Purgatorio

Di Dante Alighieri

Il "Purgatorio" è la seconda delle tre cantiche della "Divina Commedia" di Dante Alighieri. Le altre cantiche sono l'Inferno ed il Paradiso. Il Purgatorio dantesco è diviso in Antipurgatorio, Purgatorio e Paradiso terrestre. La struttura morale del Purgatorio segue la classificazione tomistica dei vizi dell'amore mal diretto, e non fa più riferimento a singole colpe. Esso è suddiviso in sette cornici, nelle quali si espiano i sette peccati capitali: superbia, invidia, ira, accidia, avarizia, gola, lussuria.

L'autore

Dante Alighieri, o Alighiero, battezzato Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri e anche noto con il solo nome Dante, della famiglia Alighieri (Firenze, tra il 22 maggio e il 13 giugno 1265 – Ravenna, 14 settembre 1321), è stato un poeta, scrittore e politico italiano.

• Lingua: Italiano
• Editore: Passerino Editore
• Data di uscita: 9 lug 2015
• ISBN: 9788899447533

Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri (Florencia, 1265 – Rávena, 1321), político, diplomático y poeta. En 1302 tuvo que exiliarse de su patria y ciudad natal, y a partir de entonces se vio obligado a procurarse moradas y protectores provisionales, razón por la cual mantener el prestigio que le había procurado su Vida nueva (c. 1294) era de vital importancia. La Comedia, en la que trabajó hasta el final de su vida, fue la consecuencia de ese propósito, y con los siglos se convirtió en una de las obras fundamentales de la literatura europea. Además de su obra poética, Dante escribió tratados políticos, filosóficos y literarios, como Convivio, De vulgari eloquentiao y De Monarchia.

Anteprima del libro

Purgatorio

Canto I

Per correr miglior acque alza le vele 

omai la navicella del mio ingegno,

che lascia dietro a sé mar sì crudele; 3

e canterò di quel secondo regno

dove l’umano spirito si purga

e di salire al ciel diventa degno. 6

Ma qui la morta poesì resurga,

o sante Muse, poi che vostro sono;

e qui Caliopè alquanto surga, 9

seguitando il mio canto con quel suono

di cui le Piche misere sentiro

lo colpo tal, che disperar perdono. 12

Dolce color d’oriental zaffiro,

che s’accoglieva nel sereno aspetto

del mezzo, puro infino al primo giro, 15

a li occhi miei ricominciò diletto,

tosto ch’io usci’ fuor de l’aura morta

che m’avea contristati li occhi e ‘l petto. 18

Lo bel pianeto che d’amar conforta

faceva tutto rider l’oriente,

velando i Pesci ch’erano in sua scorta. 21

I’ mi volsi a man destra, e puosi mente

a l’altro polo, e vidi quattro stelle

non viste mai fuor ch’a la prima gente. 24

Goder pareva ‘l ciel di lor fiammelle:

oh settentrional vedovo sito,

poi che privato se’ di mirar quelle! 27

Com’io da loro sguardo fui partito,

un poco me volgendo a l ‘altro polo,

là onde il Carro già era sparito, 30

vidi presso di me un veglio solo,

degno di tanta reverenza in vista,

che più non dee a padre alcun figliuolo. 33

Lunga la barba e di pel bianco mista

portava, a’ suoi capelli simigliante,

de’ quai cadeva al petto doppia lista. 36

Li raggi de le quattro luci sante

fregiavan sì la sua faccia di lume,

ch’i’ ’l vedea come ’l sol fosse davante. 39

«Chi siete voi che contro al cieco fiume

fuggita avete la pregione etterna?»,

diss’el, movendo quelle oneste piume. 42

«Chi v’ha guidati, o che vi fu lucerna,

uscendo fuor de la profonda notte

che sempre nera fa la valle inferna? 45

Son le leggi d’abisso così rotte?

o è mutato in ciel novo consiglio,

che, dannati, venite a le mie grotte?». 48

Lo duca mio allor mi diè di piglio,

e con parole e con mani e con cenni

reverenti mi fé le gambe e ‘l ciglio. 51

Poscia rispuose lui: «Da me non venni:

donna scese del ciel, per li cui prieghi

de la mia compagnia costui sovvenni. 54

Ma da ch’è tuo voler che più si spieghi

di nostra condizion com’ell’è vera,

esser non puote il mio che a te si nieghi. 57

Questi non vide mai l’ultima sera;

ma per la sua follia le fu sì presso,

che molto poco tempo a volger era. 60

Sì com’io dissi, fui mandato ad esso

per lui campare; e non lì era altra via

che questa per la quale i’ mi son messo. 63

Mostrata ho lui tutta la gente ria;

e ora intendo mostrar quelli spirti

che purgan sé sotto la tua balìa. 66

Com’io l’ho tratto, saria lungo a dirti;

de l’alto scende virtù che m’aiuta

conducerlo a vederti e a udirti. 69

Or ti piaccia gradir la sua venuta:

libertà va cercando, ch’è sì cara,

come sa chi per lei vita rifiuta. 72

Tu ‘l sai, ché non ti fu per lei amara

in Utica la morte, ove lasciasti

la vesta ch’al gran dì sarà sì chiara. 75

Non son li editti etterni per noi guasti,

ché questi vive, e Minòs me non lega;

ma son del cerchio ove son li occhi casti 78

di Marzia tua, che ‘n vista ancor ti priega,

o santo petto, che per tua la tegni:

per lo suo amore adunque a noi ti piega. 81

Lasciane andar per li tuoi sette regni;

grazie riporterò di te a lei,

se d’esser mentovato là giù degni». 84

«Marzia piacque tanto a li occhi miei

mentre ch’i’ fu’ di là», diss’elli allora,

«che quante grazie volse da me, fei. 87

Or che di là dal mal fiume dimora,

più muover non mi può, per quella legge

che fatta fu quando me n’usci’ fora. 90

Ma se donna del ciel ti muove e regge,

come tu di’, non c’è mestier lusinghe:

bastisi ben che per lei mi richegge. 93

Va dunque, e fa che tu costui ricinghe

d’un giunco schietto e che li lavi ‘l viso,

sì ch’ogne sucidume quindi stinghe; 96

ché non si converria, l’occhio sorpriso

d’alcuna nebbia, andar dinanzi al primo

ministro, ch’è di quei di paradiso. 99

Questa isoletta intorno ad imo ad imo,

là giù colà dove la batte l’onda,

porta di giunchi sovra ‘l molle limo; 102

null’altra pianta che facesse fronda

o indurasse, vi puote aver vita,

però ch’a le percosse non seconda. 105

Poscia non sia di qua vostra reddita;

lo sol vi mosterrà, che surge omai,

prendere il monte a più lieve salita». 108

Così sparì; e io sù mi levai

sanza parlare, e tutto mi ritrassi

al duca mio, e li occhi a lui drizzai. 111

El cominciò: «Figliuol, segui i miei passi:

volgianci in dietro, ché di qua dichina

questa pianura a’ suoi termini bassi». 114

L’alba vinceva l’ora mattutina

che fuggia innanzi, sì che di lontano

conobbi il tremolar de la marina. 117

Noi andavam per lo solingo piano

com’om che torna a la perduta strada,

che ‘nfino ad essa li pare ire in vano. 120

Quando noi fummo là ‘ve la rugiada

pugna col sole, per essere in parte

dove, ad orezza, poco si dirada, 123

ambo le mani in su l’erbetta sparte

soavemente ‘l mio maestro pose:

ond’io, che fui accorto di sua arte, 126

porsi ver’ lui le guance lagrimose:

ivi mi fece tutto discoverto

quel color che l’inferno mi nascose. 129

Venimmo poi in sul lito diserto,

che mai non vide navicar sue acque

omo, che di tornar sia poscia esperto. 132

Quivi mi cinse sì com’altrui piacque:

oh maraviglia! ché qual elli scelse

l’umile pianta, cotal si rinacque

subitamente là onde l’avelse. 136 

Canto II

Già era ‘l sole a l’orizzonte giunto

lo cui meridian cerchio coverchia

Ierusalèm col suo più alto punto; 3

e la notte, che opposita a lui cerchia,

uscia di Gange fuor con le Bilance,

che le caggion di man quando soverchia; 6

sì che le bianche e le vermiglie guance,

là dov’i’ era, de la bella Aurora

per troppa etate divenivan rance. 9

Noi eravam lunghesso mare ancora,

come gente che pensa a suo cammino,

che va col cuore e col corpo dimora. 12

Ed ecco, qual, sorpreso dal mattino,

per li grossi vapor Marte rosseggia

giù nel ponente sovra ‘l suol marino, 15

cotal m’apparve, s’io ancor lo veggia,

un lume per lo mar venir sì ratto,

che ‘l muover suo nessun volar pareggia. 18

Dal qual com’io un poco ebbi ritratto

l’occhio per domandar lo duca mio,

rividil più lucente e maggior fatto. 21

Poi d’ogne lato ad esso m’appario

un non sapeva che bianco, e di sotto

a poco a poco un altro a lui uscio. 24

Lo mio maestro ancor non facea motto,

mentre che i primi bianchi apparver ali;

allor che ben conobbe il galeotto, 27

gridò: «Fa, fa che le ginocchia cali.

Ecco l’angel di Dio: piega le mani;

omai vedrai di sì fatti officiali. 30

Vedi che sdegna li argomenti umani,

sì che remo non vuol, né altro velo

che l’ali sue, tra liti sì lontani. 33

Vedi come l’ha dritte verso ‘l cielo,

trattando l’aere con l’etterne penne,

che non si mutan come mortal pelo». 36

Poi, come più e più verso noi venne

l’uccel divino, più chiaro appariva:

per che l’occhio da presso nol sostenne, 39

ma chinail giuso; e quei sen venne a riva

con un vasello snelletto e leggero,

tanto che l’acqua nulla ne ‘nghiottiva. 42

Da poppa stava il celestial nocchiero,

tal che faria beato pur descripto;

e più di cento spirti entro sediero. 45

In exitu Israel de Aegypto

cantavan tutti insieme ad una voce

con quanto di quel salmo è poscia scripto. 48

Poi fece il segno lor di santa croce;

ond’ei si gittar tutti in su la piaggia;

ed el sen gì, come venne, veloce. 51

La turba che rimase lì, selvaggia

parea del loco, rimirando intorno

come colui che nove cose assaggia. 54

Da tutte parti saettava il giorno

lo sol, ch’avea con le saette conte

di mezzo ‘l ciel cacciato Capricorno, 57

quando la nova gente alzò la fronte

ver’ noi, dicendo a noi: «Se voi sapete,

mostratene la via di gire al monte». 60

E Virgilio rispuose: «Voi credete

forse che siamo esperti d’esto loco;

ma noi siam peregrin come voi siete. 63

Dianzi venimmo, innanzi a voi un poco,

per altra via, che fu sì aspra e forte,

che lo salire omai ne parrà gioco». 66

L’anime, che si fuor di me accorte,

per lo spirare, ch’i’ era ancor vivo,

maravigliando diventaro smorte. 69

E come a messagger che porta ulivo

tragge la gente per udir novelle,

e di calcar nessun si mostra schivo, 72

così al viso mio s’affisar quelle

anime fortunate tutte quante,

quasi obliando d’ire a farsi belle. 75

Io vidi una di lor trarresi avante

per abbracciarmi con sì grande affetto,

che mosse me a far lo somigliante. 78

Ohi ombre vane, fuor che ne l’aspetto!

tre volte dietro a lei le mani avvinsi,

e tante mi tornai con esse al petto. 81

Di maraviglia, credo, mi dipinsi;

per che l’ombra sorrise e si ritrasse,

e io, seguendo lei, oltre mi pinsi. 84

Soavemente disse ch’io posasse;

allor conobbi chi era, e pregai

che, per parlarmi, un poco s’arrestasse. 87

Rispuosemi: «Così com’io t’amai

nel mortal corpo, così t’amo sciolta:

però m’arresto; ma tu perché vai?». 90

«Casella mio, per tornar altra volta

là dov’io son, fo io questo viaggio»,

diss’io; «ma a te com’è tanta ora tolta?». 93

Ed elli a me: «Nessun m’è fatto oltraggio,

se quei che leva quando e cui li piace,

più volte m’ha negato esto passaggio; 96

ché di giusto voler lo suo si face:

veramente da tre mesi elli ha tolto

chi ha voluto intrar, con tutta pace. 99

Ond’io, ch’era ora a la marina vòlto

dove l’acqua di Tevero s’insala,

benignamente fu’ da lui ricolto. 102

A quella foce ha elli or dritta l’ala,

però che sempre quivi si ricoglie

qual verso Acheronte non si cala». 105

E io:

Recensioni su Purgatorio

[bookomaniac-1 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

Minder dramatisch en meeslepend dan eerste deel, maar eigenlijk "mooier" door het perfect evenwicht tussen literair en leerdicht. Bijzonder verfijnd van toon.Het laatste deel vanaf zang 28 heeft een heel ander timbre dat al volledig in de lijn ligt van Paradiso en minder volgbaar en genietbaar is.

[farree_1 · Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle]

I see that people have reviewed versions of Dante translated into English by several people, but nobody has done John Ciardi's translations, so here goes. I read Ciardi's Inferno many years ago (like, 1976, and followed it up with Niven and Pournelle's takeoff). I find Ciardi's translation of Il Purgatorio more interesting (though perhaps less 'salacious'). Ciardi certainly has a way of keeping the reader's attention, and the Dante's narrative is well worth the effort. Ciardi provides extensive notes on subjects in the narrative (characters that Dante and Virgil meet in their journey, uh, Pilgrimage). He also provides a pretty much 'play by play' narrative of his own philosophy and choices for the language, rhymes and scansion of the text itself (Italian isn't so easy to translate into English, it seems). All in all a very nicely done translation. I will be searching for Ciardi's translation of 'The Paradiso.'

[theidlewoman · Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle]

The Sinclair translation, as ever, is superb, and the notes and introductions continue to be very useful. Dante emerges after the trials of Inferno and climbs the mount of Purgatory with Virgil, participating in the penance necessary to cleanse him of his sins. As in Inferno, the souls are put through various trials which testify to Dante's ever-erudite imagination. The cantica concludes with Dante being reunited with his beloved Beatrice; but there is a bittersweet note as Virgil, a pagan despite his fine qualities, is denied entrance to Paradise.

[lissabeth21 · Valutazione: 3 su 5 stelle]

Perhaps after reading Inferno I picked up Dante's voice and rhythm, but Purgatorio seemed much less dense and not as confusing. Each circle was quite straight forward and the fewer incidents of name dropping was helpful in realizing the essence of each layer of repentance.

[maxernst11 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

Minder dramatisch en meeslepend dan eerste deel, maar eigenlijk "mooier" door het perfect evenwicht tussen literair en leerdicht. Bijzonder verfijnd van toon.Het laatste deel vanaf zang 28 heeft een heel ander timbre dat al volledig in de lijn ligt van Paradiso en minder volgbaar en genietbaar is.

[alcracka · Valutazione: 3 su 5 stelle]

I kinda didn't love this as much as I wanted to. The fault might be Pinsky's; he uses a lot of enjambment, which makes the poem a more graceful, flowing thing than Dante's apparently was. It might also be Dante's fault; there are a ton of allusions to contemporary politics, none of which I got at all, so I did a lot of flipping to the end notes. And, y'know, it's a little...religious. I know, who woulda thought?

I liked it okay, I guess, but I've been reading a ton of epic poetry over the last year, and this hasn't been one of my favorites.

[akikorye · Valutazione: 2 su 5 stelle]

This translation replaced names- so many names! Added modern phrases.

I appreciate that I may not have been able to real the original(or earlier translation) so easily (well, I'm not sure, but this is the only translation I've read) but I could not accept the replacement of the names. South Park's Cartman? Please. I prefer purer translations. The the addition of modern phrases and names stuck out like a sore thumb. I would be reading easily, then get so thrown off that I had to stop.

Now, I've read this, and I don't know how much of it was from the original, and how much the translator replaced. Now I feel like I have to re-read it, with a different translation.

It wasn't written in 2013, so don't translate it like it was. Please.

What was intact, the messages and the stories, all that makes this a classic, earns my four stars. Since I'm rating this particular translation, however, I'm giving it two. If I find out later that earlier translations are written in a way that I can easily read, then I'll come back and only give it one star.

[buffalogr · Valutazione: 3 su 5 stelle]

Only three stars for Dante's classic? It was a difficult read/listen and required concentration as the translation from old italian poetry into english. I also wondered about the parallel between Inferno and A Christmas Carol...both contain scarey beasties.

[landlocked54 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

For years I had wanted to read Dante's Divine Comedy, but every time I thought of reading this epic poem it just seemed to be too daunting of a task. It wasn't until I visited Florence, Italy and saw the same mosaic on the ceiling of the baptistery of San Giovanni that Dante saw (which inspired him to eventually write the Divine Comedy) that I felt it the time had come to read Dante's epic work.

I started with the traditional English translation by Longfellow. At the encouragement of of a colleague, I quickly changed to Dorothy Sayers's translation from 1949. Sayers provides great commentary plus follows "Dante's terza rima stanzas."

There are numerous translations available but I'm glad I stuck with the Sayers translation. Having said that, I think it would be wise to read the traditional Longfellow translation at some point in time. Next up I'm looking forward to trying Robert and Jean Hollander's dual-language and more modern translations of the Divine Comedy.

[emurray35 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

This is an amazing translation of the Inferno. It is by far the best translation of the text that I have encountered, and it is far superior to the version included in the World Literature textbook that I use. I always share some of this translation with my students particularly when we are discussing Dante's terza rima. Translations are never ideal, but this translation is the best available.

[lreinardy08 · Valutazione: 3 su 5 stelle]

If you like reading poetry then this won't be as difficult of a read than for those who do not, however you still need to get past the language Dante uses. If you get the Barnes and Noble Classic Series book (which I highly suggest) you get great End Notes that are actually longer than the poem itself. Getting through the language and seeing what Dante is really talking about you see the horror that is hell, and it is a fascinating horror. You may feel more religious than ever after reading this book; no one wants to walk the path that Dante and Virgil walked. But you want to read about it...

[oldflame_1 · Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle]

It's interesting but I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. The morality seems rather heavy-handed, maybe I'm not digging deep enough into it.

[av0415 · Valutazione: 1 su 5 stelle]

I read this when I was 13 or 14, and I really didn't like it. The only reason I got to finish this was because the required us to read it and pass a book report. The reason for my disapproval for this book is partly because I do not believe in Hell (yes I believe in Heaven but in Hell, hell no!). The second reason is because I'm not the least attracted to Dante's writing style.

[paradiseporch · Valutazione: 3 su 5 stelle]

Approached through lots and lots of footnotes (how else can you read a 14th century Italian poet?) I felt I couldn’t really judge the poetry because of the translation issue. Dante imagined a place of eternal torments based on the teachings of his church, and peopled it with 14th century Florentines and ancient Greeks. Judgemental, narrow in historical approach and doctrinally cringe-worthy.

[gbill_7 · Valutazione: 1 su 5 stelle]

If you like reading about people boiled in a river of blood, forever immersed in shit, having their heads on backwards, split down the middle, beheaded, suffering eternal disease and itching, being frozen in ice, or lastly for those in the innermost circle of hell, you know, bad old Judas and Brutus, chewed by Satan himself (as well as in the other circles a myriad of other tortures, er, “just” punishments for sins on Earth per the Christian view of morality), well, this is the book for you! To me this book represents the worst of Christianity: eternal torment, eternal torture, and no mercy. It’s all cruel retribution, without pity. I fail to see how these sentiments are Christ-like even within the dogma of the religion, and I fail to see why anyone would ever view this as representative of an enlightened faith that should be aspired to. If you are inclined to read it this is a great edition – lots of annotation, illustrations, and a fresh translation … but I don’t recommend it.

[fatsimax · Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle]

I must admit I read this because of a class however I really enjoyed itThis is not a light reading it is dry and slow at times but I felt it was very interesting when you read it and connect it to other global ideas such as politics and religion

[rores28 · Valutazione: 3 su 5 stelle]

I wanted to like this, but in the end it just got very repetitive and preachy to me. There was certainly some great symbols and imagery and the weird obsession with numerology was interesting but this semi-casual semi-academic reader could not be bothered to dig into all of the abstruse Italian references to by-gone politics family feuds etc... In some sense Dante's hubris annoyed me as well. Placing himself in his own epic, chatting it up with the greatest poets of the time etc... I know that a story is not the author but when the author directly inserts himself into that story, I don't know what I'm really to make of that.

[marcush_42 · Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle]

Dante's Inferno is the first part of an epic poem that rivals other greats like Ovid's Metamorphosis and Homer's Illiad and Odyssey. As one reads Dante, they must keep in mind that he was stifled politically. It has been said that without a proper avenue to voice his political distaste, Dante constructed his seven levels of Hell. Each level represents an action and it's subsequent punishment. At times the poem can become tedious and hard to follow, but there's a large amount of very memorable sequences that make this one of the greatest pieces of writing constructed.

[word2world · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

It should not be surprising to hear me refer to Dante's Commedia as the greatest piece of literature ever written. This is a work that can never be read too many times and should never be read only once. Inferno is the first and most iconic piece of Dante's trilogy since it is set in Hell (which is surprisingly appealing to many people...). However, its depth far succeeds Hell's reaches and calls for a very conscientious approach to be grasped in any significant way. The Hollanders' translation I highly recommend when reading the book for a second or third time, otherwise one might easily become lost in Robert Hollander's lengthy (but interesting!) commentary.

[mromano_95 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

The four and 1/2 stars is for the translation, not the work itself which is a five star world masterpiece. Although Dante can drag here and there in his philosophical asides, no other artist has attempted to do what Dante has done in this work: take an almost universally held belief-in this case the afterlife, and more specifically here, hell, and completely realize it. In fact, his hell was so convincing that for many people it STILL is what they believe hell to be. Ciardi's translation is a good one and one that is used in schools; however, it does not keep the terza rima rhyme scheme, and its explanations and notes are not the best. I personally think Dorothy Sayer's translation is better.

[auroraw_6 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

Poetry like this touches your soul Dante was a lot like Mozart a daring rebel and a genius

[jwhenderson_1 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

"In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself in a dark wood, having lost the straight path."With the famous words above Dante begins The Inferno, the first section of his Divine Comedy. Rereading this poem reminded me of the greatness of Dante's creation. As T. S. Eliot observed, "Dante and Shakespeare divide the world between them, there is no third."("Dante" in Selected Essays of T. S. Eliot) While I would add Proust as a third, whether you agree with Eliot or not, Dante is magnificent in his ability to imagine the breadth and depth of humanity. In the Inferno the details are impressed on the reader through Dante's exceptional visual poetry. Whether the translation maintains the terza rima or not this comes through. Thus the poetry is relatively easy to read even though many of the allusions may escape the average reader. One gains from rereading the opportunity to deepen the understanding of the allusions and the images, the symbols and the subtle nuances of meaning that make this poem great. Further discussion with a group of serious readers adds to one's understanding, especially for a non-Catholic like myself.I look forward to further reading of Dante, for just as with other great books this one continues to yield new treasures.

[mykalg_1 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

To fully understand and fall in love with this trilogy, you really need to get a copy that explains who the people are and why Dante hates or admires them. This book changed the way I read books, and made me want to read more classic literature. The depictions of Hell are amazingly vivid, with your imagination filling in any gaps. Horror fans will love this book. Inferno is the easiest of the three poems to read, getting to near impossible with the final, Paradise. This trilogy makes me want to learn Italian, purely so I can read it in its full glory.M

[junesong · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

Even though I'm not very big on religion, this is one of my favorite trilogies. I love the descriptions he gives of hell and heaven. They're very believable and made me picture them in a different way.

[bookworm12_1 · Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle]

This famous book is really a poem, a really long poem. Our narrator is the author himself and the year 1300. Guided by Virgil, Dante travels through the nine circles of hell and describes what he sees in each one. Here's a rundown of what sin imprisoned the individuals in each of the nine circles. First Circle - LimboSecond Circle - LustThird Circle - GluttonyFourth Circle - Avarice and ProdigalityFifth Circle - Wrath and SullennessSixth Circle - HeresySeventh Circle - ViolenceEighth Circle - FraudNinth Circle - BetrayalOne thing that surprised me was the order of the sins. I would have expected violence to be considered worse than fraud. I also would have expected lust to be worse than gluttony. It was interesting to see how Dante ranked them in his version of hell. The "active" sins, like intentional betraying someone, were considered much worse than "passive" sins, like sullenness. The premise being, if you're intentional doing something to hurt or take advantage of someone else than you are more evil than someone who just lets life happen or focuses on the wrong things. It makes sense and I still wouldn't want to suffer the punishments for the passive sins. I thought it was interesting to read about all the different people he runs into in hell. There are historical figures, like Cleopatra, literary legends like Medusa and people like Cain, from the Biblical. It was such a diverse group representing each of the circles of sinners. The thing that was the most fascinating to me was the method of pain and torture inflicted in each circle. The crime definitely fits the punishment and is described in disturbing detail. In a section of the 8th circle flatterers are covered in human excrement, which represents the words they spewed on others during their life. How fitting is that! The souls in hell are trapped in a perpetual cycle of torment that they have selected by their choices in life. The writing and descriptions in The Inferno are intense and often hard to follow. I found myself re-reading many sections to make sure I understood everything. It's absolutely worth reading, but it's heavy material and I can't say it was exactly enjoyable. Here's an example of one of the beautiful sections of the Inferno... CANTO XVIIFor flames I saw, and wailings smote mine ear:So that all trembling close I crouch'd my limbs,And then distinguish'd, unperceiv'd before,By the dread torments that on every sideDrew nearer, how our downward course we wound.

[lpg3d · Valutazione: 2 su 5 stelle]

Without understanding who all these people are and why Dante wanted to see them suffer, this books is a very painful, difficult read. It really requires a companion book to make sense of the scenes.

[lamotm · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

I've read this book, the first of three, in French, when I was 25, and I immediately was swept away by its poetic force, its classical symmetrical construction and its sharp and benign view on the human condition. Brilliantly composed. Each canto tells the story of several prominent historical persons, set in breathtaking landscapes. Tragedy is all around, sometimes with a comical touch, but almost always compassionate. The filosofical and theological dimensions are less prominent than in book II and III. I've reread this book in Dutch (both prose and lyrical translation) and in the original Italian. An everlasting treasure.

[duranain · Valutazione: 4 su 5 stelle]

Fantastic. I am not a christian, but this book is just so incredibly well written, vivid, and poetic. Though I do commend the author notes the most, as without those I would have had no idea what was going on for a lot of the time. Dante is somewhat of a name dropper. Favorite part (not a commentary on who's right, I am referencing more the lyrical aspect and resultant imagery here) is the description of the punishment of Mohammed.

[raven_moon_7 · Valutazione: 5 su 5 stelle]

(Review is of the Penguin Classics translation by Mark Musa, and applies to all three volumes, Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradisio) I would not think to quibble with reviewing Dante himself - Dante is a master, and doesn't need my endorsement. I will say, however, that Musa's translation is an exceptionally sensitive one, and his comprehensive notes are an invaluable aid to the reader less familiar with Dante's broad spheres of reference. Musa is clearly a devoted scholar of Dante, and his concern for Dante's original meaning and tone is evident. This is one of the best translations of The Comedia available.

[t1bnotown · Valutazione: 2 su 5 stelle]

Admittedly, I got rather annoyed with Dante while reading this. He was so self righteous, especially towards the end. At one point he gets mad at someone who tells him not to step on his face. I definitely got the impression that there were a lot of political messages and that Dante was using this as a tool to complain about people. It gets points for having an interesting concept, but I disagreed with a lot of his punishments. The worst one, in my opinion, was the people who were stuck being itchy all the time. That would be awful. For the most part though, the torments were physical and could have been worse. I was also slightly disturbed that liars were worse than murders- um, I've gotta disagree with that one.