INFERNO, Episode 143. Virgil's Reprimand, The Pilgrim's Hypocrisy, The Poet's Games: Inferno, Canto XXIV, Lines 46 - 60

Dante the pilgrim has gotten up to the top of the crag and out of the sixth of the malebolge, the evil pouches that make up the giant eighth circle of hell, the landscape of fraud. The poor pilgrim is out of breath, but Virgil has got no sympathy for him!

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we find perhaps a new role for Virgil in COMEDY and discover that the poet is playing more games with our minds than we ever imagined.

Here are the segments of this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:

[01:27] My English translation of this passage: Inferno, Canto XXIV, lines 46 - 60. If you'd like to read along, you can find these lines on my website, markscarbrough.com.

[03:15] Virgil's reprimand of the pilgrim: Don't be lazy if you want to be famous. A reminder from the poet to himself?

[10:57] Virgil introduces the mind/body split into the passage--and anticipates the games ahead.

[13:00] Virgil begins his soon-to-be incessant command of "hurry up." Is there a change here in Virgil's role in the poem.

[17:41] There's a long ladder that must be climbed. What it is?

[22:34] Dante, the hypocrite? Maybe. But more than than, the poet is playing a very smart metatextual game with his readers.And here’s my English translation of Inferno, Canto XXIV, Lines 46 – 60

“Sheesh, you’ve got to stop being so lazy,”

My master said. “Settled into downy pillows,

Nobody gets famous, nor stretched out under a nice coverlet.

“Without fame, you’ll empty out your life

And leave no more of a blot on this earth

Than smoke in the air or foam on the water.

“So get up! Conquer your breath

With the same spirit that conquers all its battles,

If it doesn’t wave the white flag at its own heavy body.

“There’s a long ladder that you’ve yet to climb.

It’s not enough just to get away from these hypocrites.

If you get what I’m saying, force yourself to get going!”

Well, I got up, pretending

Not to be as out of breath as I was,

And said, “Go on, I’m strong and steadfast.”