Very interesting and charming Tom! I know that you will be able to make me love Heaven too! Unfortunately at school we neglected it a lot, especially because my teacher (good by the way) was an atheist. Congratulations!
I had the opposite reaction to this canto from what you might have thought: Everything about this canto was satisfying (I was going to say "I ate it up" but I this canto is too dignified to submit to puns). Maybe because it talks so much about poetry, maybe because the dialogue was simple and satisfying, maybe because the emotion felt so unforced and real, it all worked very well together. Also, how could I NOT love a canto that references Giacomo da Lentini, the presumed originator of the sonnet form? I don't know if this is Dante's magic working on me or not, but I do feel lighter as we go along--there's true comfort in these cantos as we progress.
Haha “I ate it up”. Great observation about the feeling of lightness and spontaneity in this canto. I thought of a modern version where, instead of the tree, Dante sees a gigantic upside-down bottle of Pepto Bismol. I saw a tv ad once in Mexico - that would be illegal in the US - that said “Pepto Bismol: eat as much as you like!”. That is the essence of sinful behavior.
it did sing to me under your guidance. and i always enjoy a bit of revenge fantasy which corso's -substitute contemporary politicians of my choice-punishment provided.
I have never ready anything by Dante outside the Divine Comedy. I am not sure why--but I think I will have to look that up tonight. The idea of "taking care of one's soul" is an interesting one. It suggests that dualism that would become a focus in philosophy 200 years later--but in a very different way, as 'taking care' of one's soul also suggests that it can be governed by self, in one way or another. Just an interesting thought, haha.
Yes. In the very complicated and layered way that our brain is made, there are surely some parts (the most ancient ones) that need other parts to manage them very closely. It’s much more complex than instinct vs. conscience, and the day when all this will be explained will be a very good day for so many reasons.
Thank you for your wonderful comments. "An attempt at humility" is perfect. You inspired me back in Canto 20 to finally read Statius, and I've got to say that the translation of the Thebaid that you showed is truly amazing. Vivid and clear. A number of times I've thought "Surely the Latin doesn't say that," but when I checked, her translation was brilliantly accurate. I see partly why Dante so admired Statius--his descriptions of nature are explicit and detailed, both in straight description and simile. I'm in Book 6 right now, and he imagines a chariot race in which a charioteer feels on his shoulders the hot breath of the horses behind him. I don't remember anything like that in Ovid or Virgil. Wow. Thanks again.
I’ve been tempted to add Statius to my list of books for next year, and now your comment has finally convinced me to do it! I might look for a dual language edition and try to dust off my high school latin, or whatever is left of it … (very little) : )
I love dialogue-heavy stories, and tend to write that way myself, so I don't mind all the conversation here. Good dialogue can advance a story just as well as narrative descriptions. I can also relate to the feeling of a poem being dictated from a higher source. Several times, I've had the experience of a book writing me instead of me writing it. The last of the dedications for my first published book even says, "All glories to Hashem [God], without whom I wouldn’t have been given a gift for writing from such a young age, and without whom my brain wouldn’t have been wired according to Divine Will." Many writers and poets these days don't seem to appreciate or understand this concept of higher inspiration fueling one's work.
Well it sounds like your non-Italian commenters have not reacted as expected. As you might guess I particularly enjoyed the images in this canto. The storks using a slipstream, a knight charging ahead of the line, toddlers grizzling over a treat held out of reach and the scents on the breeze of a May morning are all ones that grabbed me. But the poetry discussion was intriguing.
The beautiful similes that he takes from the natural world are - probably - one of the elements coming from Virgil’s writing style. I’m sure there are others but this is the easiest one to spot!
I loved this canto ! It was relaxed and very human , full of warmth and friendship . Dante is clearly delighted to have the chance to discuss poetry and the whole canto is littered with fabulous images . I know I'm in a minority but I'm not that keen on all the references to the classics we usually get so to have none of that was great ....it had a bit of Old Testament vibe with Gideon and the prophetic bits , the disembodied voice , the Tree of Life ....thinking about it though there's not a lot of companionship in the Old Testament...David and Jonathan apart ...
One silly thing to add. My translation uses the word esurient in the last line. I can never hear that word without thinking of the Monty Python cheese shop sketch.
Very interesting and charming Tom! I know that you will be able to make me love Heaven too! Unfortunately at school we neglected it a lot, especially because my teacher (good by the way) was an atheist. Congratulations!
Interesting canto. I liked Dante self-referential line about being a poet inspired by Love.
I do too! Lots of Dante’s personal thoughts in this one, we’re probably missing some.
I had the opposite reaction to this canto from what you might have thought: Everything about this canto was satisfying (I was going to say "I ate it up" but I this canto is too dignified to submit to puns). Maybe because it talks so much about poetry, maybe because the dialogue was simple and satisfying, maybe because the emotion felt so unforced and real, it all worked very well together. Also, how could I NOT love a canto that references Giacomo da Lentini, the presumed originator of the sonnet form? I don't know if this is Dante's magic working on me or not, but I do feel lighter as we go along--there's true comfort in these cantos as we progress.
Haha “I ate it up”.
Great observation about the feeling of lightness and spontaneity in this canto.
I thought of a modern version where, instead of the tree, Dante sees a gigantic upside-down bottle of Pepto Bismol. I saw a tv ad once in Mexico - that would be illegal in the US - that said “Pepto Bismol: eat as much as you like!”. That is the essence of sinful behavior.
it did sing to me under your guidance. and i always enjoy a bit of revenge fantasy which corso's -substitute contemporary politicians of my choice-punishment provided.
Dante is never completely free of his rage against dishonest politicians, not even in Paradiso! (and why should he be?)
@@tomlabooks3263 amen...😀
I have never ready anything by Dante outside the Divine Comedy. I am not sure why--but I think I will have to look that up tonight. The idea of "taking care of one's soul" is an interesting one. It suggests that dualism that would become a focus in philosophy 200 years later--but in a very different way, as 'taking care' of one's soul also suggests that it can be governed by self, in one way or another. Just an interesting thought, haha.
Yes. In the very complicated and layered way that our brain is made, there are surely some parts (the most ancient ones) that need other parts to manage them very closely. It’s much more complex than instinct vs. conscience, and the day when all this will be explained will be a very good day for so many reasons.
Thank you for your wonderful comments. "An attempt at humility" is perfect. You inspired me back in Canto 20 to finally read Statius, and I've got to say that the translation of the Thebaid that you showed is truly amazing. Vivid and clear. A number of times I've thought "Surely the Latin doesn't say that," but when I checked, her translation was brilliantly accurate. I see partly why Dante so admired Statius--his descriptions of nature are explicit and detailed, both in straight description and simile. I'm in Book 6 right now, and he imagines a chariot race in which a charioteer feels on his shoulders the hot breath of the horses behind him. I don't remember anything like that in Ovid or Virgil. Wow. Thanks again.
I’ve been tempted to add Statius to my list of books for next year, and now your comment has finally convinced me to do it! I might look for a dual language edition and try to dust off my high school latin, or whatever is left of it … (very little) : )
I love dialogue-heavy stories, and tend to write that way myself, so I don't mind all the conversation here. Good dialogue can advance a story just as well as narrative descriptions. I can also relate to the feeling of a poem being dictated from a higher source. Several times, I've had the experience of a book writing me instead of me writing it. The last of the dedications for my first published book even says, "All glories to Hashem [God], without whom I wouldn’t have been given a gift for writing from such a young age, and without whom my brain wouldn’t have been wired according to Divine Will." Many writers and poets these days don't seem to appreciate or understand this concept of higher inspiration fueling one's work.
I love that dedication - it makes perfect sense to me. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm.
Well it sounds like your non-Italian commenters have not reacted as expected. As you might guess I particularly enjoyed the images in this canto. The storks using a slipstream, a knight charging ahead of the line, toddlers grizzling over a treat held out of reach and the scents on the breeze of a May morning are all ones that grabbed me. But the poetry discussion was intriguing.
The beautiful similes that he takes from the natural world are - probably - one of the elements coming from Virgil’s writing style. I’m sure there are others but this is the easiest one to spot!
I loved this canto ! It was relaxed and very human , full of warmth and friendship . Dante is clearly delighted to have the chance to discuss poetry and the whole canto is littered with fabulous images . I know I'm in a minority but I'm not that keen on all the references to the classics we usually get so to have none of that was great ....it had a bit of Old Testament vibe with Gideon and the prophetic bits , the disembodied voice , the Tree of Life ....thinking about it though there's not a lot of companionship in the Old Testament...David and Jonathan apart ...
Yes, the similes in this one are to die for… You’re right about the overall sense of peace and warmth that comes through.
One silly thing to add. My translation uses the word esurient in the last line. I can never hear that word without thinking of the Monty Python cheese shop sketch.
😂😂 I KNOW that sketch !