The Breath Of Life, The Breath Of Poetry: PURGATORIO, Canto XXV, Lines 52 - 78
Statius goes on to the second part of his discussion of human embryology by following the fetus through its developmental phases until it finally has a brain. At this point, the prime mover knows it's...
10 Aug 202529min
The Natural Process Of Life: PURGATORIO, Canto XXV, Lines 34 - 51
Dante the pilgrim has asked the pressing question of how immaterial souls can take on material attributes like leanness.To answer that, Virgil has offered a couple of unsatisfying answers, then turned...
6 Aug 202525min
Virgil's Inadequacy On Full Display: PURGATORIO, Canto XXV, Lines 22 - 33
Our pilgrim, Dante, has asked a very pressing question: How can shades grow thin? How does the immaterial act like the material in the afterlife?Virgil has given the pilgrim the confidence to ask this...
3 Aug 202522min
Hesitancy Is The Deadly Sin Of Art: PURGATORIO, Canto XXV, Lines 1 - 21
Dante the pilgrim, Virgil, and Statius begin the ever-quickening ascent to the final terrace of Mount Purgatory. As he climbs, the pilgrim has a question about the gluttons on the previous terrace . ....
30 Jul 202520min
A Read-Through Of PURGATORIO, Cantos XXV - XXVII
Virgil, Statius, and our pilgrim, Dante, head up to the seventh and final terrace of Mount Purgatory.During the climb, Statius engages in a complicated and fascinating discourse on embryology (at leas...
27 Jul 202530min
The Compensations Of Contemplation: PURGATORIO, Canto XXIV, Lines 130 - 154
Virgil, Statius, and our pilgrim, Dante, walk along in contemplation, together but also alone with their thoughts.They're interrupted by the angel at the stairs who shows them the way up to the final ...
23 Jul 202523min
Of Mythic Trees, Human Desire, And Ceremonial Solace: PURGATORIO, Canto XXIV, Lines 100 - 129
Forese Donati has passed on ahead of our pilgrim Dante and his two guides, Virgil and Statius. They now need to walk on along the sixth terrace of Mount Purgatory to find the stairs up to the last lev...
20 Jul 202536min
A Look Back Over The Entire Conversation With Forese Donati: PURGATORIO Canto XXIII, Line 40, to Canto XXIV, Line 99
We've finished the giant conversation between the pilgrim Dante and Forese Donati, complete with its interruption by the shade of the poet Bonagiunta of Lucca.Let's look back over the entire scope of ...
16 Jul 202528min
