The sun's coming up. The sky is turning orange. And night is dropping the scales of Libra. Could it get better? Well, yes, the pilgrim Dante and his guide, Virgil, could have a clue about what to do next.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we look at the opening prologue passage for Canto II of PURGATORIO. It's a moment of gorgeous poetry with no forward momentum. In the redeemed part of the afterlife? Apparently so.

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

[01:17] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto II, lines 1 - 12. If you'd like to read along, print it off, or drop a comment, please go to my website: markscarbrough.com.

[02:27] My confession: too much talk about what's ahead in COMEDY--although such talk may be inevitable.

[05:13] PURGATORIO, Canto II is a mirror image of INFERNO, Canto II.

[06:35] The terrestrial/astronomical opening of PURGATORIO, Canto II.

[11:30] The zodiac skyscape is alive!

[14:33] The globe flips twice in the passage.

[15:18] Hesitancy is the primary thematic of PURGATORIO, Canto II--which may mean Virgil is not the best guide for Purgatory.

[18:14] What is this hesitancy? How can we interpret it? Metapoetics? Human motives? A mistake that's not a sin?

[22:36] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto II, lines 1 - 12.