Dante and Virgil make haste across the second terrace of Purgatory before they're accosted by disembodied voices, calling them to the banquet of love.

Sounds great, right? Except there's so much alienation in the landscape and even in the poetry.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we take our first steps onto the second terrace of PURGATORIO with Dante and Virgil.

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

[01:19] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 22 - 45. If you'd like to read along or continue the conversation, please scroll down this page.

[03:54] Three disembodied voices on the second terrace of PURGATORIO: quotes from the Virgin Mary, Orestes (maybe?), and Jesus.

[13:25] Voices moving from the left, not right!

[15:26] Envy: a root sin, sometimes seen as the primary sin, even by Dante.

[18:59] The schematics of Purgatory, as intuited by Virgil.

[22:03] Disembodied voices and the problem of alienation.

[26:28] The distance (and alienation) between Dante and Virgil.

[32:36] A rereading of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 22 - 45.

And here’s my English translation of Purgatorio, Canto XIII, Lines 22 – 45

We’d already gone along there

For what counts as a mile back home,

And at a fairly quick pace since our will was so revved up,

 

When flying right at us we sensed—

But didn’t see—spirits who spoke

The cordial invitations to love’s banquet table.

 

The first voice blew past us,

Loudly calling out, “Vinum non habent!”

It even repeated the same when it flew on behind us.

 

The first one wasn’t even out of hearing in the distance

When another passed by, crying out,

“I am Orestes!” It, too, didn’t pause.

 

“Oh,” I said,” Father, what are these voices?”

And just as I asked it, behold a third came, saying,

“Love those who’ve done you bad.”

 

And my good master [said], “This circle horsewhips

The guilt of envy. For that very reason,

The cords of the whip are braided with love.

 

“The bridle will need to resound with its opposite.

From what I understand, I believe that you’ll hear it

Right before you arrive at the pass of pardon.

 

“But fix your eyes good and fast on the air here.

You’ll see a bunch of seated people ahead of us.

Each one has his back to the cliff.”