L ' I N F E R N O

(ALTERNATIVELY, DIDO SPEAKS IN VIRGIL’S LATIN AND VIRGIL INTERPRETS.)
VIRGIL:
INF C5 61-62 / DANTE INF C5 61-63 / KLINE
L'altra è colei che s'ancise amorosa, The next is Dido who killed herself for love,
e ruppe fede al cener di Sicheo; and broke faith with Sichaeus’s ashes:
SICHAEUS: MYTHICAL HUSBAND OF DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE. SEE THE AENEID.
VIRGIL: or VIRGIL:
INF C5 63 / DANTE INF C5 63 / KLINE
poi è Cleopatràs lussurïosa. then comes …licentious Licentious Cleopatra.
INF C5 64-66 / DANTE
Elena vedi, per cui tanto reo See Helen, for whom, so long,
tempo si volse, e vedi 'l grande Achille, the mills of war revolved: and see the great
Achilles,
che con amore al fine combatteo. who fought in the end with love, of Polyxena.
ACHILLES: GREEK HERO OF HOMER’S ILIAD WHO AVENGES THE DEATH OF PATROCLUS BY KILLING HECTOR & DIES FROM AN
ARROW WOUND INFLICTED BY PARIS IN HIS VULNERABLE HEEL. OFFERED THE CHOICE OF GLORY OR A LONG LIFE HE CHOSE
FAME & A BRIEF EXISTENCE. ULYSSES (ODYSSEUS) MEETS HIS SOUL IN HADES (ODYSSEY 11).
INF C5 67-69 / DANTE
Vedi Parìs, Tristano»; e più di mille See Paris; Tristan…and he pointed out
ombre mostrommi e nominommi a dito, more than a thousand shadows with his finger,
ch'amor di nostra vita dipartille. whom love had severed from life.
PARIS: TROJAN PRINCE WHOSE ABDUCTION OF HELEN FROM SPARTA INITIATED THE TROJAN WAR. PARIS WAS INVOLVED IN
JUDGING THE MERITS OF THE THREE GODDESSES HERA, ATHENE & APHRODITE, CHOOSING APHRODITE, GODDESS OF LOVE,
AS SUPREME. (THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS). TO DANTE & THE MIDDLE AGES THE TYPE OF THE GREAT (PAGAN) LOVER.
TRISTAN, TRISTRAM; LEGENDARY LOVER OF ISOLDE (ISEULT/YSEULT) IN THE MEDIEVAL STORIES CENTRED AROUND KING
ARTHUR. THE TYPE OF THE GREAT LOVER. HE WAS KILLED BY MARK, ISEULT’S HUSBAND.
INF C5 70-72 / KLINE
After I had heard my teacher name the ancient knights and ladies, pity overcame me, and I was as if dazed,
PAOLO & FRANCESCA
DANTE POINTS INTO THE DARKNESS.
DANTE:
INF C5 73-75 / DANTE INF C5 73-75 / KLINE
I' cominciai: «Poeta, volontieri I began: Poet, I would speak, willingly,
parlerei a quei due che 'nsieme vanno, to those two who go together,
e paion sì al vento esser leggeri». and seem so light upon the wind.
VIRGIL:
INF C5 76-78 / DANTE INF C5 76-78 / KLINE
Ed elli a me: «Vedrai quando saranno And he to me: You will see, when they are
più presso a noi; e tu allor li priega nearer to us, you can beg them, then,
per quello amor che i mena, ed ei verranno». by the love that leads them, and they will come.
DANTE: or DANTE:
INF C5 79-81 / DANTE INF C5 79-81 / KLINE
Sì tosto come il vento a noi li piega As soon as the wind brought them to us,
Mossi la voce: O anime affannate, I raised my voice: O weary souls, come
venite a noi parlar, s'altri nol niega! and talk with us, if no one prevents it.
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