hacia las estrellas, mas ligeros caminan. Descubren esculturas que representan episodios hist贸ricos, como la ca铆da de Troya. Discurren sobre temas de filosof铆a moral y pol铆tica, como la necesidad del libre albedr铆o, la responsabilidad, el amor, la edad de oro de la humanidad, la decadencia de la Iglesia. Contemplan el 谩rbol del Para铆so, despojado de sus hojas. Aqu铆 finalmente, Virgilio abandona a Dante y lo deja en manos de la sublime Beatriz.
Al entrar en el Para铆so, asevera Dante: 鈥淎hora, lector, permanece tranquilo en tu asiento, meditando acerca de las cosas que aqu铆 solamente se bosquejan, si quieres que te causen mayor deleite antes que tedio鈥�. Esa apuesta es dif铆cil de mantener, ya que Dante se mete en discursos teol贸gicos de 铆ndole escol谩stico (sobre las virtudes teologales) con varios de sus interlocutores y trata, balbuceando y con suma dificultad, de traducir visiones que, se supone, son del orden de lo inefable. Sin embargo, algunas im谩genes pastoriles, en las que se complace Dante en varias ocasiones, son de destacar. El viaje se acaba con la visi贸n de la Rosa Celeste, las jerarqu铆as ang茅licas y el centro infinitamente luminoso de la Trinidad divina, la luz pura y florecida de Emp铆reo.
Acaba Dante rindi茅ndose con estas conmovedoras palabras: 鈥渁hora es preciso que mi poema desista de seguir cantando la belleza de mi Dama, como hace todo artista que llega al ultimo esfuerzo de su arte.鈥� El esfuerzo tambi茅n es del lector: a煤n tardar茅 alg煤n tiempo en digerir semejante gira celestial鈥�
February 26, 2009
I first read this poem four years ago as part of a dare. And by 鈥渄are,鈥� I mean a professor listed it on the syllabus and I had to read it and then write papers about it. The next summer, I wanted to read it again on account of the graphic imagery of Inferno and Purgatorio. The punishments/reparations are mindblowing, scary, and beautiful. Everyone should at the very least skim Inferno. Particularly in Inferno, the political references are funny and provocative, and the historical significance of this epic poem is right up there with the Bible and Paradise Lost for me. Paradiso is far more abstract and sappy than the other books.
I re-read all three last Fall because I鈥檝e always felt attached to this work, and I figure you gotta read something at LEAST three times before you say its your favorite book. But yeah, this is my favorite book. It makes me want to learn Italian and read Dante鈥檚 Italian (and the whole part about him writing it in Italian instead of Latin pissed off so many people鈥攁gain, the history of this piece is great). It makes me want to visit Italy. It makes me want to write something worth reading!
I re-read all three last Fall because I鈥檝e always felt attached to this work, and I figure you gotta read something at LEAST three times before you say its your favorite book. But yeah, this is my favorite book. It makes me want to learn Italian and read Dante鈥檚 Italian (and the whole part about him writing it in Italian instead of Latin pissed off so many people鈥攁gain, the history of this piece is great). It makes me want to visit Italy. It makes me want to write something worth reading!
January 24, 2022
This took me 16 days to finish definitely the longest time I've spent on a book by far. I've been wanting to read this for a long time and I'm glad I've picked up a physical copy up from the library because geez was it a struggle to get through. A very rewarding one but still took a lot of patience, which I usually don't posses. I'm very happy and proud I've finished it but doubt I got the whole picture but still a good classic.
January 7, 2016
賴賵 兀賳丕 賯乇乇鬲 兀賳 丕賱乇賷賮賷賵 丕賱賲亘丿卅賷 賷賰賵賳 毓賳 丿丕賳 亘乇丕賵賳
毓丕乇賮 賷毓賳賷 兀賷賴 賲丐賱賮 賷毓鬲乇賮 賮賷 兀賵賱 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 丕賱兀丨丿孬 兀賳賴 乇睾亘 兀賳賴 賷賰鬲亘 毓賳 丕賱兀亘丿丕毓 賮賷 丕賱兀丿亘 夭賷 賲丕兀賲鬲毓賳丕 賮賷 賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲賴 丕賱乇賴賷亘丞 毓賳 丕賱賮賳 賮賷 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴 丕賱爻丕亘賯丞責
毓丕乇賮 賱賲丕 賲丐賱賮 賷賰賵賳 賴丿賮 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 -丕賱賱賷 賷賲賰賳 賱賷丕 賲賱丕丨馗丕鬲 毓賳賴丕 賵丕賳丕 賮賷 乇亘毓賴丕 丕賱兀賵賱 丕賱兀賳- 兀賳賰 鬲賯乇兀 賮賷 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷責..賵賷卮噩毓賰 賱賱兀胤賱丕毓 毓賱賷 乇賵丕卅毓 丕賱兀丿亘 夭賷 賲丕毓賲賱 賮賷 鬲丨賮賷夭賳丕 賱賱亘丨孬 毓賳 乇賵丕卅毓 丕賱賮賳
賷卮噩毓賰 賱賱亘丨孬 賵丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 , 賵亘丕賱兀禺氐 鬲賱賰 丕賱賯胤毓丞 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 丕賱賮乇賷丿丞 毓賳 乇丨賱丞 丿丕賳鬲賷 廿賱賷 丕賱賮乇丿賵爻 毓亘乇 丕賱噩丨賷賲
賯胤毓丞 兀丿亘賷丞 卮毓乇賷丞 鬲爻亘亘鬲 賮賷 毓賵丿丞 丕賱賰孬賷乇賷賳 賲賳 丕賱禺胤丕丞 賵丕賱賲匕賳亘賷賳 廿賱賷 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞 賵丕賱兀賷賲丕賳
毓丕乇賮 賷毓賳賷 丕賷賴 賱賲丕 賷鬲爻丕卅賱 兀夭丕賷 賮賷 賳丕爻 亘賷賯賵賱賵 毓賱賷 賳賮爻賴賲 "賲丐賱賮賷賳" 賵賱賲 賷賯乇兀賵丕 毓賲賱 兀丿亘賷 賲爻鬲賵丨賷 毓賳 丕爻丕胤賷乇 賷賵賳丕賳賷丞 賵賯氐氐 丿賷賳賷丞 賷賴賵丿賷丞 賵賲爻賷丨賷丞 -丨鬲賷 丕賱賲毓乇丕噩 賮賷 丕賱兀爻賱丕賲 兀賷囟丕- 兀卮丕丿 亘賷賴 賮賳丕賳賷賳 賵兀丿亘丕亍 賵賮賱丕爻賮丞 亘丨賯責
丨鬲賷 賱賵 毓賱賷 爻亘賷賱 丕賱兀胤賱丕毓 -賱丕 兀賯賵賱 丕賱兀賷賲丕賳 丕賱賲胤賱賯 亘丕賱胤亘毓- 賰賷賮 賱賲 兀賯乇兀 丨鬲賷 丕賱兀賳 賲孬賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱鬲賷 賷胤賱賯 毓賱賷賴丕 丕賱亘毓囟 "鬲丨賮丞 兀丿亘賷丞"責
賲亘丿卅賷丕 鬲乇噩賲丞 丨賳丕 賷毓賯賵亘 -賲鬲乇噩賲 丕賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱鬲賷 丕賯乇兀賴丕 - 賲禺鬲氐乇 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲 賵丕賱賴賵丕賲卮 賱兀亘爻胤 丨丿 亘丨賷孬 丕賳賴 賷鬲賷丨 賱賰 賲鬲毓丞 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱賳氐 賳賮爻賴 賵賮賴賲 賮賰乇鬲賴 賵乇賵丨賴
廿賱賷 乇丨賱鬲賷 廿賱賷 賮乇丿賵爻 丿丕賳鬲賷...賮賱兀亘丿兀 亘噩丨賷賲賴
賮賷 賳賮爻 賵賯鬲 賯乇丕亍鬲賷 賱賱乇丕卅毓, 丿丕賳 亘乇丕賵賳
丕賱乇賷賮賷賵 丕賱賰丕賲賱 毓賳丿 丕賱兀賳鬲賴丕亍 丕賳 卮丕亍 丕賱賱賴
毓丕乇賮 賷毓賳賷 兀賷賴 賲丐賱賮 賷毓鬲乇賮 賮賷 兀賵賱 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 丕賱兀丨丿孬 兀賳賴 乇睾亘 兀賳賴 賷賰鬲亘 毓賳 丕賱兀亘丿丕毓 賮賷 丕賱兀丿亘 夭賷 賲丕兀賲鬲毓賳丕 賮賷 賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲賴 丕賱乇賴賷亘丞 毓賳 丕賱賮賳 賮賷 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴 丕賱爻丕亘賯丞責
毓丕乇賮 賱賲丕 賲丐賱賮 賷賰賵賳 賴丿賮 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 -丕賱賱賷 賷賲賰賳 賱賷丕 賲賱丕丨馗丕鬲 毓賳賴丕 賵丕賳丕 賮賷 乇亘毓賴丕 丕賱兀賵賱 丕賱兀賳- 兀賳賰 鬲賯乇兀 賮賷 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷責..賵賷卮噩毓賰 賱賱兀胤賱丕毓 毓賱賷 乇賵丕卅毓 丕賱兀丿亘 夭賷 賲丕毓賲賱 賮賷 鬲丨賮賷夭賳丕 賱賱亘丨孬 毓賳 乇賵丕卅毓 丕賱賮賳
賷卮噩毓賰 賱賱亘丨孬 賵丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 , 賵亘丕賱兀禺氐 鬲賱賰 丕賱賯胤毓丞 丕賱兀丿亘賷丞 丕賱賮乇賷丿丞 毓賳 乇丨賱丞 丿丕賳鬲賷 廿賱賷 丕賱賮乇丿賵爻 毓亘乇 丕賱噩丨賷賲
賯胤毓丞 兀丿亘賷丞 卮毓乇賷丞 鬲爻亘亘鬲 賮賷 毓賵丿丞 丕賱賰孬賷乇賷賳 賲賳 丕賱禺胤丕丞 賵丕賱賲匕賳亘賷賳 廿賱賷 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞 賵丕賱兀賷賲丕賳
毓丕乇賮 賷毓賳賷 丕賷賴 賱賲丕 賷鬲爻丕卅賱 兀夭丕賷 賮賷 賳丕爻 亘賷賯賵賱賵 毓賱賷 賳賮爻賴賲 "賲丐賱賮賷賳" 賵賱賲 賷賯乇兀賵丕 毓賲賱 兀丿亘賷 賲爻鬲賵丨賷 毓賳 丕爻丕胤賷乇 賷賵賳丕賳賷丞 賵賯氐氐 丿賷賳賷丞 賷賴賵丿賷丞 賵賲爻賷丨賷丞 -丨鬲賷 丕賱賲毓乇丕噩 賮賷 丕賱兀爻賱丕賲 兀賷囟丕- 兀卮丕丿 亘賷賴 賮賳丕賳賷賳 賵兀丿亘丕亍 賵賮賱丕爻賮丞 亘丨賯責
鈥淎fter listing the vast array of famous composers, artists, and authors who had created works based on Dante鈥檚 epic poem, Langdon scanned the crowd. 鈥淪o tell me, do we have any authors here tonight?鈥� Nearly one-third of the hands went up. Langdon stared out in shock. Wow, either this is the most accomplished audience on earth, or this e-publishing thing is really taking off.鈥�
丨鬲賷 賱賵 毓賱賷 爻亘賷賱 丕賱兀胤賱丕毓 -賱丕 兀賯賵賱 丕賱兀賷賲丕賳 丕賱賲胤賱賯 亘丕賱胤亘毓- 賰賷賮 賱賲 兀賯乇兀 丨鬲賷 丕賱兀賳 賲孬賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱鬲賷 賷胤賱賯 毓賱賷賴丕 丕賱亘毓囟 "鬲丨賮丞 兀丿亘賷丞"責
賲亘丿卅賷丕 鬲乇噩賲丞 丨賳丕 賷毓賯賵亘 -賲鬲乇噩賲 丕賱賳爻禺丞 丕賱鬲賷 丕賯乇兀賴丕 - 賲禺鬲氐乇 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲 賵丕賱賴賵丕賲卮 賱兀亘爻胤 丨丿 亘丨賷孬 丕賳賴 賷鬲賷丨 賱賰 賲鬲毓丞 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱賳氐 賳賮爻賴 賵賮賴賲 賮賰乇鬲賴 賵乇賵丨賴
廿賱賷 乇丨賱鬲賷 廿賱賷 賮乇丿賵爻 丿丕賳鬲賷...賮賱兀亘丿兀 亘噩丨賷賲賴
賮賷 賳賮爻 賵賯鬲 賯乇丕亍鬲賷 賱賱乇丕卅毓, 丿丕賳 亘乇丕賵賳
丕賱乇賷賮賷賵 丕賱賰丕賲賱 毓賳丿 丕賱兀賳鬲賴丕亍 丕賳 卮丕亍 丕賱賱賴
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