Having moved beyond the obstacle that is pride, we now continue our journey up Mt. Purgatory. To aid our ascent and understanding, Virgil discourses on the nature of love, how we are by nature lovers, and how our love can go awry. That is, how it is that we sin.
Before long, though, we get swept along--with Dante and his guide--by a bustling pack of the slothful who are making up for wasted time and lazy love. Ultimately, we make it to Eden, the Earthly Paradise. Here we meet the lady Beatrice; beautiful and stern. This also means that our time with Virgil has come to an end, and before we realize it, he is gone.
Beatrice will help us make our final preparations for our launch into Paradise. She brings Dante to the point of true sorrow for his sin, separating himself from all his waywardness. He will again be cleansed in the waters, and is pierced through by the beauty of Beatrice's smile, being as it is a manifestation of God's glory.
This is our third and final installment on Dante's "Purgatorio." Our next episode will appear in the Easter season, and fittingly, in Dante's "Paradiso."
My companion for this trip is Paul Camacho, who is Associate Director of the Augustinian Institute and Assistant Teaching Professor in the Augustine and Culture Seminar at Villanova University. He also writes a weekly newsletter, "Will This Be On the Exam?" which is well worth the read.
Links:
- The Purgatorio by Dante, a verse translation by Jean Hollander and Robert Hollander
- The Digital Dante from Columbia University
- Lenten Dante Series, No. 1
- Lenten Dante Series, No. 2
- Lenten Dante Series, No. 3
- Lenten Dante Series, No. 4
- Lenten Dante Series, No. 5
- www.paulcamacho.com
- "Will This Be On the Exam?"
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit curiouscatholicpodcast.substack.com
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.