Dante's Inferno, Episode 1: Middle-Aged Heretics in Hell

About this episode

The episode begins a journey through Dante's Divine Comedy, exploring themes of art, theology, and cultural references.

Welcome to Young Heretics, the classical education you didn't know you were missing. It's Good Friday...in the year 1300. And also now! Because Dante's Divine Comedy is a poem for all time and our time. Today we are (finally!) beginning our Young Heretics journey through this masterpiece, following Dante's pilgrim step by step as he wanders from the straight and true way into a dark and dangerous adventure that will lead him, ultimately, to the heights of heaven. We'll talk about gu(w)elphs, gh(w)ibellines, art, theology, and of course Studio Ghibli memes. Join me on this new adventure! Check out Klavans on the Culture, my new podcast with Andrew Klavan (no relation): https://youtu.be/ZJpXAoIlbxI?si=3uzICi-kmeShxezu Sign up for Hebrew, Greek, or Latin courses at the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/heretics/ Listen to Inferno read aloud on the Digital Dante site: https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/sound/bausi-readings/ Check out Jonathan Pageau on Dante: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-inferno-the-course Get the Durling and Martinez translation: https://amzn.to/47zWZPK Get the Anthony Esolen translation: https://amzn.to/4sgKLTj

People in this episode

Host: Spencer Klavan

Topics covered

• Dante's Inferno
• classical education
• theology
• art
• cultural commentary

Keywords

• Dante
• Inferno
• classical education
• theology
• art
• Ghibli memes
• pilgrimage

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ancient Language Institute, Digital Dante, The Symbolic World

Products: Durling and Martinez translation, Anthony Esolen translation

Books & works: Dante's Divine Comedy, Inferno, Dante's Inferno

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• Dante's Inferno, Episode 3: Lady of the Mind · May 1, 2026 · 1h 2m
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