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. |
From inside the book
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... In the empyreal heaven as father chosen; The which and what, wishing to speak the truth, Were stablished as the holy place, wherein Sits the successor of the greatest Peter. Upon this journey, whence thou givest him vaunt,
... In the empyreal heaven as father chosen; The which and what, wishing to speak the truth, Were stablished as the holy place, wherein Sits the successor of the greatest Peter. Upon this journey, whence thou givest him vaunt,
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... speak." And as he is, who unwills what he willed, And by new thoughts doth his intention change, So that from his design he quite withdraws, I Such became, upon that dark hillside, Because, in thinking, I consumed the emprise, Which was ...
... speak." And as he is, who unwills what he willed, And by new thoughts doth his intention change, So that from his design he quite withdraws, I Such became, upon that dark hillside, Because, in thinking, I consumed the emprise, Which was ...
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... speak. When I shall be in presence of my Lord, Full often will I praise thee unto him.' Then paused she, and thereafter I began: 'O Lady of virtue, thou alone through whom The human race exceedeth all contained Within the heaven that ...
... speak. When I shall be in presence of my Lord, Full often will I praise thee unto him.' Then paused she, and thereafter I began: 'O Lady of virtue, thou alone through whom The human race exceedeth all contained Within the heaven that ...
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... speak of them, but look, and pass." And I, who looked again, beheld a banner, Which, whirling round, ran on so rapidly, That of all pause it seemed to me indignant; And after it there came so long a train Of people, that I ne'er would ...
... speak of them, but look, and pass." And I, who looked again, beheld a banner, Which, whirling round, ran on so rapidly, That of all pause it seemed to me indignant; And after it there came so long a train Of people, that I ne'er would ...
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... speak, and hear, and then are downward hurled. "O thou, that to this dolorous hostelry Comest," said Minos to me, when he saw me, Leaving the practice of so great an office, "Look how thou enterest, and in whom thou trustest; Let not ...
... speak, and hear, and then are downward hurled. "O thou, that to this dolorous hostelry Comest," said Minos to me, when he saw me, Leaving the practice of so great an office, "Look how thou enterest, and in whom thou trustest; Let not ...
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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