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Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Paradise

Chapter 1: The Divine Comedy
By Dante Alighieri
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About This Book

A pilgrim narrator ascends through successive celestial spheres guided by an idealized companion, encountering blessed souls arranged by virtue and function; each heaven stages theological, philosophical, and moral discussions that probe faith, hope, charity, and the cosmic order. The narrative balances praise of exemplary figures with critiques of political and ecclesiastical corruption, tracing how individual lives reflect divine justice. Recurrent visions and symbolic imagery—celestial wheels, angelic hierarchies, and a final empyrean of pure light—form a structured progression from human reason toward an immediate, ineffable encounter with the divine that unifies the poem’s intellectual and spiritual concerns.

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Title: Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Paradise

Author: Dante Alighieri

Translator: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Release date: August 1, 1997 [eBook #1003]
Most recently updated: October 29, 2024

Language: English

Credits: Dennis McCarthy

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIVINE COMEDY, LONGFELLOW'S TRANSLATION, PARADISE ***

The Divine Comedy

of Dante Alighieri

Translated by
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

PARADISO

Contents

I. The Ascent to the First Heaven. The Sphere of Fire.
II. The First Heaven, the Moon: Spirits who, having taken Sacred Vows, were forced to violate them. The Lunar Spots.
III. Piccarda Donati and the Empress Constance.
IV. Questionings of the Soul and of Broken Vows.
V. Discourse of Beatrice on Vows and Compensations. Ascent to the Second Heaven, Mercury: Spirits who for the Love of Fame achieved great Deeds.
VI. Justinian. The Roman Eagle. The Empire. Romeo.
VII. Beatrice’s Discourse of the Crucifixion, the Incarnation, the Immortality of the Soul, and the Resurrection of the Body.
VIII. Ascent to the Third Heaven, Venus: Lovers. Charles Martel. Discourse on diverse Natures.
IX. Cunizza da Romano, Folco of Marseilles, and Rahab. Neglect of the Holy Land.
X. The Fourth Heaven, the Sun: Theologians and Fathers of the Church. The First Circle. St. Thomas of Aquinas.
XI. St. Thomas recounts the Life of St. Francis. Lament over the State of the Dominican Order.
XII. St. Buonaventura recounts the Life of St. Dominic. Lament over the State of the Franciscan Order. The Second Circle.
XIII. Of the Wisdom of Solomon. St. Thomas reproaches Dante’s Judgement.
XIV. The Third Circle. Discourse on the Resurrection of the Flesh. The Fifth Heaven, Mars: Martyrs and Crusaders who died fighting for the true Faith. The Celestial Cross.
XV. Cacciaguida. Florence in the Olden Time.
XVI. Dante’s Noble Ancestry. Cacciaguida’s Discourse of the Great Florentines.
XVII. Cacciaguida’s Prophecy of Dante’s Banishment.
XVIII. The Sixth Heaven, Jupiter: Righteous Kings and Rulers. The Celestial Eagle. Dante’s Invectives against ecclesiastical Avarice.
XIX. The Eagle discourses of Salvation, Faith, and Virtue. Condemnation of the vile Kings of A.D. 1300.
XX. The Eagle praises the Righteous Kings of old. Benevolence of the Divine Will.
XXI. The Seventh Heaven, Saturn: The Contemplative. The Celestial Stairway. St. Peter Damiano. His Invectives against the Luxury of the Prelates.
XXII. St. Benedict. His Lamentation over the Corruption of Monks. The Eighth Heaven, the Fixed Stars.
XXIII. The Triumph of Christ. The Virgin Mary. The Apostles. Gabriel.
XXIV. The Radiant Wheel. St. Peter examines Dante on Faith.
XXV. The Laurel Crown. St. James examines Dante on Hope. Dante’s Blindness.
XXVI. St. John examines Dante on Charity. Dante’s Sight. Adam.
XXVII. St. Peter’s reproof of bad Popes. The Ascent to the Ninth Heaven, the ‘Primum Mobile.’
XXVIII. God and the Angelic Hierarchies.
XXIX. Beatrice’s Discourse of the Creation of the Angels, and of the Fall of Lucifer. Her Reproof of Foolish and Avaricious Preachers.
XXX. The Tenth Heaven, or Empyrean. The River of Light. The Two Courts of Heaven. The White Rose of Paradise. The great Throne.
XXXI. The Glory of Paradise. Departure of Beatrice. St. Bernard.
XXXII. St. Bernard points out the Saints in the White Rose.
XXXIII. Prayer to the Virgin. The Threefold Circle of the Trinity. Mystery of the Divine and Human Nature.
APPENDIX