Cover of Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Hell

Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Hell

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"Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Hell" by Dante Alighieri is an epic poem composed in the 14th century. This work is a complex allegorical narrative that explores the themes of sin, redemption, and the soul's quest for divine justice. The protagonist, Dante himself, embarks on a perilous journey through the realms of Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. At the start of the Inferno, Dante finds himself lost in a dark forest, symbolizing confusion and the recognition of his own sinfulness. As he attempts to ascend a mountain representing salvation, he is blocked by three wild beasts, each emblematic of different vices. In his despair, Dante encounters Virgil, who offers to guide him through Hell and eventually to Paradise, motivated by the intercession of Beatrice, Dante's beloved. The opening sets a tone of reflection and fear while establishing Dante's desire for enlightenment and redemption, making it a compelling beginning to his profound exploration of morality and the afterlife.

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  • Hell
  • Epic poetry, Italian · Translations into English
  • Italian poetry · To 1400 · Translations into English

Read the opening

The Divine Comedy

of Dante Alighieri

Canto I. The Dark Forest. The Hill of Difficulty. The Panther, the Lion, and the Wolf. Virgil. Canto II. The Descent. Dante’s Protest and Virgil’s Appeal. The Intercession of the Three Ladies Benedight. Canto III. The Gate of Hell. The Inefficient or Indifferent. Pope Celestine V. The Shores of Acheron. Charon. The Earthquake and the Swoon. Canto IV. The First Circle, Limbo: Virtuous Pagans and the Unbaptized. The Four Poets, Homer, Horace, Ovid, and Lucan. The Noble Castle of Philosophy. Canto V. The Second Circle: The Wanton. Minos. The Infernal Hurricane. Francesca da Rimini. Canto VI. The Third Circle: The Gluttonous. Cerberus. The Eternal Rain. Ciacco. Florence. Canto VII. The Fourth Circle: The Avaricious and the Prodigal. Plutus. Fortune and her Wheel. The Fifth Circle: The Irascible and the Sullen. Styx. Canto VIII. Phlegyas. Philippo Argenti. The Gate of the City of Dis. Canto IX. The Furies and Medusa. The Angel. The City of Dis. The Sixth Circle: Heresiarchs. Canto X. Farinata and Cavalcante de’ Cavalcanti. Discourse on the Knowledge of the Damned. Canto XI. The Broken Rocks. Pope Anastasius. General Description of the Inferno and its Divisions. Canto XII. The Minotaur. The Seventh Circle: The Violent. The River Phlegethon. The Violent against their Neighbours. The Centaurs. Tyrants. Canto XIII. The Wood of Thorns. The Harpies. The Violent against themselves. Suicides. Pier della Vigna. Lano and Jacopo da Sant’ Andrea. Canto XIV. The Sand Waste and the Rain of Fire. The Violent against God. Capaneus. The Statue of Time, and the Four Infernal Rivers. Canto XV. The Violent against Nature. Brunetto Latini. Canto XVI. Guidoguerra, Aldobrandi, and Rusticucci. Cataract of the River of Blood. Canto XVII. Geryon. The Violent against Art. Usurers. Descent into the Abyss of Malebolge. Canto XVIII. The Eighth Circle, Malebolge: The Fraudulent and the Malicious. The First Bolgia: Seducers and Panders. Venedico Caccianimico. Jason. The Second Bolgia: Flatterers. Allessio Interminelli. Thais. Canto XIX. The Third Bolgia: Simoniacs. Pope Nicholas III. Dante’s Reproof of corrupt Prelates. Canto XX. The Fourth Bolgia: Soothsayers. Amphiaraus, Tiresias, Aruns, Manto, Eryphylus, Michael Scott, Guido Bonatti, and Asdente. Virgil reproaches Dante’s Pity. Mantua’s Foundation. Canto XXI. The Fifth Bolgia: Peculators. The Elder of Santa Zita. Malacoda and other Devils. Canto XXII. Ciampolo, Friar Gomita, and Michael Zanche. The Malabranche quarrel. Canto XXIII. Escape from the Malabranche. The Sixth Bolgia: Hypocrites. Catalano and Loderingo. Caiaphas. Canto XXIV. The Seventh Bolgia: Thieves. Vanni Fucci. Serpents. Canto XXV. Vanni Fucci’s Punishment. Agnello Brunelleschi, Buoso degli Abati, Puccio Sciancato, Cianfa de’ Donati, and Guercio Cavalcanti. Canto XXVI. The Eighth Bolgia: Evil Counsellors. Ulysses and Diomed. Ulysses’ Last Voyage. Canto XXVII. Guido da Montefeltro. His deception by Pope Boniface VIII. Canto XXVIII. The Ninth Bolgia: Schismatics. Mahomet and Ali. Pier da Medicina, Curio, Mosca, and Bertrand de Born. Canto XXIX. Geri del Bello. The Tenth Bolgia: Alchemists. Griffolino d’ Arezzo and Capocchino. Canto XXX. Other Falsifiers or Forgers. Gianni Schicchi, Myrrha, Adam of Brescia, Potiphar’s Wife, and Sinon of Troy. Canto XXXI. The Giants, Nimrod, Ephialtes, and Antaeus. Descent to Cocytus. Canto XXXII. The Ninth Circle: Traitors. The Frozen Lake of Cocytus. First Division, Caina: Traitors to their Kindred. Camicion de’ Pazzi. Second Division, Antenora: Traitors to their Country. Dante questions Bocca degli Abati. Buoso da Duera. Canto XXXIII. Count Ugolino and the Archbishop Ruggieri. The Death of Count Ugolino’s Sons. Third Division of the Ninth Circle, Ptolomaea: Traitors to their Friends. Friar Alberigo, Branco d’ Oria. Canto XXXIV. Fourth Division of the Ninth Circle, the Judecca: Traitors to their Lords and Benefactors. Lucifer, Judas Iscariot, Brutus, and Cassius. The Chasm of Lethe. The Ascent.

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About this edition

This free edition of Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Hell by Dante Alighieri comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #1001, released 1997-08-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Poetry, Classics of Literature.

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