"" Thence we came forth to rebehold the stars." In the year 1300, on the night before Good Friday, Dante loses his way in the woods. Standing in front of a mountain, he is surrounded by three beasts-- a lion, a leopard, and a she-wolf. Dante cannot escape. He returns to the dark woods, unable to find a straight way, and runs into the ghost of the great Roman poet Virgil. What happens when, led by Virgil, Dante embarks on his journey to Heaven through Hell? The first part of Dante Alighieri's epic poem Divine Comedy, ...
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"" Thence we came forth to rebehold the stars." In the year 1300, on the night before Good Friday, Dante loses his way in the woods. Standing in front of a mountain, he is surrounded by three beasts-- a lion, a leopard, and a she-wolf. Dante cannot escape. He returns to the dark woods, unable to find a straight way, and runs into the ghost of the great Roman poet Virgil. What happens when, led by Virgil, Dante embarks on his journey to Heaven through Hell? The first part of Dante Alighieri's epic poem Divine Comedy, Inferno deftly depicts the narrator's allegorical journey through Hell. Composed spectacularly with rich and vivid imagery, it is considered one of the finest works in the Italian language."
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Reading this paraphrase allowed me to visualize the story. Mary Jo Bang uses dozens of contemporary references to bring the poem to life. Her notes are excellent. I also read parts of Ciardi's translation, which is quite good, but not as fun or edgy as this one.
Stacey R
Oct 13, 2011
Excellent!
John Ciardi's translation of Inferno is detailed and rich with use of the English language that most closely matches the original language of this work.
HIs historical references and explanations are numerous and make the work even more meaningful. For a classical work originally from the middle ages, Ciardi makes it very understandable and enjoyable for modern audiences.