Dante Alighieri

Modern-day analog: Historic Casentino valley battlefield where young Dante fought, Tuscany, Italy

A Knight in Armor before He Became a Chronicler of Hell

In 1289, Dante fought in the front rank of cavalry at Campaldino. The mud, blood, and chaos of battle deeply shaped his terrifying depictions of violent souls in the Inferno.

Entering public life, Dante was elected highest magistrate. Seeking peace for Florence, he traveled south to Rome to negotiate with Pope Boniface VIII.

“I have seen cavalry move camp, and open the assault, and muster their array.”

战旗招展，军号齐鸣，我曾亲见骑士们呼啸冲锋。(Zhànqí zhāozhǎn, jūnhào qímíng, wǒ céng qīnjiàn qíshìmen hūxiào chōngfēng.)

Modern-day analog: Seat of medieval Western Christendom and papal diplomacy, Rome, Italy

Ambassador at the Pope's Court, Betrayed from Behind

In Rome, Pope Boniface detained Dante while political rivals staged a bloody coup in Florence, seizing all his property and exiling him under threat of death.

Fleeing north to Siena, Dante learned the tribunal's cruel decree: should he ever return to Florence, he would be burned alive at the stake.

“There where Christ is bought and sold every day.”

罗马看似神圣庄严，暗地里却将基督的尊严换作金银交易。(Luómǎ kànsì shénshèng zhuāngyán, àndìlǐ què jiāng Jīdū de zūnyán huàn zuò jīnyín jiāoyì.)

Modern-day analog: Historic Tuscan hill city where Dante first learned of his eternal exile from Florence

Condemned to be Burned at the Stake if He Returned

Faced with execution in Siena, Dante broke away from short-sighted exile plots, famously choosing to 'form a party of his own' with unshakeable moral independence.

Penniless and homeless, Dante climbed across the Apennine mountains to seek shelter at the court of Verona, beginning twenty bitter years of exile.

“It will be well for you to have made a party by yourself.”

脱离他们愚蠢的同盟，为你自己一人自成一党，实乃光荣之事！(Tuōlí tāmen yúchǔn de tóngméng, wèi nǐ zìjǐ yī rén zìchéng yī dǎng, shí nǎi guāngróng zhī shì!)

Modern-day analog: Ghibelline refuge city in northern Italy ruled by the Scaliger family

How Salty Tastes Another's Bread: The Refugee's Tear

At Verona's court, Dante swallowed the bitter salt of dependency, writing: 'How salty tastes another's bread, and how steep a path to climb another's stairs.' In this pain, the Divine Comedy was born.

Determined to champion vernacular speech, Dante traveled to the ancient University of Bologna to debate poetry and philosophy.

“You shall learn how salty tastes another's bread, and how steep a path it is to climb and descend another man's stairs.”

你将体验到别人的面包尝起来有多咸，走上走下别人的楼梯是一条多么艰辛的道路。(Nǐ jiāng tǐyàn dào biérén de miànbāo cháng qǐlái yǒu duō xián, zǒu shàng zǒu xià biérén de lóutī shì yī tiáo duōme jiānxīn de dàolù.)

Modern-day analog: Ancient academic center and oldest university in the Western world, Italy

Crowning Common Speech: Fathering the Italian Language

In Bologna, Dante penned 'De vulgari eloquentia', boldly declaring that everyday vernacular Italian was noble enough to express the deepest philosophical truths, founding modern Italian literature.

Invited by mountain lords, Dante wandered through misty Tuscan valleys, beginning the immortal verses of the Inferno.

“Vernacular speech is the nobler, as being that which first was used by the human race.”

俗语是尊贵的，因它源自最自然的乳汁，是我们用以拥抱世界的第一个声音。(Súyǔ shì zūnguì de, yīn tā yuánzì zuì zìrán de rǔzhī, shì wǒmen yòng yǐ yōngbào shìjiè de dì-yī gè shēngyīn.)

Modern-day analog: Walled medieval republic in northern Tuscany, Italy

Abandon All Hope: Constructing the Nine Circles of Hell

Amid Tuscan mountain castles, the Inferno was perfected. Inscribing 'Abandon all hope, ye who enter here,' Dante cast corrupt rulers and popes into the circles of Hell to face divine moral justice.

Refusing Florence's humiliating offer of a conditional pardon, elderly Dante retired to peaceful Ravenna on the Adriatic coast to complete his celestial vision.

“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”

来到这里的人，放弃一切希望吧！(Láidào zhèlǐ de rén, fàngqì yīqiè xīwàng ba!)

Modern-day analog: Byzantine mosaic jewel and Dante's final resting place on the Adriatic coast, Italy

The Love that Moves the Sun and the Other Stars

In peaceful Ravenna, Dante penned the sublime final line of Paradiso: 'The Love that moves the sun and the other stars.' His monumental epic complete, he passed into eternal glory.

“The Love that moves the sun and the other stars.”

是爱也，推动着太阳与其他的群星。(Shì ài yě, tuīdòng zhe tàiyáng yǔ qítā de qúnxīng.)