Virgil, Sordello, And The Limits Of The Will: PURGATORIO, Canto VII, Lines 37 - 63

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Virgil has turned the journey into his own--but now confronts not only his limits but perhaps everyone's as Sordello warns him (and Dante the pilgrim) that night is falling on Mount Purgatory.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we explore this very strange passage from PURGATORIO in which we find out for the first time that the Elysian Fields lies in front of us but that we'd better get there while we still can.

Here are the segments of this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:

[02:09] My English translation of this passage: PURGATORIO, Canto VII, lines 37 - 63. If you'd like to read along, print it off, or continue the conversation, please go to my website, markscarbrough.com.

[04:33] The passage seems to call back to Belacqua in PURGATORIO, Canto IV, and to show us that PURGATORIO is starting to wrap into itself.

[08:07] Sordello "uses" a passage from THE AENEID to explain their movement on Mount Purgatory.

[12:53] Sordello is only talking to Virgil, despite Dante standing right there.

[15:35] Virgil asks questions about ability and the will--and the allegory gets very intense.

[18:41] Sordello makes a gesture similar to the one Jesus makes in John 8 when the woman is caught in adultery.

[21:12] When there's no light, stay where you are--or else you might have to move down.

[23:16] Delight is the central motivation of PURGATORIO and even COMEDY as a whole. Too bad knowing that does Virgil no good.

[24:48] Delight directs the will.

[26:40] Love may move the fence but that movement is always costly.