Dantisti Message Board

Favorite passages?

One of my favorite terzine is Inferno IV.103-105:

Così andammo infino alla lumera,
parlando cose che 'l tacere è bello,
sì com'era 'l parlar colà dov'era.

Thus we went on as far as the light,
talking of things which were fitting for that place
and of which it is well now to be silent.

(Trans. John. D Sinclair)

As profound as Dante gets in his Commedia, he denies his readers a glimpse into the discussion between these six great poets-- but he doesn't fail to hint that we're missing out.

sorry, i didn't mean for that post above to have such space between the lines.

Grazie, haftime, per l'invito!

I think my favorite passages are those dealing with the recounting of Ugolino's imprisonment in Inf. C. XXXIII - the way he uses the sound of the nails, and the child's plea to evoke the crucifixion, and lays out the child's offer as a twisted parallel of the eucharistic sacrifice - it's Dante at his best. And the chilling amiguity of the final passage (C XXXIII li. 75). It's brilliant. Personally, I think this is the climactic point of the Inferno.

Happy Easter!
This is approximatively the anniversary of the night when - some years ago - our Dante started his otherworldly trip. Let'r remember it and him!
I think it would be maybe practical to merge with the Dante Sitting Room group.
There are not too many Alighieri fans anyway.
Alessandro

A Dante scholar - who happens to be also a very new LT-er - published in 2014 a slim Italian booklet concerning Dante's beloved's identity. The universally recognized Beatrice, daughter of Folco PORTINARI and wife of Simone DE' BARDI might not have been Dante's true love, but only a second "screen" see Vita Nuova, VI, 2.

>6 nisgolsand: Indeed, and good to hear from a new face! I certainly welcome anyone with an interest at DSR.

>7 nisgolsand:. Wow! This is fascinating! Do you have a title or reference? I would love to look this up! I was just discussing how much we assume Beatrice is Bice Portinari, but that, really, we don't know....