I highly suggest the C.H. Sisson translation in the Oxford World Classics edition. I haven't read it in it's entirety, only certain, lengthy sections from Inferno and Purgatorio. My dissertation tutor has recommended it, and I might try and get it in full at some point, but of the lengthy sections I've read it seems decent enough, obviously I can't say what the entire thing is like, but it is not without problems. For example: Dante Alighieri tired to be as clear as possible in his writing, and this just isn't clear. It's also too close to Victorian pseudo-knightly language for it to be enjoyable after a while. And compare this against the Sisson translation: Sayer's attempt to keep the Terza Rima rhyme scheme was really brave. That alone is commendable.
I am trying to get into the prophecy Cacciaguida's prophecy While in Purgatory and Hell Dante heard "foreboding words" concerning his future. Now he wants to know clearly from Cacciaguida what will happen in his life. Cacciaguida explains: "Contingency,' which doth exercise no right Beyond the frame of matter where you lie, Stands all depicted in Eternal Sight." Though suffering thence no more necessity, Than doth the vessel down the river gliding From its reflection in the watcher's eye." (Canto XVII.43-45) Thou shalt abandon each and every thing most dear to thee;... Thou by sharp experience be aware How salt and bred of strangers is, how hard The up and down of someone else's stair." Thy first abode, thy refuge first assured, Shall be the mighty Lombard's courtesy, Who on the ladder bears the sacred bird." "Sour as thy speech may seem at first, when tasted, 'Twill leave behind it much good, wholesome stuff, ... Thy cry shall beat as beats the wind, most rough Against the loftiest tops; this shall redound Much to thine honour, and is cause enough." (Canto XVII. 130-135) These are the prophecies. Are there five prophecies all together?
I see what you mean, Lemex. I guess you're going to get some tortured phrasing on occasion merely by trying to preserve a certain structure and or rhyme when moving to English from Italian.
Yeah. Don't get me wrong, Sayer's keeping of the Terza Rima scheme was really brave, and in itself highly commendable.
Cacian, you may want to look into Allen Mandelbaum's translation. It's good enough for the casual reader, although he doesn't follow the terza rima in his translation. Lemex, what's you dissertation topic on, if I may ask? Also, are you reading it in English? I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that you had to read a work in its original language for a dissertation.
My dissertation is on the politics of the cycle. And I'm using the C.H. Sisson translation as a reference. And you don't need to use the original language in a dissertation.
If anyone wants to read the entire Longfellow translation for free, it's here. It does not come with footnotes however, which might, for some, be a problem.
Hey Lemex thank you for this. I shall have a read and maybe bring some passages we could discuss. Lemex do you think Dante's Divine Comedy is original? The whole peom is used in the first person singualr. I once was told that it was better to use the second person singular YOU in order to involve the reader. I once wrote using through a poem and someone said it is all about 'I', too much of ''me me me'' it is better to address the reader using YOU.
I find these two pictures very similar This is DaVinci Picture The Vitruvian Man (c. 1485) Accademia, Venice and this aWilliam Blake: Inferno, Canto IX, 44-64, The Angel an the Gate of Disiam Blake
The Longfellow translation is very good. My only qualm with it is really more of a personal one: people who tell me they too love Dante's work almost always quote the same line: 'Abandon Hope all Ye Who Enter Here', which is the famous line from the Longfellow translation. And these same people often can't quote the first three lines from that same translation. I often get the impression they are lying to be honest, and it makes me sad. One guy said he 'forgot' that Virgil was in it and I'm not even joking. I've had someone tell me (sober!) that he 'forgot' Virgil appeared in it. That's like 'forgetting' Samwise Gamgee appeared in Lord of the Rings. That famous line, from Canto III of Inferno, is translated more accurately into English as: 'No room for Hope when you enter this place'.
I shall retrieve in Italian see the impact it has... This stenza stood out for me more then the one you quoted: Why the evil seed of Adam?
Of course it is. It wouldn't have survived more than half a century if it wasn't. It also coined the idea of Hell being a structured, ordered place with circles set apart for different sins. Referring to the Adam in Genesis. And 'seed' is understood to mean a family line.
Indeed I do understanf about Adam in Genesis. I am questioning the word Evil? In what context is it Evil?
These lines stood out again from Canto IIIAnd he to me, as one experienced: 1) On abandons cowardice and suspicion but then one must also 2) abondon hope?? Is HOPE here is reference to Pandora's box? Because abonding the first two makes sense but why abondon hope too? I am not clear on what does he mean? then wasn't this poem written in Tuscany Dialect? why is it refered to here are HORRIBLE?
This is why we need footnotes kids. Well, Adam and Eve eat from the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, and this was forbidden by god. Eve tempted Adam to eat from it, after she was tempted herself by the talking snake. Because of this Adam and Eve was banished from Eden. Their 'Evil' is their weakness and betrayal of God. Betrayal is the sin of the lowest, and most harsh circle of Hell. No. Why would you think this? 'All hope abandon, ye who enter in' signifies that Dante has crossed into Hell. Dante is hearing the screams of the damned. On a side note I've just found my new band name.
Hope is very significant in the Christian Faith and it is in Pandora's box. I understood it as he saying abondon all hope as it to say to Pandora to let the Hope out. This is how I understood. Remember it is opened to interpretations. He is hearing them screaming. He only knows one dialect and that is the Tuscany Dialect. How would he know what other dialects are like. He only speaks Tuscan. I am not understanding what he means by HORRIBLE dialect. Charon is that the same is Sharon a female's name?
Pandora's Box housed all the evils of the world. Not hope. I'm not terribly familiar with German but I know it when I hear it. If you hear a dialect you are unfamiliar with you know it's unfamiliar and still a dialect, even if you don't know exactly what it is or what is being said. Charon is a creature from Greek Mythology, he ferried souls to the Underworld across the river Styx.
Cacciaguida's Prophecy of Dante's Banishment Banish and vanish are they the same? About the prophecy any reason it is the grand grand father and not his father or his grand father? . Here the mention of Christ being bought and sold ? Can you shed some light on this Lemex? and Oh what is your band's name?
No, they are very different. Google them. Don't know, I don't think it will be earth shattering though, and Dante isn't around to ask. Look at the lines: Dante is describing a time in which Christ is meaningless, a commodity, instead of a path to Paradise. I don't have a band, it was just a joke. But I have played in my housemate's band and recorded with them. I'm just not officially a member.
about this languages diverse ? Words of agony ?? how does he know what the words are? It is language then it is a dialect. You can only have or the other. I do not follow...... I am also confused about how does one know that Hell is not ONE and ONLY which means there is one langauge spoken because it is no longer earth/life. The whole pointo the afterlife is that EVERYONE is THE SAME. I am not sure I can of want to believe that there is multietinictiy in Hell too. Religions in from fo God we are ALL EQUAL and that is beginning with the language we speak. I do not get it.
If you heard the screams of numberless people from different backgrounds you'd just know it. And it's both, different dialects and different languages. He's suggesting a mass of people screaming. I do not follow...... If you read on you'll see that in Hell souls still keep their personalities and language. I don't understand why this would be a problem. It always seemed pretty simple to me.
