It’s interesting reading up on the theologians in the sphere of the Sun in Paradiso, and discover how much of the spiritual philosophy and theology of Dante is drawn directly from the mystics and contemplatives in the 11 and 12 hundreds.
And a bit surprising how little known these thinkers are!
Tuesday, and soft sunlight filling the room.. with the morning coffee 🌇☕️
Here are the 12 people that Dante puts in the inner circle of the Sun, the 4th Sphere:
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Albertus Magnus, Aquinas’ Teacher. (1193/1206 – 1208)
Graziano (c.1075/80 – 1146/47)
Peter Lombard (c.1100 – 1160)
Solomon (c.970BC – 931BC)
Dionysius the Areopagite (c.60/c.500)
Orosius (c.380-417)
Boethius (475/77 – 524/6)
Isidore of Seville (559-636)
Bede (c.673 – 735)
Richard of St. Victor (c. 1110-1173)
Siger of Brabant (c.1240-1284)
In total six people are from the Golden Age of Monasticsm 1100-1300 AD;
Aquinas, Albert Magnus, Graziano, Peter Lombard, Richard of St. Victor, Siger of Brabant.
One is from the Old Biblical Stories – King Solomon
Five are from Late Roman/Classical time;
Orosius, Boethius, Isidore of Seville, Bede and Dionysius.
Wednesday morning, and the latest reading of Dante’s Paradiso is slowing sinking in with great new discoveries from the very last pages. How Dante is making the point of what could be the deepest question and mystery to ponder, about life.
In the final steps before the Empyrean, the Pilgrim needs to show a deeper understanding of the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love – which then brings him closer to the Divine Light in the Highest Heaven. And then he meets the symbol of the First Human, the source, with Adam.
In the 8th Sphere of Paradiso, Dante suddenly arrives in the Constellation of his Birth, the Gemini. From there we can look back all the way down to Earth, and on the seven spheres that Beatrice has helped “put beneath his feet” already. From the Moon, to the Sun, Mercury and Venus, to temperate Jupiter between hot Mars and contemplative Saturn.
At this point the Pilgrim has finally reached the strength to look directly at the Sun, and now the final part of the Journey – is about to begin.
In the opening of the Sphere of the Mystics, the Pilgrim is once again focusing exclusively on theology and the beauty of the divine mystery:
“By now I had my eyes fixed once again upon my lady’s face, and with my eyes, my mind, which was oblivious of all else.”
A glorious and sunny morning today! The sun is flowing into the room.. sitting with a laptop and a good cup of coffee 😊☕️🌇
Reading Song 17 again – the “heart” of Paradiso, it’s striking how this goes to the very deep of Dante as a person, with his lineage, but also his fate, and the purpose and framing of writing the Divine Comedy. Pure splendor from first to last verse!
A brief overview of the Sun in Dante’s Paradiso is here!
https://dantescomedy.com/cherubims-and-seraphims..
☀️
Two days before June, and finally a full summer’s day! 18 degrees, warm and sunny ☀️😊
And great coffee!! ☕️
This tercet is one of the most breath-taking in Song 11 of Paradiso, describing the Angelical forces of Love and Wisdom – represented symbolically as Princes, for the Franciscan and Dominican Orders of the time.
“One of the two shone with Seraphic love, the other through his wisdom was on earth a splendor of Cherubic radiance.”
