Tag Archives: Dante

by Justin D. Lyons, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom Dante’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy (completed in 1320) is full of allusions. As readers travel the road through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, they are everywhere confronted with names and stories stretching back to classical mythology. The classicist will find a great many familiar characters. But one

by Kevin Blood “Stranger, you would do good to stay awhile, for here the highest good is pleasure…” According to Seneca the Younger, these words could be seen at the entrance to the philosopher Epicurus’ garden in Athens. It was a place of seclusion, where, with a small group of friends, Epicurus taught and lived

Written by Cynthia C. Polsley, Ph.D., Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom And I said to him: ‘Who are those two poor sinners who give off smoke like wet hands in the winter and lie so close to you upon the right?’ ‘I found them here,’ he answered, ‘when I rained down to this rocky slope; they’ve not

Virgil or Publius Vergilius Maro, his full name, is one of the most celebrated and influential of the ancient Roman poets. His work was loved during his lifetime and has survived through the ages. It is believed that he authored several small poems during his life. However he is often remembered for three books in particular.