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Vol 5 no 1. Spring/Summer 2001
Richard
L. Poss
Stars
and Spirituality in the Cosmology of Dante’s Commedia
Abstract.
Combining
Aristotelian and Platonic philosophy in a complex cosmological system, Dante
employs astrology to provide contextual coherence for the reader on earth and
for the pilgrim on his journey to God. Stars are spiritualized in the Commedia
to provide glimpses of divinity, visible on Earth, from beyond the material
world. Imbued with life, intelligence, and love, stars first guide then inspire
the pilgrim in increasingly profound levels of meaning. This paper examines the
relationship between the astronomical and cosmological functions of the |