L ' I N F E R N O

MANTUA & MANTO
DANTE’S EYES ARE STILL SHUT. VIRGIL COAXES HIM WITH SOFTER MATTERS.
148
VIRGIL:
INF C20 52-54 / DANTE INF C20 52-54 / KLINE
E quella che ricuopre le mammelle, And she that hides her breasts, that you cannot see,
che tu non vedi, con le trecce sciolte, with her flowing tresses,
e ha di là ogne pilosa pelle, and has all hairy skin on the other side,
INF C20 55-57 / DANTE
Manto fu, che cercò per terre molte; was Manto, who searched through many lands,
poscia si puose là dove nacqu' io; then settled where I was born, about which it
onde un poco mi piace che m'ascolte. pleases me to have you listen to me speak a while.
MANTUA: VIRGIL WAS ACTUALLY BORN IN ANDES, NEAR MANTUA.
MANTO: THE DAUGHTER OF TIRESIAS & APOLLO’S PROPHETIC PRIESTESS, THE PYTHONESS, AT DELPHI, WHO MARRIED
RHACIUS, KING OF CARIA & BORE HIM (OR APOLLO) A SON MOPSUS WHO WAS A FAMOUS SOOTHSAYER.
VIRGIL DESCRIBED AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF MANTUA’S FOUNDING IN AENEID 11 98-200.
DANTE SITS DOWN. CLIO, THE MUSE OF HISTORY WHO HAD BEEN WALKING BY, LEANS ON A WALL TO
LISTEN, UNSEEN BY THE POETS.
VIRGIL’S SPEECH INVOLVES A LOT OF HANDWORK INDICATING DIRECTIONS AND LEVELS.
VIRGIL:
INF C20 58-60 / DANTE INF C20 58-60 / KLINE
Poscia che 'l padre suo di vita uscìo After her father departed from life, and Thebes,
e venne serva la città di Baco, the city of Bacchus, came to be enslaved,
questa gran tempo per lo mondo gio. she roamed the world a long time.
INF C20 61-63 / DANTE
Suso in Italia bella giace un laco, A lake, Lake Garda, lies at the foot of the Alps,
a piè de l'Alpe che serra Lamagna up in beautiful Italy,
sovra Tiralli, c'ha nome Benaco. where Germany is closed off beyond the Tyrol.
INF C20 64-66 / DANTE
Per mille fonti, credo, e più si bagna Mount Apennino, between the town
tra Garda e Val Camonica e Pennino of Garda and Val Camonica,
de l'acqua che nel detto laco stagna. is bathed by the water that settles in the lake.
INF C20 67-69 / DANTE
Loco è nel mezzo là dove 'l trentino In the middle there is a place where the Bishops
pastore e quel di Brescia e 'l veronese of Trent, Brescia, and Verona might equally
segnar poria, s'e' fesse quel cammino. give the blessing if they went that way.
INF C20 70-72 / DANTE
Siede Peschiera, bello e forte arnese A strong and beautiful fortress stands,
da fronteggiar Bresciani e Bergamaschi, where the shoreline is lowest,
ove la riva 'ntorno più discese. to challenge the Brescians and Bergamese.
DANTE OPENS HIS BOOK AND BEGINS MAKING NOTES.
VIRGIL:
INF C20 73-75 / DANTE INF C20 73-75 / KLINE
Ivi convien che tutto quanto caschi There, all the water that cannot remain
ciò che 'n grembo a Benaco star non può, in the breast of Lake Garda, has to descend
e fassi fiume giù per verdi paschi. through the green fields, and form a river.