Dante: Divine Comedy

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I am really interested in reading the Divine Comedy (all three parts). I read bits and pieces in college for class. One of the first things I realized is that Dante references a lot of things that are germane to his own context. That being the case, it is good to have a copy with lots of footnotes explaining the many references.

Two questions:

1) Can anyone recommend a version (all three parts) with a lot of footnotes that explain the many references, as well as touches on various philosophical/theological points of interest?

2) What is your experience and thoughts about Dante's Divine Comedy?

Any response is greatly appreciated. Much love and grace to you! :)
 

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I am really interested in reading the Divine Comedy (all three parts). I read bits and pieces in college for class. One of the first things I realized is that Dante references a lot of things that are germane to his own context. That being the case, it is good to have a copy with lots of footnotes explaining the many references.

Two questions:

1) Can anyone recommend a version (all three parts) with a lot of footnotes that explain the many references, as well as touches on various philosophical/theological points of interest?

2) What is your experience and thoughts about Dante's Divine Comedy?

Any response is greatly appreciated. Much love and grace to you! :)

Hello,

I highly recommend the Dorothy Sayers translation by Penguin classics. Each Canto has a description and explanation after it, plenty of footnotes to give a definition of imagery, names, etc and plenty of diagrams showing the layout of Hell, Purgatory and Heaven.

I found the translation very easy to read an understand. I have no understanding of Renaissance or Medieval Italian but found this particular translation very enjoyable.

I am curious what your impression will be once you've read it
 
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1) Can anyone recommend a version (all three parts) with a lot of footnotes that explain the many references, as well as touches on various philosophical/theological points of interest?
Sorry, I can't help. Its been many years since I read it myself, and the best I remember only the 'inferno' portion... also classwork.

2) What is your experience and thoughts about Dante's Divine Comedy?
To me the 'inferno' just seemed like an interesting story about his journey through hell, but of course the college perspective was allegorical, the details of which, I have forgotten. The part I do remember most, while reading late one night, was his description of the sign he encountered above the gates of hell... "Abandon Hope Forever All Ye Who Enter Here."
 
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"Abandon Hope Forever All Ye Who Enter Here."

Classic line, what a sense of humour.

Apparently Dante considered 'the queue' to be hell on visiting London. Plus ca change.
 
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2) What is your experience and thoughts about Dante's Divine Comedy?

I read it last year (all three parts) and must admit it left me very cold. His description of hell seemed ridiculous, just over the top and rather arbitrary; I don't believe in purgatory at all, so while that was interesting it was kind of fantastical; and the heaven portion was so utterly boooring I had difficulty keeping track of the narrative. (And I'm normally a pretty avid reader and open to different styles and genres etc).

At best I'd say it gave me a fascinating peek into the mind of someone whose take on Christian spirituality was pretty much utterly alien to mine, but it was a hard, hard slog.
 
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Sorry, I can't help. Its been many years since I read it myself, and the best I remember only the 'inferno' portion... also classwork.


To me the 'inferno' just seemed like an interesting story about his journey through hell, but of course the college perspective was allegorical, the details of which, I have forgotten. The part I do remember most, while reading late one night, was his description of the sign he encountered above the gates of hell... "Abandon Hope Forever All Ye Who Enter Here."

Yes, I remember that. Frightening!

Another thing I remember is that the further down one goes in the Inferno, the colder and more solid things become, which is the opposite of what many assume about hell. Satan, if I recall, is virtually trapped in ice! On the other hand, the more you go up in the Paradisio, the more ethereal or spirit-like things become. So hell is solid and heaven is spirit. Of course, all of Dante's considerations are informed by various philosophical influences, especially Aristotle (via Aquinas).

Also, one of the things I really enjoyed was where he placed all his "friends" and "enemies." Everyone is placed in a circle the represents either their sins or their virtues. That's part of why I need the footnotes, so that I can understand the context of his own time to which he is referring.
 
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I read it last year (all three parts) and must admit it left me very cold. His description of hell seemed ridiculous, just over the top and rather arbitrary; I don't believe in purgatory at all, so while that was interesting it was kind of fantastical; and the heaven portion was so utterly boooring I had difficulty keeping track of the narrative. (And I'm normally a pretty avid reader and open to different styles and genres etc).

At best I'd say it gave me a fascinating peek into the mind of someone whose take on Christian spirituality was pretty much utterly alien to mine, but it was a hard, hard slog.

Yeah, I get that. Without all the footnotes and background, I couldn't enjoy it either. The history and theology behind it is what thrills me.
 
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I can attest to the wisdom of taking the time to find a good translation. I came to it sort of backwards. I read Inferno by Niven and Pournelle. It was a modern take on it. Not quite a sequel but not a remake either as it made reference to the original. A rather enjoyable book.

Thinking about the Niven and Pournelle story I recall that only one of the people they meet in hell thinks they belong there, all the rest think ill done by at the least. I'm curious if it is the same in Dante's Inferno.

BTW Niven and Pournelle have an interesting twist of hoarders and wasters which involves one of the few people mentioned who was alive during their lifetime.
 
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Yes, I remember that. Frightening!

Another thing I remember is that the further down one goes in the Inferno, the colder and more solid things become, which is the opposite of what many assume about hell. Satan, if I recall, is virtually trapped in ice! On the other hand, the more you go up in the Paradisio, the more ethereal or spirit-like things become. So hell is solid and heaven is spirit. Of course, all of Dante's considerations are informed by various philosophical influences, especially Aristotle (via Aquinas).

Also, one of the things I really enjoyed was where he placed all his "friends" and "enemies." Everyone is placed in a circle the represents either their sins or their virtues. That's part of why I need the footnotes, so that I can understand the context of his own time to which he is referring.
I agree with needing the footnotes. Even though I've forgotten the contextual explanations, our work at the time centered on that and it was necessary for interpretations. I remember just trying to enjoy the story for the story though, and interpreting allegories was secondary. Probably why I didn't ace the class.
 
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So hell is solid and heaven is spirit. Of course, all of Dante's considerations are informed by various philosophical influences, especially Aristotle (via Aquinas).

You're probably aware that in traditional science fire is the heavenly element as it always seeks its home, the flames lick upwards.

Also, one of the things I really enjoyed was where he placed all his "friends" and "enemies."

A lot has been said recently of the fact he puts the usurers and sodomites together. Barren, unnatural, unproductive and abominable sins.
 
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You're probably aware that in traditional science fire is the heavenly element as it always seeks its home, the flames lick upwards.

No, I hadn't thought about in that way, specifically. Good point.
 
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No, I hadn't thought about in that way, specifically. Good point.

So the same rationale explains why Aristotelian hell is icy. Water is the heavy element, heads down, away from God and towards absolute zero. I could be wrong.
 
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So the same rationale explains why Aristotelian hell is icy. Water is the heavy element, heads down, away from God and towards absolute zero. I could be wrong.

I'm not familiar with an Aristotelian hell, but I think you're right. Hell is further away from God and so colder, more solid. The idea that water is a heavier element in comparison to fire (assuming the four elements of antiquity) makes perfect sense.
 
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I'm not familiar with an Aristotelian hell, but I think you're right. Hell is further away from God and so colder, more solid. The idea that water is a heavier element in comparison to fire (assuming the four elements of antiquity) makes perfect sense.

I cannot be certain as to the concept from Aristotle or from early Christianity but the idea of a frozen/cold Hell is interesting. The bottom of Hell in the Divine Comedy has the betrayers to their lords. At the bottom and center are the four worst betrayers: Satan (first to rebel and to rebel against God) Judas, who betrayed God the Son and then Cassius and Brutus who betrayed Caesar. A 'cold' heart is one that will betray another so the level of Hell for the betrayers also reflects their hearts, cold and inhospitable.

The Dorothy Sayers translation I read explains a lot of that and about Christian doctrines (something I am not qualified to do certainly)
 
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I don’t know about the philosophical description of hell as ‘ice’ fellows... the Bible only describes hell as darkness, gnashing of teeth, fire and separation from God that I know of.

Remember the ‘Sleepy Hollow’ movie scene: the skin was cauterized in the very instant, as though the fire itself was red-hot. And yet, no blistering, no scorched flesh. The devil’s fire.
 
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I don’t know about the philosophical description of hell as ‘ice’ fellows... the Bible only describes hell as darkness, gnashing of teeth, fire and separation from God that I know of.

Remember the ‘Sleepy Hollow’ movie scene: the skin was cauterized in the very instant, as though the fire itself was red-hot. And yet, no blistering, no scorched flesh. The devil’s fire.

Oh yes, you're definitely right. Dante's description of hell is not wholly dependent on the scriptures. He's pulling from various sources throughout the whole Comedy: the scriptures, philosophy, church tradition, and so on.
 
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