Inferno, Canto III, The Gates of Hell. Every canto opens with a summary.
Canticle I · The Dante Curriculum
Inferno
The first canticle of the Divine Comedy
Dante Alighieri · translated by Joe Carlson
Have you ever heard the sounds of Hell? Felt the darkness and the ice? Tasted the burnt air on your tongue? Dante’s Inferno will give you a flavor of the wretchedness of sin that you will never forget.
A slightly dinged copy is available for $15.36Reading all three? The one-volume Divine Comedy has the whole poem for $29.95, or take the three canticles as a set for $65.85.
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About Inferno
The journey of every soul
The images and action that bring you down into the very center of judgment and consequence, into that eternal realm of woe, will stick to the ribcages of your mind, and change the way you see the world, the devil, and your own flesh.
The Comedy is the journey not just of Dante the pilgrim, but of every man, woman, and child; it is the journey of every soul that has ever lived, as one moves either toward or away from God. As such the Divine Comedy is a guide to help us remember, understand, and love the One who made us, and made us for His glory.
This new translation by Joe Carlson combines a very close reading of the original Italian with an accessibility that seeks to faithfully imitate what Dante himself accomplished in his masterpiece of a poem. The text includes comprehensive summaries for each canto, along with a scattering of footnotes when needed. All other notes and explanations are in the Reader’s Guide.
In the middle of the course of our life,
I came to myself in a darkened wood,
because the right direction had been lost.
Inside the book
See more first? Read the free Dante Sampler: Inferno III from every part of the curriculum.
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Three Reasons Every High School Student Should Read Dante
Joe Carlson makes the case.
“To accompany his smooth and literate translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy, Joe Carlson has put together a series of excellent Reader’s Guides that provide the necessary historical, literary, philosophical, and theological background.”
Translated and taught by
Dr. Joe Carlson
Joe Carlson holds a BA in Liberal Arts and Culture from New Saint Andrews College, and an MA in Humanities and a PhD in Literature from the University of Dallas. He is a Senior Editor with Roman Roads Press and a Literature professor at New Saint Andrews College.
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