Mrs. Eddy Mentioned Them September 28, 1957 Issue

Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321

[Mentioned in No and Yes, p. 18]

Dante is classified as Italy's greatest national poet, but the appeal of his work has been universal.

Dante's youth was largely passed in Florence, his birthplace. It is certain that he was instructed in subjects usually taught in university courses. Among his friends were Giotto, the artist, and Cavalcanti, the philosopher. When Dante was nine, he met Beatrice Portinari, not quite twelve months his junior, whom he later immortalized in his masterpiece, the "Divine Comedy," as the symbol of pure love and divine wisdom. Her death when he was twenty-five seems to mark the beginning of his political life.

He had already done military service for his city, but he now became involved in the struggle between those who favored the pope and those who supported the emperor. Although he acknowledged the pope's authority in spiritual matters, he worked for the independence of Florence against the pope. At first Dante was debarred from holding office because he was a noble. But when this rule was modified, he held several offices, including that of prior. Pondering the events of history, he decided that the greatest peace had prevailed when the world was reduced to obedience to the first Roman emperor, about the time that Jesus was born. So Dante concluded that only under a universal emperor, one who was superior to all kings and free from all partisanship, could justice and peace be secured. It was while he was on a political mission to Rome that the opposing party triumphed in Florence and Dante learned that he had been fined. He was later banished.

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