Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Purgatory

by Dante Alighieri

"Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Purgatory" by Dante Alighieri is the second part of the Divine Comedy, written in the early 14th century. Guided by the Roman poet Virgil, Dante climbs the Mount of Purgatory, an island-mountain in the Southern Hemisphere where souls undergo spiritual growth. Through seven terraces corresponding to the deadly sins, Dante explores the nature of sin, virtue, and redemption. The poem presents all sins as arising from perverted, deficient, or excessive love, while prayer emerges as a powerful force aiding souls in their penitent journey toward paradise.