A brilliant new translation of the centerpiece of The Divine Comedy

Purgatory, the mountain that straightens souls made crooked by the world, is Dante’s single most conceptually brilliant creation. Anthony Esolen’s vivid and innovative new rendering unearths Dante’s own voice with unprecedented vigor, accuracy, and a masterly use of English meter. It will set the standard for years to come.

Esolen’s Introduction incisively explores Dante’s theological universe: the nature of Purgatory, how Dante came to invent it, and how Purgatory is finally about restoration, liberation, and friendship. Special features, from an appendix that reproduces key sources to extensive explanatory notes, make this a particularly illuminating edition for both expert and newcomer.