Divine Comedy Read-along Update: Week 2
The Barque of Dante, Eugène Delacroix, 1822
It’s week two of the 2021 Chapter-a-day Read-along, and we’re over a third of the way through Inferno, the first part of Dante’s The Divine Comedy. This post gives you an opportunity to share your thoughts, quotes, and questions about the book up to canto thirteen.
Some Quotes from the Past Week
“Men of sound intellect and probity, weigh with good understanding what lies hidden behind the veil of my strange allegory!” Inferno, Canto IX (Ciardi)
“…the aim of malice is to injure others whether by fraud or violence. But since fraud is the vice of which man alone is capable, God loathes it most.” Inferno, Canto XI (Ciardi)
Where is Dante Now?
Dante and Virgil are in the seventh circle of Hell where they encounter the Violent.
From Twitter
Life Lessons from Dante and Pink Ice Cream Vans #divinecomedyreadalong #TheScoop @CatWalkerAuthor https://t.co/XVsm80IKrY
— Liz Humphreys ?? (@LizzieHumphreys) January 10, 2021
Like my ironic, though unintentional, choice of footnote bookmark for #DivineComedyReadalong? pic.twitter.com/TIudZsjm5V
— Denise Gorss (@Denise205) January 10, 2021
Your Turn
Leave a comment with an insight, question, or favorite line from the past week. Please refrain from any spoilers.
I don’t want this to be a spoiler, so if you haven’t read Canto 12 yet you may want to skip reading this comment, but I’m wondering if anyone has thoughts about where Virgil’s power to compel the citizens of Hell is coming from? The Commento notes that he has certain abilities, particularly against classical monsters he would’ve been familiar with in his own time and literature, and of course we know that he was sent on this mission by Heavenly powers, so perhaps some of his abilities are divinely inspired, but since he’s a pagan and doesn’t believe in the God that governs Heaven, can he still act out His will? How, exactly, does that work? We’ve also heard that Virgil, himself, has been compelled to go on at least two errands into Hell, under the command of a pagan witch character, and I’m wondering how SHE has such powers as well. Why would a denizen of the lower layers be able to compel Virgil to actions on her behalf, and is this the same kind of power that God has (maybe sort of the Dark Side to his Force)? I guess part of my question here is whether Virgil still has any free will about who he obeys within the afterlife, whether sent by good or evil forces to complete a mission.