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Dante awakens in stark terror. But he's beside his constant companion, Virgil. And he's a long way up the mountain, looking far down at the sea.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we hear Virgil tell about the arrival of Lucy and discover that the Christian truth of comedy is always textured by the classical poetics of tragedy.

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

[01:30] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto IX, lines 43 - 63. If you'd like to read along or to continue the conversation, please go to my website: markscarbrough.com.

[03:23] Virgil sprays Dante the pilgrim with aphorisms, perhaps the best the classical world can do.

[05:06] PURGATORIO, Canto IX, has many parallels with INFERNO, Canto IX.

[07:46] Lucy shows up--but first, a problem with my translation.

[09:50] More importantly, which Lucy shows up?

[14:03] Apparently even a saint has to obey the laws of Mount Purgatory.

[15:07] Shock! Virgil follows Lucy to the gate of Purgatory!

[15:48] Why is the story given to Virgil? Why doesn't Dante the pilgrim just experience the ascent in Lucy's arms "in real time"?

[18:00] The classical imagery is not overwhelmed by the Christian truth of comedy. Rather, the classical imagery is the constant texture of Dante's truth.

[21:00] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto IX, lines 43 - 63.