Dante

Dante, one of earth's greatest wordsmiths, was married to Gemma in body but united to Beatrice in heart.

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737 years ago Dante Alighieri was born in Florence on May 29.

Most genius builds on a source. This is true of poetry. As Shakespeare drew from the Bible so many of the 18th and 19th Century poets sank their well into the works of Dante. His works have been translated into most European languages.

Michelangelo painted with Dante's images in his mind. Visualize Dante's Inferno and think of heaven and hell. Shelly disagreed with Dante's theology but bowed to his poetry. Byron's "the prophecy of Dante", Browning's poem "Sordello", Rosetti, all have large influences on their work by Dante. Emerson in his journals called Dante the central man. Longfellow at 21 was impressed by "The Divine Comedy". He lectured at Harvard on the poet.

You don't have to like someone's work to acknowledge their brilliance. In 1304 Dante wrote "De vulgari eloquentia", his pioneering history and rhetoric of vernacular literature. During the same period he wrote the Convivio. Only four of a projected fifteen books of the Convivio were completed. In 1306 he stopped to pen the Comedy.

However just because someone is extremely gifted doesn't mean that there are no flaws. During a recent set of lectures on the great man of Florence I came upon a matter I never considered before. Many people are awed at Dante's other work, the Vita Nuova written in 1292.

It effuses his love for Beatrice Portinari a girl he met 18 years before when they were both only 9. How sweet. How touching these love stanzas. He loved her from afar. How sad that they never married.

How infinitely sadder that Dante was married when he wrote these loving words.

In 1283 he married Gemma Donati shortly after his father's death. They had four children: Jacopo, Pietro, Giovanni and Antonia. Married to Gemma in body but united to Beatrice in heart.

In all his poetry there's not one word of love for Gemma. He even records his adultery with a girl he met at the town square. She pitied his despair after Beatrice died. Here is a great man who leaves behind the stain that he was unable to get his heart to agree with the marriage vows he made to the mother of his children. Even his sister and half-sister get warm mention from his pen, but nothing for his bride. Accepting that it was an arranged marriage, there is still honor at stake here.

Poor Gemma has many sisters! They are married to men who are in love with another. That other woman can be breathing or a booze bottle. It could be an ideal or an idea. She could be a career or a calling. The Bible tucks a vast truth into the words "the earth trembles beneath the feet of a married woman that isnÿt loved." She'll either be angry or insecure and, most likely, both.

If there's a Dante reading this today I point out the popular song of last century: "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" The song itself didn't begin to rise to the level of truth hidden in its own words.

Gentlemen, you made that lady binding promises. You said "better or worse". You freely promised to love & cherish her. Her body may now be "worse" than those secretaries at work. You promised! Her personality may have turned out to be "worse" than the new gal who's giving you the eye. You promised! You are only worth the weight of your word. If your bride canÿt trust you thereÿs no reason why your Creator should either.

An old Spanish proverb wisely intones "He that has loved one woman has loved them all, he that has loved many has loved none."

The Bible calls you cleave to your wife. Today's inattentiveness is plotting tomorrow's breakdown. Dante died at 56. That's 38 years of wasted opportunities to make Gemma the queen of his home. Do better men!