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charles moyer <[log in to unmask]>
Sun, 2 Feb 2003 23:45:16 -0500
text/plain (36 lines)
Gentlemen,
    Since I do not have the text in Italian, am I to understand that
"contrapasso" translates to "retribution"? "Counterpass" = sort of  the
taste of your own medicine? What goes around, comes around,etc.?
    And I agree with Rick to a certain extent because Canto XXIV seems to
depict some turning about also. Not only do we have the youthful year in
Aquarius showing waning nights and waxing days, but Dante himself taking the
advise of Virgil to pluck up his waning spirits "conquer thy panting with
thy soul", but also the reference to the mystical sui generis alchemical
Phoenix out of Ovid. Metam. Bk.xv reborn out of his own ashes. but I
wouldn't flounder around there too long.

Charles

----------
>From: Richard Seddon <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: New quiry
>Date: Sun, Feb 2, 2003, 10:32 PM
>

> Nickolay
>
> Thank you for the reference to Dante's usage.
>
> Temple Classics translates the line you pointed to and the one preceding it
> in Canto 28 as
>
> "Thus the law of retribution is observed in me"
>
> It would seem that my floundering around in canto 24 may have been close to
> Pound's intent in referencing it.
>
> Rick Seddon
> McIntosh, NM

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