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    The Divine Comedy: Inferno
    The Divine Comedy: Inferno
    The Divine Comedy: Inferno
    Audiobook4 hours

    The Divine Comedy: Inferno

    Written by Dante Alighieri

    Narrated by James Langton

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    About this audiobook

    The most famous of the three canticles that compose The Divine Comedy, "Inferno" describes Dante's descent into Hell midway through his life with Virgil as a guide. As he descends through nine concentric circles of increasingly agonizing torture, Dante encounters doomed souls that include the pagan Aeneas, the liar Odysseus, the suicidal Cleopatra, and his own political enemies, damned for their deceit. Led by leering demons, Dante must ultimately journey with Virgil to the deepest level of all-for it is only by encountering Satan himself, in the heart of Hell, that he can truly understand the tragedy of sin.

    This version of the classic poem is the translation by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the poem's first American translator.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 19, 2010
    ISBN9781400186020
    Author

    Dante Alighieri

    Dante was a major Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His Divine Comedy is widely considered the greatest work of Italian literature.

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    Reviews for The Divine Comedy

    4/5

    3,022 ratings108 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Great book ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I'm not a religious man in the least, but - like the great works of Classical composers, or the Sistine Chapel - that's hardly a consideration when reading a soaring work of near-ancient literature. Esolen's translation is marvellous, attempting to keep rhyme, meter and meaning in check, without ever sacrificing beauty. What results is a work of epic poetry which, while adhering to rules, is more than happy to flaunt them when necessary. Dante's vision is quite clever, and - although you will need copious notes at times to understand the medieval Italian history references - a sublimely beautiful piece.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Not entirely sure what translation this was, as it was a free ebook. In any case, it was a little difficult to read at times, but it seemed okay as a translation. The text itself is beautiful: I wish I could read it in the original.
    • 3/5
      On my trip to Italy I was able to re-read Dante's Inferno. I was struck by how he cleverly inserts his enemies and contemporary villains into the epic. Also, I cannot help but wonder if the ingenious torments he comes up for each sin are original with Dante. Of course, I love it that Dante doesn't hesitate to place Popes in various circles of Hell. The way he and Virgil have to dodge demons makes the trip an exciting adventure. I must admit I fully enjoyed this version by Charles Eliot Norton with the explanatory notes. I did want to add ...Fierce rivalries often split the dominant faction. So in 1302 the “Black” Guelfs, in alliance with Pope Boniface VIII, succeeded in expelling the “Whites.” Among the White Guelfs at this time was Dante (1265–1321), who had held public office. Doomed to spend the rest of his life in exile, he wrote the Divine Comedy while in exile. So, Dante puts Popes Nicholas, Boniface and Clement in the 8th and 9th circles of hell for fraud. Boniface is Dante's number one foe.
    • 2/5
      As much as I enjoyed reading about the tortures he designed for his Florentine political opponents, I spent entirely too much time reading about all these characters in the footnotes. He designed an interesting underworld that was essentially Christian but integrated diverse figures from the Bible, contemporary Italy, classical Greece and Rome, and Classical mythology.
    • 4/5
      I'd never read this, though references to it abound in countless books, movies, etc. I found the translation (having not even the slightest knowledge of Italian) very readable/accessible/beautiful in parts. Recommendation: if you want to find out the source of most of what we think about hell, go to hell...with Dante.
    • 3/5
      This was the most difficult book to understand i have ever read do to so many old local events and characters in it. It was hell but I am glad i got through it. it felt like an acomplishment
    • 3/5
      If you like reading poetry then this won't be as difficult of a read than for those who do not, however you still need to get past the language Dante uses. If you get the Barnes and Noble Classic Series book (which I highly suggest) you get great End Notes that are actually longer than the poem itself. Getting through the language and seeing what Dante is really talking about you see the horror that is hell, and it is a fascinating horror. You may feel more religious than ever after reading this book; no one wants to walk the path that Dante and Virgil walked. But you want to read about it...
    • 4/5
      It's interesting but I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. The morality seems rather heavy-handed, maybe I'm not digging deep enough into it.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful and amazing classical literature. Dante was a great writer.
    • 5/5
      The audiobook makes the reading of this book more tolerable. I found the book a difficult read.
    • 5/5
      Dante's journey through Hell ranks in my top 5 favorite books. I especially like this translation, as it keeps the language modern enough to be readable, but is still beautiful. Also, there are plenty of foot and end notes to explain middle age-phrases and historical references many people may not be familiar with.
    • 4/5
      I read the Longfellow translation and despite a huge lack of historical knowledge about Dante's contemporary Florence I really enjoyed Inferno.

      The imaginative punishments are gruesome enough to capture your attention and the whole poem is successful in painting quite a visual image of Dante's incarnation of hell.

    • 5/5
      I first tried reading this about ten years ago when I was studying medieval history, and didn't get very far. In fact, I can tell you that I got to the end of Canto 5, because that's where the margin notes in my copy finish. Reading it now, I can't imagine why I didn't get further. This was a translation by Dorothy L. Sayers (first published 1949), and I found it very accessible and easy to read. In her introduction, Sayers explains that she has stuck to the terza rima in which the original was written, sacrificing (she says) a little verbal accuracy in favour of retaining the speed and rhythm. She also explains at some length her approach to the rhyme-scheme and metre, her use of a wide range of English vocabulary including some colloquial phrases, and the ways in which she has tried to preserve the humour and tone of the original. I think that Sayers achieved great success in this: the vocabulary is gloriously rich, ranging from phrases which are positively Shakespearean all the way to the contemporary vernacular, and just about everything in between. The poetry is evocative and flows well, and the various tones and changes of mood are superbly conveyed.The book has extensive notes on the significant people encountered by the character of Dante in his journey through hell, and on the symbolism and imagery used by Dante the writer, which are not only engaging and well-written but also exceedingly useful. The introduction sets out the historical context in some detail, which is also very helpful: I could have given a detailed history of the Guelfs and Ghibellines ten years ago, but this time I was more than a little reliant on this introductory information to refresh my memory. The diagrams and maps of Dante's hell are also beneficial, as is the glossary of all the characters encountered. Together, the poetry and notes make this a very accessible translation for those who are unused to poetry, unfamiliar with the historical figures, or both. I found the story (if I can call it that) to be more easily understood than I had expected it to be, and also more entertaining than I had anticipated. I did, however, find that the various circles of hell began to merge together in my mind as in some cases there was either little detail given about them or they were very similar to other circles. I expected most of the symbolism in the book to pass me by - most symbolism generally does - but between Dante's own explanations and that in the notes I was able to appreciate far more than I expected to, and to overlook much less than I feared. The commentary on the political situation at the time, as well as that on the Church, is very definitely partisan - but is nonetheless insightful. I have the remainder of the Divine Comedy in the Sayers translation awaiting me on the shelf, and am now very definitely looking forward to reading it.
    • 5/5
      I've read this book, the first of three, in French, when I was 25, and I immediately was swept away by its poetic force, its classical symmetrical construction and its sharp and benign view on the human condition. Brilliantly composed. Each canto tells the story of several prominent historical persons, set in breathtaking landscapes. Tragedy is all around, sometimes with a comical touch, but almost always compassionate. The filosofical and theological dimensions are less prominent than in book II and III. I've reread this book in Dutch (both prose and lyrical translation) and in the original Italian. An everlasting treasure.
    • 5/5
      Dante's journey through Hell ranks in my top 5 favorite books. I especially like this translation, as it keeps the language modern enough to be readable, but is still beautiful. Also, there are plenty of foot and end notes to explain middle age-phrases and historical references many people may not be familiar with.
    • 3/5
      3.75. Great audio and perfectly syncs up to the book.
    • 5/5
      The narrator was amazing! I loved the fact that he did different voices for the characters. He inspired me to want to read more classics!
    • 5/5
      I've read this book, the first of three, in French, when I was 25, and I immediately was swept away by its poetic force, its classical symmetrical construction and its sharp and benign view on the human condition. Brilliantly composed. Each canto tells the story of several prominent historical persons, set in breathtaking landscapes. Tragedy is all around, sometimes with a comical touch, but almost always compassionate. The filosofical and theological dimensions are less prominent than in book II and III. I've reread this book in Dutch (both prose and lyrical translation) and in the original Italian. An everlasting treasure.
    • 4/5
      It's interesting but I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. The morality seems rather heavy-handed, maybe I'm not digging deep enough into it.
    • 5/5
      (Review is of the Penguin Classics translation by Mark Musa, and applies to all three volumes, Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradisio) I would not think to quibble with reviewing Dante himself - Dante is a master, and doesn't need my endorsement. I will say, however, that Musa's translation is an exceptionally sensitive one, and his comprehensive notes are an invaluable aid to the reader less familiar with Dante's broad spheres of reference. Musa is clearly a devoted scholar of Dante, and his concern for Dante's original meaning and tone is evident. This is one of the best translations of The Comedia available.
    • 4/5
      Classic poem of a journey through hell. I did not read the other two in the trilogy.
    • 2/5
      I am not prepared to debate the canonicity of this work, though my initial suspicion is that its political agenda is far too historically particular to render the kind of transcendent satisfaction I expect from a canonical work. That aside, I simply prefer realism, and the Inferno has the distinct flavor of a fever dream.
    • 5/5
      I read this once before (with a different translator) and it didn't have near the impact it did this time. I credit Dorothy L. Sayers for that. Her translation is lively, her interpretations and notes are helpful and inspiring. Possibly the fact that I have more knowledge of Greek myths and life in general than I did the first time is also helpful. I look forward to reading the rest of Dante's Comedy as translated by Sayers.
    • 2/5
      I never thought I'd say it, but I think I'd rather have read this for a literature class so as to get a better understanding of it. I felt as though I simply didn't have the context to appreciate it, and my world view is sufficiently remote from Dante's that I didn't have much personal insight. If fire, brimstone, and devils with pitchforks are your thing, you'll love this. Unfortunately, they're not mine.

      I was pleased to have the extensive notes in this edition, however, and Pinsky's clean, modern translation was also greatly appreciated.
    • 2/5
      A poet takes a tour of hell.2/4 (Indifferent).With most books that I read in high school, my experience reading them as an adult is vastly different. Not this one. It offers no depth, no subtlety, it just is what it is.
    • 5/5
      Anthony Esolen's [relatively] new translation of Dante's Divine Comedy is my personal favorite for leisure reading. Here he captures the high drama, rage, fear, and pathos of Dante's poem better than any other translator I've read (and I've read many). I had already read Inferno umpteen times when I bought Esolen's translation, and it was like reading it for the first time again. I was almost brought to tears by Ugolino and his story, a story, like I said, that I had already read what seemed like a million times. A good translator makes the familiar seem new again, and Esolen's version of Dante accomplishes just that.One nice thing, poetically, about this translation is that Esolen avoids most of the flaws of other translations. His poetry is neither ridiculously ornate nor boringly literal, as many have the tendency to be. He walks the tightrope gracefully, sticking to an iambic pentameter line. He doesn't attempt to force rhyme on the translation (the fatal flaw of the otherwise excellent translation by Dorothy Sayers), but does use a rhyme when it presents itself naturally.This translation is highly recommended for anyone interested in The Divine Comedy. The notes section is scanty, especially compared to the Ciardi and Musa translations, but should be quite enough for even beginning readers.
    • 5/5
      Just a brief note about translations (is there any point in my 'reviewing' Dante? ;)): I first read the Laurence Binyon translation that used to be found in the "Portable Dante" -- this has since been replaced. I gave Allen Mandelbaum a shot and although I liked his version, Binyon's is the one I've stuck with, because it preserves the terza rima form and does so really well. I may give others a go eventually.
    • 5/5
      I think it's good to read this every ten years or so, to marvel at Dante's inventiveness at the miseries these souls (heavily weighted toward those who were his contemporaries) have made for themselves, and how he makes himself so perfectly clueless about the very cosmology he devised. I paid particular attention to how as the author and his guide descend into Hell the sense of fantastic horror increases in a way that I don't think existed before. It felt like the aim was to burn out all vice in the Dante character so that he could re-emerge on the other side ready to take the path back toward heaven, maybe because of all the strife and tumult he'd experienced in his very political life up till then.
      Reading the whole book in a month, about one canto a day, it just the right pace to allow one to study the endnotes. Most of the individual stories he crams in here I'd already forgotten from the previous times I've read the book. Of course many of these have now been adopted by other artists, but there are lots of others whom we know only through a couple of lines of verse seven centuries after they lived.
      This is the second time I've read Pinsky's translation. I like it, but maybe not as much as John Ciardi's which seems more graceful, less brutal in places. The poem is a terrible beauty, studded with those amazing metaphors Dante was so fond of.
    • 5/5
      And then, like one who unchooses his own choiceAnd thinking again undoes what he has started,So I became: a nullifying uneaseOvercame my soul on that dark slope and voidedThe undertaking I had so quickly embraced.Robert Pinsky's verse translation of Inferno is truly impressive. He keeps the terza rima without contorting the English syntax into incomprehensibility, mostly through utilizing consonant rhyming over more common vowel-based rhymes. In this way, he retains Dante's lexicon more than translators who would seek synonyms to force a rhyme. Outside of the translation, there is not much about Inferno that hasn't already been said. The notes were absolutely crucial in fully appreciating the breadth and depth of Dante's commentary of Italian society and medieval Christianity. But even if one skips the notes and glosses over the names of those populating hell, the imagery of souls torn open, monsters with uncountable appendages, and landscapes of fire and dust would stay with any reader. It truly is horrifying.