Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    From $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Divine Comedy(Illustrated)
    The Divine Comedy(Illustrated)
    The Divine Comedy(Illustrated)
    Ebook565 pages5 hours

    The Divine Comedy(Illustrated)

    By Dante Alighieri

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    • A Visual Feast: Take in Dante Alighieri's immortal masterwork, brought to life in this exquisitely illustrated version. Take an unforgettable voyage through the ethereal realms of Paradise, the terraces of Purgatory, and the circles of Hell with the help of 20 breathtaking illustrations.
    • Classic Tale, Modern Presentation: This edition not only preserves the poetic brilliance of Dante's epic but also enhances the experience with captivating visuals. The fusion of art and literature creates an enchanting reading experience that will transport you to a world of divine imagination.
    •  Meet the Characters: Dive deeper into the narrative with a comprehensive character list that introduces you to the vivid personalities encountered on Dante's voyage. From the tormented souls in the Inferno to the radiant spirits in the Paradiso, you'll have a guide to all the fascinating individuals that populate this epic journey.
    • Author's Insight: Explore the life and times of Dante Alighieri through a detailed biography, gaining valuable insights into the mind behind this literary marvel. Discover the inspirations, struggles, and influences that shaped the creation of The Divine Comedy.
    A Quest for Redemption
    Join Dante, the poet, as he travels through the afterlife on a quest for spiritual enlightenment and redemption. His odyssey through sin, penance, and salvation has captivated readers for centuries, offering profound reflections on the human condition.
    Artistic Interpretation: The included illustrations are not mere decorations but intricate interpretations of Dante's vivid descriptions. Each image is a work of art in itself, providing a fresh perspective on the story and the characters.
    A Treasure for Your Collection: Whether you're a seasoned fan of Dante's work or a newcomer to his divine journey, this illustrated edition is a must-have addition to your library. It's a collector's item that will be cherished for generations to come.
    Experience the Divine:
    Rediscover the epic poem that has transcended time and culture, beautifully adorned with illustrations, character insights, and the author's own story. The Divine Comedy: Illustrated Edition is an invitation to explore the profound, the beautiful, and the timeless—a literary gem that will enchant your soul.
    Don't miss this opportunity to own a piece of literary history in a visually captivating form. Dive into The Divine Comedy as you've never seen it before, and let Dante's words and artistry take you on a journey to the very heart of the divine.

     
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMicheal Smith
    Release dateJan 13, 2024
    ISBN9791223035931
    The Divine Comedy(Illustrated)
    Author

    Dante Alighieri

    Durante degli Alighieri, simply referred to as Dante (12651321), was a major Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His Divine Comedy, originally called La Comedia and later called Divina by Boccaccio, is widely considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature.In Italy he is known as il Sommo Poeta ("the Supreme Poet") or just il Poeta. He, Petrarch and Boccaccio are also known as "the three fountains" or "the three crowns". Dante is also called the "Father of the Italian language".

    Read more from Dante Alighieri

    Related authors

    Related to The Divine Comedy(Illustrated)

    Related ebooks

    General Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • UNLIMITED

      The Lady Was A Vamp

      Nov 6, 2019

      The Lady Was A Vamp
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Mariana and Ibarra Are Waiting

      Dec 1, 2021

      Mariana and Ibarra Are Waiting
      9 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      One Half of My Time (2004)

      Dec 1, 2021

      MAJOR COMMEMORATIVE events tend to coincide with anniversaries marked by round or supposedly significant numbers: twenty-five, fifty, or a hundred years. But in our personal lives, we each have our own way of calculating these things, and I have just

      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Defining Moments

      Sep 8, 2022

      Defining Moments
      1 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Luck, Bravery And Tragedy

      Jun 10, 2021

      John Jacob Astor IV (47) and his 19-year-old wife Madeleine were the wealthiest couple aboard Titanic, and among the richest in the world. Astor, an American business magnate, was believed to be worth more than $80 million when he went down with the

      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      My Father’s Voice

      Dec 1, 2021

      My Father’s Voice
      13 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Painter Provocateur

      Feb 23, 2018

      The Painter Provocateur
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Myths Of The Pyramids Interview With Adam Zamoyski

      Oct 1, 2020

      Between 1798-99, Napoleon Bonaparte experienced one of the most dramatic campaigns in his long military career. Then a general in the French Army, he led an invasion of Egypt and a subsequent campaign into Syria and Palestine that propelled his caree

      11 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Orbiting The Sun King

      Nov 7, 2019

      Orbiting The Sun King
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Playing for Time

      Oct 18, 2024

      Playing for Time
      14 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Coriander

      Jan 1, 2023

      Coriander
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The PERRY MASON You Never Knew

      Jun 4, 2020

      The PERRY MASON You Never Knew
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Samuel Pepys Would Have Been Huge on the Internet

      May 29, 2019

      Pepys’s fragmentary, digressive, contradictory, messy diary foreshadows our own individual self-fashioning. In Pepys we see Facebook; we see Twitter. The post Samuel Pepys Would Have Been Huge on the Internet appeared first on The Millions.

      13 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Season Of The Witch

      Apr 30, 2024

      Season Of The Witch
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Bravo, Richie

      Mar 28, 2022

      Bravo, Richie
      11 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Killers Of The Flower Moon

      Oct 17, 2023

      Killers Of The Flower Moon
      7 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Valentine’s way AN WILSON Valentine Ackland: A Transgressive Life

      Jun 2, 2021

      Handheld Press £15.99 One old reviewer found a tear rolling round his cheek towards the end of this book. When the poet Valentine Ackland went into hospital with breast cancer, she wrote to her lover of 38 years, novelist Sylvia Townsend Warner, ‘You

      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      I Do Cry For You, Argentina

      Mar 9, 2022

      I Do Cry For You, Argentina
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Flux Gourmet

      Mar 28, 2022

      Flux Gourmet
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Three Odysseys

      Jan 2, 2018

      Odysseys come in all shapes and forms, from epic to personal.  Three recent odysseys range in time and theme from ancient to dystopian.  Daniel Mendelsohn’s An Odyssey launches from Homer’s epic, 2017 National Book Award-winner Jesmyn Ward’s Sing, Un

      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Divine Comedy(Illustrated)

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Divine Comedy(Illustrated) - Dante Alighieri

      THE DIVINE COMEDY

      BY

      DANTE ALIGHIERI

      ABOUT ALIGHIERI

      In the tumultuous era of the late Middle Ages, a poet emerged from the labyrinthine streets of Florence, destined to pen one of the most enduring works of world literature. Dante Alighieri, born on June 1, 1265, in the heart of Florence, Italy, would become the literary architect of the Divine Comedy, a transcendent masterpiece that would resonate through the corridors of time.

      Dante's early life unfolded against the backdrop of political strife and cultural ferment in Florence. As the son of Alighiero di Bellincione and Gabriella degli Abati, he was exposed to the complexities of Italian society. His education, steeped in classical studies and the teachings of Aristotle and Cicero, laid the foundation for a mind that would later weave the intricate tapestry of the Divine Comedy.

      In his youth, Dante's poetic ambitions found an outlet in the dolce stil novo, a literary movement that celebrated love and refined expression. His youthful work, La Vita Nuova, showcased his lyrical prowess and foreshadowed the profound spiritual journey that awaited him.

      However, Dante's life took an abrupt turn when political upheavals engulfed Florence. His allegiance to the White Guelphs led to his banishment in 1302, marking the beginning of a period of exile that would shape the contours of his magnum opus. Forced to wander through the Italian peninsula, Dante encountered a mosaic of landscapes and cultures, providing the rich tapestry against which he would paint his Divine Comedy.

      The Divine Comedy, a three-part epic poem comprising Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, is an allegorical odyssey through the realms of the afterlife. Dante, guided by the Roman poet Virgil and his beloved Beatrice, navigates the depths of hell, the ascent of purgatory, and the celestial spheres of paradise. This poetic pilgrimage serves as both a theological treatise and a mirror reflecting the complexities of the human condition.

      Dante's unique blend of theology, philosophy, and poetic imagination in the Divine Comedy not only secured his place in the pantheon of literary giants but also left an indelible mark on Western culture. His terza rima, a poetic form crafted for this epic, became an enduring legacy, influencing poets for centuries to come.

      As Dante's journey through the Divine Comedy mirrors the soul's quest for spiritual enlightenment, his own life echoes the struggles and triumphs of the human spirit. Dante Alighieri passed away on September 14, 1321, leaving behind a literary legacy that continues to illuminate the corridors of literary and philosophical thought. His Divine Comedy remains an immortal beacon, guiding readers through the intricate labyrinth of human existence, inviting them to ponder the eternal questions that transcend time and space.

      SUMMARY

      Embark on an unparalleled odyssey through the realms of the afterlife with Dante Alighieri's timeless masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. In this epic trilogy—Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso—Dante takes readers on a riveting journey guided by Virgil and his muse, Beatrice. As he navigates the depths of hell, ascends the slopes of purgatory, and transcends the celestial spheres of paradise, Dante unravels a poetic tapestry that intertwines theology, philosophy, and the profound complexities of the human experience. Immerse yourself in the genius of Dante's terza rima, a poetic form that dances with eloquence, leaving an indelible mark on literature. The Divine Comedy is more than a literary classic; it's an exploration of the soul's quest for meaning, a captivating adventure that transcends time, inviting readers to reflect on the eternal mysteries that define our existence. Join Dante in this cosmic journey, where each canto is a revelation, and every line a portal to the sublime.

      CHARACTERS LIST

      The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri features a rich cast of characters as the protagonist, Dante, journeys through the realms of the afterlife. Here's a list of some key characters encountered in each section of the trilogy: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.

      Inferno:

      Dante Alighieri: The central character and the author himself, who embarks on a journey through hell guided by Virgil.

      Virgil: The Roman poet, chosen by Beatrice, who serves as Dante's guide through the circles of hell.

      Beatrice: Dante's idealized love and guide from heaven, who watches over him and influences his journey.

      Charon: The ferryman who transports souls across the River Styx.

      Minos: The judge of the damned, who assigns souls to their respective circles in hell.

      Francesca da Rimini: A tragic figure in hell, condemned for her illicit love affair with Paolo.

      Ulysses (Odysseus): Found in the eighth circle, he is condemned for his deceit and cunning.

      Purgatorio:

      Dante Alighieri: Continuing his journey, Dante ascends Mount Purgatory guided by Virgil.

      Virgil: Dante's guide through Purgatory, representing human reason and philosophy.

      Beatrice: Dante's guide through Heaven, representing divine grace and theology.

      Cato the Younger: The guardian of Purgatory, who ensures that only the repentant pass.

      Statius: A Roman poet in Purgatory who joins Dante and Virgil on their journey.

      Casella: A friend of Dante's who appears in Purgatory, providing a poignant moment.

      Paradiso:

      Dante Alighieri: Now guided by Beatrice, Dante ascends through the celestial spheres of Heaven.

      Beatrice: Dante's guide through Paradise, embodying divine grace and spiritual enlightenment.

      Saint Bernard: Dante's final guide, leading him to the Beatific Vision.

      Adam and Eve: Representing humanity, they are found in the highest sphere of Heaven.

      Saints and Angels: Numerous celestial beings encountered by Dante as he ascends toward God.

      Contents

      HELL

      Canto 1

      Canto 2

      Canto 3

      Canto 4

      Canto 5

      Canto 6

      Canto 7

      Canto 8

      Canto 9

      Canto 10

      Canto 11

      Canto 12

      Canto 13

      Canto 14

      Canto 15

      Canto 16

      Canto 17

      Canto 18

      Canto 19

      Canto 20

      Canto 21

      Canto 22

      Canto 23

      Canto 24

      Canto 25

      Canto 26

      Canto 27

      Canto 28

      Canto 29

      Canto 30

      Canto 31

      Canto 32

      Canto 33

      Canto 34

      PURGATORY

      Canto 1

      Canto 2

      Canto 3

      Canto 4

      Canto 5

      Canto 6

      Canto 7

      Canto 8

      Canto 9

      Canto 10

      Canto 11

      Canto 12

      Canto 13

      Canto 14

      Canto 15

      Canto 16

      Canto 17

      Canto 18

      Canto 19

      Canto 20

      Canto 21

      Canto 22

      Canto 23

      Canto 24

      Canto 25

      Canto 26

      Canto 27

      Canto 28

      Canto 29

      Canto 30

      Canto 31

      Canto 32

      Canto 33

      PARADISE

      Canto 1

      Canto 2

      Canto 3

      Canto 4

      Canto 5

      Canto 6

      Canto 7

      Canto 8

      Canto 9

      Canto 10

      Canto 11

      Canto 12

      Canto 13

      Canto 14

      Canto 15

      Canto 16

      Canto 17

      Canto 18

      Canto 19

      Canto 20

      Canto 21

      Canto 22

      Canto 23

      Canto 24

      Canto 25

      Canto 26

      Canto 27

      Canto 28

      Canto 29

      Canto 30

      Canto 31

      Canto 32

      Canto 33

      HELL

      Canto 1

      IN the midway of this our mortal life,

      I found me in a gloomy wood, astray

      Gone from the path direct: and e’en to tell

      It were no easy task, how savage wild

      That forest, how robust and rough its growth,

      Which to remember only, my dismay

      Renews, in bitterness not far from death.

      Yet to discourse of what there good befell,

      All else will I relate discover’d there.

      How first I enter’d it I scarce can say,

      Such sleepy dullness in that instant weigh’d

      My senses down, when the true path I left,

      But when a mountain’s foot I reach’d, where clos’d

      The valley, that had pierc’d my heart with dread,

      I look’d aloft, and saw his shoulders broad

      Already vested with that planet’s beam,

      Who leads all wanderers safe through every way.

      Then was a little respite to the fear,

      That in my heart’s recesses deep had lain,

      All of that night, so pitifully pass’d:

      And as a man, with difficult short breath,

      Forespent with toiling, ’scap’d from sea to shore,

      Turns to the perilous wide waste, and stands

      At gaze; e’en so my spirit, that yet fail’d

      Struggling with terror, turn’d to view the straits,

      That none hath pass’d and liv’d. My weary frame

      After short pause recomforted, again

      I journey’d on over that lonely steep,

      The hinder foot still firmer. Scarce the ascent

      Began, when, lo! a panther, nimble, light,

      And cover’d with a speckled skin, appear’d,

      Nor, when it saw me, vanish’d, rather strove

      To check my onward going; that ofttimes

      With purpose to retrace my steps I turn’d.

      The hour was morning’s prime, and on his way

      Aloft the sun ascended with those stars,

      That with him rose, when Love divine first mov’d

      Those its fair works: so that with joyous hope

      All things conspir’d to fill me, the gay skin

      Of that swift animal, the matin dawn

      And the sweet season. Soon that joy was chas’d,

      And by new dread succeeded, when in view

      A lion came, ’gainst me, as it appear’d,

      With his head held aloft and hunger-mad,

      That e’en the air was fear-struck. A she-wolf

      Was at his heels, who in her leanness seem’d

      Full of all wants, and many a land hath made

      Disconsolate ere now. She with such fear

      O’erwhelmed me, at the sight of her appall’d,

      That of the height all hope I lost. As one,

      Who with his gain elated, sees the time

      When all unwares is gone, he inwardly

      Mourns with heart-griping anguish; such was I,

      Haunted by that fell beast, never at peace,

      Who coming o’er against me, by degrees

      Impell’d me where the sun in silence rests.

      While to the lower space with backward step

      I fell, my ken discern’d the form one of one,

      Whose voice seem’d faint through long disuse of speech.

      When him in that great desert I espied,

      Have mercy on me! cried I out aloud,

      Spirit! or living man! what e’er thou be!

      He answer’d: "Now not man, man once I was,

      And born of Lombard parents, Mantuana both

      By country, when the power of Julius yet

      Was scarcely firm. At Rome my life was past

      Beneath the mild Augustus, in the time

      Of fabled deities and false. A bard

      Was I, and made Anchises’ upright son

      The subject of my song, who came from Troy,

      When the flames prey’d on Ilium’s haughty towers.

      But thou, say wherefore to such perils past

      Return’st thou? wherefore not this pleasant mount

      Ascendest, cause and source of all delight?"

      "And art thou then that Virgil, that well-spring,

      From which such copious floods of eloquence

      Have issued?" I with front abash’d replied.

      "Glory and light of all the tuneful train!

      May it avail me that I long with zeal

      Have sought thy volume, and with love immense

      Have conn’d it o’er. My master thou and guide!

      Thou he from whom alone I have deriv’d

      That style, which for its beauty into fame

      Exalts me. See the beast, from whom I fled.

      O save me from her, thou illustrious sage!

      For every vein and pulse throughout my frame

      She hath made tremble." He, soon as he saw

      That I was weeping, answer’d, "Thou must needs

      Another way pursue, if thou wouldst ’scape

      From out that savage wilderness. This beast,

      At whom thou criest, her way will suffer none

      To pass, and no less hindrance makes than death:

      So bad and so accursed in her kind,

      That never sated is her ravenous will,

      Still after food more craving than before.

      To many an animal in wedlock vile

      She fastens, and shall yet to many more,

      Until that greyhound come, who shall destroy

      Her with sharp pain. He will not life support

      By earth nor its base metals, but by love,

      Wisdom, and virtue, and his land shall be

      The land ’twixt either Feltro. In his might

      Shall safety to Italia’s plains arise,

      For whose fair realm, Camilla, virgin pure,

      Nisus, Euryalus, and Turnus fell.

      He with incessant chase through every town

      Shall worry, until he to hell at length

      Restore her, thence by envy first let loose.

      I for thy profit pond’ring now devise,

      That thou mayst follow me, and I thy guide

      Will lead thee hence through an eternal space,

      Where thou shalt hear despairing shrieks, and see

      Spirits of old tormented, who invoke

      A second death; and those next view, who dwell

      Content in fire, for that they hope to come,

      Whene’er the time may be, among the blest,

      Into whose regions if thou then desire

      T’ ascend, a spirit worthier then I

      Must lead thee, in whose charge, when I depart,

      Thou shalt be left: for that Almighty King,

      Who reigns above, a rebel to his law,

      Adjudges me, and therefore hath decreed,

      That to his city none through me should come.

      He in all parts hath sway; there rules, there holds

      His citadel and throne. O happy those,

      Whom there he chooses!" I to him in few:

      "Bard! by that God, whom thou didst not adore,

      I do beseech thee (that this ill and worse

      I may escape) to lead me, where thou saidst,

      That I Saint Peter’s gate may view, and those

      Who as thou tell’st, are in such dismal plight."

      Onward he mov’d, I close his steps pursu’d.

      Canto 2

      NOW was the day departing, and the air,

      Imbrown’d with shadows, from their toils releas’d

      All animals on earth; and I alone

      Prepar’d myself the conflict to sustain,

      Both of sad pity, and that perilous road,

      Which my unerring memory shall retrace.

      O Muses! O high genius! now vouchsafe

      Your aid! O mind! that all I saw hast kept

      Safe in a written record, here thy worth

      And eminent endowments come to proof.

      I thus began: "Bard! thou who art my guide,

      Consider well, if virtue be in me

      Sufficient, ere to this high enterprise

      Thou trust me. Thou hast told that Silvius’ sire,

      Yet cloth’d in corruptible flesh, among

      Th’ immortal tribes had entrance, and was there

      Sensible present. Yet if heaven’s great Lord,

      Almighty foe to ill, such favour shew’d,

      In contemplation of the high effect,

      Both what and who from him should issue forth,

      It seems in reason’s judgment well deserv’d:

      Sith he of Rome, and of Rome’s empire wide,

      In heaven’s empyreal height was chosen sire:

      Both which, if truth be spoken, were ordain’d

      And ’stablish’d for the holy place, where sits

      Who to great Peter’s sacred chair succeeds.

      He from this journey, in thy song renown’d,

      Learn’d things, that to his victory gave rise

      And to the papal robe. In after-times

      The chosen vessel also travel’d there,

      To bring us back assurance in that faith,

      Which is the entrance to salvation’s way.

      But I, why should I there presume? or who

      Permits it? not, Aeneas I nor Paul.

      Myself I deem not worthy, and none else

      Will deem me. I, if on this voyage then

      I venture, fear it will in folly end.

      Thou, who art wise, better my meaning know’st,

      Than I can speak." As one, who unresolves

      What he hath late resolv’d, and with new thoughts

      Changes his purpose, from his first intent

      Remov’d; e’en such was I on that dun coast,

      Wasting in thought my enterprise, at first

      So eagerly embrac’d. "If right thy words

      I scan," replied that shade magnanimous,

      "Thy soul is by vile fear assail’d, which oft

      So overcasts a man, that he recoils

      From noblest resolution, like a beast

      At some false semblance in the twilight gloom.

      That from this terror thou mayst free thyself,

      I will instruct thee why I came, and what

      I heard in that same instant, when for thee

      Grief touch’d me first. I was among the tribe,

      Who rest suspended, when a dame, so blest

      And lovely, I besought her to command,

      Call’d me; her eyes were brighter than the star

      Of day; and she with gentle voice and soft

      Angelically tun’d her speech address’d:

      "O courteous shade of Mantua! thou whose fame

      Yet lives, and shall live long as nature lasts!

      A friend, not of my fortune but myself,

      On the wide desert in his road has met

      Hindrance so great, that he through fear has turn’d.

      Now much I dread lest he past help have stray’d,

      And I be ris’n too late for his relief,

      From what in heaven of him I heard. Speed now,

      And by thy eloquent persuasive tongue,

      And by all means for his deliverance meet,

      Assist him. So to me will comfort spring.

      I who now bid thee on this errand forth

      Am Beatrice¹; from a place I come

      Revisited with joy. Love brought me thence,

      Who prompts my speech. When in my Master’s sight

      I stand, thy praise to him I oft will tell."

      She then was silent, and I thus began:

      "O Lady! by whose influence alone,

      Mankind excels whatever is contain’d

      Within that heaven which hath the smallest orb,

      So thy command delights me, that to obey,

      If it were done already, would seem late.

      No need hast thou farther to speak thy will;

      Yet tell the reason, why thou art not loth

      To leave that ample space, where to return

      Thou burnest, for this centre here beneath."

      She then: "Since thou so deeply wouldst inquire,

      I will instruct thee briefly, why no dread

      Hinders my entrance here. Those things alone

      Are to be fear’d, whence evil may proceed,

      None else, for none are terrible beside.

      I am so fram’d by God, thanks to his grace!

      That any suff’rance of your misery

      Touches me not, nor flame of that fierce fire

      Assails me. In high heaven a blessed dame

      Besides, who mourns with such effectual grief

      That hindrance, which I send thee to remove,

      That God’s stern judgment to her will inclines.

      To Lucia calling, her she thus bespake:

      "Now doth thy faithful servant need thy aid

      And I commend him to thee." At her word

      Sped Lucia, of all cruelty the foe,

      And coming to the place, where I abode

      Seated with Rachel, her of ancient days,

      She thus address’d me: "Thou true praise of God!

      Beatrice! why is not thy succour lent

      To him, who so much lov’d thee, as to leave

      For thy sake all the multitude admires?

      Dost thou not hear how pitiful his wail,

      Nor mark the death, which in the torrent flood,

      Swoln mightier than a sea, him struggling holds?"

      Ne’er among men did any with such speed

      Haste to their profit, flee from their annoy,

      As when these words were spoken, I came here,

      Down from my blessed seat, trusting the force

      Of thy pure eloquence, which thee, and all

      Who well have mark’d it, into honour brings."

      "When she had ended, her bright beaming eyes

      Tearful she turn’d aside; whereat I felt

      Redoubled zeal to serve thee. As she will’d,

      Thus am I come: I sav’d thee from the beast,

      Who thy near way across the goodly mount

      Prevented. What is this comes o’er thee then?

      Why, why dost thou hang back? why in thy breast

      Harbour vile fear? why hast not courage there

      And noble daring? Since three maids so blest

      Thy safety plan, e’en in the court of heaven;

      And so much certain good my words forebode."

      As florets, by the frosty air of night

      Bent down and clos’d, when day has blanch’d their leaves,

      Rise all unfolded on their spiry stems;

      So was my fainting vigour new restor’d,

      And to my heart such kindly courage ran,

      That I as one undaunted soon replied:

      "O full of pity she, who undertook

      My succour! and thou kind who didst perform

      So soon her true behest! With such desire

      Thou hast dispos’d me to renew my voyage,

      That my first purpose fully is resum’d.

      Lead on: one only will is in us both.

      Thou art my guide, my master thou, and lord."

      So spake I; and when he had onward mov’d,

      I enter’d on the deep and woody way.

      Canto 3

      "THROUGH 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 mov’d:

      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 endure.

      All hope abandon ye who enter here."

      Such characters in colour dim I mark’d

      Over a portal’s lofty arch inscrib’d:

      Whereat I thus: "Master, these words import

      Hard meaning." He as one prepar’d replied:

      "Here thou must all distrust behind thee leave;

      Here be vile fear extinguish’d. We are come

      Where I have told thee we shall see the souls

      To misery doom’d, who intellectual good

      Have lost." And when his hand he had stretch’d forth

      To mine, with pleasant looks, whence I was cheer’d,

      Into that secret place he led me on.

      Here sighs with lamentations and loud moans

      Resounded through the air pierc’d by no star,

      That e’en I wept at entering. Various tongues,

      Horrible languages, outcries of woe,

      Accents of anger, voices deep and hoarse,

      With hands together smote that swell’d the sounds,

      Made up a tumult, that for ever whirls

      Round through that air with solid darkness stain’d,

      Like to the sand that in the whirlwind flies.

      I then, with error yet encompass’d, cried:

      "O master! What is this I hear? What race

      Are these, who seem so overcome with woe?"

      He thus to me: "This miserable fate

      Suffer the wretched souls of those, who liv’d

      Without or praise or blame, with that ill band

      Of angels mix’d, who nor rebellious prov’d

      Nor yet were true to God, but for themselves

      Were only. From his bounds Heaven drove them forth,

      Not to impair his lustre, nor the depth

      Of Hell receives them, lest th’ accursed tribe

      Should glory thence with exultation vain."

      I then: "Master! what doth aggrieve them thus,

      That they lament so loud?" He straight replied:

      "That will I tell thee briefly. These of death

      No hope may entertain: and their blind life

      So meanly passes, that all other lots

      They envy. Fame of them the world hath none,

      Nor suffers; mercy and justice scorn them both.

      Speak not of them, but look, and pass them by."

      And I, who straightway look’d, beheld a flag,

      Which whirling ran around so rapidly,

      That it no pause obtain’d: and following came

      Such a long train of spirits, I should ne’er

      Have thought, that death so many had despoil’d.

      When some of these I recogniz’d, I saw

      And knew the shade of him, who to base fear

      Yielding, abjur’d his high estate. Forthwith

      I understood for certain this the tribe

      Of those ill spirits both to God displeasing

      And to his foes. These wretches, who ne’er lived,

      Went on in nakedness, and sorely stung

      By wasps and hornets, which bedew’d their cheeks

      With blood, that mix’d with tears dropp’d to their feet,

      And by disgustful worms was gather’d there.

      Then looking farther onwards I beheld

      A throng upon the shore of a great stream:

      Whereat I thus: "Sir! grant me now to know

      Whom here we view, and whence impell’d they seem

      So eager to pass o’er, as I discern

      Through the blear light?" He thus to me in few:

      "This shalt thou know, soon as our steps arrive

      Beside the woeful tide of Acheron."

      Then with eyes downward cast and fill’d with shame,

      Fearing my words offensive to his ear,

      Till we had reach’d the river, I from speech

      Abstain’d. And lo! toward us in a bark

      Comes on an old man hoary white with eld,

      Crying, "Woe to you wicked spirits! hope not

      Ever to see the sky again. I come

      To take you to the other shore across,

      Into eternal darkness, there to dwell

      In fierce heat and in ice. And thou, who there

      Standest, live spirit! get thee hence, and leave

      These who are dead." But soon as he beheld

      I left them not, By other way, said he,

      "By other haven shalt thou come to shore,

      Not by this passage; thee a nimbler boat

      Must carry." Then to him thus spake my guide:

      "Charon! thyself torment not: so ’t is will’d,

      Where will and power are one: ask thou no more."

      Straightway in silence fell the shaggy cheeks

      Of him the boatman o’er the livid lake,

      Around whose eyes glar’d wheeling flames. Meanwhile

      Those spirits, faint and naked, color chang’d,

      And gnash’d their teeth, soon as the cruel words

      They heard. God and their parents they blasphem’d,

      The human kind, the place, the time, and seed

      That did engender them and give them birth.

      Then all together sorely wailing drew

      To the curs’d strand, that every man must pass

      Who fears not God. Charon, demoniac form,

      With eyes of burning coal, collects them all,

      Beck’ning, and each, that lingers, with his oar

      Strikes. As fall off the light autumnal leaves,

      One still another following, till the bough

      Strews all its honours on the earth beneath;

      E’en in like manner Adam’s evil brood

      Cast themselves one by one down from the shore,

      Each at a beck, as falcon at his call.

      Thus go they over through the umber’d wave,

      And ever they on the opposing bank

      Be landed, on this side another throng

      Still gathers. Son, thus spake the courteous guide,

      "Those, who die subject to the wrath of God,

      All here together come from every clime,

      And to o’erpass the river are not loth:

      For so heaven’s justice goads them on, that fear

      Is turn’d into desire. Hence ne’er hath past

      Good spirit. If of thee Charon complain,

      Now mayst thou know the import of his words."

      This said, the gloomy region trembling shook

      So terribly, that yet with clammy dews

      Fear chills my brow. The sad earth gave a blast,

      That, lightening, shot forth a vermilion flame,

      Which all my senses conquer’d quite, and I

      Down dropp’d, as one with sudden slumber seiz’d.

      Canto 4

      BROKE the deep slumber in my brain a crash

      Of heavy thunder, that I shook myself,

      As one by main force rous’d. Risen upright,

      My rested eyes I mov’d around, and search’d

      With fixed ken to know what place it was,

      Wherein I stood. For certain on the brink

      I found me of the lamentable vale,

      The dread abyss, that joins a thund’rous sound

      Of plaints innumerable. Dark and deep,

      And thick with clouds o’erspread, mine eye in vain

      Explor’d its bottom, nor could aught discern.

      "Now let us to the blind world there beneath

      Descend;" the bard began all pale of look:

      I go the first, and thou shalt follow next.

      Then I his alter’d hue perceiving, thus:

      "How may I speed, if thou yieldest to dread,

      Who still art wont to comfort me in doubt?"

      He then: "The anguish of that race below

      With pity stains my cheek, which thou for fear

      Mistakest. Let us on. Our length of way

      Urges to haste." Onward, this said, he mov’d;

      And ent’ring led me with him on the bounds

      Of the first circle, that surrounds th’ abyss.

      Here, as mine ear could note, no plaint was heard

      Except of sighs, that made th’ eternal air

      Tremble, not caus’d by tortures, but from grief

      Felt by those multitudes, many and vast,

      Of men, women, and infants. Then to me

      The gentle guide: "Inquir’st thou not what spirits

      Are these, which thou beholdest? Ere thou pass

      Farther, I would thou know, that these of sin

      Were blameless; and if aught they merited,

      It profits not, since baptism was not theirs,

      The portal to thy faith. If they before

      The Gospel liv’d, they serv’d not God aright;

      And among such am I. For these defects,

      And for no other evil, we are lost;

      Only so far afflicted, that we live

      Desiring without hope." So grief assail’d

      My heart at hearing this, for well I knew

      Suspended in that Limbo many a soul

      Of mighty worth. "O tell me, sire rever’d!

      Tell me, my master!" I began through wish

      Of full assurance in that holy faith,

      Which vanquishes all error; "say, did e’er

      Any, or through his own or other’s merit,

      Come forth from thence, whom afterward was blest?"

      Piercing the secret purport of my speech,

      He answer’d: "I was new to that estate,

      When I beheld a puissant one arrive

      Amongst us, with victorious trophy crown’d.

      He forth the shade of our first parent drew,

      Abel his child, and Noah righteous man,

      Of Moses lawgiver for faith approv’d,

      Of patriarch Abraham, and David king,

      Israel with his sire and with his sons,

      Nor without Rachel whom so hard he won,

      And others many more, whom he to bliss

      Exalted. Before these, be thou assur’d,

      No spirit of human kind was ever sav’d."

      We, while he spake, ceas’d not our onward road,

      Still passing through the wood; for so I name

      Those spirits thick beset. We were not far

      On this side from the summit, when I kenn’d

      A flame, that o’er the darken’d hemisphere

      Prevailing shin’d. Yet we a little space

      Were distant, not so far but I in part

      Discover’d, that a tribe in honour high

      That place possess’d. "O thou, who every art

      And science valu’st! who are these, that boast

      Such honour, separate from all the rest?"

      He answer’d: "The renown of their great names

      That echoes through your world above, acquires

      Favour in heaven, which holds them thus advanc’d."

      Meantime a voice I heard: "Honour the bard

      Sublime! his shade returns that left us late!"

      No sooner ceas’d the sound, than I beheld

      Four mighty spirits toward us bend their steps,

      Of semblance neither sorrowful nor glad.

      When thus my master kind began: "Mark him,

      Who in his right hand bears that falchion keen,

      The other three preceding, as their lord.

      This is that Homer, of all bards supreme:

      Flaccus the next in satire’s vein excelling;

      The third is Naso; Lucan is the last.

      Because they all that appellation own,

      With which the voice singly accosted me,

      Honouring they greet me thus, and well they judge."

      So I beheld united the bright school

      Of him the monarch of sublimest song,

      That o’er the others like an eagle soars.

      When they together short discourse had held,

      They turn’d to me, with salutation kind

      Beck’ning me; at the which my master smil’d:

      Nor was this all; but greater honour still

      They gave me, for they made me of their tribe;

      And I was sixth amid so learn’d a band.

      Far as the luminous beacon on we pass’d

      Speaking of matters, then befitting well

      To speak, now fitter left untold. At foot

      Of a magnificent castle we arriv’d,

      Seven times with lofty walls begirt, and round

      Defended by a pleasant stream. O’er this

      As o’er dry land we pass’d. Next through seven gates

      I with those sages enter’d, and we came

      Into a mead with lively verdure fresh.

      There dwelt a race, who slow their eyes around

      Majestically mov’d, and in their port

      Bore eminent authority; they spake

      Seldom, but all their words were tuneful sweet.

      We to one side retir’d, into a place

      Open and bright and lofty, whence each one

      Stood manifest to view. Incontinent

      There on the green enamel of the plain

      Were shown me the great spirits, by whose sight

      I am exalted in my own esteem.

      Electra there I saw accompanied

      By many, among whom Hector I knew,

      Anchises’ pious son, and with hawk’s eye

      Caesar all arm’d, and by Camilla there

      Penthesilea. On the other side

      Old King Latinus, seated by his child

      Lavinia, and that Brutus I beheld,

      Who Tarquin chas’d, Lucretia, Cato’s wife

      Marcia, with Julia and Cornelia there;

      And sole apart retir’d, the Soldan fierce.

      Then when a little more I rais’d my brow,

      I spied the master of the sapient throng,

      Seated amid the philosophic train.

      Him all admire, all pay him rev’rence due.

      There Socrates and Plato both I mark’d,

      Nearest to him in rank; Democritus,

      Who sets the world at chance, Diogenes,

      With Heraclitus, and Empedocles,

      And Anaxagoras, and Thales sage,

      Zeno, and Dioscorides well read

      In nature’s secret lore. Orpheus I mark’d

      And Linus, Tully and moral Seneca,

      Euclid and Ptolemy, Hippocrates,

      Galenus, Avicen, and him who made

      That commentary vast, Averroes.

      Of all to speak at full were vain attempt;

      For my wide theme so urges, that ofttimes

      My words fall short of what bechanc’d. In two

      The six associates part. Another way

      My sage guide leads me, from that air serene,

      Into a climate ever vex’d with storms:

      And to a part I come where no light shines.

      Canto 5

      FROM the first circle I descended thus

      Down to the second, which, a lesser space

      Embracing, so much more of grief contains

      Provoking bitter moans. There, Minos stands

      Grinning with ghastly feature: he, of all

      Who enter, strict examining the crimes,

      Gives sentence, and dismisses them beneath,

      According as he foldeth him around:

      For when before him comes th’ ill fated soul,

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1
      pFad - Phonifier reborn

      Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

      Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


      Alternative Proxies:

      Alternative Proxy

      pFad Proxy

      pFad v3 Proxy

      pFad v4 Proxy