Dante, Purgatory and Paradise
Lethe in Dante’s Garden
The garden’s spring gives rise to waters with two different powers. On the Lethe side, the water removes the memory of wrongdoing rather than every kind of memory indiscriminately. Dante is immersed by the lady after the difficult encounter with Beatrice. The act follows acknowledgement and repentance, rather than functioning as an effortless escape from responsibility.
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In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryThe garden’s spring gives rise to waters with two different powers. On the Lethe side, the water removes the memory of wrongdoing rather than every kind of memory indiscriminately.
Further detail
LiteraryDante is immersed by the lady after the difficult encounter with Beatrice. The act follows acknowledgement and repentance, rather than functioning as an effortless escape from responsibility.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows Cary’s translation of Dante’s poem. The entry concerns the particular stream in Dante’s garden, not every classical or modern use of the name Lethe. Its people and places are presented within the literary vision, with the historical or theological subject distinguished from the role Dante assigns it.
Original passages
Source 1
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante
power to take away Remembrance of offenceOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante, Purgatory and Paradise; active reader leaf 174
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0119-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0119-E001-P0174
- Original scan leaf
- 175
- Recorded leaf number
- 175
- Current Reader position
- 171
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante
My temples, and immerged meOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Dante, Purgatory and Paradise; active reader leaf 192
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0119-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0119-E001-P0192
- Original scan leaf
- 193
- Recorded leaf number
- 193
- Current Reader position
- 189
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Literary & Visionary Settings ↗
Dante’s Earthly Paradise
The fragrant forest at the mountain’s summit where memory is renewed.
Shared source pageEunoe
The companion stream that restores the memory of good.
Shared source pageThe Gryphon of Dante’s Procession
The two-natured creature drawing the triumphal car.
Shared illustrationMatilda in the Earthly Paradise
The woman who guides the traveller beside the renewing streams.