The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-07-22
GOLDEN AGES OF LITERATURE
xIII.-DANTE's DIVINE coMEpY.v
Try VIDA ID GcunnIfR

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mora limited scole but Of N, s,ma orasr
Carlyle's "sartor Rcsartus -rhov have Won.
derfuI interest ,hese ,nems and opr,onslv
enough they reveal he,ter Than INV reol,st,o
| literature tba truo cboractor ara ,aaa,. 80
the ages I'm, ,roduced them
Tho Fourteenth century was the onix ne.
riod In which the "pivine Comedy" coula
have been written The poem como. rlgbt
out OF the heart Of ,he middia ,,es hr, tho
mlddies ases ola enough 10 nave hecorne con-
scious and "a so o,to, harnor. ,r ,itararv
bistor, gatpi,, nouo, 30 uttorono, Due, 40
they pas, AWAY. tn. accumulated nassion
and insight NJ rr,nv christian o.,,urto. 40
IN tho poem
Tho "Divtna r,or,oa,., q. IN. .,orx ~ rv
prinare A ituo ,.,or ~ a.. na.t.aa.
Snenser Showed n. HE oonoo,,tou - .a,.,hI.
lifc ava HE u,o. ro,+ A.,nano,, u,h,.,
knlghts az snir,tuo, slorv tomn,,, ,ora,,a.
against tho force. =, lin nd su,io r,,har
oonccn,lon ,s trne ~ L. ,.,,,,.. =, !.
a1so haiti. hui - =, ~ ,.,i1,u. -.
which ..or. .,,on - ..,s.,,..,i.. ...',o,,.
-. ~, ,,'..
1H was u'otsS HAe" W
~ '-ON' VI Wv V4iH'
wv
in'o suanR" regions Dante's Journey took
NM The poem Is run OF picture and story;
presented with marvellous VlVidhess' But
thls ls because tho middle ages had an eN-
traordlnary Rltt Tor transla.ing the invit'blo
INTO FORM ana color For IN reality all the
'dnuscape Is Wltnih tho human spirit. we
are carried into hell. up the pnrgatorial
heiBht ana thence INTO the Elorles OF farthest
neaVen' ana yet all tho time we have not
leIt tho limits OF one human. sinful, penl-
tent forgiven soul. Hell hrst. Dante tells
us how he was wandering. lost aud beset by
foes. in the wildered forest OF life. when
there met him stately figure who told him
that he was sent to be his guide, This was
tho poet Virgil representative OF the wis
dom OF tho ancient world, 1t is heavenly
one who has sent Virgil to Dsnte's heln:
beatrice pante's early love. now saint In
p"r"u'Se rearing vet with an instant. loy-
Ing trust (which never fails h'm) In virgil
heil-lnto the murk of hell.
Hell Is within the earth That Is because
e Dante, as to all men Of tho middle ages
I'm ~" az e'l, '.'ut' wi,''a INV ',
"'en ava, ilon 'ou, 1t uo'S NOT MI tne
80 INV ooA'o"i 80 wv
w.. a ue -, 49,, .n.'l 'u' ..
$500 n aN0 '"lse''pe wv.
-, 80
are borne forever hther and thither: now
across n black marsh wherein ara plunged
ma ao,,t. - a., .,n,,h.,,, ..a II. -
.n' sou's u tue "r"'ntui anu s"llen' "n'le
now wander in sinister land of tombs; now
in horrible wood where tortured branches
hiss and speak: now over burning sands.
whcreon fan slowly. ceaselessly. dilated fakes
OF fire. and now they wade q little river. the
redness Of which makes Dante shudder-a
river OF blood. downward thew press ever
downward TO tho very center Of tho earth
where bitter cold reigns forever. where Luoi-
fer the worn, Is stuck. the central prinolple
of evil, death giving. impotent
~
Au.,.,a btdoor. rs,ior ia ruu y. srortz,r.
-our, .b,-. nto,a - ahoaa ,bo,sh a. an
noor ,,,,toriaI ia brt "a. e,nresqton y, tbei,
avu p,irds For hehird the protoso,a nun
,sbnents which Donte devised lies the inev.
CRADLE fate Of wicked character. nowhere else
in Christian literature rendered with so stern
81 novor
so,,. reonle tall, "a 81 nants were or1v tbA
noe, nj .trfe.ro ., and tbov ntcture hin, os
gloomy, fearful person severe and even vim
dirlye This is not n, OH true Hon was
name had n 90 there:
Christ! Once must every man descend to
coos. ,on ot ~, 'iIi,og n death then must
thou dwell"
says an ola German mystic pu, DHn'o ""s
thankful enough TO escape anu once ou''
nus "nole nature oAp'uuS "'ln gu -,
'H,ss No"HeFe ~ i't''
so "ohuelluI senso y. lt,''' ",'N
we ieei "neH ~ ,,ls a ,nta ,ho
'ui1 one 80 ,no .rarohitr,,
90 a., ,.,., 80. .,,o Coco, t.or, u,bich rises
u sDo r""1 w 49,. =, r,,r1,torv rIoII
" n'' ~, rart ~ norta,. uni
"1S f,. WOO y,a. r,,rsotorv and ,,s |
'ahot,....a .ia,'a,t,, v,.ra renewed Tor the |
- .r,.o'ah ,rh,c, no md virgil NOW
,a,,' .,,,t,r's .ortinrolI, rnward rejoicing