Dante

Dante Alighieri paved the way for modern literature, while creating verse and prose that remain unparalleled for formal elegance, intellectual depth, and emotional grandeur.

The Portable Dante captures the scope and fire of Dante's genius as thoroughly as any single volume can. It contains complete verse translations of Dante's two masterworks, the Divine Comedy and La Vita Nuova; plus a bibliography, notes, and an introduction by the eminent scholar and translator Mark Musa.

Dante's epic poem has influenced not only literature and common vernacular, but also our popular visions of the afterlife. Led by Virgil, the poet moves through the circles of the Inferno, up the mountain of Purgatory, and finally to the Earthly Paradise. Translated by Charles Sisson. Introduction, note on translation, bibliography, explanatory notes, maps, diagrams, and plan included.

Sinclair's three-volume prose translation of Dante's Divine Comedy provides both the original Italian text and the Sinclair translation, arranged on facing pages, and commentaries, appearing after each canto, which serve as brilliant examples of genuine literary criticism.

Arguably the greatest single poem ever written, The Divine Comedy presents Dante Alighieri's all-encompassing vision of the three realms of Christian afterlife. In the Purgatorio, Dante struggles up the terraces of Mount Purgatory, still guided by Virgil, in continuation of his difficult ascent to purify.

Mr. Sinclair's three-volume prose translation of Dante's Divine Comedy should prove to be an invaluable source of pleasure to those English readers who would read this great medieval classic with understanding. The original Italian text and the Sinclair translation are arranged on facing pages, and the commentaries, brilliant examples of genuine literary criticism, appear after each canto.

The sequence of poems tells the story of Dante's passion for Beatrice, the beautiful sister of one of his closest friends, transformed through his writing into a symbol of love that was both spiritual and romantic. From unrequited passion to the profound grief he experiences at the loss of his love.