The appearance of the gaggle of  pole  -- jackdaws, or grey crows ( cornacchie grige ) -- in  Paradiso 21  is a strangely unsolemn moment ...

"The whole story of Ripheus is nothing less than outrageous," says Robert Hollander, with complete justification.  With the in...

The simile of the lark that comes in the middle of Paradiso 21 reminded me of a lovely piece by Bernard de Ventadorn:   When I s...

CALENDAR FOR ROSKAMP MEETINGS FOR 2017 ALL MEETINGS ARE ON WEDNESDAYS JANUARY 4TH, 18TH FEBRUARY 1ST, 15TH MARCH 1ST, 15TH ...

Much time and space here was given to Paradiso 18   for two reasons - first, it traces a clear change in the poet's power to speak (an...

The BBC has a story about Justinian (above flanked by military and clergy), whom we encountered in Paradiso 6 .  It's worth rec...

Già si solea con le spade far guerra;  ma or si fa togliendo or qui or quivi  lo pan che 'l pïo Padre a nessun serra. Ma tu che sol pe...

To briefly review: Paradiso 18 begins with the poet hesitant, uncertain, seemingly adrift in the echoing world of words and ambivalent sym...

We have looked at the self-doubting opening of Paradiso 18 where the pilgrim, having learned his poetic destiny from Cacciaguida, questio...