L ' I N F E R N O

DESCRIPTION
THE 9 GODDESSES WHO INSPIRE HUMANITY, AND MAIM, DESTROY OR TRANSFORM INTO BIRDS ANY HUMAN
WHO CHALLENGES THEIR SUPREMACY.
EACH MUSE CARRIES A WHITE BOOK WITH HER SYMBOL ON IT. THE MUSES ARE DRESSED IDENTICALLY, IN
WHITE, TO LET THEM SERVE IN BOTH PAGAN AND CHRISTIAN CAPACITIES. CALLIOPE, THE ELDEST SISTER, MAY
BE DISTINGUISHED BY HER HEIGHT AND/OR A GOLD BAND ON HER HEAD. TERPSICHORE IS THE SMALLEST MUSE
AND EUTERPE, PERHAPS, THE 2 ND SMALLEST. POLYHYMNIA (NEARLY?) ALWAYS WEARS HER PENSIVE LOOK AND
HAS A FINGER AT THE MOUTH. WHEN THE MUSES SING CHRISTIAN MUSIC ON STAGE THEY SHOW THE BACK OF
THEIR BOOKS. ALL THE MUSES’ PROPS ARE IMAGINARY EXCEPT FOR THEIR BOOKS AND EUTERPE’S FLUTE IN
L’INFERNO.
NAME SYMBOL DOMAIN INTEREST
CALLIOPE (CALLIOPEIA) Writing tablet Epic Poetry Philosophy
CLIO Scroll History the Alphabet
ERATO Lyre Love Poetry
EUTERPE Double flute Music
MELPOMENE Tragic mask Tragedy Chanting
POLY(HY)MNIA Pensive mask; finger at mouth Sacred Poetry Geometry
TERPSICHORE Dancing figure Dancing
THALIA (THALEIA) Comic mask Comedy
URANIA (OURANIA) [Staff points to] globe or stars Astronomy Prophecy
♫RESPONSE TO INVOCATION: OVERTURE * * * * * * * * * *
INF C2 7
CHORUS OR MUSES ONLY
Ancient or Archaic Greek Music, becoming Christian.
DANTE DOES NOT HEAR OR SEE THE MUSES. VIRGIL STOPS AND TURNS BUT DOES NOT SEE
THEM.
WHEN THEY CEASE SINGING, THE LIGHT SWITCHES OFF. DANTE MAKES NOTES AS HE
SPEAKS.
DANTE:
INF C2 10-12 / DANTE INF C2 10-12 / KLINE
Io cominciai: Poeta che mi guidi, I began: Poet, who guides me, examine my virtue,
guarda la mia virtù s'ell' è possente, see if I am fitting,
prima ch'a l'alto passo tu mi fidi. before you trust me to the steep way.
INF C2 13-15 / DANTE
Tu dici che di Silvïo il parente, You say that Aeneas, the father of Sylvius,
corruttibile ancora, ad immortale while still corruptible flesh,
secolo andò, e fu sensibilmente. went to the eternal world, and in his senses.
INF C2 16-18 / DANTE
Però, se l'avversario d'ogne male But if God, who opposes every evil, was gracious
cortese i fu, pensando l'alto effetto to him,thinking of the noble consequence,
ch'uscir dovea di lui, e 'l chi e 'l quale of who and what should derive from him,
INF C2 19-21 / DANTE
non pare indegno ad omo d'intelletto; then that does not seem unreasonable
ch'e' fu de l'alma Roma e di suo impero to a man of intellect, since he was chosen to be
ne l'empireo ciel per padre eletto: the father of benign Rome, and of her empire.
INF C2 22-24 / DANTE
la quale e 'l quale, a voler dir lo vero, Both of them were founded
fu stabilita per lo loco santo as a sacred place, where the
u' siede il successor del maggior Piero. successor of the great Peter is enthroned.
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