There follows a brief outline of the concluding volume of Dorothy
Sayers' translation of Dante's Divine Comedy. Since she died before
completing it, Barbara Reynolds has translated almost all of what comes
after canto twenty. Barbara Reynolds has also provided the extensive
notes, etc. ancillary to the translation proper.

It is intended to enhance the inadequate outline below. This and the
outlines of the other two volumes are placed here as a beginning to the
Dante subsection that will, touch wood, be on Solarguard before the end
of 2008. During this year, the outlines themselves will be rendered
more worthy. Other material will be added.

Dante, the Divine Comedy 3 Paradise, transl. Dorothy Sayers and Barbara
Reynolds, Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1962

I Seeing Beatrice gaze at the sun, Dante looks up. He rises with her
above the ground.

II They come to the moon and discuss its markings.

III They meet some who kept not vows, nuns forced from the convent by
relatives intent on dynastic marriages. Dante asks do they not want to
rise higher and is told divine will is acceptable.

IV Beatrice explains that the souls he sees do not dwell on the moon,
but only appear to him there. She says compulsion only succeeded due to
a lack of contrary assertive will.

V Mention is made of keeping vows seriously, but not foolishly. They
ascend to Mercury and see thousands of souls.

VI Justinian outlines Roman history.

VII Beatrice explains how Christ's crucifixion balanced Adam's sin and
how the destruction of Jerusalem balanced Christ's crucifixion.

VIII They ascend to Venus and meet lovers, including Charles.

IX They meet Cunizza and Foulquat.

X They reach the sun and meet twelve learned spirits, one Thomas
Aquinas.

XI Aquinas speaks of St. Francis of Assis.

XII Twelve other souls are behind the learned dozen, one of whom, St.
Bonaventure, speaks of St. Dominic.

XIII Aquinas speaks on the wisdom of Solomon and cautions against hasty
judgements.

XIV Dante rises with Beatrice to Mars where he sees souls in the form
of a cross.

XV Dante's great great grand-father extols the Florence that was,
"...peaceful,temperate, chaste."

XVI At Dante's request, his ancestor says more about old Florence.

XVII His ancestor warns Dante of his coming exile and encourages him to
write of his journey to Hell, Purgatory and Heaven.

XVIII Souls, on the cross, including Joshua, Roland and Robert Guiscard
are named. Beatrice and Dante ascend to Jupiter. They see letters
spelling, "Love justice, ye who judge the earth."

XIX Divine justice, the standard, is asserted.

XX Dante sees great pagans, Trajan and Rhipeus, in Heaven.

XXI Beatrice and Dante rise to Saturn. They see the contemplatives.
Peter Damian speaks to them.

XXII St. Benedict speaks to them. They ascend to the fixed starts.

XXIII Dante sees the victorious Church and the vision of Mary.

XXIV St. Peter examines Dante's faith.

XXV St. James examines Dante's hope.

XXVI St. John examine's Dante's love. Adam explains disobedience as the
cause of the expulsion from Eden and speaks of chronology.

XXVII St. Peter declares the papal throne now empty. Beatrice and Dante
ascend to the Primum Mobile.

XXVIII They sees God's light and nine orders of angels.

XXIX Beatrice speaks of angels and clinging to Scripture.

XXX Dante is bathed in light. He's told the current pope is going to go
to Hell.

XXXI Dante sees the heavenly rose. St. Bernard arrives to lead him
higher.

XXXII St. Bernard presents Dante to the blessed forming the rose,
including Mary.

XXXIII Dante gazes on the Living Light.


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