The divine comedy of Dante Alighieri. Volume 1, Inferno ; ed. and transl. by Robert M. Durling ; introd. and notes by Ronald L. Martinez and Robert M. Durling ; ill. by Robert Turner

This is the first volume of a new prose translation of Dante's epic - the first in twenty-five years. Robert Durling's translation brings a new power and accuracy to the rendering of Dante's extraordinary vision of Hell, with its terror, pathos, and sardonic humour, and its penetratinganalyses of the psychology of sin and the ills that plague society.A newly edited version of the Italian text can be on facing pages, and this edition includes fully comprehensive notes as well as sixteen essays on special subjects. This first volume of Robert Durling's new translation of The Divine Comedy brings a new power and accuracy to the rendering of Dante's extraordinary vision of Hell, with all its terror, pathos, and humor. Remarkably true to both the letter and spirit of this central work of Western literature, Durling's is a prose translation (the first to appear in twenty-five years), and is thus free of the exigencies of meter and rhyme that hamper recent verse translations. As Durling notes,'the closely literal style is a conscious effort to convey in part the nature of Dante's Italian, notoriously craggy and difficult even for Italians.'Rigorously accurate as to meaning, it is both clear and supple, while preserving to an unparalleled degree the order and emphases of Dante's complex syntax. The Durling-Martinez Inferno is also user-friendly. The Italian text, newly edited, is printed on each verso page; the English mirrors it in such a way that readers can easily find themselves in relation to the original terza rima. Designed with the first-time reader of Dante in mind, the volume includes comprehensive notes and textual commentary by Martinez and Durling: both are life-long students of Dante and other medieval writers (their Purgatorio and Paradiso will appear next year). Their introduction is a small masterpiece of its kind in presenting lucidly and concisely the historical and conceptual background of the poem. Sixteen short essays are provided that offer new inquiry into such topics as the autobiographical nature of the poem, Dante's views on homosexuality, and the recurrent, problematic body analogy (Hell has a structure parallel to that of the human body). The extensive notes, containing much new material, explain the historical, literary, and doctrinal references, present what is known about the damned souls Dante meets --from the lovers who spend eternity in the whirlwind of their passion, to Count Ugolino, who perpetually gnaws at his enemy's skull--disentangle the vexed party politics of Guelfs and Ghibellines, illuminate difficult and disputed passages, and shed light on some of Dante's unresolved conflicts. Robert Turner's illustrations include detailed maps of Italy and several of its regions, clearly labeled diagrams of the cosmos and the structure of Hell, and eight line drawings illustrating objects and places mentioned in the poem. With its exceptionally high standard of typography and design, the Durling-Martinez Inferno offers readers a solid cornerstone for any home library. It will set the standard for years to come. De goddelijke komedie is de beschrijving van een denkbeeldige tocht door het hiernamaals. Zij heeft drie delen: de hel, het vagevuur en het paradijs en ieder van deze delen heeft drieëndertig zangen van niet geheel gelijke lengte, terwijl aan het eerste deel nog een inleidende zang voorafgaat, waardoor het totale aantal van de zang honderd bedraagt. Dit aantal is geen toevalligheid. Het getal honderd gold in de middeleeuwse getallensymboliek, waarvan ook Dante een naarstig beoefenaar was, als het zinnebeeld van de volmaaktheid. Drie is het getal van de personen der heilige drie-eenheid, drieëndertig is het aantal jaren van Jezus' aardse leven. In de eerste zang van De goddelijke komedie is Dante verdwaald in een donker woud en terwijl hij wanhopig naar hulp uitziet ontmoet hij daar de Latijnse dichter Vergilius. Samen verlaten zij het aardoppervlak en dalen af naar de hel, die voorgesteld wordt als een systeem van concentrische, zich steeds verder vernauwende kringen, een soort geringde trechter, die tenslotte in het middelpunt van de aarde eindigt. Daar zit Lucifer in het ijs, met zijn hoofd naar ons halfrond toe en met zijn voeten naar het zuidelijk halfrond gekeerd. Tussen het ijs en Lucifer vinden Dante en Vergilius een weg langs het middelpunt van de aarde en stijgen dan weer op naar het zuidelijk halfrond. Zij bereiken een eiland, waar zich een hoge berg verheft, de louteringsberg van het vagevuur, waar de zielen die in staat van genade zijn gestorven, maar hun aardse schulden nog niet hebben uitgeboet, geleidelijk gelouterd worden en opstijgen naar de hemelse zaligheid. Deze berg, een soort tegenbeeld van de hel, heeft langs zijn flanken steeds nauwer wordende gaanderijen. Daarlangs stijgen Dante en Vergilius opwaarts naar de top, waar zich het aardse paradijs bevindt. Wanneer zij daar zijn aangekomen, wordt Vergilius als Dante's geleider afgelost door Beatrice. Samen met Beatrice stijgt Dante nu opwaarts naar het paradijs. De eeuwige woonplaats van de zaligen bestraald door het licht van God.

this New Translation Presents The Italian Text Of The inferno, And, On Facing Pages, Robert Durling's New Prose Translation, Which Brings A New Power And Accuracy To The Rendering Of Dantes Extraordinary Vision Of Hell, With All Its Terror, Pathos, And Sardonic Humor, And Its Penetrating Analyses Of The Psychology Of Sin And The Ills That Plague Society. Readers Will Prize The Directness And Clarity, The Rich Expressiveness, And The Rigorous Accuracy Of This Contemporary Prose Translation, Which Preserves To An Unparalleled Degree The Order And Emphases Of Dante's Syntax, Unhampered By Any Constraints Of Meter Or Rhyme. The Italian Text Has Been Newly Edited With A View To The Needs Of American And English Readers.
Martinez' And Durling's Introduction And Notes Are Designed With The First-time Reader Of The Poem In Mind, But Will Be Useful To Others As Well. The Concise Introduction Presents Essential Biographical And Historical Background And A Discussion Of The Form Of The Poem. The Notes Are More Extensive Than Those In Most Translations Currently Available, And They Contain Much New Material. In Addition, Sixteen Short Essays Explore The Autobiographical Dimension Of The Poem, The Problematic Body Analogy, The Question Of Christ's Presence In Hell, And Individual Cantos That Have Been The Subject Of Controversy, Including Those On Homosexuality. There Is An Extensive Bibliography, And The Indexes (to Foreign Words, Passages Cited, Proper Names In The Notes, And Proper Names In The Text) Will Make The Volume Particularly Useful.
Robert Turner's Illustrations Include Detailed Maps Of Italy, Clearly Labeled Diagrams Of The Cosmos And Of The Structure Of Hell, And Line Drawings Of Objects And Places Mentioned In The Poem.

CONTENTS Abbreviations, xv Introduction, 2 PARADISO CANTO 1 Notes to Canto 1 CANTO 2 Notes to Canto 2 CANTO 3Notes to Canto 3 CANTO 4Notes to Canto 4CANTO 5Notes to Canto 5CANTO 6Notes to Canto 6CANTO 7Notes to Canto 7 CANTO 8Notes to Canto 8CANTO 9Notes to Canto 9 CANTO 10Notes to Canto 10 CANTO 11Notes to Canto 11CANTO 12Notes to Canto 12 CANTO 13Notes to Canto 13CANTO 14Notes to Canto 14 CANTO 15Notes to Canto 15 CANTO 16Notes to Canto 16 CANTO 17Notes to Canto 17CANTO 18Notes to Canto 18 CANTO 19Notes to Canto 19 CANTO 20Notes to Canto 20CANTO 21Notes to Canto 21CANTO 22Notes to Canto 22 CANTO 23Notes to Canto 23 CANTO 24Notes to Canto 24CANTO 25Notes to Canto 25 CANTO 26Notes to Canto 26 CANTO 27Notes to Canto 27 CANTO 28Notes to Canto 28CANTO 29Notes to Canto 29 CANTO 30Notes to Canto 30CANTO 31Notes to Canto 31CANTO 32Notes to Canto 32 CANTO 33Notes to Canto 33 THE NICENE CREEDBOETHIUS' O QUI PERPETUA MUNDUM RATIONE GUBERNASNotes to "O qui perpetua'ADDITIONAL NOTES1. The Figure of Beatrice (After Canto 2)2. The Paradiso and the Monarchia3.The Primacy of the Intellect, the Sun, and the Circling Theologians (After Canto 14)4. Dante and the Liturgy (After Canto 15)5. The Religious Orders in the Paradiso 6. The Threshold Cantos in the Comedy 7. The Fate of Phaethon in the Comedy 8. Circle-Cross-Eagle-Scales: Images in the Paradiso9. The Final Image 10. The Neoplatonic Background11. Dante and Neoplatonism12. Dante's Astrology13. The Heavens and the Sciences: Convivio 214. The Paradiso as Alpha and OmegaTextual VariantsBibliographyIndex of Italian, Latin, and Other Foreign Words Discussed in the NotesIndex of Passages Cited in the NotesIndex of Proper Names in the NotesIndex of Proper Names in the Text and Translation This first volume of this new Divine Comedy presents the Italian text of the Inferno and, on facing pages, a new prose translation (the first in twenty-five years). The editor's translation brings a new power and accuracy to the rendering of Dante's extraordinary vision of Hell, with all its terror, pathos, and sardonic humor, and its penetrating analyses of the psychology of sin and the ills that plague society. The introduction and notes are designed with the first-time reader of the poem in mind but will be useful to others as well. The concise introduction presents essential biographical and historical background and a discussion of the form of the poem. The notes are more extensive than those in most translations currently available, and they contain much new material. In addition, sixteen short essays explore the autobiographical dimension of the poem, the problematic body analogy, the question of Christ's presence in Hell, and individual cantos that have been the subject of controversy, including those on homosexuality. There is an extensive bibliography, and the four indexes (to foreign words, passages cited, proper names in the notes, and to proper names in the text and translation). Illustrations include detailed maps of Italy, clearly labeled diagrams of the cosmos and of the structure of Hell, and line drawings illustrating objects and places mentioned in the poem This is the first volume of a new prose translation of Dante's epic - the first in twenty-five years. Robert Durling's translation brings a new power and accuracy to the rendering of Dante's extraordinary vision of Hell. A newly edited version of the Italian text can be found on facing pages, and this edition includes fully comprehensive notes as well as sixteen essays on special subjects. This is a new prose translation of Dante's epic. A newly edited version of the Italian text will be on facing pages. This edition includes fully comprehensive notes with the latest in contemporary scholarship as well as 16 short essays on special subjects at the end of the book. V. 1. Inferno -- V. 2. Purgatorio -- V. 3. Paradiso.. Edited And Translated By Robert M. Durling ; Introduction And Notes By Ronald L. Martinez And Robert M. Durling ; Illustrations By Robert Turner. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Dante, after becoming lost on the path of life, is led by Virgil into Hell to begin his journey back to the light of God. IN the middle of the journey of our life I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost. In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself in a dark wood, for the straight way was lost.