Canto XVII, Paradisio








Tu proverai sì come sa di sale
lo pane altrui, e come è duro calle
lo scendere e’l salir per l’altrui scale.

You will experience how salty tastes the bread
of another, and what a hard path it is to descend
and mount by another's stair.

-Canto XVII, Paradisio


Sunday, July 3, 2011

Do not delay

Gelato. Those of you who know me know that, though I love making desserts, I am more a pickle and meat girl than a sweets addict. I have, however, been ready to try some of the artful pastries and ambrosial desserts that I have heard so much about here.

Reading through Canto 28 of Inferno I came across this line: " il fornito sempre con danno l'attender sofferse" (one prepared always suffers from delay". Dante took this (according to the notes) from Lucan's Pharsalia: "tolle moras; semper nocuit diferre paratis" ("do not delay: waiting always harms those who are ready"). Thus admonished by not one but two great poets, I went out to try Gelato.
"Don't delay! Get thee to a gelateria now!"

I am four Cantos from the foot of purgatory in my reading, but my body is gazing at the radiant face of Beatrice after eating two scoops of gelato at Kopakabana Gelateria (up near the Duomo on Via San Pietro). I had cioccolata and yogurt con nutella-with little hazelnut chunks covered in chocolate as I sat watching people take their evening passagiatta through the beautiful streets of Siena.

The palio continues to wash over the city-I was able to watch the ocaioli  parade the palio to the Contrada di Draco (Dragon contrada) church-they parade to each of the churches of the 16 other contrade today. It was less a rubbing-victory-in-your-face than a blessing from the winners from my admittedly novice perspective.

The Duomo (Cathedral) of Siena-note the black and white stones reflecting the city flag.
Another interesting detail are the members of Oca walking around with pacifiers in their mouths-signifying a rebirth of their contrada after the win.

Tomorrow we go to Florence for a private showing at the Uffizi. This trip took me by surprise-I knew we would visit Dante's home town three times during the seminar-but a private showing at the Uffizi?  Words fail here (this is becoming a more frequent rejoinder the longer I am here in Italy!)
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2 comments:

  1. cuerdaJuly 3, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    I wonder if when you are at the Uffizi they will show you the secret passageway that goes over the Arno from the Uffizi to a palace on the other side. I was told that there are rare works of art there that the public don't usually get to see.

    In any case, I can't wait to hear how your visit to Firenze goes.

    Bravisima!

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  2. KarenJuly 4, 2011 at 6:19 AM

    the Gothic churches in Mexico leave this simple Quaker with a sense of awe, but also a new sense of history and the power and wealth of the Catholic church in medieval times, and today how strong the traditions are to the people

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