Commentary Purg X 94-96

What is new to Dante is not so to God (but this does not reduce the novelty or the excitement of it for Dante [see [Purg X 104]] or for us).

      Hollander (Holl.1969.1), pp. 297-300, points out that this passage, with its 'speech made visible,' connects with two other similar moments in the poem, [Inf III 1-9] (the writing over the gate of hell) and [Par XVIII 91-93] (the 'skywriting' in the heaven of Jupiter), and suggests that all of them may be thought of as representing 'visible speech,' as was suggested by one of his students, Gregory Curfman (Princeton '68).  Curfman also suggested that each passage was further related by containing a focal word, giustizia ([Inf III 4]; [Purg X 93]; [Par XVIII 91] -- now in Latin, iustitiam) and then still further by involving Trajan.  This formulation works easily for the last two passages, but requires a contorted argument (along a path that travels through Hezekiah and Roman triumphal arches) to attach Trajan to the gate of hell.

      Mestica (DDP Mestica.Inf.III.82-99) was perhaps the first commentator to apply widely and frequently his perception of the significance of the term visibile parlare for Dante's art (as compared with Virgil's) throughout the poem, beginning with the description of Charon in [Inf III 82-99]: 'Comparing Charon as portrayed by Virgil and Dante quickly reveals the remarkable artistry used by the pupil when he imitated his teacher, as well as the originality and power of his style.  Virgil paints descriptively, employing ample displays of images and colors; Dante sculpts, using speech made visible.'  Mestica deploys the phrase fourteen more times in his commentary as he marvels at the power of Dante's art.

      For the program in the intaglios see Austin (Aust.1932.1); for ekphrasis in this canto see Heffernan (Heff.1993.1).