Hey all,

I've been reading Milton's Paradise Lost. After finishing it, I think I'll start on the Divine Comedy.

So, for those that have read it, I would like to know which version or versions you've read, and whether or not you liked it (or which you liked best, if applicable).

Thanks.

Hi Mikey,

I have a Penguin copy of Paradiso and it's not too bad -- only a couple of dollars so that's a plus as well I stupidly loaned my Inferno to someone -- I found an 1880s version in a bookshop in Edinburgh for about 3 quid. If you're up for e-books though, it's hard to go past the complete works on Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8800/8800-h/8800-h.htm

There's a decent Italian version, translated by a nearly forgotten writer called Dante.

There used to be a decent braille edition of Paradise Lost circulating that was supposedly translated by Satan, himself. I met a man named Dean Corso in the late '90s who claimed to have once perused an original printing at a book collector's in Spain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0

I hear Dean Corso turned pirate in later life. Books will do that. Or the Devil. Or Virgil, probably. Never trust a poet.

(05-09-2013, 04:03 PM)Leanne Wrote:  Hi Mikey,

I have a Penguin copy of Paradiso and it's not too bad -- only a couple of dollars so that's a plus as well I stupidly loaned my Inferno to someone -- I found an 1880s version in a bookshop in Edinburgh for about 3 quid. If you're up for e-books though, it's hard to go past the complete works on Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8800/8800-h/8800-h.htm

I did download Longfellow's translation from gutenberg, which I may yet read. I'm just pondering over the options (there's a lot of options - maybe that's good, or maybe bad).

The most popular Inferno is the one by Pinksy. But reading a bit of it off Amazon has left me unenthusiastic.

And you didn't mention of you liked Dante's story overall.

(pardon the delay of my response: I slumbereth too much and have many nightmares).

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(05-10-2013, 09:04 AM)rowens Wrote:  There's a decent Italian version, translated by a nearly forgotten writer called Dante.

There used to be a decent braille edition of Paradise Lost circulating that was supposedly translated by Satan, himself. I met a man named Dean Corso in the late '90s who claimed to have once perused an original printing at a book collector's in Spain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0

I don't believe it!

If Dante had translated to English, he'd have a wider readership.

Indeed, he really missed a trick .

I didn't think there was any doubt about whether Divina Commedia is worth reading and totally enjoyable. It's beyond criticism, as far as I'm concerned -- but then I'm a terza rima nut and also can't resist a bit of metapoetry wrapped in a rollicking good yarn. I think Pinsky only did Inferno and it's not bad, but I do prefer Longfellow. John Ciardi did a reasonable version as well, and he did the whole trio.

Satan was once good. God? He was always bad.

i've read parts but i have no idea which ones or from what version.

i've heard if you read it backwards the devil appears,

newsclippings, saying things like that will get you exorcised by the catholic church

(05-12-2013, 05:56 PM)newsclippings Wrote:  Satan was once good. God? He was always bad.

God was normal all through the old testment; then he lost his mind, and now thinks he's Jesus.

Poor chap.

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(05-12-2013, 04:35 PM)Leanne Wrote:  Indeed, he really missed a trick .

I didn't think there was any doubt about whether Divina Commedia is worth reading and totally enjoyable. It's beyond criticism, as far as I'm concerned -- but then I'm a terza rima nut and also can't resist a bit of metapoetry wrapped in a rollicking good yarn. I think Pinsky only did Inferno and it's not bad, but I do prefer Longfellow. John Ciardi did a reasonable version as well, and he did the whole trio.

The version in my local library is the Mandelbaum one. Looks pretty readable. And thanks for mentioning Ciardi. I'd overlooked him, and yet his translation looks pretty good to me.

Since the comedy is so deep (so they say) I'll probably read it twice, at least, and so try a different translation with each iteration.

Of those I've look over, the one by Dorothy Sayer seems most to have adhered strict rhyming terza rima. That could be good or bad, depending how far she had to stretch the contents of the original.

So much work even before starting an earnest reading.