Of Moon Spots and Virgil: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 46 - 63
Walking With Dante23 Elo

Of Moon Spots and Virgil: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 46 - 63

Now that our pilgrim Dante is standing in the moon, he has a fundamental question: Why are there spots on the moon?

And he thinks he knows the answer, right out of natural philosophy. They're caused by rare and dense material in the moon.

He's asking a question for which he knows the answer, trying to play teacher's pet. But Beatrice is having none of it. She's ready to show him how he's not as smart as he thinks he is.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we begin our descent into some of the most complicated material in all of COMEDY.

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

[01:14] My English translation of PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 46 - 63. If you'd like to read along or drop a comment about this episode, please find its entry on my website, markscarbrough.com.

[02:57] Two small thematic details: the uses of the word "body" and Beatrice's watery metaphor of "submerged."

[06:02] Two of three explanations for moon spots in this canto: 1) the folkloric myth and 2) the natural philosophy deduction.

[07:57] Folklore: Cain and his thorns in the moon.

[09:21] Natural philosophy: rare and dense materials (and how they reflect light).

[12:54] The distance Beatrice puts between her arguments (to come) and 1) sensory input and 2) reason . . . and thereby Virgil.

[17:07] Diversity and a pluralistic world.

[19:07] Rereading the passage: PARADISO, Canto II, lines 46 - 63.

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The Expanding Community of Women in the Moon: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 109 - 130

The Expanding Community of Women in the Moon: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 109 - 130

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The Violent yet Elliptical End to Piccarda Donati's Story: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 88 - 108

The Violent yet Elliptical End to Piccarda Donati's Story: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 88 - 108

Piccarda Donati finally answers the question about who she is. She's given her name but not much else about her. In twelve lines (or four tercets) she brings her personal story to its violent yet elli...

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Piccarda Donati's Apotheosis of the Will: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 58 - 87

Piccarda Donati's Apotheosis of the Will: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 58 - 87

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The First Soul in Paradise, Piccarda Donati: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 34 - 57

The First Soul in Paradise, Piccarda Donati: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 34 - 57

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Catching Feelings in the Sensual Sphere of the Moon: PARADISO, Canto III, Lines 1 - 33

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The Souls of the Universe: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 127 - 148

The Souls of the Universe: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 127 - 148

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The Diversity of Being in a Universe of Light: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 106 - 126

The Diversity of Being in a Universe of Light: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 106 - 126

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Testing Theology With Optics: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 85 - 105

Testing Theology With Optics: PARADISO, Canto II, Lines 85 - 105

Beatrice continues in her scientific and Scholastic explanation for moon spots by taking apart a secondary argument . . . and proposing an optical experiment.She voices an objection Dante might have: ...

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