Tag Archives: paradiso

Finishing the Paradiso

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Richard Emerson

..and it left a feeling of only wanting more..

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Canto XXXIII

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Richard Emerson

Reading the last canto in Paradiso for the 4th time, it felt bigger than ever. The last Canto of the whole Comedy is likely the biggest masterpiece and genius of them all. But it takes years and years to get … Continue reading →

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Ending at the Deep of Philosophy and Theology

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Richard Emerson

One more thought on the Paradiso – in some ways sphere 9 and 10 are repeating the overall idea of Dante of how both philosophy and theology are paths to deep truths, but theology embeds it all. Sphere 9  is … Continue reading →

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Before the 10th Heaven

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Richard Emerson

We’ve just finished the Primo Mobile and the 9th Sphere, and we’re trying to digest what is really happening there; in a sense how the first two books, which are all on Earth, and then eight more spheres in the … Continue reading →

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The Creation of the Angels

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Richard Emerson

In Canto 29, Dante describes the origins of the Angelic Beings, as Beatrice can see in the Eternal Mind that the Pilgrim has some questions. Firstly, the argument is that the Angels were created in order to reflect and “resplendor” … Continue reading →

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Evening Tea

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Richard Emerson

We’ve just finished the Primo Mobile, next stretch is the last four chapters with the Empyrean – and then, we can look back at two years with reading, researching and podcasting from the Comedy! Nine full readings of individual books … Continue reading →

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The Rings of Angelic Beings

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Richard Emerson

Here’s the moment when the Pilgrim looks at the source of the Divine in the Deep of Motion, and sees the nine rings of Angelic Beings: there came showers of light from all the fiery rings, like molten iron in … Continue reading →

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The First Mover, and Time

Posted on July 18, 2021 by Richard Emerson

From the moment we leave the Fixed Stars and enter into the First Mover, the poetry changes from deep theology to pure philosophy about motion, the universe, and Time. And the whole sphere is pure motion: “The parts of this, … Continue reading →

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Reflections on Paradiso

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Richard Emerson

Reading the Paradiso for the third, and now fourth time, has been a fully different experience from the first journey through the spheres up to the Empyrean. The narrative seems even less structured than in the other two books, which … Continue reading →

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Beauty in Arts, Nature, and the Mystery

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Richard Emerson

Here is the passage where Dante compares beauty in arts or in nature, with the spiritual beauty within oneself, of the Divine Mysteries: And all that art and nature can contrive to lure the eye and thus possess the mind, … Continue reading →

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