January 2024
It was about time I read this book. We have two copies.
The first one is the Oxford Classic which I’m poring over (you have no idea how much I love going deeply into the book with its end notes and references to figures of history and philosophy – which I may add, all happen to be in hell)……there’s no hope for me then.
The second one is Clive James who rewrote the epic lyric poem in his own words using the same cadence as the original Italian.
I read the Oxford one first. Aloud. Then I take my own notes as to what I “think” is being said. Then, I look to the references and end notes to confirm.
I read out the Clive James one (I do wonder how much influence his wife – expert and scholar on The Divine Comedy has helped him). I read that one aloud too but in all honesty, there are some cantos that I just prefer the original. It must have been scary to the people of the Middle Ages to read (or hear aloud it being read) of the rims of hell. The thing is, it seems everyone was down there. Even Jesus made an appearance in Limbo in the 4th Canto in hell although he was quickly called upstairs.
I think that could have been the time the Romans stuck him in his tomb and he was there for a few days before his resurrection 🤔 (if I try to remember my church stories which I’ve long since forgotten).
Afterwards, I scribble some more notes then watch a YouTube series about each of the cantos to cement what I learned about each layer of hell.
I’m loving this process. A couple of cantos every day. Poem-like, read aloud while Pud the cat dozes at my feet.
Dante was quite creative I must say but having all the Greek philosophers in hell is something else. I could understand all the promiscuous people (Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Guinevere, you name it, they’re all damned. But the Greek philosophers who brought so much to this world?!)
Righto. Best I continue.
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