Walking With Dante Mark Scarbrough

We've spent three episodes with this penitent envious soul, Sapía. Now let's look at the entire interchange between her and our pilgrim, Dante . . . as well as the ways PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, reflects INFERNO, Canto XIII.
Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we talk about the increasingly complex ironies found in one of the most compelling souls in all of Dante's COMEDY.
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Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:
[01:23] Reading the entire passage with Sapia: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 85 - 154.
[05:58] If they're playing a rhetorical game, Dante the pilgrim started it.
[06:54] The structure of their exchange: his flattery--her truth (sort of)--his truth (sort of)--her request.
[09:23] The envious are hard to pick out from their landscape. Is that a thematic or even rhetorical problem?
[10:20] Sapía's discourse is either textured with irony or incredibly uneven. Why?
[12:17] PURGATORIO XIII has many parallels with INFERNO XIII.
[17:10] Moments in Sapía's passage to keep in mind for PURGATORIO XIV ahead.

In the concluding moments of Sapía's speech, we find her in dialogue with Dante the pilgrim . . . who is both forthcoming in his confessional stance and also cagey with his hiding his guide, Virgil.
She, too, is caught in her own rhetoric: getting what she wants but ultimately revealing herself as a soul who still has a lot more purgation ahead.
Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we explore the final words of one of the most intriguing characters in PURGATORIO, if not in all of COMEDY.
Please consider donating to support this podcast and cover its hosting, editing, licensing, streaming, domain, and royalty fees. You can do so at this PayPal link right here.
Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:
[00:58] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 133 - 154. If you'd like to read along or continue the conversation, please find the comment section for this episode on my website, markscarbrough.com.
[03:18] Dante's reply to Sapía is both cagey and confessional. Did she manipulate him into this ambiguous spot?
[09:27] Does Sapía misunderstand his place in the afterlife? But how can she, since she's already figured out that he's breathing?
[13:03] She turns his confession of pride into . . . comedy or flattery?
[14:12] Her changing notions of prayer exemplify the theological problems of prayer as a Christian act. Meanwhile, she lets the pilgrim know that she's figured him out even more.
[19:36] Sapía is going to spend a lot more time on the terrace of the envious, given her joy over Siena's misfortunes.
[24:59] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 133 - 154.

Sapía now tells her story to Dante the pilgrim . . . and it includes one of the most blasphemous lines in all of COMEDY.
Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we look closely at one of the most honest and blasphemous monologues in the poem . . . and as we grapple with Sapía's incredible skills in rhetoric.
If you'd like to make a contribution to support this podcast and help me cover its many fees, you can do so at this PayPal link right here.
Here are the segments of this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:
[01:39] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 112 - 132. If you'd like to read along, print it off, or continue the conversation with me, please go to my website: markscarbrough.com.
[03:56] Indicators of Sapía's interiority.
[07:48] Her reaction to the Sienese battle of 17 June 1269.
[10:40] Sapía's right attitude toward God's will.
[12:41] One of the most blasphemous lines in all of COMEDY.
[14:54] Lighthearted folkloric storytelling amid her shocking honesty.
[18:48] The holy man who saves her: Peter Comb-Seller (or "Pettinaio").
[22:09] Honesty or manipulation?
[23:22] The logic of her monologue.
[25:13] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 112 - 132.

Dante the pilgrim worked up the courage (or the flattery) to get one of the envious to speak up on the second terrace of Purgatory proper. She does . . . and gives him both more and exactly what (or perhaps a bit less) than he asked for.
Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as I work our first sight of one of the most intricate souls in COMEDY: Sapía. She's a lot more than Dante bargained for.
Donate what you can or a small monthly contribution to help me cover the many fees associated with this podcast. You can do so by clicking this PayPal link right here.
Here are the segments of this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:
[01:18] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 94 - 111. If you'd like to read along or continue the conversation, please go to the page about this podcast on my website, markscarbrough.com.
[03:02] The penitent envious soul schools Dante the pilgrim by reassessing their relationship, both by family and by politics.
[05:53] Pilgrims choose to be other, to be strangers in a foreign land.
[09:19] Dante the poet focuses on the naturalistic details in an otherwise hyper-moral passage.
[11:35] Dante the pilgrim is apparently not teachable at the moment . . . . except he does understand the work of the will in Purgatory.
[14:30] The penitent soul identifies herself reticently . . . only by name and city.
[19:38] Her reticence is found in a generous canto full of explanations.
[20:55] One generosity: Sapía offers a succinct definition of envy.
[24:49] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 94 - 111.

Dante has finally come among the envious on the bare, bleak, blue-gray second terrace of Mount Purgatory. We've seen their condition: eyes stitched shut. Now for Dante's reaction. And Virgil's reaction to Dante's reaction. And Dante's ham-handed attempt to flatter someone to speak up.
Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we approach on of the most significant and curious figures in all of COMEDY. Dante the pilgrim will call for her in this passage . . . and she'll make her appearance in the next passage/episode.
If you'd like to help support this podcast, please consider donating to cover the licensing, hosting, streaming, domain, and royalty fees by visiting this PayPal link right here.
Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:
[01:57] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, Lines 73 - 93. If you'd like to read along, print it off, or drop a comment to continue the conversation, please go to my website: markscarbrough.com.
[04:05] Does Dante think he makes a social gaffe?
[07:40] Is Virgil irritated at Dante's reaction?
[09:48] Is this an allegorical passage or a naturalistic one? Are we being played?
[14:45] Is Dante's flattery misplaced?
[19:19] Is Dante's flattery predictive of the poem ahead?
[22:41] How much irony textures this passage?
[25:28] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 73 - 93.

The second terrace of PURGATORIO proves a wild ride into interiority, into the complicated sin of envy, and back into INFERNO.
Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we explore the first moments in which Dante sees the penitents ahead . . . and delays until the last moment revealing their fate: eyelids stitched shut with wires.
Thank you for supporting this podcast through your donations. If you'd like to help our (or continue to help out) with all the fees associated with websites, hosting, streaming, editing, and sound effects, please visit this PayPal link right here.
Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:
[00:55] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 46 - 72. If you'd like to read along or continue the discussion with me, please go to my website: markscarbrough.com.
[03:28] Dante the pilgrim, the livid shades of the envious, and fragmentary prayers in the vernacular.
[05:52] Compassion: apparently a virtue of enforced scarcity.
[07:51] Envy, interiority, and externality.
[09:42] The tried-and-true answers to envy: love, yes; but also uniformity.
[13:25] The long wind-up to the revelation of the penitents' pain.
[17:30] Dante's (false) etymology of envy and a folkloric explanation of the sin.
[21:51] Two callbacks: 1) Provenzan Salvani and 2) the allegorical and/or naturalistic sun.
[23:51] The biggest callback of all: to Pier della Vigna and Frederick II in INFERNO XIII.
[25:21] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XIII, lines 46 - 72.