A halting mode of speech, the words slow-emerging, like the tearing of pages from a long-closed book. That is how Dante’s translator presents us with the first encounter with Virgil, who would be his guide through much of his journey.
‘His words emerged: as if with slow care torn,
Like pages of a book soaked shut by time.’
‘… chi per lungo silenzio parea fioco.’
See also our illustrated quote-rich celebration of Dante’s Divine Comedy in Clive James’ superb translation.Â
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Source: Dante,The Divine Comedy (Inferno, Canto 1), trans. Clive James (New York: Liveright Publishing, 2013), p. 5
Photo credit: Gellinger at pixabay.com
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