Homosexuals in paradise. Dante's paths between literature and theology: Purgatory

Text by Fr. Luca Minuto, Ofmcap,part two

Up to here more or less things already heard, from the moment (in the Divine Comedy) the song of Brunetto Latini is one of the most studied in schools. Generally less known than the first, the second singing is more difficult, even because of the constant calls to poetry.

We are in the XXVI song, on the Mountain of Purgatory, to the seventh frame where the sins of lust are discounted. Now, since the souls rise from one frame to another (contrary to hell where they will remain forever where they are punished) as they purify themselves, we can say that we are at the last step before entering paradise.

The region of this provision is exhibited in singing XVII, when Virgil explains that in the last three frames the excess of love is punished. Lust is precisely excess of love and for this reason God brings more closer, which is love (cf. 1Gv 4,7)

The souls of the lusty are divided into two ranks that run in the opposite direction inside the flames. When the two ranks meet, they exchange a kiss on the mouth, as was then the gesture of peace that was used to exchange during mass.

One of these souls, the well -known French poet Arnaut Daniel explains to Dante that

People who do not come with us offenses
of this for that already Cesare triunfando
queen against herself calling you intended (VV 76-78)

meaning what: those who do not come with us committed that sin for which Cesare, during the triumph, felt called Queen.

To understand this triplet we must refer to the roman ceremony of the triumph, that is, a military parade, during which the soldiers felt free to shine their commander. Already the roman historian Suetonius informs us that during the triumph of Caesar the soldiers alluded to his homosexuality.

But you start "sodom" shouting
reproaching to himself, as you hear heard
and they help the arsure ashamed (VV 79-81)

meaning what: therefore they are shouting sodom and reproaching themselves, as you heard before, and with shame they help the flame that burns.

Arriving at the frame Dante had in fact heard those souls shouting "sodom", the name of the biblical city destroyed by God the reason for the homosexual desires of its inhabitants (This is the episode narrated in the book of Genesis in Chapter 19. Various scholars do not agree that it is only homosexuality that is punished, but we will not deal with it here).

The shame for the sin committed helps purification. Most likely Dante echoes the idea of St. Thomas Aquinas (or someone close to him), who, about the sacrament of confession, says that penance already consists in the redness of confessing sin (idea that will go to sacramental practice, but this is another story).

However, of the Sodomite sin he is silent, the actual condemnation is expressed when Arnaut Daniel speaks of his own group, that of the "Hermaphrodite sin":

but because we didn't serve human law
following the appetite as beasts
in the object of us, we read for us
when you start the name of the one
that the 'mbestiate splinters (VV 83-86)

meaning what: since we have not observed the human law, but as beasts we followed the fond, in our shame we shout the name of the one who became a beast in the wooden cow.

To understand the last expression, Greek mythology must be rereaded. Pasifae, the beautiful daughter of the Cretan King Minos, due to a divine spell, wanted to unite carnally with a bull. He therefore had a wooden cow ("the 'mbestiate chips"), inside which he hid to have a sexual intercourse with the bull. From the unhappy union the minotaur was born, the monstrous figure half bull and half man who Taseo killed in the labyrinth. But that's another story.

The obvious sin in the seventh frame is to make itself similar to the beasts, following the instinct instead of reason. This sin is similar to that of Paolo and Francesca (Inferno, Canto V), but unlike that, it has opened up to the good news of the Gospel. At this point it would be worth wondering how a couple, whatever it is can move from the selfishness of seeking one's pleasure to the gift of life, on which the promise of eternity of the Risen Christ is based.

In conclusion, we observe that, in Purgatory, heterosexual (hermaphrodite) and homosexuals are put on the same level and are intended for the same bliss; In fact, at the beginning of the singing Dante calls them that:

Or safe souls
to have, when it is, of peace (vv.53-54)

meaning what: o sales sales of having the state of peace sooner or later, that is, Paradise.

I forgot: Cesare is found in Limbo, in the Castello delle Spiriti Magni, among those souls of the righteous who were not admitted to paradise to have believed in Christ and is also remembered, in singing XVIII of Purgatory, as a positive example of concern. It is not placed among sinners, despite the accusation (of homosexuality) known and propagated by historians.

>Homosexuals in Paradise. Dante's paths between literature and theology