A pithy tip from one of the masters, succinctly conveyed in Clive James’ translation.  It’s certainly given me food for thought: how to use the recognisable to make something new more convincing or acceptable. 

‘The secret of surprise

Lies in a framework that we recognise.’   

‘… che l’animo di quel ch’ode, non posa

nè ferma fede per essemplo ch’aia

la sua radice incognita ed ascosa,

nè per altro argomento che non paia.’

See also our illustrated quote-rich celebration of Dante’s Divine Comedy in Clive James’ entrance-lation. 

Source: Dante,The Divine Comedy, Paradiso – Canto 17, trans. Clive James (New York: Liveright Publishing, 2013), p. 441

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