The Divine Comedy

Is anybody interested in reading through and discussing Dante's fantastic poem? It would be slow going, but this forum moves at such a glacial pace that the thread should never be too far away! (If you don't have it I recommend the Everyman edition in Allen Mandelbaum's compelling, light-handed translation).

Great idea, but I've read it a long time ago and I don't remember almost any specifics. Why not start by posting the first Canto and then comment on it, and so on?

Originally posted by Palynka
Great idea, but I've read it a long time ago and I don't remember almost any specifics. Why not start by posting the first Canto and then comment on it, and so on?

I'm reading it again now, so I'm in the same boat as you.

Do you mean posting entire Cantos here?!

One canto at a time sounds good--what pace? One a week? There are online translations but they are a bit turgid (the English ones anyway), so unless you can read the Italian, which is also online, I'd recommend buying the book.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
I'm reading it again now, so I'm in the same boat as you.

Do you mean posting entire Cantos here?!

One canto at a time sounds good--what pace? One a week? There are online translations but they are a bit turgid (the English ones anyway), so unless you can read the Italian, which is also online, I'd recommend buying the book.

Isn't this one the one you were talking about?

http://dante.ilt.columbia.edu/comedy/index.html

There's two English translations, one of which Mandelbaum's and the original Italian version.

Originally posted by Palynka
Isn't this one the one you were talking about?

http://dante.ilt.columbia.edu/comedy/index.html

There's two English translations, one of which Mandelbaum's and the original Italian version.

You're a genius.

All set then. What pace do you fancy?

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
You're a genius.

All set then. What pace do you fancy?

One canto at a time for the start. If it doesn't work out it can always be changed.

I'm not a literary or a Dante expert, so don't expect much from me. I'm mostly interested in hearing what others have to say and will attempt to provide some input from time to time...

Originally posted by catfoodtim
One a week sounds a good enough pace, though, like Palynka, I suspect I'll be dipping in and out if that's ok?

How do you scream "Nein!" in Italian?

I'm sure that'll be fine...there are 100 cantos in all, so if we're all here in 2 years time, we'll be frigging well up on Dante...(Think we can make it two a week? They're only a few pages long each.)

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
How do you scream "Nein!" in Italian?

I'm sure that'll be fine...there are 100 cantos in all, so if we're all here in 2 years time, we'll be frigging well up on Dante...

This is a great idea, and we can always skip Purgatorio.

Originally posted by bbarr
This is a great idea, and we can always skip Purgatorio.

Yes...Paradiso is exceptionally mysterious and takes twice as long to read, so that's probably the right way to go.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Yes...Paradiso is exceptionally mysterious and takes twice as long to read, so that's probably the right way to go.

I've read Paradise Lost several times and adore it, but for some reason I've never read anythign by Dante, so this would be of great interest to me.

Originally posted by Starrman
I've read Paradise Lost several times and adore it, but for some reason I've never read anythign by Dante, so this would be of great interest to me.

OK. Let this not be another Apology, everyone. (Mandelbaum's a much better translator than whoever translated that text, and Dante is, to me at least, much more interesting than Plato).

I'm in, too.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Is anybody interested in reading through and discussing Dante's fantastic poem? It would be slow going, but this forum moves at such a glacial pace that the thread should never be too far away! (If you don't have it I recommend the Everyman edition in Allen Mandelbaum's compelling, light-handed translation).

I'm in. I'm currently rereading the whole Divine Comedy (Ciardi translation) and am near the end of the Purgatorio (the earthly paradise). The Ciardi version is fantastic for anyone interested. He maintains a cohesive rhyme scheme throughout the entire poem which I believe is similar if not the same as Dante's.

I've only read the Inferno, but I'd love to hear some thoughts on the deeper meaning of the story. I understand (sort of) the levels and who goes there, but are there any deeper ideas?