We begin the second sequence in PURGATORIO, Canto II, with the souls who've been summarily dumped out of the boat onto the shores of the mountain-island. Where should they go? What should they do? They look to Virgil and Dante for answers--who are both clueless as well.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we talk about pilgrims, pilgrimages, hesitancy, and the road to a new life in this gorgeous passage from Dante's PURGATORIO, the second third of COMEDY.

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

[01:05] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto II, lines 52 - 75. If you'd like to read along, print it off, or drop a comment, please scroll down this page.

[03:22] The first souls in Purgatory are not categorized in any way, reminiscent of the souls who throw themselves into Charon's boat.

[09:07] The second sequence in PURGATORIO, Canto II starts with hesitation, as does the first sequence--but perhaps with a difference. What if hesitancy is the right start toward a new life?

[12:45] Virgil uses the word "pilgrims" for the first time in the poem. Does that mean INFERNO was not part of Dante's pilgrimage?

[16:33] Is Virgil a pilgrim? Can he be?

[21:01] There have been three references to wonder or marvels here and in the previous two cantos, all the way back to INFERNO, Canto XXXIV. Is there a progression here?

[24:18] What news does Dante the pilgrim bring to the shores of Purgatory?

[28:02] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto II, lines 52 - 75.

And here’s my English translation of Purgatorio, Canto II, Lines 52 – 75

The crowd who remained there looked around

The spot the way strangers do

When they try to size up new locales.

 

The sun was shooting its well-aimed arrows of light

In every direction, for he’d already hunted Capricorn

Out of the day’s meridian.

 

At that moment, the new people raised their foreheads

Toward us and said to us, “If you guys know,

Show us the path for scaling this mountain.”

 

And Virgil replied, “Maybe you believe

We’re familiar with this place.

But we’re pilgrims just as you guys are.

 

“We got here now, just a little before you did,

But by another road, one so harsh and hard

That this climb will seem like a walk in the park to us.”

 

The spirits began to understand who I was—

That I was breathing, that indeed I was still alive—

And they blanched with wonder.

 

As people bunch around a messenger

With an olive branch to hear the latest news,

Without a care over how they jostle each other,

 

So the whole lot of these fortunate souls

Stared hard at my face,

As if they’d forgotten they were to press onward to make themselves beautiful.