An Encapsulated View of the Best from Christian Publishers
Volume 4 . Issue 21
July 2008
C L A S S I C S
COUNCIL OF REFERENCE
Dr. Richard Averbeck
Rev. D. Stuart Briscoe
Dr. Paul Cedar
Mr. Dave Coleman
The
Divine Comedy
by Dante Alighieri
Public Domain
From the Classics Collection
Dr. & Mrs. Larry Crabb
A Quick Focus
Mr. Roger Cross
Dr.
Kenneth
Gangel
Rev.
SamuelO.Farina
Rev.Kenneth
& Mrs. O.
Lud
Golz
Dr.
Gangel
Dr.
Howard
G.Lud
Hendricks
Rev.
& Mrs.
Golz
OlanG.
Hendrix
Dr.Mr.
Howard
Hendricks
Dr.
Jeremiah
Mr.David
Olan Hendrix
Rev.David
KnuteJeremiah
Larson
Dr.
Dr.
John
C. Maxwell
Rev.
Knute
Larson
Dr.John
Bruce
Dr.
C.McNicol
Maxwell
Mr.Bruce
DeanMcNicol
Merrill
Dr.
Mrs.
Elisa Morgan
Mr. Dean
Merrill
Dr.Elisa
Luis Morgan
Palau
Mrs.
Dr. Dr.
Gilbert
A. Peterson
Ray Ortlund
Rev.
Dr. Wes
LuisRoberts
Palau
& Mrs.
Jamie
Dr.Rev.
Gilbert
A. Peterson
Rassmussen
Rev. Wes Roberts
Mr. Jim Warren
Rev. & Mrs. Jamie
Dr.Rassmussen
Rick Warren
Mr. Jim Warren
The Book’s Purpose
Describe Dante’s divinely ordained journey
Guide the reader, step-by-step, through the levels within Hell,
Purgatory, and Heaven
Allow the reader to co-experience Dante’s thoughts and spiritual growth as he travels
Provide an acute glimpse of the spiritual and political condition of Italy during the early 14th century
Motivate the reader to accept salvation through Christ
Spur citizens to political action
The Book’s Message
Written in Italy from 1307 through 1321, The Divine Comedy offers
a snapshot of the literary, spiritual, and political culture of the time.
Dante not only wrote to offer a guide to spiritual salvation, but
also to provide a catalyst to motivate others to political action. By describing, in a keen and stinging way, the existing social and political
circumstances, he hoped to move citizens to action. A guide to salvation is at the forefront, but a strong political message runs parallel
to it throughout this work.
In this summary, many of the political discussions between Dante
and spirits he recognizes from Florence, Italy, have been left out
for the sake of brevity. Only one sample is included.
Dr. Rick Warren
Publishers
Catherine & David
Publishers
Martin
Catherine & David
Martin
Editors
Cheryl & Michael
Chiapperino
Editors
Cheryl & Michael
Chiapperino
Three Main Points:
Inferno: Seeing Sin for What It Really Is . . . . 2
Purgatorio: The Christian Life . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Paradiso: Hope for the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
22
Inferno:
Seeing Sin for What It Really Is
Dante begins his divine journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
He wanders in a dark forest. At the top of a hill he sees sunlight and
begins to climb toward it, only to be blocked by a leopard. Terrified, Dante
turns to run. A lion and a she-wolf join the leopard in pursuit, forcing
Dante to retreat into the dark forested valley. As he rushes downward he
sees the shadowy figure of Virgil, who becomes Dante’s guide.
As Virgil and Dante set out on the trip into the underworld, Dante
doubts his worthiness to take such a momentous journey. With Virgil’s
encouragement, Dante presses on.
The Circles of Hell
Approaching the gates of Hell, they see this inscription above the gate:
“Through me the way is to the city dolent. Through me the way is to eternal
dole. Through me the way among the people lost … Before me there were no
created things, only eterne, and I eternal last. All hope abandon, ye who
enter in!”
They enter into the dark abyss filled with the cries of souls who were
neither committed to God nor Satan and who will spend eternity in the
Vestibule, a place just outside the First Circle of Hell. Horseflies and wasps
sting them, and worms feed on their blood and tears.
Dante and Virgil arrive at the border between the Vestibule and the
First Circle, which is the river Acheron. Many souls wait on the shore to
cross. Charon, the boatman, does not want to take Dante across because
he is still alive, but Virgil commands that he do so. During the crossing,
Virgil explains that the souls, compelled by “celestial justice,” must cross
over into Hell. They then experience a giant earthquake, violent wind, and
fire belching from the ground. Terrified, Dante faints.
The First Circle
Dante, awakened by loud thunder, finds himself at the edge of what
appears to be a bottomless pit. He and Virgil descend into Limbo, the First
Circle. The moans of sadness are overwhelming and Virgil explains that
these are the souls who led unblemished lives but were never baptized.
Virgil, himself, lives in Limbo. His punishment, and that of all who live
here, is to never see God.
“People were there with solemn eyes and slow,
Of great authority in their countenance;
They spake but seldom, and with gentle voices.”
Many great souls exist here, including Homer, Horace, Lucan, and
Ovid. As Virgil and Dante pass into a castle with seven walls surrounded
by a stream, Dante recognizes Plato, Cicero, Socrates, Ptolemy, Hippocrates,
and Aristotle.
The Second Circle
They descend into the Second
Circle of Hell, a place where those
overcome by lust reside. Dante and
Virgil meet Minos~the one who
condemns souls. Virgil commands
that Dante be allowed to pass.
They pass and find a pit filled with
an eternal storm accompanied by
shrieks and moans of suffering
souls. This storm symbolizes the
power of lust to blow one around
needlessly and aimlessly.
Dante meets one who was overcome by lust, Francesca, whose
husband killed her and his brother,
Paolo, when he found them surrendering to one lustful kiss. Overwhelmed by extreme sadness and
pity, Dante faints again.
The Third Circle
When Dante regains consciousness, he is in the Third Circle, which
is filled with odiferous ground and
endless rain, snow, and hail. This
is home to the gluttons who forever
attempt to avoid the claws of the
three-headed guard, Cerberus.
“Cerberus, the monster
cruel and uncouth,
With his three gullets
like a dog is barking
Over the people that
are there submerged.”
The gluttons are forced to lie
in a vile slush made by freezing
rain, black snow, and hail. This
symbolizes the garbage made of
their lives on earth, slaving over
food.
continued on page 3
3
Inferno:
Seeing Sin for What It Really Is
continued from page 2
Fourth Circle
They descend to the Fourth Circle where those who abused material
goods are punished. They find Plutus blocking their way. Virgil explains
that this journey is the will of Heaven. With that, Plutus falls to the ground,
and Virgil and Dante pass unharmed. They see two groups, on semicircular
paths, eternally pushing great weights. As they crash into each other, they
yell, “Why do you squander?” and “Why do you hoard?” Here are the souls
of the Greedy and the Covetous.
Fifth Circle
Virgil guides Dante into the next circle where they encounter souls of
the Wrathful and Sullen submerged almost entirely in the slippery mud of
the river Styx. The Wrathful eternally tear each other apart with their teeth.
The Sullen, who had found no joy in life though beauty was all around
them, will eternally be stuck in the muddy darkness.
Virgil and Dante continue until they arrive at a tower. They see two
flames ahead of them, signaling the approach of the oarsman Phlegyas. He
takes them across the river where a shadow intent upon attacking Dante
rises from the mud. Dante resists the attack, and the attacker, Filippo Argenti,
falls back into the water and muck. After praising Dante for his actions,
Virgil explains that they are coming to the city of Dis, which is the entrance
to lower Hell. This area is reserved for the most violent and fraudulent sinners. Fallen angels refuse to let Dante pass. Virgil goes ahead and returns
with the promise of help.
Shortly, three Furies~Erinyes, Megaera, and Allecto~summon Medusa
to turn Dante into stone. Virgil and Dante cover Dante’s eyes when a loud
noise sounds, telling of the arrival of a great spirit. The heavenly messenger
denounces the fallen angels, opens the gates so that Virgil and Dante can
pass, and then abruptly leaves.
“Well I perceived one sent from Heaven was he,
And to the Master turned; and he made sign
That I should quiet stand and bow before him.”
Circle Six
They enter Dis to find flaming sepulchers from which emanate sorrowful
moaning. Virgil explains that here lie the souls of heretics who are trapped
in flaming tombs.
Virgil and Dante hesitate at the tomb of Pope Anastasius to adjust to
the new loathsome stench. Virgil uses this time to prepare Dante for what
is ahead of them.
In Circle Seven they will see souls who were violent against neighbors,
themselves, nature, and God. In Circle Eight will be those who committed
fraud, while in Nine (closest to Satan) will be those who participated in
treacherous fraud~that which was done against masters, country, guests,
and kindred.
Circle Seven
Virgil leads Dante down a cliff into Circle Seven where they find a waterfall flowing into the depths of Hell. This circle houses the violent. Near the
edge spirits recognize Dante and converse about the current state of Flor-
entine. Then Virgil asks for the
coil wrapped around Dante’s waist.
Virgil tosses it into the waterfall.
This signals the beast that will carry
Dante into the depths.
As Dante continues speaking
with the spirits, Virgil convinces
this beast, Geryon, to escort them.
This beast has the face of an old
man, the trunk and tail of a serpent,
and paws. While Virgil talks with
Geryon, Dante discovers another
group of spirits in Circle Seven~the
Userers, those who were violent
against Nature and Art. They are
not kind to Dante. He returns to
Virgil and climbs upon Geryon,
who flies him to the landing below.
Circle Eight
This begins Dante’s journey
into the lowest levels of Hell. This
area is called Malebolge, which
means “evil pouches.” This Eighth
Circle contains ten pouches arranged
in concentric circles. It is here that
fraud is punished. The souls guilty
of pandering and seducing walk to
and fro while horned demons whip
and torment them. In the next
pouch are the souls of flatterers
mired in excrement.
The third pouch is home to
Simonists~clergy who traded favor
of the church for money. They
spend eternity, head down, in holes
with their legs and feet aflame. In
the forth pouch are Astrologers,
Magicians, and Diviners who sinned
against God by attempting to foretell the future. Forever their heads
will face backward.
Virgil and Dante move on to
the fifth pouch. Here they find the
Barrators~souls who profited from
public office~caught in a river of
boiling pitch. Suddenly, Virgil and
Dante are attacked by demons.
Virgil sends Dante to hide while
he attempts to convince the demons
to guide them across the river. The
demons agree and Virgil and Dante
proceed to the sixth pouch. The
souls they find here wear shining
hoods and garments that are lined
with lead. These are the souls of
Hypocrites who will spend eternity
wearing beautiful garments of torcontinued on page 4
4
Inferno:
Seeing Sin for What It Really Is
continued from page 3
ment. Virgil pushes Dante to climb a treacherous cliff. Exhausted, Dante
collapses as he reaches the top. Virgil continues to push until they reach
the seventh pouch in which they find the souls of Thieves who run naked
in the dark as serpents chase and torture them.
In the eighth pouch Dante sees the souls of Evil Counselors in flames
across the darkness.
Dante and his companion move on, and in the ninth pouch of the
Eighth Circle, they find the Sowers of Scandal and Schism.
Dante warns the reader of the gruesomeness to follow:
First, they encounter Mohammed, who is disemboweled. He explains
that his successor is also in the same state. As they heal, a demon comes
with a sword and disembowels them again. This will continue for eternity.
Then they meet another soul, that of Bertrand de Born, an evil counselor
who led a father and a son to become enemies of each other. He will spend
eternity with his brain, which created the plot, severed from his body.
As Virgil and Dante continue on their journey, they hear mournful
wails and they are assaulted by a terrible stench of rotting human flesh.
This is the resting place of the Falsifiers. The souls lie in a monstrous
and sickly mass while others wander about uselessly. As Virgil and Dante
reach the crest, they hear a powerful horn. Dante glances toward the sound
and sees towers off in the distance. Virgil explains that what Dante is actually seeing are giants immobilized in mud. They approach the giants,
who surround the final pit. They meet some resistance, but Virgil is able
to convince one giant to help Dante enter the tenth pouch. The giant
scoops up Dante and places him into the pit~the home of Judas and Satan.
Circle Nine
Dante and Virgil now enter the Ninth Circle of Hell. It is a frozen
wasteland. The first ring contains the souls of Traitors to their Kin. They
are immersed in ice to their chins. As Dante makes his way through the
scene, he accidently kicks the chin of an immersed spirit. The spirit cries
in pain. The tears of those who cry freeze. Dante witnesses a spirit feeding
upon the head and neck of another spirit close by. Dante questions the
Purgatorio:
The Christian Life
As the sun rises, Dante sees a ship quickly nearing their island. Virgil
instructs Dante to kneel and fold his hands, for what nears them is an
angel. Dante is blinded by the brightness of the angel’s face. He hears
the voices of hundreds singing a psalm.
The spirits exit the ship and ask Virgil and Dante how to find the path.
Virgil tells them that they are new arrivals as well. The spirits notice that
Dante is breathing and realize that Dante is alive. Though Dante recognizes
one of the spirits and wishes to spend time with her, the spirits leave to
begin their mission to climb the mountain.
As they arrive at Ante-Purgatory, Dante becomes frightened when
he realizes that he alone casts a shadow. Virgil explains that his shadow
exists because he is alive. He explains this to the spirits also, since they
flesh-eating spirit and others to discover their stories and why they
are in this place. He is greatly saddened by what he hears. He and
Virgil move on to where the souls
of Traitors against Their Guests
are in ice, their eyes frozen shut
by tears.
Virgil and Dante next discover
the souls of Traitors against Their
Benefactors, souls fully covered by
ice. Dante carefully steps over these
spirits into Satan’s view. Satan is
up to his breast in ice, and he is
larger and more threatening than
anything Dante could have imagined~arms are wider than the height
of the giants, three wings fan to
freeze the pit, three heads are red,
black, and yellow, six eyes constantly
release tears, mouths chew on the
worst traitors: Judas, Brutus, and
Cassius. Virgil interrupts Dante’s
perusal to say they must leave. They
climb down Satan’s body to where
his legs stand in the dark cave~
the very place where he fell from
Heaven.
Virgil explains that as they
crawled down Satan’s body, they
passed the center of the earth.
Dante quickly scrambles back to
Earth where he sees stars for the
first time since his journey began.
CBS
have noticed and have become
concerned by Dante’s shadow.
A spirit approaches Dante and asks
him to deliver a message back to
one of the living. Manfred asks
Dante to tell his daughter that he
did repent before he died. He explained to Dante that although
people may repent in their final
moments and are granted salvation,
they still must exist in Purgatory
for 30 times as long as the time of
their rebellion.
Virgil and Dante begin their
climb to the summit. They arrive
at the First Spur, home of the LateRepentant due to negligence. They
rest, and Dante notices the position
of the sun. Virgil explains that
Purgatory is located in the opposite
continued on page 5
5
Purgatorio:
The Christian Life
continued from page 4
hemisphere from Jerusalem. They climb again, and Virgil comforts Dante
with the knowledge that the climb will become easier as they near the
summit.
They reach the Second Spur where the Late Repentant who died by
violence reside. A group of spirits approaches them and, realizing that
Dante is alive, begs him to bring messages to their loved ones. Since they
died violently before receiving the sacrament, their time in Purgatory will
be shorter if their families and friends pray for them. Nearly all of the
spirits beg Dante to ask for prayer on their behalf. Virgil explains that
Christians leave Purgatory earlier if God hears prayers on their behalf.
He also explains that Beatrice will give him finite answers to his questions.
Dante is eager then to continue their journey.
Virgil encounters the spirit of Sordello, who is awestruck to meet this
great poet. Sordello asks where Virgil now lives. Virgil explains that he
resides with other virtuous pagans who did not practice the three holy
virtues. Sordello then leads Virgil and Dante up the mountain, on the
way pointing to other notable residents such as Henry of Navarre,
Peter III of Aragon, and Charles I of Anjou. They live in this place because they too neglected to repent. One’s character, though from noble
lineage, is not necessarily noble.
Night falls and the angels sing. Two angels with flaming swords remain on guard throughout the night. Dante dreams of an eagle lifting
him, soaring toward the sun and catching fire. He awakens with a start.
Virgil comforts him and explains that as he slept St. Lucia carried him
up the mountain to the gates of Purgatory. He sees an angel with a flaming sword guarding the gate. The angel hears of Dante’s divine mission
and calls him. The angel marks seven Ps upon his forehead; one will be
removed as he passes through each of the seven levels of Purgatory. The
angel opens the gate and instructs Dante to never look back. He enters
to the sound of beautiful voices singing “Te Deum laudamus.”
The First Terrace
Virgil and Dante climb a difficult path to the First Terrace, home
of the Prideful. Scenes of humility are upon the nearby marble cliff; they
include the Annunciation, King David dancing before the Ark, and a woman begging Emperor Trajan to avenge her son’s death. Around them
are spirits with huge boulders upon their shoulders. Their time in Purgatory
is to be spent focused on their pride. Together they recite a long version
of the Lord’s Prayer. Seeing their humility, Dante believes the living
should help them through their prayers.
Virgil urges Dante to hurry and shows him the scenes of humility
carved into the ground so that in their stooped position under the weight
of the boulders the Prideful must contemplate the consequences of pride.
Virgil and Dante begin to climb out of the First Terrace as an angel removes one P from Dante’s forehead.
The Second Terrace
On the Second Terrace they find the spirits of the Envious. They hear
voices singing of fraternal love~the opposite of envy. Finally, they spot
the spirits sitting against a wall dressed in such a way that they are almost
indistinguishable from the rock. They sit weeping because their eyes are
sewn shut.
Suddenly a brilliant light forces Dante to shield his eyes. Virgil reminds
Dante that any amount of shielding is powerless against the brilliant light
of an angel. The angel guides them to the next terrace, where the Wrathful
reside. Dante experiences several
euphoric visions of virtue, as opposed
to wrath. He sees a mother handling her son gently when she finds
him in a crowded temple. He sees
a mother beg her husband to punish a boy for touching their daughter. The husband responds by asking what they would do to someone who intends to harm them if
they treat someone who loves them
so harshly. He sees a crowd stone
a man to death and as the man falls
to the ground, he asks God to forgive his attackers.
The Third Terrace
They continue on when a smoke
cloud forms; the cloud burns
Dante’s eyes and skin. Though
he can see nothing, he hears the
Wrathful souls asking God for forgiveness. They meet the spirit of
Marco Lombardo, who agrees to
guide them through this terrace.
Dante asks Marco what he believes
is the cause of human corruption.
Marco explains that the world is
without virtue and is cloaked with
perversity. Some say that the cause
of this is in Heaven and some say
Hell. Marco begs Dante to find
the true cause so that he can explain
it to others. Marco explains that
men must take responsibility for
their actions regardless of the cause.
They have free will and make their
choices. They must be held accountable for both their good and
bad deeds.
The poets find themselves outside of the cloud at sunset. Dante
again sees visions, this time of wrath.
The Fourth Terrace
When the visions pass, an angel
brushes away another P, and then
he and Virgil climb to the next
level. They rest and as they do
so, Virgil describes the design of
Purgatory; all action, both good
and evil, is instigated by a form of
love. There are two forms of love~
instinctual love and chosen love.
Instinctual love is perfect in God’s
eyes, while chosen love emerges
from man’s free will and is prone
to error. Love that hurts others
consists of pride, envy, and wrath
(the first three terraces) while sloth
continued on page 6
6
Purgatorio:
The Christian Life
continued from page 5
(fourth terrace) has a worthy end but insufficient zeal. The upper three
levels contain those who loved earthly objects excessively.
Dante dreams of a Siren who tempts him with her song. Virgil intervenes to expose her ugliness and corruption. Dante, startled, awakens as
an angel approaches to guide them to the next level. Virgil explains that
the Siren was the cause of the sin of those who live in the terraces above
them. To guard against the Siren’s seduction, men must keep their eyes
focused on the eternal King.
The Fifth Terrace
In the Fifth Terrace they find the Avaricious and the Prodigal. Dante
questions one of the spirits and finds that he was a Pope who did not turn
to Heaven until late in life. Therefore, he must spend time in Purgatory.
Dante bows deeply out of reverence, but he is quickly corrected. The
spirit explains that here everyone is an equal servant of God. As they continue, Dante is amazed by the crowd of souls in this area. Suddenly, there
is an earthquake! A spirit explains that Purgatory quakes every time a
spirit’s penance is completed and then rises to Heaven. Dante notices
that each time this happens, the spirits who are left behind begin praising
the Lord.
The Sixth Terrace
As an angel erases another P from Dante’s forehead, they move to
the next level. In the Sixth Terrace, Dante sees emaciated spirits scurrying
about. Here, gluttonous sinners spend their time in Purgatory without
food or water. As they contemplate the spirits around them, Virgil and
Dante hear a voice urging them forward to the next and final level.
The Seventh Terrace
The Seventh Terrace is where the Lustful serve out their penance.
They hear voices singing hymns and reciting examples of chastity. An angel of chastity descends to greet the poets and urges them to cross through
the river of fire since there is no other way up the mountain to the Earthly
Paradise. Dante refuses, fearful of being burned alive. Virgil encourages
him with the reminder that Beatrice is waiting for him. Dante enters the
fire, writhing in pain, but follows the voices of the angels guiding him
to the other side. After resting, Virgil explains that he has brought Dante
as far as he can go. They have passed Hell and Purgatory. Dante must
now proceed without him.
Into the Earthly Paradise Dante enters. It is filled with soft breezes,
chirping birds, and sweet smells. Dante moves to a stream followed by
spirits of ancient poets. He sees a beautiful woman, Matilda, picking
flowers and singing. As Dante approaches, Matilda tells him that she will
answer any questions that puzzle him. Dante asks how streams and breezes
can flow here. She explains that the breezes of the Earthly Paradise are
a result of the motions of Heaven. God’s will created two fountains that
feed the streams.
Matilda begins to sing again as they walk along the river. At a bend
in the river, Matilda urges Dante to stop and listen. The music he hears
is so beautiful that he deeply regrets that Eve caused humankind to be
cast from Eden. Ahead are burning candlesticks moving slowly forward
while twenty-four elders, crowned in white lilies, follow. Then in line are
six-winged creatures covered with eyes. A gold-headed gryphon pulls a
chariot. Three ladies dressed in red, white, and green dance on one side
of the chariot and on the other side are four ladies dressed in purple. An
elderly physician and an elder holding a sword are next with four humble
men behind them. One lone being is last. All halt at the sound of thunder.
A woman in a white veil appears out of the mist. It is Beatrice.
Beatrice speaks to the angels of
Dante’s sinful ways, while Dante
attempts to hide in shame. Beatrice
explains that in life Dante loved
her faithfully, but since her death
he has strayed from God’s plan.
While in Heaven, she tried to save
him but could not. She realized
that to achieve this she had to bring
him on this journey so that he could
see firsthand the torment and torture of lost souls. Beatrice challenges
Dante to admit that all she has said
is true. Shamefully, Dante admits
it is so.
Beatrice urges him to explain.
Dante explains that after Beatrice
died he took comfort and pleasure
in earthly vanities. Beatrice responds
by telling Dante that his memory
of her should prevent him from
repeating his mistake.
From across the river, Beatrice
asks Dante to lift his eyes and look
at her. He sees her and her beauty
surpasses even that which she had
on Earth. In remorse Dante faints
away. When he awakens, Matilda
leads him across the stream where
he can wash away his sin. On the
other side the four women dressed
in purple take him to Beatrice.
They urge Beatrice to lift her veil,
and as Dante gazes at her unveiled
face, he is entranced and will never
again find words to express the
experience.
The dancing ladies bring Dante
out of his trance. He feels like one
who has stood looking directly into
the sun. He joins the procession at
the side of the chariot. When they
stop under a tree, Beatrice steps
down from the chariot. As she does
so, the tree bursts into blossom, the
marchers break out singing, and
Dante falls asleep under the tree.
When he awakens, he is alone
with Beatrice and her maids. Beatrice instructs Dante to watch carefully what is about to happen so
that he can write about it when he
returns home. Dante witnesses an
eagle attack the tree as its feathers
fall on the chariot. Beatrice turns
back a fox that tries to enter the
chariot, after which a dragon emerges
and breaks the chariot. Feathers
cover the chariot’s broken pieces.
continued on page 7
77
Purgatorio:
The Christian Life
continued from page 6
A whore and a giant take seats in the chariot. The giant kisses the whore
but then beats her when he sees her glance at Dante. Furiously, the
giant pulls the chariot into the woods.
Beatrice tells Matilda to lead Dante to the river Eunoe. As Dante
prepares to enter Heaven, he says, “From the most holy water I returned
regenerate, in the manner of new trees that are renewed with a new
foliage, pure and disposed to mount unto the stars.”
CBS
Paradiso:
Hope For The Future
Dante, having seen the Glory of God, cannot find words to express
the experience, so he asks Apollo to help him. At high noon of the vernal equinox, Dante and Beatrice travel from Purgatory to Heaven. Turning to look directly into the sun, Dante gazes at Beatrice, his beloved.
As he does so, his physical body leaves him. They reach the Sphere of
Fire, and they are surrounded by music and brightness. Beatrice explains
that since everything moves toward its point of origin, Dante’s soul
moves quickly toward God.
“And she began: ‘Thou makest thyself so dull
With false imagining, that thou seest not
What thou wouldst see if thou hadst shaken it off.
Thou art not on earth, as thou believest;
But lightning, fleeing its appropriate site,
Ne’er ran as thou, who thitherward returnest.’”
Beatrice guides Dante through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven.
These are concentric and spherical.
The First Sphere: The Sphere of the Moon
As fast as an arrow travels when shot, Dante and Beatrice arrive in
the Sphere of the Moon. Dante is perplexed by the thickness that surrounds them. He asks Beatrice to explain it. She explains that God emits
energy and light, which encounter heavenly bodies variably depending
on the nature of their mass.
Out of the haze appear faces of seven spirits. One spirit explains that
God assigned to this Sphere the spirits of nuns who broke their vow with
God. The spirit quickly reinforces that, regardless of a spirit’s position
relative to God, all spirits in Heaven are content. Dante inquires if they
will ever ascend to Heaven, and the spirit again assures him that all spirits
here are happy with the station to which they are assigned since they
receive their assignment through divine love. All souls in Heaven feel
perfectly blessed and therefore content.
Dante ponders all of this, and
Beatrice senses his confusion. She
addresses his first question, Do
souls return to the place in Heaven
from which they were born, or do
all spirits live in the highest level
of Heaven (Empyrean)? She explains
that all spirits live in Empyrean but
Dante will see their faces in the
sphere to which they are associated,
because human intellect must see
things to believe them. She addresses
Dante’s second question, Is it fair
to blame people for actions forced
upon them? Beatrice explains that
fault is assigned to the acceptance
of an act not to the act itself.
Dante looks into Beatrice’s eyes
but must turn away when he finds
the brightness too much to bear.
Beatrice explains that, as they near
Heaven, her beauty and brightness
increase because her joy increases.
Beatrice addresses Dante’s third
question, Can people do good
deeds to pay for their broken vows?
She explains that good deeds can
never compensate for broken vows.
To break a vow is to use God’s
greatest gift, free will, against Him.
Vows cannot be unmade. Vows can
be replaced at a ratio of six new
vows to four replaced vows. She
clarifies that all Christians, when
they make vows, must follow both
the Old and New Testaments.
The Second Sphere:
The Sphere of Mercury
Dante and Beatrice are suddenly in the next sphere. The entire
sphere glows from Beatrice’s increased brightness. And Dante is
overwhelmed by her increased
beauty. Dante sees thousands of
souls here in the Sphere of Mercury.
He begs them to tell him their
stories.
One soul glows brighter and
then speaks to Dante. Justinian,
a sixth-century emperor, tells of
his life. Dante asks him to describe
the spirits who are in this sphere.
Justinian explains that these are
souls of people who were virtuous
but who, for fame and honor, neglected God. Dante contemplates
what he has heard and again
Beatrice senses his confusion.
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She addresses his question, Why was it a just act for Titus to destroy
Jerusalem if the Crucifixion was just vengeance for the sins of man?
Beatrice reminds Dante that Christ was both man and God. The Crucifixion of Christ, the man, was just but the crucifixion of Christ, the
Divine, was sacrilege. Jerusalem’s destruction was just punishment for
the Crucifixion of Christ Divine.
Beatrice addresses Dante’s second question, Why did God choose
Crucifixion to redeem man? Beatrice clarifies that, as God created him,
man was perfect, but he fell because of Adam’s sin. Only Divine Mercy
could redeem man. There is no greater act of Divine Mercy than Christ’s
death upon the cross.
The Third Sphere: The Sphere of Venus
Dante realizes Beatrice has again increased in beauty and finds they
have arrived in the Sphere of Venus. Dante sees the familiar spirit of
Charles Martel, a great ruler who Dante loved. Martel expresses his sorrow for the downfall of his family at the hands of poor rulers. Dante
asks him how, in one family, one could be a great ruler while another
could rule so poorly. Martel explains that, by God’s design, whether
fathers, sons, or brothers, all must have differences for the balance of
society. Some people are judges and some are mechanics even within
families. It is not healthy for society when men are forced to be what
they are not designed to be simply because they are born into the position. Those God designed to be clergy should be clergy and those God
designed to be warriors should be warriors. Other spirits come forward
one by one to share their life stories.
The Fourth Sphere: The Sphere of the Sun
Here Dante shares his thoughts about the perfection of the universal
plan. He speaks of the stars and the sun and the seasons on Earth. He
stresses that if the sun or stars were to veer off course, all on Earth would
die. Suddenly Dante finds that he and Beatrice have arrived in the Sphere
of the Sun~even brighter than what had come before. In that moment
as Dante realizes that his love of God has surpassed his love of Beatrice,
they are surrounded by dancing lights singing a beautiful melody. Dante
expounds upon the senselessness of the mortal pursuit of wealth and fame.
How insignificant it all seems compared to this journey he has been on!
The incredible scene around him is pure delight! The dancing of light
continues as the spirits sing of God’s glory and Christ’s dual nature.
St. Thomas Aquinas, one of
the spirits present, addresses a question that lingers in Dante’s mind,
Since Adam and Christ had perfect
wisdom, should they not be grouped
with Solomon? St. Thomas clarifies
that they cannot be compared to
Solomon. Adam and Christ were
directly created by God; whereas,
Solomon was created by a minister
of God. His wisdom must be compared only to other great rulers.
Beatrice asks, “Will the spirits
maintain their radiance after the
Resurrection of Christ, when they
again join with their bodies?” The
spirit of Solomon himself responds
that they will continue their radiance as an outward expression of
their inner joy.
The Fifth Sphere:
The Sphere of Mars
As they have been speaking,
second and third circles of dancing
lights have joined the first, and
Dante realizes they have passed
into the Sphere of Mars. Here
Dante sees two light beams intersect to form a cross. This experience is more pleasant than anything
Dante has ever known. The music
stops and out of the light of the
cross appears a spirit who Dante
recognizes to be that of Cacciaguida,
his great-great-grandfather. Dante
asks him what his future holds.
The spirit reminds Dante that only
God knows the future, but he goes
on to prophesy of events to come
in Dante’s life. He encourages
Dante to be fearless and to continue in his poetic mission.
The Sixth Sphere:
The Sphere of Jupiter
“So from the lights that there to me appeared
Upgathered through the cross a melody,
Which rapt me, not distinguishing the hymn.
Well was I ware it was of lofty laud,
Because there came to me, ‘Arise and conquer!’
As unto him who hears and comprehends not.
So much enamoured I became therewith,
That until then there was not anything
That e’er had fettered me with such sweet bonds.”
Dante notices the increase in
Beatrice’s beauty and realizes they
have passed into the Sphere of
Jupiter. Here, spirits fly through
the air, making various formations
as they go. In the formation of an
eagle, they speak to Dante in unison about the complexity of divine
justice. Dante wonders if a man who
has never heard of Christ would
be denied a place in Heaven. The
spirits, in unison, respond, “In the
end, some non-Christians will be
closer to God than Christians who
fell into horrible sin.”
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The Seventh Sphere: The Sphere of Saturn
They advance to the sphere of Saturn, where contemplatives who
embody temperance reside. Dante meets Peter Damian and discusses
with him monasticism, the doctrine of predestination, and the sad state
of the church. Beatrice, who represents theology, becomes increasingly
lovely here, indicating the contemplative’s closer insight into the truth
of God.
The Eighth Sphere: The Sphere of Fixed Stars
Dante and Beatrice ascend into the Sphere of Fixed Stars. The flaming
face of Beatrice gazes expectantly up into Heaven and announces the
approach of Christ. Dante sees a glorious light encircled by smaller
lights. He lowers his eyes to shield against the brilliance. Beatrice smiles
at Dante and urges him to look upon this divine scene.
Dante sees the full light of Christ rise above him, a Rose (symbol of
Mary), and lilies (symbol of the apostles). Gabriel, in the form of a spinning light, fills the scene with sweet hymns devoted to Mary as he circles
the Rose. Mary follows the light that is Christ up and up, to heights beyond Dante’s sight as the spirits call her name and sing praises. Dante
joins in and calls out words of respect to the apostles.
By Beatrice’s request, the spirit of St. Peter comes to teach Dante
in the matters of faith. “What is faith?” Dante quotes Paul, “Faith is the
substance of the things we hope for and is the evidence of the things
not seen.” St. Peter is pleased and urges Dante to elaborate. Dante explains that only by faith can he believe the ideas and images he has experienced on this journey. Through the filter of his faith, man comprehends
the mortal world. St. Peter is again pleased and asks Dante how he
learned these ideas. Dante says he learned about faith through the Holy
Scriptures and then testifies of his belief in the Trinity. St. Peter expresses
his delight by circling Dante three times.
Again by Beatrice’s request, the spirit of St. James questions Dante
on the virtue of hope. “What is hope?” Dante responds, “Hope is the
certain expectation of future glory, which is the effect of grace divine
and merit precedent.” He describes the promises of hope as stated in
the Bible. St. Peter and St. James are joined by the spirit of St. John as
they dance for joy.
St. John quizzes Dante on the subjects of love and charity. Dante
speaks of inspiration he found in John’s Gospel and God’s words to
Moses. He also mentions Aristotle. St. John asks, “Why are you so close
to God?” Dante explains that through Christ’s sacrifice his love for God
is strengthened. His love for all the creatures of God’s creation strengthens
his love for God even more.
As the blessed spirits sing, the spirit of St. Peter begins to speak. He
condemns the state of the current papacy as perverted and fraudulent
and urges Dante to speak out boldly against this corruption when he
returns to Earth.
The Ninth Sphere: The Primum Mobile
With this, Beatrice and Dante ascend to the next level, the Primum
Mobile. From here, all lower spheres are controlled by the power of God’s
love. Beatrice tells Dante that this is where time begins. She goes on
about how the world has strayed but she believes it will find redemption.
Dante sees a brilliant point of
light with nine circles of light surrounding it. Beatrice explains these
circles to be angels and clarifies the
order. Starting at the innermost
circle the rings of light are Seraphim,
Cherubim, the Thrones, the
Dominations, the Virtues, the
Powers, the Principalities, the
Archangels, and the Angels.
Beatrice senses the questions
on Dante’s mind. She explains that
God created angels in His image
as pure form and pure matter. The
diversity of angels is a picture of
the diversity of God’s love for them.
The beauty of Beatrice again
increases as they ascend to the
Empyrean level of Heaven. Beatrice
prepares Dante by explaining that
here he will see angels and saints
as they will appear after the
Resurrection~in human form.
Dante sees a river of light flowing
before him. Beatrice instructs him
to touch his eyes to the river. Having done so, Dante sees sparks
from the river form a great rose
of a thousand tiers with light flowing from its center. The souls of
all believers form the petals.
Angels swarm around the rose
like bees. The petals of the rose
hold chairs upon which sit the spirits of the most blessed. Dante sees
the chair upon which Beatrice now
sits and is overcome by great joy.
At the top, Dante sees Mary enthroned in light with thousands of
angels singing around her.
St Bernard explains how the
rose is arranged. Around Mary are
Eve, Rachel, Sarah, Rebecca, Judith,
and Ruth. A separation exists between Christians of the Old Testament who believed in Christ before
He was born and those who believed after His birth. Across from
the women are the men: St. Francis,
St. John the Baptist, St. Benedict,
and St. Augustine.
As the angels sing “Ave Maria,”
St. Bernard explains that Dante
must earn Mary’s grace before he
can see Christ. St. Bernard intervenes in prayer on Dante’s behalf.
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Paradiso:
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Mary is pleased and looks into the center light. St. Bernard urges Dante
to look also. Dante sees a scene so glorious, so amazing, that words fail
as he attempts to recount it later. The emotion of the moment stays
pure and with him, but the description of the scene is lost to him. Dante
asks God to help him find the words so that he can share this with the
world.
Volume 4, Issue 21
Publishers
“And make my tongue of so great puissance,
That but a single sparkle of thy glory
It may bequeath unto the future people;
For by returning to my memory somewhat,
And by a little sounding in these verses,
More of thy victory shall be conceived.”
Dante’s description: Within the light he sees “substance, accidents,
and dispositions” of pure love binding together the universe. The Eternal
Light contains three circles of differing colors that reflect each other.
One circle has a human face that puzzles Dante. Suddenly a revelation
that aligns his desires and will flashes before him~a revelation caused by
“The Love that moves the sun and the other stars,” God’s pure love.
CBS
Catherine & David Martin
Editors
Cheryl & Michael Chiapperino
Published on the World Wide Web at
ChristianBookSummaries.com.
The mission of Christian Book Summaries
is to enhance the ministry of thinking
Christians by providing thorough and
readable summaries of noteworthy books
from Christian publishers.
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those of the original writers
and are not necessarily those
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or its Council of Reference.
The Divine Comedy, written by Dante
Alighieri between 1308 and his death
in 1321, is widely considered the central
epic poem of Italian literature and is
seen as one of the greatest works of world
literature. The poem’s allegorical vision
of the Christian afterlife is a culmination
of the medieval worldview as it had developed in the Western Church. It helped
establish the Tuscan dialect in which it
is written as the Italian standard. Public
domain. Available at your favorite bookstore or online bookseller. It can also be
downloaded free of charge at a variety
of websites, including Christian Classics
Ethereal Library (www.ccel.org).
The author: Considered the finest
poet that Italy has ever produced, Dante
Alighieri (1265-1321) is also celebrated
as a major influence on western European culture. His masterpiece, La divina
commedia (The Divine Comedy), is universally known as one of the greatest
poems in world literature. The Divine
Comedy presents an encyclopedic overview of the mores, attitudes, beliefs,
philosophies, and aspirations, as well
as the material aspects of the medieval
world.
Summarized by: Bonnie Church is a
website content manager, editor, freelance writer, and avid gardener. She and
her husband, Doug, are proud parents
of six and grandparents of ten. She is
a graduate of the University of Minnesota. Bonnie, Doug, and their family
live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.