Dante Alighieri's*Inferno*, here titled *Hell*, is the first canticle of his great narrative poem *Commedìa* (1314-1321), considered by many to be the foundation of modern vernacular literature, which consigned to the past the literary use of Latin. Dante's visionary description of the afterlife and the profound humanity of his characters have been admired by many generations of readers and writers, and the beauty of its verse has never been surpassed. The translation presented here is by Leon Stephens, who is also the reader.
