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HBalikov's Reviews > The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy
by
by
I am back reading another version of The Divine Comedy. This translation by Australian poet Clive James is the most lyrical that I have read. It is as if I was reading it for the first time and with all that joy of discovery.
This review is based on the first book of this trilogy.
"Had I the bitter, grating rhymes to fit
This grim hole on which all the other rocks
Bear down, I’d do a better job of it
When pressing out my thought’s sap.
But what blocks
The flow is just that:
my soft, childish tongue.
It is with fear that I begin to speak,
Because a language we employ when young
To call our mother “mummy” is too weak
To use, even in sport, when touching on
The lowest level of the universe..."
"And though my frozen face
Felt nothing, like a callus, still somehow
I felt the wind, and more than just a trace.
“Master,” I said, “What causes this?
I thought All heat down here was quenched.”
And he to me: “Your eyes will soon be able to report
Directly, for the cause you’ll plainly see
That drives the blast.” And from his frozen crust
One of the wretches cried: “O souls so cruel
You roam free in the last pit of despair,
Lift off my brittle veils and break the rule,
That I might just a little give release
To the sadness that swells my heart, before
My tears freeze up again. So they will cease…"
This review is based on the first book of this trilogy.
"Had I the bitter, grating rhymes to fit
This grim hole on which all the other rocks
Bear down, I’d do a better job of it
When pressing out my thought’s sap.
But what blocks
The flow is just that:
my soft, childish tongue.
It is with fear that I begin to speak,
Because a language we employ when young
To call our mother “mummy” is too weak
To use, even in sport, when touching on
The lowest level of the universe..."
"And though my frozen face
Felt nothing, like a callus, still somehow
I felt the wind, and more than just a trace.
“Master,” I said, “What causes this?
I thought All heat down here was quenched.”
And he to me: “Your eyes will soon be able to report
Directly, for the cause you’ll plainly see
That drives the blast.” And from his frozen crust
One of the wretches cried: “O souls so cruel
You roam free in the last pit of despair,
Lift off my brittle veils and break the rule,
That I might just a little give release
To the sadness that swells my heart, before
My tears freeze up again. So they will cease…"
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Reading Progress
May 16, 2013
– Shelved as:
to-read
May 16, 2013
– Shelved
July 5, 2013
–
Started Reading
April 1, 2014
–
6.07%
"Not my first time through the pea patch. Read Ciardi's very thorough translation. This version seems to have a different approach."
page
32
April 8, 2014
–
6.07%
"James shows a nice touch with verse. This opening to Canto 4 is one that appealed to me:\n Into my soundly dreaming head there broke\n A sudden thunder so loud that I shook\n Like one shaken awake. When I awoke\n With sight restored, I rose and took a look\n Around me, keen to know where I might be:\n I and my Guide, the man who wrote the book\n On quests and questions, doubts and destiny."
page
32
January 26, 2015
–
17.27%
"Just may be the best translation. A delight of form and substance."
page
91
July 19, 2018
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-13 of 13 (13 new)
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Tara wrote: "And from his frozen crust One of the wretches cried: “O souls so cruel
You roam free in the last pit of despair,
Lift off my brittle veils and break the rule,
That I might just a little give rel..."
Much appreciated, Tara.
HBalikov wrote: "Tara wrote: "And from his frozen crust One of the wretches cried: “O souls so cruel
You roam free in the last pit of despair,
Lift off my brittle veils and break the rule,
That I might just a li..."
I know that this sounds whiny, Tara, but it is hard to select what to quote; partially because James' poetry bends the complete thought around a line and into the next one but not to the end of the next one. Still, it works well when reading it and his touch is magical.
You know, I've never actually read The Divine Comedy? Maybe I'll see if I can get my hands on this one.
Samantha (AK) wrote: "You know, I've never actually read The Divine Comedy? Maybe I'll see if I can get my hands on this one."That would be great, Samantha! (In case you didn't notice, I read this in small bites over 4 years)...It is long and demanding if you want to check all the footnotes as to whom Dante is referring and why.
Is that the “Clive James”, as in broadcaster and autobiographer and UK resident since the 60s? That sounds like it’d be an interesting version. Great review :)
Adrian wrote: "Is that the “Clive James”, as in broadcaster and autobiographer and UK resident since the 60s? That sounds like it’d be an interesting version. Great review :)"
The same, I believe, Adrian. This is the first of his books that I have read. However, I have asked the library for his more controversial Play All.
"James shows a nice touch with verse. This opening to Canto 4 is one that appealed to me:\n Into my soundly dreaming head there broke\n A sudden thunder so loud that I shook\n Like one shaken awake. When I awoke\n With sight restored, I rose and took a look\n Around me, keen to know where I might be:\n I and my Guide, the man who wrote the book\n On quests and questions, doubts and destiny."
So Clive James learnt Italian?
Laura wrote: "So Clive James learnt Italian?"So he says, and Latin.
The Comedia sounds divine in Italian 😊. I had a professor who read it to us students, and as a result I wanted to learn Italian, so I can understand.
What a fortunate experience, Laura!
It sounded like music.
One of the wretches cried: “O souls so cruel
You roam free in the last pit of despair,
Lift off my brittle veils and break the rule,
That I might just a little give release
To the sadness that swells my heart, before
My tears freeze up again. So they will cease…"
Beautiful excerpt, H, thanks for sharing it.