Virgil explains to Dante how he was commissioned by Beatrice to save him.
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It was no longer morning but dusk,[1]This is the evening of Good Friday. Obviously, a lot of time has elapsed between Canto 1 and this one. In Canto 1, it was at sunrise that Dante began to climb the mountain. But he was driven back … Continue reading and while all earthly creatures were beginning to take their rest, I alone was getting ready for our journey – as though for a battle.[2]Notice the contrast here: all living creatures are preparing to rest, but Dante is busy preparing for his journey. And not just any journey, but a “battle.” A battle, “an amazing … Continue reading It was an amazing struggle that my clear and unwavering memory will now retell.[3]Toward the beginning of Canto 1, Dante told us that, though his experience was horrific, he hoped some good would come from his retelling it. Now in hindsight, he assures us that we can depend on and … Continue reading
Before I start, I invoke you, you Muses, high genius! Come to my aid! And I invoke you, O Memory, empower me to tell everything I saw and thus reveal your true excellence.[4]The invocation of the Muses from Greek antiquity – who inspired and personified the various arts and sciences – was a common feature of classical writing, particularly the great epics of Homer … Continue reading So I turned to Virgil: “O my poet, you who have come here to be my guide, tell me before you trust me to make this arduous journey: do you think I have what it takes?[5]With the echoes of “Have pity on me!” from the last canto, this is an honest, and dangerous, question. But considering that Dante is retelling the story, the answer is yes; and, perhaps, a bit … Continue reading In your great poem you wrote about how Aeneas, still very much alive,[6]Again, not only is Dante’s journey real, he is also “very much alive.” traveled into the Underworld to see his father. If the King of all that is Good looked kindly on him – knowing who he was and what his destiny would be – his journey should not seem fantastical to us because he was chosen, in the highest heavens, to be the father of illustrious Rome and of her empire far and wide.[7]One might think of Dante as the new Aeneas, and while Aeneas was Virgil’s protagonist, Dante is Dante’s protagonist.
“Truly that great city was established as a sacred place where St. Peter’s successors still sit.[8]For Dante, the Roman Empire (Rome) was ordained by God to be the place where, after the Christian faith was established, St. Peter and his successor popes would govern the Church. Dante will touch on … Continue reading Moreover, as you recite in your epic words, Aeneas learned things that would seal his victory and Rome’s. Later, that Chosen Vessel, St. Paul, would see into heaven and confirm for believers the faith that brings us salvation.[9]See Acts 9:15: “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for this man is a chosen vessel to me, to carry my name among nations and kings and the children of Israel.’” See also 2 Corinthians … Continue reading
Given all that, here’s my problem: why am I to make this journey? Who allows me to do it?[10]Dante, still filled with anxiety, is working hard to make the case against himself and answer his first question to Virgil: do you think I have what it takes? At the same time, the two questions he … Continue reading I’m not Aeneas and I’m not Paul. No one – myself included – would think me worthy to pursue such an undertaking. So, if I should do it, I’m afraid it’ll turn out to be total foolishness and me a complete fool! You, on the other hand, are so wise; you can see so much more than my words can express.”[11]Dante’s modesty here will soon be contrasted with Virgil’s view of his problem.
What a state of confusion I was in! Standing there on that dark slope I had said I would follow him. Then I began to doubt. Yet, I also had a feeling that some good sense was about to come from him that would change my mind – again – and show me that what I had agreed to would, in fact, be the right thing to do.[12]This back-and-forth wavering on Dante’s part gives an additional touch of realism to the scene.
And so, my dear Virgil, that great soul, calmly addressed my many doubts. “If I really understand what you’re trying to say, I’ll have to be totally honest with you: your soul is weighed down with the kind of cowardice that often afflicts men on the verge of a noble undertaking.[13]There is something affirming and empowering in Virgil’s assessment. As it were, the cowardice is overcome by the possibility of a noble undertaking. Like some poor beast, you’re frightened at your own shadow. But listen to me now, I’m going to free you from this fearsome burden and answer all your questions. Let me tell you what I heard that first caused me to have pity on you.
“You see, I was among those who are assigned to Limbo,[14]Virgil will explain his status in greater detail in Canto 4. when I was summoned by a woman so lovely and so beautiful that I placed myself at her command. With eyes like starlight and a soft angelic voice she began to address me.[15]In a few lines we will discover that it is Beatrice who is speaking to Virgil. His description of her loveliness here is but a foretaste of how Dante will continually expound on her beauty till the … Continue reading ‘O noble soul, gracious Mantuan,[16]Tradition has it that Virgil was born near the city of Mantua in north central Italy. whose fame the world will preserve till the end of time,[17]Dante links himself with Virgil’s epic here and cleverly has Beatrice quote a line from it as she praises the Roman poet with lines from his own poem (Aeneid 1:609: “…ever shall your honor, … Continue reading I have a friend who, sadly, is no friend of Fortune’s. He’s wandering in a deserted wilderness and is beset by so many obstacles that, from what I’ve heard in Heaven, his fright has caused him to turn back. I’m afraid that I’ve started too late to save him.[18]What Beatrice is describing happened only yesterday. But the possibility of Dante’s rescue and salvation is not assured because she fears that her intervention may be too late. This adds a definite … Continue reading So I want you to go to him and, with your elegant words, do whatever is necessary to bring him to freedom.[19]Virgil, of course, has already anticipated Beatrice’s request at the end of Canto 1. This will bring me great solace. I who plead with you here am Beatrice, and I long to return to Heaven.[20]Beatrice Portinari was a contemporary and neighbor of Dante, born in Florence in 1265 (the same year as Dante) and died in 1290. Let me state unequivocally from the outset: Beatrice and Dante were … Continue reading The power of Love moved me to come here and speak to you on his behalf.[21]Not only the love of God, but others in the heavenly realm as we will soon see. When I stand again in the presence of my Lord, you can be sure that I will sing your praises to him often.’[22]This is a curious statement because where Virgil is, as he will tell Dante in Canto 4, there is no getting out. But as Beatrice will soon tell Virgil, the rules of Heaven can be broken. Is this a … Continue reading
“There she stopped, and so I began: ‘O Virtuous Lady, through you alone can mankind ascend beyond the realm of Fortune.[23]Here Virgil addresses Beatrice in her symbolic form. I hear your request with such joy it’s as if obeying you were already too late! Your wish is all I needed to hear. But now tell me, what boldness enables you to come down to this vale of tears[24]Recalling the Ptolemaic cosmology Dante uses, the Earth is at the center of the universe, but also as far as one can get from Heaven, almost. We are not in Hell proper yet. But this statement also … Continue reading from that realm of the blessed ones that even now calls you back?’
“She replied: ‘Your question begs an answer deep with meaning, but I will respond as simply as I can why I have no fear of coming to this place. To be sure, we need only fear those things that have the power to harm us. Otherwise, nothing else should frighten us. However, God has endowed me with such a nature that the suffering you experience does not affect me, nor does Hell threaten me.[25]This makes sense if one considers that the damned are not only eternally lost, but eternally forgotten! While the souls in Purgatory or in Heaven, as we will see, express concern for those who are … Continue reading With me in Heaven there is a Lady who grieves for what happened to the man I’m going to send you to as a guide. Her compassion is so powerful that it can break Heaven’s rules.[26]This is a reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary. While she is highly venerated in the Christian tradition and acts as a potent intercessor, it is fascinating that, for Dante the poet, her compassion … Continue reading This great Lady summoned St. Lucia, saying: “One who is faithful to you is in dire need, and I give his soul over to your care.”[27]We will see here a chain of compassion: the Virgin Mary sends St. Lucy, and St. Lucy goes to Beatrice, who goes to Virgil. While this Saint has a role to play in this scene only, she was an early … Continue reading ‘Lucia, the enemy of every evil, rushed to where the ancient Rachel and I were seated and said, “Beatrice, true praise of God, the one who loved you so deeply is in great distress. He abandoned everything for you;[28]A strong indication of the power of Beatrice to inspire Dante. now listen to his sad weeping. Death is about to overwhelm him along the river of his life – what’s left of it.”
“‘Hearing these words, no one, even for selfish motives, was ever more anxious than I was to leave my holy place and come down here and entrust you with my request, because your noble poetry honors you and enriches all who cherish it.’[29]If Beatrice’s name evokes praise, she certainly wins Virgil over to her cause with her effusive praise of his poetry. And one can’t help but enjoy here the transparency of Dante the poet who … Continue reading
“When she finished her pleading, she turned away her gorgeous eyes – now filled with tears.[30]On numerous occasions in the Purgatorio and the Paradiso, Dante will remark on the beauty of Beatrice’s eyes. Hearing what she told me, I was most eager to oblige her. So, here I am now. I’ve already saved you from that loathsome beast who blocked your way up the mountain of joy. What’s the matter with you? Why are you stalling? Why are you such a coward? Hearing what I just told you, you should be bold and fearless, especially with three gracious women in Heaven on your side! Not only that; everything I’ve been saying to you will lead to nothing but good.”[31]Virgil, seemingly about to lose patience with Dante, peppers him with questions in order to start him on the path of his own redemption.
You know how flowers close up and droop on cold nights? And then when the sun comes up they rise and open again? That’s how I was when he finished. My faded strength returned, courage flowed back into my heart, and I was a man set free![32]As the saying goes, “Hope springs eternal.”
“O wonderful woman, who came so lovingly to help me! And you, my poet – there’s so much kindness in your quick response to the truth of her request. You and your words have filled me with such a desire to start this journey that I’m ready to follow you right now. I feel that our two wills are at one. My lord, my teacher – let’s go!”
When I had finished telling him this, he started walking, and I followed him on that rough path.
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Notes & Commentary
| ↑1 | This is the evening of Good Friday. Obviously, a lot of time has elapsed between Canto 1 and this one. In Canto 1, it was at sunrise that Dante began to climb the mountain. But he was driven back down into the dark forest by three beasts. It would appear that this took most of the day. Then Virgil appeared and told Dante that he would lead him out of the forest. All of this between dawn and dusk. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Notice the contrast here: all living creatures are preparing to rest, but Dante is busy preparing for his journey. And not just any journey, but a “battle.” A battle, “an amazing struggle,” he will say, perhaps for his very soul! And though he will be accompanied by Virgil, the word “alone” heightens the tension here. |
| ↑3 | Toward the beginning of Canto 1, Dante told us that, though his experience was horrific, he hoped some good would come from his retelling it. Now in hindsight, he assures us that we can depend on and trust his recollections. Subtitles of some editions of the Commedia call it a “vision” or a “dream.” But we must bear in mind that what Dante will tell us all through his Poem is most certainly not a dream or a vision. It is real! |
| ↑4 | The invocation of the Muses from Greek antiquity – who inspired and personified the various arts and sciences – was a common feature of classical writing, particularly the great epics of Homer and Virgil. And since Dante was particularly inspired and mentored by Virgil’s Aeneid, he brings this literary flourish into his own epic poem and thus links his poem with those of the great classical tradition. As a matter of fact, he will invoke the Muses nine times throughout his poem. And while they are figures from the pagan past, Dante clearly has in mind his Christian God as the “high genius” who inspires him. Is there, perhaps, also an advertisement here of Dante’s genius? |
| ↑5 | With the echoes of “Have pity on me!” from the last canto, this is an honest, and dangerous, question. But considering that Dante is retelling the story, the answer is yes; and, perhaps, a bit self-serving. |
| ↑6 | Again, not only is Dante’s journey real, he is also “very much alive.” |
| ↑7 | One might think of Dante as the new Aeneas, and while Aeneas was Virgil’s protagonist, Dante is Dante’s protagonist. |
| ↑8 | For Dante, the Roman Empire (Rome) was ordained by God to be the place where, after the Christian faith was established, St. Peter and his successor popes would govern the Church. Dante will touch on this theme several more times in his poem. |
| ↑9 |
See Acts 9:15: “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for this man is a chosen vessel to me, to carry my name among nations and kings and the children of Israel.’” See also 2 Corinthians 12:2-4: “I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter.” |
| ↑10 | Dante, still filled with anxiety, is working hard to make the case against himself and answer his first question to Virgil: do you think I have what it takes? At the same time, the two questions he raises here are quite significant, and they set the stage for Virgil’s explanation of how – basically – the entire poem has been set in motion. |
| ↑11 | Dante’s modesty here will soon be contrasted with Virgil’s view of his problem. |
| ↑12 | This back-and-forth wavering on Dante’s part gives an additional touch of realism to the scene. |
| ↑13 | There is something affirming and empowering in Virgil’s assessment. As it were, the cowardice is overcome by the possibility of a noble undertaking. |
| ↑14 | Virgil will explain his status in greater detail in Canto 4. |
| ↑15 | In a few lines we will discover that it is Beatrice who is speaking to Virgil. His description of her loveliness here is but a foretaste of how Dante will continually expound on her beauty till the end of the poem – once he meets her in person. |
| ↑16 | Tradition has it that Virgil was born near the city of Mantua in north central Italy. |
| ↑17 | Dante links himself with Virgil’s epic here and cleverly has Beatrice quote a line from it as she praises the Roman poet with lines from his own poem (Aeneid 1:609: “…ever shall your honor, your name, and your praises abide…”). |
| ↑18 | What Beatrice is describing happened only yesterday. But the possibility of Dante’s rescue and salvation is not assured because she fears that her intervention may be too late. This adds a definite sense of critical urgency to Virgil’s commission. With tongue in cheek, one wonders if Dante’s plight has been the subject of heavenly gossip. However, an often-recurring theme throughout the poem will be how much the souls in the afterlife know about those still living. |
| ↑19 | Virgil, of course, has already anticipated Beatrice’s request at the end of Canto 1. |
| ↑20 | Beatrice Portinari was a contemporary and neighbor of Dante, born in Florence in 1265 (the same year as Dante) and died in 1290. Let me state unequivocally from the outset: Beatrice and Dante were not lovers! This being said, a careless reader of the Comedy might be tempted to assume the opposite, seeing the significant role she plays in the poem and the ever more affectionate manner in which Dante describes her right to the very end. Nevertheless, he tells us that from his youth and until she died at the age of 25, she entered his heart and never left it. But this is the stuff of poetry, and in 1295, Dante would, in fact, publish a significant collection of poems and commentary about this lovely young woman which he called the Vita Nuova (the New Life). As I mentioned in an earlier note, Beatrice was the motivation, the energy that fueled Dante’s Comedy from beginning to end. She was his Muse, his inspiration, and she represented for him all that was good and beautiful and virtuous. Just as Virgil represents human reason as far as it can go, Beatrice represents the truth of divine revelation, which takes up where reason leaves off. More than just a symbol, though, she is, like Dante, quite real. While there was considerable “fire” on Dante’s part when they were young, he seems to have encountered Beatrice rather infrequently, though she certainly made her mark on him. When she was 20, she married a wealthy banker and died a few years later. Dante married Gemma Donati when he, too, was 20, and had a daughter and three sons with her. |
| ↑21 | Not only the love of God, but others in the heavenly realm as we will soon see. |
| ↑22 | This is a curious statement because where Virgil is, as he will tell Dante in Canto 4, there is no getting out. But as Beatrice will soon tell Virgil, the rules of Heaven can be broken. Is this a kind statement or a prediction? |
| ↑23 | Here Virgil addresses Beatrice in her symbolic form. |
| ↑24 | Recalling the Ptolemaic cosmology Dante uses, the Earth is at the center of the universe, but also as far as one can get from Heaven, almost. We are not in Hell proper yet. But this statement also highlights the depths to which Dante has fallen from the right path and the fact that it may be too late to rescue him. |
| ↑25 | This makes sense if one considers that the damned are not only eternally lost, but eternally forgotten! While the souls in Purgatory or in Heaven, as we will see, express concern for those who are still alive, those condemned in Hell never enter their minds. |
| ↑26 | This is a reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary. While she is highly venerated in the Christian tradition and acts as a potent intercessor, it is fascinating that, for Dante the poet, her compassion is so powerful that she can actually break the rules of Heaven. |
| ↑27 | We will see here a chain of compassion: the Virgin Mary sends St. Lucy, and St. Lucy goes to Beatrice, who goes to Virgil. While this Saint has a role to play in this scene only, she was an early Christian martyr whose eyes were torn out as a part of her torture, and has since been venerated as the patron saint of those who have problems with their eyes and sight. Dante himself records such a problem in his Convivio (Chapter 9), and it may be that he had a devotion to her whose name is a derivative of the Latin word for light. Surely, Dante needs the light and “in-sight” of heavenly assistance to see his way out of the moral quagmire he finds himself in. |
| ↑28 | A strong indication of the power of Beatrice to inspire Dante. |
| ↑29 | If Beatrice’s name evokes praise, she certainly wins Virgil over to her cause with her effusive praise of his poetry. And one can’t help but enjoy here the transparency of Dante the poet who wrote Beatrice’s speech for her. |
| ↑30 | On numerous occasions in the Purgatorio and the Paradiso, Dante will remark on the beauty of Beatrice’s eyes. |
| ↑31 | Virgil, seemingly about to lose patience with Dante, peppers him with questions in order to start him on the path of his own redemption. |
| ↑32 | As the saying goes, “Hope springs eternal.” |