Why should you read Dante’s “Divine Comedy”? - Sheila Marie Orfano

Translator: Alrilo Witwicky Reviewer: Ade Indarta

“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here… ”

"Tinggalkan semua harapan, wahai kalian yang masuk ke sini..."

Inscribed above the Gate of Hell,

Tertulis di atas Gerbang Neraka,

these ominous words warn dark tidings for Dante

kata-kata seram ini peringatan akan kabar buruk bagi Dante

as he begins his descent into inferno.

saat ia memulai perjalanan ke neraka.

Yet despite the grim tone,

Meskipun bernada seram,

this prophecy sets into motion what is perhaps the greatest love story ever told;

ramalan ini menjadi mula dari kisah cinta terhebat yang pernah ada;

an epic journey that encompasses both the human and the divine.

perjalanan epik yang mencakup antara manusia dan ilahi.

But for Dante to reach benevolent salvation,

Tapi bagi Dante untuk mencapai kedamaian,

he must first find his way through Hell.

ia harus melewati neraka terlebih dahulu.

This landscape of torture is the setting for "Inferno,"

Pemandangan penuh siksaan adalah latar "Neraka,"

the first in a three-part narrative poem

bagian pertama dari puisi naratif tiga bagian

written by Dante Alighieri in the 14th century.

yang ditulis oleh Dante Alighieri pada abat ke-14.

Casting himself as the protagonist,

Menempatkan dirinya sebagai pemeran utama,

Dante travels deeper and deeper into Hell’s abyss,

Dante berjalan lebih jauh ke dalam jurang Neraka,

witnessing obscene punishments distinct to each of its nine realms.

menyaksikan hukuman hina yang berbeda dari kesembilan bagian.

Beginning in Limbo, he travels through the circles of Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath,

Dimulai dari Limbo, ia berjalan melalui lingkaran Nafsu, Kerakusan, Serakah, Murka

Heresy, Violence, and Fraud,

Ajaran sesat, Kekerasan, dan Penipuan,

to the horrific ninth circle of Treachery,

hingga lingkaran kesembilan Pengkhianatan,

where sinners are trapped under the watchful eyes of Satan himself.

di mana para pendosa terjebak dalam pengawasan setan sendiri.

The following two parts, "Purgatorio" and "Paradiso," continue Dante’s journey,

Dua bagian berikutnya, "Purgatorio" dan "Paradiso," perjalanan Dante selanjutnya,

as he scales the Mount of Purgatory

dia memanjat Gunung Api Penyucian

and ascends the nine celestial spheres of Heaven.

dan menaiki sembilan lingkaran bola konsentris Surga.

Written together over 10 years, these 3 sections comprise the "Divine Comedy"–

Ditulis lebih dari 10 tahun, ketiga bagian menghasilkan "Divine Comedy"--

an allegorical imagining of the soul’s journey towards God.

sebuah kiasan gambaran perjalanan roh menuju Tuhan.

But Dante’s "Divine Comedy" is more than just religious allegory.

Tapi "Divine Comedy" Dante, lebih dari kiasan keagamaan.

It’s also a witty, scathing commentary on Italian politics.

Itu juga komentar cerdas dan pedas pada politik Italia.

A soldier and statesman from Florence, Dante was staunchly faithful to God,

Sebagai tentara dan negarawan dari Florence, Dante setia pada Tuhan,

but often critical of the Roman Catholic Church.

tapi kerap kali mengkritik Gereja Katolik Roma.

He particularly disliked its rampant nepotism and practice of simony,

Terutama membenci nepotisme yang merajalela dan praktik simoni,

the buying and selling of religious favours such as pardons from sin.

yaitu memperjualbelikan perintah agama seperti ampunan dosa.

Many groups took advantage of these corrupt customs,

Banyak pihak yang memanfaatkan praktik korup tersebut,

but few supported them as much as the Guelfi Neri, or Black Guelphs.

tapi hanya sedikit yang mendukungnya seperti Guelfi Neri, atau Guelphs Hitam.

This was a political and religious faction

Sebuah golongan politik dan keagamaan

which sought to expand the pope’s political influence.

yang berusaha memperluas pengaruh paus dalam politik.

Dante was a member of the Guelfi Bianchi, or White Guelphs–

Dante adalah anggota Guelfi Bianchi, atau Guelphs Putih-

who believed Florence needed more freedom from Roman influence.

yang meyakini Florence membutuhkan kebebasan dari pengaruh Roma.

As a public representative for the White Guelphs,

Sebagai perwakilan publik Guelphs Putih,

Dante frequently spoke out against the pope’s power,

Dante kerap bersuara menetang kekuasaan para paus,

until the Black Guelphs leveraged their position

hingga Guelphs Hitam memanfaatkan posisi mereka

to exile him from Florence in 1302.

untuk mengasingkannya dari Florence pada tahun 1302.

But rather than silencing him,

Alih-alih membungkamnya,

this lifelong exile led to Dante’s greatest critique of all.

pengasingan seumur hidup ini mengarah pada kritik terbesar Dante.

Dishonored and with little hope of return,

Terhina dan hanya sedikit harapan untuk kembali,

the author freely aired his grievances with the Church and Italian society.

si penulis dengan bebas mengutarakan keluhannya ke Gereja dan penduduk Italia.

Writing the "Divine Comedy" in Italian,

Menulis "Divine Comedy" dalam bahasa Italia

rather than the traditional Latin of the educated elite,

daripada Latin tradisional bahasa elite berpendidikan,

Dante ensured the widest possible audience for his biting political commentary.

Dante memastikan menjangkau masyarakat luas atas komentar tajam politiknya.

In the "Inferno’s" circle of the Wrathful,

Di lingkaran kemurkaan "Inferno",

Dante eagerly witnesses sinners

Dante menyaksikan para pendosa

tear Black Guelph Filippo Argenti limb from limb.

merobek anggota tubuh Guelph Hitam Filippo Argenti satu persatu.

In the circle of Fraud,

Di lingkaran Penipuan,

Dante converses with a mysterious sinner burning in the circle’s hottest flames.

Dante berbincang dengan pendosa misterius terbakar dalam lingkaran api terpanas.

He learns that this is Pope Nicholas III,

Dia menyadari itu Paus Nicholas III,

who tells Dante that his two successors will take his place when they die—

memberitahu Dante jika kedua penerusnya akan menggantikannya setelah mati--

all three guilty of simony and corruption.

ketiganya berdosa atas simoni dan korupsi.

Despite the bleak and sometimes violent imagery in "Inferno,"

Meskipun seram dan penuh kekerasan di dalam "Inferno,"

the "Divine Comedy" is also a love story.

"Divine Comedy" juga sebuah kisah cinta.

Though Dante had an arranged marriage

Meski Dante dijodohkan

with the daughter of a powerful Florentine family,

dengan putri seorang keluarga kaya dari Florence,

he had also been unrequitedly in love with another woman since he was nine years old:

dia juga jatuh cinta dengan wanita lain sejak usianya sembilan tahun:

Beatrice Portinari.

Beatrice Portinari.

Despite allegedly meeting just twice, she became Dante’s lifelong muse,

Meskipun hanya bertemu dua kali, dia menjadi renungan seumur hidup Dante,

serving as the inspiration and subject for many of his works.

sebagai inspirasi dan pokok dari karya karyanya.

In fact, it’s Beatrice who launches his intrepid journey into the pits of Hell

Faktanya, Beatrice-lah yang melancarkan perjalanannya yang berani ke jurang Neraka

and up the terraces of Mount Purgatory.

hingga beranda Gunung Api Penyucian.

Portrayed as a powerful, heavenly figure,

Digambarkan sebagai sosok yang kuat, serta surgawi,

she leads Dante through "Paradiso’s" concentric spheres of Heaven

dia membimbing Dante melewati "Paradiso" bola konsentris Surga

until he is finally face-to-face with God.

hingga akhirnya dia bertemu Tuhan.

In the centuries since its publication,

Berabad-abad sejak dipublikasi,

the "Divine Comedy’s" themes of love, sin, and redemption

"Divine Comedy" bertema cinta, dosa, dan penebusan

have been embraced by numerous artists–

telah dianut oleh banyak seniman–

from Auguste Rodin and Salvador Dali, to Ezra Pound and Neil Gaiman.

dari Auguste Rodin dan Salvador Dali, hingga Ezra Pound serta Neil Gaiman.

And the poet himself received his own belated, earthly redemption in 2008,

Dan sang penyair pun mendapat tebusan bersahaja yang terlambat pada tahun 2008,

when the city of Florence finally revoked Dante’s antiquated exile.

ketika kota Florence akhirnya menghapus Pengasingan kuno Dante.