abandon hope, all ye who enter here
Language: English
Part of speech: phrase
Forms: form: abandon hope
form: abandon all hope, ye who enter here
form: abandon all hope ye who enter here
form: abandon hope all ye who enter here
form: all hope abandon, ye who enter here
form: all hope abandon ye who enter here
Etymology: From Dante Alighieri's work Inferno, translated by Henry Francis Cary as “all hope abandon ye who enter here”, from the Italian lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate. The variant “abandon hope, all ye who enter here”, with a change of meaning, was likely chosen for its iambic pentameter.
Senses: examples: text: “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here,” was by no means written above its gateways.
ref: 1898, Justin H[untly] McCarthy, The French Revolution, volume II, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], page 2:
text: A sincere desire to render our Republican friends—a majority of whom we love—a real service and save them real money impels us to warn them that if their high command sends national funds to West Virginia for campaign purposes in 1952, the bearers of their money bags will find at the border line of the State ominous warning signs such as Dante saw above the entrance to the inferno, “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.”
ref: 1952 May 27, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 82ᵈ Congress, Second Session, volume 98, part 5, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, page 6017, column 1:
text: It seems to me that it might as well have a sign on the door, saying ‘Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.’ If I go there, I know I’ll be buying a one-way ticket.
ref: 2002, Levi Meier, Seven Heavens: Inspirational Stories to Elevate Your Soul, Devora Publishing, →ISBN, page 185:
text: A decent and free society, founded in respect for the individual, ought not to run a system with a sign at the entrance for inmates saying, "Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here."
ref: 2004, Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, and the Identity Theft Investigation and Prosecution Act of 2003: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, Second Session, on H.R. 1731 and H.R. 3693, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, page 54:
text: "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here," the plaque on the Frolic Room door says.
ref: 2005, Jade Blackmore, Close But No Pizza, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 37:
text: Visitors enter through a set of huge wrought-iron gates decorated with basalt statues writhing in agony and the famous phrase ABANDON HOPE, ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE.
ref: 2006, Karen Chance, Touch the Dark, Penguin, →ISBN:
text: ABANDON HOPE, ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE / The end of prohibition didn’t mean an immediate return to the good old days.
ref: 2010, Ian Coutts, Brew North: How Canadians Made Beer and Beer Made Canada, Greystone Books, →ISBN, page 65:
text: It seems that, in many instances, the “abandon hope, all ye who enter here” warning that Microsoft displays on its knowledge base articles regarding the Registry really do ^([sic]) a good job of keeping the good guys out, […]
ref: 2011, Harlan Carvey, Windows Registry Forensics: Advanced Digital Forensic Analysis of the Windows Registry, Elsevier, →ISBN:
glosses: Supposed inscription at the gate of hell.
wikipedia: Dante Alighieri
Henry Francis Cary