Re-Reading Dante

I got inspired the other night at the church book discussion, and went out and started re-reading Dante.

I MISSED SO MUCH the first time through!!!

My margins are now almost filled with notes, and I was able to track some very interesting things: 1. motion, 2. the relationship between Dante and Virgil, and 3. the times when someone looks upwards. Very interesting things there! Next time I'm going to track: 1. when Dante steps out to speak to a soul, and why, and what Virgil's response is, and 2. when music is present.

So far I still like reading the Sayers translation, even though it can be awkward, because I know that she's sacrficing style and readability for philosophical accuracy. I read Inferno in the Pinsky translation, and liked it a lot; he mentioned in his notes that he was going more for the feel of Dante. So I'm trying to get the best of both worlds.

And now I cry anytime I hear Loreena McKennitt sing "Dante's Prayer"