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Cantos XXX-XXXIV

The quote “A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap…” Written in the book of Ecclesiastes and put to a melody by Pete Seeger is highly evident in Dante’ The Inferno. The quote is just staying that there is a time for everything. It relates to the story in that the souls in hell were born, sewed the seeds of sin, died and are reaping what they sewed. This process is found throughout cantos XXX-XXXIV.

“And there I saw another husk of sin, show, had in his legs been trimmed away at the groin, who have looked for all the world like a mandolin.( Canto XXX Lines, 49-51). This is the “I” character observing the sinner Master Adam. In his life, he was a counterfeiter. This sin sewn in his life is being reaped in his death. The rare many more examples in these cantos.

“His very babbling testifies the wrong he did on earth: he is Nimrod, through whose evil mankind no longer speaks a common tongue. ( Cantos XXXI Lines, 76-78.)” This is Virgil explaining to the “I” character what they are looking at. Nimrod was the builder of the Tower of Babble. Because of his actions, mankind has different languages. He sewed the seed of sin and now mankind is still reaping it. There is much reaping going on in these pages.

“I heard a voice cry: ‘watch which way you turn: take care you do not trample on the heads of the foreworn and miserable brethren.’ (Canto XXXII Lines, 19-21).” This is the “I” character staying what just heard. The people who he may tread on are those who had sewn the seed of treachery against those who held special ties with them. In life, the sinners sewed the seed of treachery and in death they are reaping the consequences. Throughout the entire book, sinners are reaping from the seeds of their sins.

pg 220-256

The quote "the clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness" stated by the naturalist, traveler, writer, environmentalist and  scientist John Nuir can clearly relate to Dante's The Inferno.  The quote means that sometimes it takes being engulfed in wilderness to unfold the realities of the universe.

"'Master,' I cried, 'I pray you and repray till my prayer becomes a thousand-if these sould can still speak from the fire, oh let me say until the flame draws near! (Cantos XXVI, lines 64-67.)"  This is Dante pleading with Virgil, his guide and alter-ego to allow him to speak with the sould in hell.Virgil just wants to finish the tour.  Dante is in the forest wilderness and has discovered that his universe, his very well being depends on Virgil which is why he pleads with him to stay.  If he didn't need Vigill, he would just stay.  The forest wilderness also appears in another part of  the book.

 

"At grief so deep the toungue must wag in vain: the language  of our sense and memory lacks the vocabulary of such pain. (Canto XXVII, Lines 4-6)" This is Dante describing the part of hell he is beholding.  He is looking into the forest wilderness and discovering that the universe that he knew can't even describe the pain.  He has seen in the forest wilderness that a part of the universe  is inept.  Dante also finds himself inept.

 

"Had you know what I was seeking,' I replied, 'you  might perhaps have given me permission to stay longer; As i spoke, my guide had started off already, and I in turn had moved along behind him...(Canto XXIX, Lines 13-16)" This is Dante speaking to Virgil agian.  They are both in the forest of hell and Dante has discovered his universe is inept for he depends on Virgil.  Virgil does not know why Dante longed to speak to the souls, and he doesn't really care because as said before, he just wants to give the tour and not mingle as Dante loves to do.  Virgil also, at this point in the forest wilderness, discovered that his universe is portecting Dante for he begins to leave and Dante follwos without any prompt.  The whole story of the viewing of hell shows the reader the universe.  The souls are in hell because of their sins and those sins are part of he universe.  Dante's Inferno is a tiny window into the universe because it is engulfed in a wilderness forest.

Cantos 21-25

The quote “In the middle of the journey of our life I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost. (The Divine Comedy).” was highly evident in cantos XXI-XXV in Dante’s The Inferno. It is evident when the “I” character acknowledges his curiosity, dependence on Virgil, his guide and when he acknowledges what he has not seen.

“I tired like one who cannot wait to see the thing he dreads, and who, in sudden fright runs while he looks, his curiosity, competing with his terror… (Cantos XXI, Lines 25-28).” This is the “I” character’s narrating before he turns to behold a gruesome Demon in Hell. It in now that the “I” character has discovered that he is indeed a curious creature. He came to himself when he was scared and the straight way was lost because he couldn’t decide to look or not. The “I” character is the curious and oblivious character which is why he needs Virgil.

The “I” character is on a tour through Hell led by Virgil. Through out the way, the “I” character is constantly tiring the patience of Virgil by conversing with the souls damned to Hell. Virgil, his guide and the experienced voice just wants to give a fast paced tour of hell which is why this impediment their progress is annoying. Here is a part of the novel where Virgil’s annoyance makes the “I” character come to himself.

“…I saw the face of my sweet master darken a bit with anger: he set off at a great stride from that place, and I turned from that weighted hypocrite to follow in the prints of his deer feet. (Canto XXIII, Lines 42-46).” the “I” character came to himself by knowing that he could not ‘go it on his own’. He realized his dependence on Virgil like a child recognizes his/her dependent on a nurturer. It took the absence of Virgil’s light and experience for the “I” character to realize this. The character is also not very experienced.

The “I” character was listing all of the things that he has seen such as the braking of camp due to horsemen and assaults and riots but then he states.

“But never yet have I seen horse or foot, nor ship in range of land nor sight of star, take its direction from so low a toot. (Canto XXII, lines 9-11).” Now he has come to himself. He was oblivious before but now he has acknowledged his inexperienced ways. It took the absence of knowledge for him to learn just what he was and it was shown through out out the Cantos.

cantos 16-20

The quote “Oh human race born to fly upward, wherefore at a little wind dost thou fall. (The Divine Comedy)” is highly evident in cantos 16-20 in Dante’s The Inferno. This quote is saying that the human race is born to excel but a little push will send a human down. This was in the chapters when Virgil attempts to ferret Dante’s curiosity.

“This peeled and naked soul who runs before me around this wheel, was higher than you ting there in the world, in honor and degree. Guido Guerra was the name he bore, the good Gualdrada’s grandson. In his life he won great fame in counsel and in war.” (Canto XVI, lines 34-39) This is Virgil, Dante’s guide and enlightener, telling Dante about a soul they are beholding. The Soul was of the human race and was of a great lineage that was exalted amongst men. It is patent that a little wind pushed this soul down to hell, for that is where he abides now. There was also another similar case.

“The other who behind me treads this sand was Tegghiaio Aldobrandi, whose good counsels the world would have done well to understand. (Canto XVI, lines 40-42)” This is Virgil using his sagacious ways to enlightening the callow Dante. The man was doing well on earth, but he was somehow condemned to hell for a little wind carried him there. He was not the only one carried to hell upon the wings of mysterious wind.

“what kingliness moves with him even in Hell! It is Jason, who by courage and good advice made off with Colchian Ram. Later it fell that he passed Lemnos, where the women of wrath, enraged by venus’ curse that drove their lovers out of their arms, put all their males to death.” ( Cantos XVIII, lines 85-90) This is Virgil speaking to Dante again and explaining to the curious Dante what he is seeing. This man was a human and flew upward with courage but Virgil made it macroscopic that a wind of lust took him down. Much seen in these cantos reflects the fact that humans are born to excel yet are taken down with the wind.

cantos 11-15

The quote “He listens well who takes notes. (The Divine Comedy)” is highly evident in cantos 11-15 in Dante’s The Inferno. The quote means that a good listener is one hears not words but meanings and stores the information away. It is evident in these cantos when Virgil is describing parts of hell and also when he is observing the “I” character. It is also evident when the “I” character makes observations. Listening is understanding and both are shown in the chapters.

“ ‘Master’, I said ‘the clarity of your mind impresses all you touch. I see quite clearly the orders of the dark pit of the blind.’ (Canto XI, Lines 67-69) This is the “I” character talking to Virgil, his guide. Virgil has just explained about the divisions of lower hell. If the “I” character had not listened to Virgil’s words, he would not have understood them. Not only words are a form of listening.

“I think perhaps he thought that I was thinking those cries rose from among the twisted roots through which the spirits of the damned were slinking to hide from us. (Cantos XIII, Lines 25-28)” This is the “I” character speaking about what he believes Virgil thinks about how he is feeling. Virgil is caught in the act of listening and so is the “I” character. Both have taken note on each other and both are reacting therefore both are listening and taking notes directly relating to the main quote. The main quote also applies to relating outer knowledge to a situation.

“ ‘Poet,’ I said ‘master of every dread we have encountered, other than those fiends who sallied from the last gate of the dead. (Canto XIV Lines, 40-42)” This is the “I” character applying his knowledge of what are fiends to tell what is not. He has listened in the past and is drawing on the notes he has taken to know what he is looking at. It is clear that listening and note taking is not always listening to words and using pen and paper but observing and taking mental notes. This is how the quote “He listens well who takes notes. (The Divine Comedy)” is highly evident in cantos 11-15 in Dante’s The Inferno.

Cantos 6-10

The quote “If the present world go astray, the cause is in you, in you it is to be sought. (The Divine Comedy)” is highly evident I cantos 6-10 of The Inferno by Dante. This quote simply means that if you go off course the reason is because it is within your nature not to be perfect and to go astray. This quote is the reason why the Souls in The Inferno are in hell.

“I see new torments and new souls in pain about me everywhere. Wherever I turn away from grief, I turn to grief again. (Canto VI, Lines 1-3)” This is when the main character is in hell and looking about him. It directly relates to the main quote in that the reason for hell is to punish sinners and the sin is within us. Adam was the first man created and he was created with sin within him. The sin was the reason why he was thrown out of the Garden of Eden and why mankind was in need of a Savior. It is evident in The Inferno that the souls had sin within them.

“And he: ‘in the first life beneath the sun they were so skewed and squint-eyed in their minds their misering or extravagance mocked all reason.’ (Canto VII, Lines 40-43) This is Virgil speaking to the main character about the souls in hell. It was in them to mock all reason and due to this, they were damned to hell. Not only did the souls of mortals had nature planted within them.

“‘Outcasts of Heaven, you twice-loathsome crew,’ he cried upon that terrible sill of Hell, ‘how does this insolence still live in you?’ ( Cantos IX, Lines 88-90)” This is Virgil speaking to the angels that are in hell rebelling against God. The rebellious nature is within them. An apple tree is an apple tree regardless if it bears fruit or not. Once an apple tree, always an apple tree. This is how the quote “If the present world go astray, the cause is in you, in you it is to be sought. (The Divine Comedy)” is directly related to cantos 6-10 of The Inferno by Dante.

 

Cantos 1-5 & chart

The quote “a great flame follows a little spark (The Divine Comedy)” is highly evident in cantos 1-5 in The Inferno by Dante. To elucidate, this quote means that something small can turn into something big. This quote illustrates how the entire story came into being. It explains how understanding in the story occurs and how sin is planted. If you know how to peruse Dante’s words, the main quote will clearly illustrate the denouement of this story happened.

“and he then: ‘Follow.’ And he moved ahead in silence, and I followed where he led. (Canto I, Lines 127-128)” This is when Virgil, the sedulous guide, is leading the main character into hell. The character was not forced to go, he did it on his own free will. A free will that led him to explore the scurrilous depths of hell thus giving us the entire story. His decision was the spark that created the great flame of this novel. There is also content of how seeds are planted.

“As leaves in autumn loosen and stream down until the branch stands bare above its tatters spread on the rustling found, so one by one the evil seed of Adam in its Fall cast themselves…(Canto 3, Lines 109-114)”Adam was the first man created by God and was made with sin in him. This means that all of his decedents (us) are born with sin within. This quote is symbolizing the sin within as a seed thus directly relating itself to the main quote. Also, the main quote gives understanding in these pages.

“I understand your words and the look in your eyes (Canto II, Lines 43-44)” That was the “I” character or the main character talking. This means that he is interpreting words and looks to derive the meaning. What are words? What are letters? They are just sounds and symbols hat you have to interpret to derive any meaning. This quote is saying that from the spark of words and looks, a meaning was understood. This directly connects to the main quote because the words are the sparks and the understanding is the flame. This is how the quote “a great flame follows a little spark.(The Divine Comedy)” is directly related to Cantos 1-5 in Dante’s The Inferno.

Dante Aligrier Introduction

Xiii-XVI

Three important facts

 

YOUTH

1. He was born in the free Commune of Florence located near the center of the Italian peninsula.

2. His mother died when he was very young and his father remarried.

3. Dante soon lost both parents and was completely orphaned.

MIDDLE YEARS

1. He spent a lot of time with patrons in various courts of Italy.

2. Made a “first friend” named Guido Cavalcant.

3. “In 1289 he took part in the battle of Campaldino and the capture of Caprona.”

OLDER YEARS

1. In 1296 he spoke in the Council of the Hundred.”

2. In 1299 he was a minor ambassador.

3. He married Gemma and was also a strong “white”.

Religion and State

The American government is not in balance with religion nor will it ever be. The American government is only drifting away from religion. Our first right given to us as Americans is stated in Amendment I. It says:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” In English, that means that congress shall not respect or prohibit the exercise of religion and will not take away the freedom of speech, press or the right to peaceably assemble or request from the government to fix any complaints. Now there is a problem. Yeah-yeah, we all know the dispute about the pledge “one Nation, under God…” They are now trying to take away that line in the pledge. Suzanne Herel tells about this in her article Judge Rules Pledge of Allegiance Unconstitutional . She wrote “Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional, a federal court judge ruled today, saying that the pledge’s reference to “Under God” violated school children’s right to be ‘free from a coercive requirement to affirm God.’” She used a pretttty fancy word there. Coercive requirements is like saying ‘belief requirements.’ Its not required that anyone say ‘Under God’ that it is your right as an American according to the first amendment. To call it “unconstitutional” to speak of God violates that same right that gave you the freedom to not speak of Him. The first amendment gave the freedom to speak of God and to be stay apart form God. To call exercising the our right “unconstitutional” is in itself UNCONSTITUTIONAL! Ok, for all of you who don’t know what that means unconstitutional is a synonym for unlawful, unauthorized and illegal. That’s no balance of religion that, my friend, is disposing of it. If it is passed that the pledge is banned from schools as it most likely has in some public schools, it will be violating the first amendment granted to us as Americans.

Leadership

What is a great leader and how do you know if the person is competent to lead? Well… here is what the Bible says about this topic.

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ‘the teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and tassels on their garments long, they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues: they love to be greeted in the market places and to have men call them ‘Rabbi’

…The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Mathew 23:1-13

Wow… If you have read this far you are either Mr. W or reallllllly interested in what is to be said here. A leader must not do things for men to see, do what he says and he must be humble. There are other things to being a leader, this is just some aspects. In the Iliad, there are two clear types of leaders. The people person who asks your feelings and then acts and the person who views the followers a pawns on a board. Achilles is a peoples’ person, but he is loved, not trusted. Agamemnon is the other type of leader. He is in turn trusted, but not loved. There are MANNNNNNY ways to lead. If you follow the above, to me, you are a good leader.

Times are a' changin'

Women and men have two totally different roles in this world. Men are the protectors where women are the nurtures. Men are the stronger vessel. The Bible actually commands men to treat women as the weaker vessel “husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” 1 Peter 3:7 You see, ever since biblical times, women have not been expected to fight… not until now. After the 50’s when the men were at war and women took the place of men, women have changed. When the men came back from the war they took back their jobs, but women had already gotten the taste of freedom. It was then the norm changed and women began to fight for freedom. Not to degrade women or anything, but our anatomy is weaker than that of a man’s thus making men more suited for battle. This is why the hero being a man is so excepted. The women’s will may be as strong or stronger than that of a mans, but our bodies aren’t. Because of this bodily disadvantage, we never fought until after the 50‘s when women were most trying to break free of the norm. Women are today are being warriors and heroes. Our movies are out dated, so to speak. Women are taking some roles that men take despite our bodily disadvantages. No longer are women staying home and cooking and cleaning. It doesn’t seem right to the audiences yet that women are the heroes. Soon it may. Its was never the norm to see a women fighting, but now it is. There is no real way to break this “mold” of stereotypes, except for time. Times are a’ changing’ as are the roles of women.