Although the first part of the Divine Comedy, Inferno, begins at canto one, the journey to Hell itself starts in earnest in the third canto with Dante and Virgil arriving at Hell’s gate. Arguably the most famous lines from the poem is the inscription on the gate:
I AM THE WAY INTO THE DOLEFUL CITY,
I AM THE WAY INTO ETERNAL GRIEF,
I AM THE WAY TO A FORSAKEN RACE
JUSTICE IT WAS THAT MOVED MY GREAT CREATOR;
DIVINE OMNIPOTENCE CREATED ME,
AND HIGHEST WISDOM JOINED WITH PRIMAL LOVE.
BEFORE ME NOTHING BUT ETERNAL THINGS
WERE MADE, AND I SHALL LAST ETERNALLY.
ABANDON EVERY HOPE, ALL YOU WHO ENTER.
They now pass through the gate and begin to hear shrieks, cries, and sighs.
Next – Hell’s Preview
I was resigned to believe that I was the last of mortals still studying the classic literature of by-gone eras.
With the existence of The Divine Comedy, I think there will be more people going to read the poem. By the way, the term Comedy does not mean a funny story but a tale with a happy ending. Bravo Dante…
I have learned about Dante but it is hard to get the feeling inside his divine comedy. I was not surprised when only few people learn about this book. This is one of Canon literature till this day.
I “read” this classic as an audio book and I wanted a better understanding of many of the passages. This is a great resourse and just lucked onto the site.
What a haunting inscription, especially the final “ABANDON EVERY HOPE, ALL YOU WHO ENTER.” Enough to send chills down the spine…
loved this book. It’s quite disturbing but very interesting and deep as well.