Well ladies and gentlemen, as the oft-reviled Deplorables, we will be taking our rightful place among the damned. I officially announce the beginning of our group read of Dante's Inferno.
Abandon all hope, ye who read further.
Canto I
Dante finds that he has strayed from the right road and is lost in a Dark Wood. He tries to escape by climbing a beautiful Mountain, but is turned aside, first by a gambolling Leopard, then by a fierce Lion, and finally by a ravenous She-Wolf. As he is fleeing back into the wood, he is stopped by the shade of Virgil, who tells him that he cannot hope to pass the Wolf and ascend the Mountain by that road. One day a Greyhound will come and drive the Wolf back to Hell; but the only course at present left open to Dante is to trust himself to Virgil, who will guide him by a longer way, leading through Hell and Purgatory. From there, a worthier spirit than Virgil (Beatrice) will lead him on to see the blessed souls in Paradise. Dante accepts Virgil as his "master, leader, and lord", and they set out together.
Canto II
Dante's attempts to climb the Mountain have taken the whole day and it is now Good Friday evening. Dante has not gone far before he loses heart and "begins to make excuse". To his specious arguments, Virgil replies flatly: "This is mere cowardice" and then tells how Beatrice, prompted by St. Lucy at the instance of the Virgin Mary herself, descended into Limbo to entreat him to go to Dante's rescue. Thus encouraged, Dante pulls himself together and they start off again.
Hello again, guys. Still recovering from my surgery. I'm doing a decent impression of Dr. House, taking Vicodin as a painkiller and walking around with a cane to take weight off a bad leg.
It's difficult to get much done lately. Between the pain, the drug, and (hopefully the last of) the lockdown, I can't focus. I still need to record a video for this coming Monday. The one I'd like to do keeps getting put off because of current events.
Anyway, welcome to Hell. I look forward to your commentary.
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