Talk:Dante Alighieri
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should this quote be here or under literary works / inferno? i think it should be moved because wrote it in a book, not said it.
- Hm, not sure.
On another topic, here's some background on the misattribution:
The JFK quote has no real foundation in any English translation of the Divine Comedy.
Dante's arrangement of Hell does not follow any simple-minded gradation of punishment: there is no "hottest" place in hell, and the worst punishment, the ninth circle, is in fact a cold place where the lost souls are buried in the ice.
It appears that Kennedy simply misremembered the text, or more likely, had never actually read the Inferno himself.
- Likely someone working for Kennedy told him what they thought the quote was.--74.131.143.171 01:04, 15 November 2008 (UTC)
I'm going to change the english translation of "Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate." First I have problems with the word "ye" which invites mispronunciation, see dictionary.com's discussion of the history of "ye." Whether is is a good idea to translate Dante's work into archaic rather than modern English is another question. But if people want to do so, they might use a more accurate spelling:" "þe." Otherwise the translation is more accurate than most translations I've seen online. I propose using the translation attributed to Robert Pinskey on this Google Answers page.
O conscience, upright and stainless, how bitter s ting to thee is a little fault! Shouldn't this be "how bitter a sting..."?
- I suggest using the one found in translations of the literature, like the one commonly distributed to schools/colleges that goes "Abandon all hope ye who enter here" seems ye is meant to be in it. Does convey a sense of you're entering hell and should abandon hope of return.--74.131.143.171 01:04, 15 November 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Why some lack original?
Why do some lack the original, and some have the original? ~~—The preceding unsigned comment was added by Howie spo (talk • contribs) 05:26, 15 September 2007 (UTC).
- I don't know exactly, so only guess. Some people who don't know Italian may have added English translations. Some could compare with each editions and quote from both. Some could find Italian (original) version and then add their own translations - there could be several possibilities, I cannot figure them out completely. --Aphaia 06:43, 15 September 2007 (UTC)
