Ingerno 8: The passage Across The Styx :: Dante Divine Comedy

Ingerno 8 The passage Across The Styx In the summer of 1373 the Florentine Commune commissioned Giovanni Boccaccio to deliver a serial of public lectures on Dantes Divine Comedy, and these readings and commentaries on individual cantos which were presented in the perform of Santo Stefano di Badia between October 1373 and April 1374 are the inaugural in a tradition which observes smartly in many parts of the world in our own day.1 We do not know exactly when Boccaccio gave his lectures on the eighth canto of the Inferno, but in retrospect we may note that they fall roughly at the essence of his series, which was regrettably interrupted at the beginning of canto 17. Boccaccio begins his reading of Inferno 8 by remarking its unusual opening2 Dante says therefore in the first part I say, continuing. We may be somewhat puzzle by these oral communication since everyone readily understands that the poet perforce continues the subject matter already begun and needs not note this fact and we are even much perplexed because up to this point he has not employed this technique to continue his narrative. And, therefore, in order to dispel this state of perplexity, it must be made known that Dante had a sister, who was married to one of our fellow citizens.... original to his reputation as a master racconteur, Boccaccio tells how, after Dante had left his inseparable city of Florence in exile, his wife, Gemma, fearful that harm would come to their property, placed plastered valuable items in several strongboxes for safe keeping, and among these were copies of some of her husbands writings, including the first sevensome cantos of the Inferno. As Boccaccio reports, these cantos eventually came to light and were read by several people who, appreciating their excellence, recommended that they be sent to their author so that he might continue and complete this wonderful undertaking. And so, learning that Dante was then residing with Moroello Malaspina in Lunigiana, these interlopers forwarded him the seven cantos, and, as Boccaccio tells the story, Dante, having received such encouragement, set himself about his task and began the eighth canto with the words Io dico seguitando... __ or, as we might say today, Well, as I was saying.... While providing an raise though less than satisfactory