Dante How to Know Him Author:Dante Alighieri General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1916 Original Publisher: The Bobbs-Merrill Company Subjects: Literary Criticism / European / Italian Poetry / Continental European Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the G... more »eneral Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: As the trees of Earth in spring begin to swell, and each takes on its natural tinge, so did this tree, whose branches had been bare, bud forth and take on a color that was paler than roses but deeper than violets. I did not understand, nor on Earth is sung, the hymn which that assembly then chanted, nor could I catch the melody to its close. For this reason Dante falls asleep. Later he is waked by a dazzling light, and voices that call: "Arise, what is this that you are doing?" As when Peter, and John, and James, taken to behold the Transfiguration, fell asleep, and were aroused at the word by which infinitely more profound slumbers have been broken,8 saw their company lessened by the departure of Moses and Elias, and their Master's raiment changed,7 so did I come to myself, and see standing over me that compassionate lady8 who had guided my steps along the margin of the stream. Utterly confused, I said: "Where is Beatrice?" And she: "Behold her under the new leaves, sitting at the root of the tree. Behold the company that encircles her while the others, with song of sweeter tone and deeper meaning, go on high, following the Griffon. The word of Christ waking the dead to life. 'Matthew xvii:l-8. 8 Matilda. "In this forest you shall dwell but little while, but eternally with me shall you be a citizen of that Rome of which Christ is a Roman. Therefore, for the sake of the world, the ways of which are evil, keep your eyes fixed on the chariot; and mind you write what you ...« less