The Divine ComedyThe Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature. The poem's imaginative and allegorical vision of the afterlife is a culmination of the medieval world-view as it had developed in the Western Church. It helped establish the Tuscan dialect, in which it is written, as the standardized Italian language. It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. On the surface, the poem describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven; but at a deeper level, it represents allegorically the soul's journey towards God. At this deeper level, Dante draws on medieval Christian theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy and the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas. The poem is written in the first person, and tells of Dante's journey through the three realms of the dead, lasting from the night before Good Friday to the Wednesday after Easter in the spring of 1300. The Roman poet Virgil guides him through Hell and Purgatory; Beatrice, Dante's ideal woman, guides him through Heaven. Beatrice was a Florentine woman whom he had met in childhood and admired from afar in the mode of the then-fashionable courtly love tradition. |
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... which I had passed so piteously. And even as he, who, with distressful breath, Forth issued from the sea upon the shore, Turns to the water perilous and gazes; So did my soul, that still was fleeing onward, Turn INFERNO ...
... which I had passed so piteously. And even as he, who, with distressful breath, Forth issued from the sea upon the shore, Turns to the water perilous and gazes; So did my soul, that still was fleeing onward, Turn INFERNO ...
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Dante Alighieri. So did my soul, that still was fleeing onward, Turn itself back to re-behold the pass Which never yet a living person left. After my weary body I had rested, The way resumed I on the desert slope, So that the firm foot ...
Dante Alighieri. So did my soul, that still was fleeing onward, Turn itself back to re-behold the pass Which never yet a living person left. After my weary body I had rested, The way resumed I on the desert slope, So that the firm foot ...
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... onward through the forest, The forest, say I, of thick- crowded ghosts. Not very far as yet our way had gone This side the summit, when I saw a fire That overcame a hemisphere of darkness. We were a little distant from it still, But not ...
... onward through the forest, The forest, say I, of thick- crowded ghosts. Not very far as yet our way had gone This side the summit, when I saw a fire That overcame a hemisphere of darkness. We were a little distant from it still, But not ...
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... , and Avicenna, Averroes, who the great Comment made. I cannot all of them pourtray in full, Because so drives me onward the long theme, That many times the word comes short of fact. The sixfold company in two divides; Another way.
... , and Avicenna, Averroes, who the great Comment made. I cannot all of them pourtray in full, Because so drives me onward the long theme, That many times the word comes short of fact. The sixfold company in two divides; Another way.
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... onward in its rapine; Whirling them round, and smiting, it molests them. When they arrive before the precipice, There are the shrieks, the plaints, and the laments, There they blaspheme the puissance divine. I understood that unto such ...
... onward in its rapine; Whirling them round, and smiting, it molests them. When they arrive before the precipice, There are the shrieks, the plaints, and the laments, There they blaspheme the puissance divine. I understood that unto such ...
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Common terms and phrases
already answered appeared art thou ascend aught Beatrice began behold behoves beneath Bolgia breast canst Canto Chiron Christ circle Cocytus colour coruscation descended desire divine dost thou doth downward e'er earth eternal evermore face father feet fire flame gazing Geryon goeth grace hand hear heard heart heaven holy honour Inferno knowest Lady laments Latian light little flames living lofty look Malebolge Malebranche Master mind mortal mount moved never o'er onward Paradiso passed Phlegyas Pistoia Purgatorio rays round seemed shade Sichaeus side sight singing smile soon Sordello soul speak speech spirit splendour star Statius sweet tell thee thine eyes things thou art thou dost thou hast thou seest thou shalt thou wouldst thyself tow'rds truth turned Tuscan twill twixt unto uplifted upward Virgilius virtue voice weeping wheel Whence Whereat Wherefore wherein wholly wings wont words