Longfellow, I'm sad to say, is a bit long-winded when it comes to translating Alighieri's fantastic masterwork. The story is all there, but Longfellow's translation is as dated as it is hard to follow. Barnes and Noble presents the subject very well, and has nice annotations to the poem, but one might be better to put their faith in a more modern translation (I suggest Robert M. Durling's phenomenal translation of the piece).



Dante is not for the easy reader, and Longfellow is certainly not for the easy reader, but those who do tackle The Inferno are rewarded with a one-stop shop with all of the classical figures from Greek, Latin, and Biblical narratives, as well as a nice history lesson of 1200s Italy. I personally had fun reading this (I paired it with Durling's translation as well as Guy P. Raffa's Danteworlds guide), but that's not something that is going to attract many pleasure readers.



If you do take on Dante, be ready to read a three part epic poem spanning 100 cantos. Go in with a trusty guide (Raffa's Danteworlds, for example) and an open mind, and you're bound to be rewarded.