purgatory · dante

The second part of the Divine Comedy climbs the seven terraces of the mountain of Purgatory, where the saved are cleansed of the seven deadly sins on their way to Eden. Warmer and more human than the Inferno, it is a poem about hope, art, friendship and free will, ending with Beatrice's arrival and Dante's own confession.

Dante, Purgatory, translated by Anthony Esolen (Modern Library, 2004). Read in full over two sessions, Sophomore Fall at Torrey Honors.