Dante, Inferno
Cavalcante’s Question about His Son
A second shade rises beside Farinata and looks for a companion with Dante. He asks why his son is absent if Dante’s own genius has brought him through the prison. Dante’s answer mentions Guido in the past tense. The father interprets that phrasing, followed by a delayed reply, as evidence that Guido is dead and falls back before receiving a correction.
Loading your archive…
In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryA second shade rises beside Farinata and looks for a companion with Dante. He asks why his son is absent if Dante’s own genius has brought him through the prison.
Further detail
LiteraryDante’s answer mentions Guido in the past tense. The father interprets that phrasing, followed by a delayed reply, as evidence that Guido is dead and falls back before receiving a correction.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the supplied Thompson & Thomas edition of H. F. Cary’s translation. It describes Dante’s literary vision, distinguishing its assignments and reported claims from historical biography, other classical traditions and independently established accounts of an afterlife.
Original passages
Source 1
Dante's Inferno
Where is my son ? and wherefore not with thee ? " I straight replied: "Not of myself I come;Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 78
Passage read in the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace-normalised anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Associated plates separately inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0082-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0082-E001-P0078
- Original scan leaf
- 85
- Recorded leaf number
- 85
- Current Reader position
- 78
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Dante's Inferno
No longer lives he ? Strikes not on his eye The blessed daylight ? " Then, of some delay I made ere my reply, aware, downOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante’s Inferno, Cary translation; active reader leaf 79
Passage read in the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace-normalised anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Associated plates separately inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0082-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0082-E001-P0079
- Original scan leaf
- 86
- Recorded leaf number
- 86
- Current Reader position
- 79
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Literary & Visionary Figures ↗
Farinata in the Open Tomb
The upright Florentine shade who debates family rivalry and the city’s fate.
Same subject and traditionAlberigo and the Frozen Tears
The speaker who requests relief from the ice over his eyes but does not receive it.
Same subject and traditionAlessio of Lucca among the Flatterers
The recognised speaker who attributes his place in the second ditch to excessive flattery.
Same subject and traditionBertran de Born’s Speaking Head
The head-bearing speaker who explains his division through a division he claims to have caused.