El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-05
Dante. a Man Of Sorrows
One OF Three Greatest of Worlds
Poets, He Wandered About the
World UnaPpreeieted
and Rejected.
-Rv Madison &. Peters @-

TJcHIERI DURANTE, known to
n fame as Dante, composed his sub
\ lime epic, THE Divine COmedia,"
while an exile, a homeless wanderer'
beepar from door to door, sick and suf-
SsSi3c- in mind and body. OF himself
he writes Through almost all parts
where this language Itahan) IS spoh-
en- Wanderer and lmpOrtuntlte DSS
gar, have Travelled, showing aSa1lst
nv will the wounds Of fortune But
ont of his misfortune came the ap0c4-
lypse, the noblest effort Of the mldole
ages Il,
still growing, though more than six
centuries have passed since 1t was writ
ten. 1t is the Incompatible epic when
still forms the highest glory OF human
art
Its author was a man of sOrrows- He
was born at Florence in 1868, OF TAM
ilv Of the lower class OF nooles- Al
"a he took part in the bloody battle OF
we're annihilated. At 80 he was taking
an active part in the life of the repub-
lie It was q stormy and crltlcal per
iOd In 1902 he was condemned, De
prived of citizenship and banished from
Tuscany ThencefOTWard he tOreSWOre
all political strife and became wand
erer In the first year OF his exile ne
wrote the immortal epic Wnlcn places
one of the three supreme poets OF man
Children Run From Him.
He was broken in health, he slowly
made his way along the road sides like
some spectre from another world.
Homeless and mOneylesS ne went ms
way. apart from his wife and family
seeking food and shelter as best ne
could. Children ran from his presence
and often their eledrs were afraid 10
approach him.
He wore long surtout closely
clasped to the neck by a black band
and his feet were encaSed IN sandals
which soon were in ribands with the
constant walking along the rough
mountain roads. When they were en-
tirely gone he tore strips from his
| cloak or surtout and bound them around
his bleeding feet with the tough IL
/ bres of plants. At first his food con-
I sisted Of what the peasants gave MIN,
I handfuls of meal and flour whlcn ne
| stepped in pools he encountered and
ate without cooking. This was sup
/ plemented with fruits and berries he
/ plucked on his Journeying oranges
/ lemons, olives and wild grapes.
From some doors he was angrily or
| dered away. but he never murmured.
/ others welcomed him and gave him
! their hospitality and bed IN their cor
/ ners but often he had to lie under the
/ friendly shelter of a tree or grove. He
| had underneath his cloak cloth wal
let in which he carried his papers. he
! would sit down and write by the road
| side, often using a burnt piece OF SUCK
4 to form the words But when he came
to the large towns he Jared better He
would repair to the mOnastaries, where
he had access to books and papers
! where he could edit his manuscript
ana where he was given food and raj
ment The food formed a small item
bread, water and fruits. Through de
Z privatiOn his stomach could not as
! simulate anything heavier. He became
]
! skin dessicated and frightened over tn
prOtruding bones. The eyes became
sunken in their sockets. but the pupn
retained their brilliancy, an Index L
the working of the mind.
Finds First Refuge.
The first refuge where Dante me
kindness and hospitality was at tn
court of BartOlOmeO della Scotia, lord o
3 1,,