Purgatory
-
- $2.99
Publisher Description
Dante Alighieri’s Purgatory, the second part of The Divine Comedy, follows the poet’s ascent of Mount Purgatory, a mountain of spiritual purification shaped by divine justice. Guided by Virgil, Dante climbs through seven terraces, each corresponding to one of the seven deadly sins, where souls undergo penance to cleanse their vices. Along the way, he encounters penitents who inspire reflection on pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. As dawn rises and hope grows, the journey symbolizes repentance, moral growth, and the soul’s preparation for divine love. Rich in theological insight and poetic beauty, Purgatory bridges damnation and grace, offering a vision of redemption through humility, free will, and divine mercy.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In addition to the Pessoa title reviewed above, a tremendous amount of terrific poetry in translation is due this fall and winter. The books listed below, in varying ways, re-examine classics and introduce modern masters to English speakers.PURGATORIODante Alighieri, trans. from the Italian by Robert Hollander and Jean Hollander. Doubleday, $35 (656p) With its elegant, carefully negotiated translations and canto-by-canto notes, outlines and annotations, this second volume from the Hollanders takes its place beside last year's Inferno and paves the way for Paradise. These translations, honed over Robert Hollander's 35 years teaching Dante at Princeton, are touted as the U.S. English standard for rendering Dante's layered meanings.
