Your Daily Penguin: The Divine Comedy!

[@johnnehmzow9443]

Steve, Barnes and Noble for their leather-bound classics line uses all the Gustav Doré illustrations in its one volume King James Bible

[@joaolcbarros]

Barnes and Noble, In their leatherbound collection, offer a King James Bible and a Divine Comedy, both illustrated by Gustave Dore,, and only 25$ each. I've got both, and I can say the quality is very good.

[@jenniferbrooks]

Dante will always have a large part of my heart and the Mark Musa translation will always have charm, given it was the translation that introduced me to Dante. I’ll have to try Mandelbaum next!

[@Sartoris36]

Thank you for all of your Penguin videos, but especially this one!

[@CMLPoP]

Finally Dante!! I’ve been waiting for this since the start of this series. Many thanks!!!!!! :)

[@tomlabooks3263]

I’m glad I found this great video, it was really fascinating to hear your comments about the various translations. I’ll get myself a copy of Mandelbaum’s (and also that Deluxe edition looks gorgeous). I am Italian and although I speak English, it’s hard for me to make technical observations about the English used by each translator. I get a general feel from each one, for example I find Musa’s version a bit simplistic, but that’s all. Anyway, I love your optimism when you say that “one day THE English translator of the Commedia will come”, which sounds like one of Dante’s prophecies, btw. Meanwhile, in case you haven’t seen these before, here is Vittorio Gassman reading some cantos. I imagine it should be enjoyable to listen to even without knowing Italian, if you already know the canto. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eImqn2RujLZoiMU

[@jillwhitneybirk]

You’re great at this!! Keep them coming. Very interesting.

[@danthebookhunter]

You are psychic Steve. I have the John Ciardi translations from Signet Classics. I look forward to the march of the Penguins every day. It really helps to keep my morale up. Thanks.

[@philtheo]

1. In the video, Steve wonders why he needs to have all 3 individual volumes of the Divine Comedy (Kirkpatrick translation) when he already has a single volume of the same in the Penguin Classics Deluxe? a. I think one reason is because the 3 individual volumes have considerably more notes, commentaries, and supplemental material than the pared down notes and commentaries and supplemental material in the single volume. b. Another reason is because the 3 volumes each have the original Italian on the opposite facing page to the English. 2. That said, I realize these two reasons might not be good enough reasons for Steve to keep the 3 individual volumes. Especially if he doesn't like the Kirkpatrick translation. However, others might like Kirkpatrick. 3. Speaking of the Kirkpatrick translation, I've been dipping in and out of it. I've read large swathes of Dante in his translation now, but not the entire Commedia. At this point, I like Kirkpatrick's translation better than Steve does, for it often has a performative or theatrical flair to it, as if Dante is filtered through Shakespeare; it's almost as if he's mixing Dante with Shakespeare or other greats like Milton in English literature. However I suppose the risk is Dante seems to lose his voice in Kirkpatrick's translation. Kirkpatrick has very useful notes, and the notes are almost as important as the translation when it comes to Dante's Commedia. I don't think I'd say this about most other major works in world literature. But one really and truly needs good notes to understand Dante. Kirkpatrick provides good notes that seem more or less up to speed with current literary work on Dante, even if I don't always agree with them. So Kirkpatrick's 3 volumes might be worth reading and studying for this reason alone. 4. Of course, there are other translations that have great notes too (e.g. the Hollanders though there's almost an overwhelming amount of notes, and plus the Hollander notes seem very strongly opinionated on certain issues so one might need to balance their notes with notes in other translations; Durling and Martinez have great notes too, though their interpretation of Dante as merely superficially Aristotlean with a Platonic core is very debatable; Singleton's notes are legendary and literally voluminous and come in 3 separate books in addition to the 3 books on each of the Commedia's cantos for a total of 6 books; and Dorothy Sayers has great notes and her volumes are worth getting for her notes alone even if one doesn't read her translation, though like Steve I think her translation has its charms). 5. I agree with Steve that Allen Mandelbaum is the best or at least one of the best modern English translations. He's my favorite in English that I've read. However I find his notes to be good but not great. Certainly more than sufficient for most people except those who wish to deep dive into Dante. 6. Another English translation worth considering is the J.G. Nichols translation with Alma Books. I don't think it was widely reviewed ehrn it came out. At least I couldn't dig uo much. Regardless I've been pleasantly surprised by Nichols for the most part. It too attempts a dummy terza rima of sorts, but it's not usually as forced as, say, Sayers or Ciardi can be. Nichols simply flows better than either. I still have a ways to go with Nichols but so far he's been a mostly delightful guide into Dante's worlds.

[@nathanfoung2347]

Steve, the family resemblance is amazing (Frieda lifts my spirits). I would opt for the edition with the Gustav Dore's engravings, they are simply beautiful.

[@ellebi2]

Steve have you read like... EVERYTHING? :O

[@paltieri11]

I got the Spanish translation, and I think it follows the meter and rhythm of the Italian better.

[@ryokan9120]

Hi Steve, what about the Hollanders or Durling translations? Both of them have extensive scholarly annotations. I haven't read the Sayers translation, but I would be surprised if her notes were more extensive than the two translations I've mentioned.

[@tripp8833]

Ooh this is going to be good. Saving this for later :)

[@outofoblivionproductions4015]

I only love Dante because of Dorothy L. Sayers. Her notes are the best.

[@krisironcastle3178]

appreciate the video. the funny thing is that you are right.... the Ciardi translation is indeed the one I have! any thoughts on the Hollander translation?

[@sunset33533]

The book "You Suck" by Paulie Amigo is a fun self-help satire. Recommended.

[@mattellis7906]

Is it too early to say these daily Penguins are helping me get through these dark days? lol Thank you, Steve.

[@saintdonoghue]

I'm glad they help! Talking to the rest of you certainly helps me!

[@simonagree4070]

Oh well, at least the Dore illustrations make for a lovely graphic "novel".

[@simonagree4070]

Dover publishes all 135 of the Dore plates (not the best printing, but nevermind), each with descriptive lines from the Longfellow translation. Good to have if you choose to read one of the other translations.

[@Alan-tk2jj]

Hi Steve, have you tried the Clive James translation of the Divine Comedy? Thoughts? (I would be interested in your thoughts on Clive James more generally in fact).

[@saintdonoghue]

Have I tried the Clive James Dante? Surely you jest! Tried it, read it, reviewed it: www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/books/book-review-clive-james-s-translation-of-dante-without-annotations-is-earnest-but-confusing-1.645278

[@Leebearify]

Long about last December you received a gorgeous hard backed copy of a book called Dante written by someone from University of Texas (?) and when you reviewed it you said that it was too deep for beginning scholars (like me). Does anything in that book help with understanding the Divine Comedy. This is a poem that I have long wanted to read and every single scholar has dissuaded me.... so I ask, where can I start ?

[@saintdonoghue]

Nothing in John Cook's Dante book will help anybody who doesn't already know a LOT about Dante, his world, his writing, etc. It's the book equivalent of an upper-level graduate seminar. For a starting-place, I'd recommend reading a bunch of introductory essays to a bunch of different English-language editions of "The Inferno" - Sayers', Musa's, Mandelbaums, Hollander's, and as many others as you can find.

[@pennygraham3767]

My favourite is Clive James’ translation and commentary. Never felt comfortable with Dante until I came across James, chosen because it was him and then discovered Dante. Better late than never.

[@txmatt2112]

This is great I just pulled this book out to read yesterday!

[@TheWeirdResearcher]

And I always thought it was just me who found almost every translation lacking. Glad to see that’s not the case. Love your videos!!

[@meto2854]

Hi Steve, thanks for another glorious video! I have very recently read the entire poem in Mandelbaum's translation (I found it strong and well annotated), but since I can understand about half of Italian, I couldn't but not be bothered by the lack of true flow and the non-rhyming terza of the translation. Now, I spent a long time trying to choose a translator, and I ended up vacillating between Mandelbaum and the Hollanders, which I did not hear you speak of here. Have you read the Hollander and did you think it was better or worse compared to the Mandelbaum? I will inevitably be rereading the entire poem sometime in the future, so I was wondering to which translator I should turn next. Thank you!

[@someonerandom8552]

Hey Steve, did you know there’s a mind rotting violent video game adaptation of Inferno (technically it’s based on the loose anime adaption.) Hehe us whippersnappers have reimagined (fake) Dante as a buff crusader type who cheated on his Beloved Beatrice and got her dragged to hell. And his quest is to hack up demons Devil May Cry style with his guide Virgil in order to save her immortal soul. The Anime is a trip to watch too lol Also I have the illustrated edition by Fall River! But it’s a red Hardback. It’s so pretty. 🥰 I also have an edition where the Italian is on one side. I’m sure it’s the one with your fave translator, but it’s buried in my bookshelf somewhere. So can’t confirm or deny lol

[@saintdonoghue]

I did indeed know about that Dante video game! Because years ago, some publisher put out an edition of Inferno with the video game artwork on the cover, and I saw it at the Strand and wondered what on Earth it could be - dug around & learned about the game! I wish I'd kept that copy of the book!

[@someonerandom8552]

Steve Donoghue Oh wow. Really? Haha that’s awesome!

[@jesuisravi]

I wonder what Pound would have done with this poem? Pound, like Dante, so great and yet so foolish. (It's foolish, no? to wish people in such dire straits for crossing you someway or other?)

[@kabodra]

How do you find Ciardi's translation of the Comedia?

[@kabodra]

Did you find better or worse than Mandelbaum's translation? And, why?

[@robertpetrie6847]

In the video he says that it has the same issues the other translations have, I don't know if about the second question.

[@paltieri11]

I wonder how are the Spanish translations compared to English...🤔