An Introduction to the Study of DanteSmith, Elder, 1872 - 271 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
Alboin Alighieri allegory amore angel Arezzo beauty became Bianchi Bologna burghers called canto Carroccio celestial century Cerchi Charles of Anjou Chè chivalry Christian Church Cino citizens Crusade Dante Dante's Dante's poem death despot Divine Comedy Donati dream Emperor Empire epic eternal exile eyes factions faith feudal Florence Florentines Frederick Frederick Barbarossa genius Genoa Guelf and Ghibelline Guido Guido Cavalcanti heart heaven Hell Holy honour human ideal imagination Inferno Italian Italy lady language lines lived Lombard Lombard Conquest mediæval medieval ment Milton modern moral Naples Neri never nobles occhi pageant painting Papacy Papal Paradiso passage passion Petrarch Pisa Pistoja Podestà poet poetry political Pope princes Provence Purgatorio Roman Rome selfish Sicily simile Sismondi sonnet soul spheres spirit splendour sublime supreme symbol thou thought towns Tuscan Veltro Venice VILLANI Virgil virtue Visconti vision Vita Nuova whole words
Popular passages
Page 181 - They passed, and many a region dolorous, O'er many a frozen, many a fiery Alp, Rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs, dens, and shades of death, A universe of death...
Page 37 - After writing this sonnet, it was given unto me to behold a very wonderful vision; wherein I saw things which determined me that I would say nothing further of this most blessed one, until such time as I could discourse more worthily concerning her. And to this end I labor all I can, as she well knoweth. Wherefore if it be His pleasure through whom is the life of all things, that my life continue with me a few years, it is my hope that I shall yet write concerning her what hath not before been written...
Page 84 - Homer was the first and Dante the second epic poet : that is, the second poet, the series of whose creations bore a defined and intelligible relation to the knowledge and sentiment and religion of the age in which he lived, and of the ages which followed it, developing itself in correspondence with their development.
Page 247 - I have it in my heart to serve God so That into Paradise I shall repair, — The holy place through the which everywhere I have heard say that joy and solace flow. Without my lady I were loath to go, — She who has the bright face and the bright hair ; Because if she were absent, I being there, My pleasure would be less than naught, I know.
Page 194 - Posato al nido de' suoi dolci nati La notte che le cose ci nasconde, Che, per veder gli aspetti desiati, E per trovar lo cibo onde gli pasca...
Page 28 - Her dress, on that day, was of a most noble colour, a subdued and goodly crimson, girdled and adorned in such sort as best suited with 31 her very tender age. At that moment, I say most truly that the spirit of life, which hath its dwelling in the secretest chamber of the heart, began to tremble so violently that the least pulses of my body shook therewith ; and in trembling it said these words: Ecce deus fortior me, qui veniens dominabitur mihi (Here is a deity stronger than I; who, coming, shall...
Page 251 - ... written verses in the language of si: and of these, the first was moved to the writing of such verses by the wish to make himself understood of a certain lady, unto whom Latin poetry was difficult.
Page 27 - On that day which fulfilled the year since my lady had been made of the citizens of eternal life, remembering me of her as I sat alone, I betook myself to draw the resemblance of an angel upon certain tablets. And while I did thus, chancing to turn my head, I perceived that some were standing beside me to whom I should have given courteous welcome, and that they were observing what I did : also I learned afterwards that they had been there a while before I perceived them. Perceiving whom, I...
Page 31 - I was overtaken by a pleasant slumber, wherein a marvellous vision was presented to me: for there appeared to be in my room a mist of the colour of fire, within the which I discerned the figure of a lord of terrible aspect to such as should gaze upon him, but who seemed therewithal to rejoice inwardly that it was a marvel to see. Speaking he said many things, among the which I could understand but few; and of these, this: Ego dominus tuus...
Page 39 - I, who sought to console myself, found not only a remedy for my tears, but words of authors and of sciences and of books...