“In the city, I lead the sorrowful, I lead the eternal sadness, I lead there where the damned are.” These words are confronted by Dante and Virgil, written on the gate that leads to Hell. The punished souls have no hope of reaching Paradise; they are condemned to eternal pain.

The only one who does not lose this hope, passing through the gate, is Dante, who is granted the privilege to descend into Hell while still alive. He is also the only one who manages to leave Hell and, from there, passing through Purgatory, reach Paradise.

A new, faithful, metrical translation of “Hell,” the first part of the Divine Comedy, with an informative introduction and commentary. The reader can follow Dante on his journey, appreciate the contemplative depth of this greatest poet’s concepts, and feel that what they read is also relevant to today’s reality.