»Hell

I picked up a paperback edition of Dorothy L. Sayers' translation, with notes, of Dante's Inferno. In her Introduction, Sayers laments that the book requires an introduction at all, or the notes necessary to acquaint the modern reader (this was just before the second Great War) with Dante's personal voyage, his literary allusions, and the politics of his time).

I cannot make my way through Dante, even after reading a half-dozen editions in both English and Italian, without good notes. I always forget which Pope he is mocking, or which small-minded politicians he takes a jab at. I enjoy the rhythm and beauty of the poetry most when I am paying attention to the words as much as the larger meaning of the text, usually when reading in the original.

Aside: The irony of purchasing books from Cody's, an independent book-seller, with my corporate bookstore (amazon, that is) credit-card, was not lost on me.