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September 5, 2010
Danteblogging Purgatorio VIII
Purgatory Canto VIII
One pattern of Hell reversed in Purgatory is sound. Where Hell was full of horrible noises people keep singing in Purgatory. We began with Dante's invocation of the Muses in Canto I, where he promises to sing. In Canto II the pilgrims heard the souls singing the psalm In exitu Israel. Cato scolded Casella for singing one of Dante's love songs in Canto III, but the souls were enjoying the sound! The Miserere occurs in Canto V, Salve Regina in VII, and the evening hymn Te lucis ante terminum here in VIII. We have a combination of the canonical hours (this last is a hymn for Compline) and free song -- but it is all registered as pleasant. The only exclamations from the souls are excited noises when they see that Dante is alive (remember that Ooooo?) and sighs. But the sighs here are not sighs of despair, but hope. Everyone in Purgatory has already made it into Heaven -- they just need to be rectified and made acceptable for entrance.
One of the stranger episodes in the entire Comedia plays out in this canto. Dante and Virgil see two angels appear - come from Mary's bosom in Heaven. Sordello tells the pilgrims the angels have come to guard the valley / against that serpent whose approach is near. (Purg VIII.38-29)
Eventually (c. line 100) the serpent slithers in, maybe the same who gave the bitter food / To Eve (Purg VIII.99). The angels, "celestial falcons," stoop on the serpent, which flees at the sound of their wings beating the air.
But what was it about? It is like a sacred drama acted out for an audience -- but is the audience the neglectful princes? Or Dante? Why would God in His grace allow a serpent to approach Purgatory at all? Very mysterious! Definitely an allegorical drama to unpack.
The canto begins with sailors and pilgrims -- voluntary travelers -- and ends with exile.
That hour had fallen when the sailor bends
his yearning and his softened heart toward home,
the day he's bid farewell to his sweet friends;
The hour that wrings the pilgrim just away
should he hear home's beloved bells afar,
that seem to mourn the dying of the day -- (Purg VIII.1-6)
At the end of the canto Dante is talking to Currado Malaspina and praises his families liberality and gallantry. Malaspina tells the Dante of 1300 that 7 years won't pass:
Before upon the front of your own head
you'll find this courteous opinion nailed
with surer nails that what the rest have said --
If judgment has not stopped its course and failed. (Purg VIII.136-139)
That is, Dante will find out for himself how liberal and gallant the Malaspina are when, in 1306, they take him in as an exile from Florence. Any number of souls in Hell foretold his exile, but Malaspina is the first to offer comfort (though hard comfort, an opinion nailed to his forehead!). So, we've moved from those gentle sailors and pilgrims headed home to Dante in Exile - a good way to balance a canto.
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Posted by CrankyProfessor at September 5, 2010 2:30 PM