List of Cultural References in Divine Comedy - D

D

  • Daedalus: In Greek mythology, he was a legendary inventor and craftsman. He designed the Labyrinth, and fashioned wings for himself and his son Icarus, enabling them to fly.
    • Mentioned by Griffolino of Arezzo. Inf. XXIX, 116.
  • Daniel: Protagonist in the Book of Daniel of the Hebrew Bible. He and his companions fasted rather than incur ritual defilement when they ate in the court of the king of Babylon.
    • A voice in Purgatory cites Daniel as an example in the virtue of temperance. Purg. XXII, 146–147.
    • Dante compares Beatrice's solution of his mental doubts to Daniel's solution of Nebuchadnezzar's troubled dream in the biblical book of Daniel. Par. IV, 13–15.
  • Bonturo Dati (d. 1324): Head of the popular faction in Lucca, he expelled his enemies in 1308 assuming the government of the city, boasting he would put an end to barratry. He is famous for provoking with his jeers in 1313 a war with Pisa, that has been remembered in Faida di Comune by Giosuè Carducci.
    • Sarcastically and ironically said that all Luccans but he are guilty of barratry. Inf. XXI, 41.
  • King David: Biblical king of the Jews. His counselor Ahitophel, incited David's son Absalom against him.
    • Raised by Jesus from Limbo into Paradise. Inf. IV, 58.
    • His son's rebellion, and the urgings of Ahitophel is compared by Bertran de Born to his own urgings of Prince Henry against his father Henry II of England. Inf. XXVIII, 134—8.
    • Appears depicted in a wall carving as the "humble psalmist," leading the procession of the Ark to Jerusalem. Purg. X, 64.
  • Decii: Three generations of men in a Patrician Roman family, who each answered the call to arms and died in battle.
    • Mentioned as exemplars of Roman virtue in the days of the Roman Republic. Par. VI, 47.
  • Deianira: Wife of Heracles, she was abducted by the centaur Nessus, but Heracles shot him with a poisoned arrow. She was tricked by the dying Nessus into believing that a love potion could be made from his blood, which she later gives to Heracles poisoning him. Inf. XII, 68.
  • Deidamia: Mythical daughter of Lycomedes, king of Scyros, she gave birth to Achilles' only son, Pyrrhus Neoptolemus, but died of grief when, because of the urgings of Odysseus (Ulysses), Achilles left her to go to the war against Troy.
    • Even dead she laments Achilles still. Inf. XXVI, 61–62.
    • Resident of Limbo. Purg. XXII, 113.
  • Deipyle: Ancient Greek wife of Tydeus and mother of Diomedes.
    • Resident of Limbo. Purg. XXII, 110.
  • "Delectasti": ("Quia delectasti me, Domine, in factura tua": "For thou hast given me, O Lord, a delight in thy doings.") Psalm 92:5 (91:5 in the Latin Vulgate)
    • Quoted by Matilda as the reason she smiled broadly at Dante in Terrestrial Paradise. Purg. XXVIII, 76–81.
  • Democritus (c. 460 BCE–370 BCE): Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher.
    • Encountered by Dante in Limbo, "che 'l mondo a caso pone" ("who ascribes the world to chance"). Inf. IV, 136.
  • "Deus, venerunt gentes": ("O God, the heathen have come.") Incipit of Psalm 79 (Psalm 78 in the Vulgate)
    • Chanted as a lamentation over the Church by the women representing the Three Theological Virtues and Cardinal Virtues. Purg. XXXIII, 1–6.
  • Diana: Greco-Roman goddess, known as the "virgin goddess."
    • Cited as an example of sexual abstinence by souls on the terrace of the lustful. Purg. XXV, 130–132.
  • Dido: Queen of Carthage. In Virgil's Aeneid, she becomes the lover of Aeneas despite a vow of eternal fidelity to her dead husband Sichaeus. Consequently, as "colei, che s' ancise amorosa" (she who killed herself from love"), Dante places her amongst the sexual sinners. Inf. V, 61–2.
  • Diogenes of Sinope (c. 412 BCE–323 BCE): Greek philosopher.
    • Encountered by Dante in Limbo. Inf. IV, 137.
  • Diomedes: Mythical king of Argus, he participated in the expedition against Troy, where his prowess is extolled in the Iliad. A great friend of Odysseus (Ulysses), he was his companion in many feats, most notably the theft of Troy's Palladium and the ruse of the Trojan Horse.
    • Among the advisors of fraud, he is punished with Ulysses for the sins they both committed at Troy. Inf. XXVI, 52–63.
  • Dionysius the Areopagite (fl. c. 50): Athenian judge who was converted to Christianity and became a bishop of Athens. As was common in the Middle Ages, Dante has confused him with Pseudo-Dionysius, the anonymous fifth-century author of Celestial Hierarchy.
    • Identified in the Heaven of the Sun by Thomas Aquinas. Par. X, 115–7.
  • Dionysius the Elder: Tyrant of Syracuse (405 BCE–367 BCE.
    • Pointed out by Nessus. Inf. XI, 107–8.
  • Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40–c. 90): Greek physician and author of a work on the medicinal properties of plants, hence Dante's description of him as "il buono accoglitor del quale"/"the good collector of the qualities".
    • Encountered by Dante in Limbo. Inf. IV, 139–140.
  • Dis: Another name for Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld, used by Dante as both the name of Satan and his realm.
    • First glimpse of the "crimson" city. Inf VIII, 67–75.
    • Dante refused entry. Inf VIII, 76–130.
    • The city dolente (of sorrowing). Inf IX, 32.
    • Entrance. Inf IX, 73–133.
    • Spoils taken from by Jesus. Inf. XII, 38—39.
    • Pointed out by Virgil. Inf. XXXIV, 20.
  • Fra Dolcino: In 1300 he headed the Apostolic Brothers, a reformist order which, inspired by the example of St. Francis renounced all worldly possessions. He and his followers were condemned as heretics by Clement V, and fled into the hills near Novara. Facing starvation they surrendered and Dolcino was burned at the stake in 1307.
    • Among the "sowers of dissension", Muhammad, says to Dante: "tell Fra Dolcino to provide himself with food, if he has no desire to join me here quickly". Inf. XXVIII, 22–63.
  • Saint Dominic: Founder of the Dominican Order.
    • He is eulogised by Bonaventure. Par. XII, 31–105.
  • Domitian: Roman Emperor (81–96). His religious policies resulted in persecution of Christians and Jews.
    • Statius relates how witnessing the persecution helped to convert him to Christianity. Purg. XXII, 82–87.
  • Buoso Donati: Of the noble Florentine Black Guelph Donati family, he was one of those who accepted the peace between the factions proposed by Cardinal Latino in 1280 . He died around 1285.
    • Among the thieves, he is transformed into a serpent by Francesco de' Cavalcanti. Inf. XXV, 82–151.
    • His impersonation by Gianni Schicchi described. Inf. XXX, 43–45.
  • Cianfa Donati: Of the Donati family, he is known to have acted as advisor to the Capitano del popolo in 1281. In 1289 he is reported as already dead.
    • Among the thieves, he appears as a six-footed serpent, attacks and melds with Agnello Brunelleschi. Inf. XXV, 43–78.
  • Forese Donati (?-1296): A Florentine poet, friend of Dante, and relative of Dante's wife, Gemma Alighieri.
    • Among the gluttons, he predicts disaster for Florence and for his brother, Corso Donati. Purg. XXIII, 42 – XXIV, 99.
    • Notes that the prayers of his surviving wife Nella have greatly reduced his stay in Purgatory. Purg. XXIII, 76–93.
  • Piccarda Donati: Sister of Forese Donanti, already dead at the time setting of the Comedy.
    • In Purgatory, Dante asks Forese Donati where his dead sister is and learns that she "in triumph." Purg. XXIV, 10–16.
  • Dragon
    • Allegorical representation of the Islamic conquests of Christian territory in the Pageant of Church History. Purg. XXXII, 130–135.

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