About this episode

The episode explores Dante's depiction of lust in the circle of the lustful in Dante's Inferno, discussing themes of broken love and the consequences of art.

We're in hell for real now. Dante enters the circle of the lustful, where the sinister King Minos strips souls naked and condemns them to their proper place. What does that mean? What does it mean to be "evil-born," and what does Dante show us about the nature of lust? Not, it turns out, that its wages are physical or sexual suffering, but that it has to do with broken love and broken communities--betrayal, rebellion, and adultery. Not that Dante's off the hook himself: in one of the poem's most famous episodes, the pilgrim is brought face-to-face with his own role in tempting others. Because art's not a game, and poetry has consequences. Plus: a mailbag question! Which Greek plays should you read? Sign up for Hebrew, Greek, or Latin courses at the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/heretics/ Check out my book, Light of the Mind, Light of the World : https://amzn.to/4tKWACP Get the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow translation: https://amzn.to/4wPbiK7 Get the Anthony Esolen translation: https://amzn.to/4sgKLTj Get the Dorothy L. Sayers translation: https://amzn.to/4djdh2s Read the Allen Mandelbaum translation: https://amzn.to/4dG6izR Read my (various) reviews of…

People in this episode

Host: Spencer Klavan

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Ancient Language Institute

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Dante's Inferno

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