Mary calls on Lucia
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Questa chiese Lucia in suo dimando e disse:— Or ha bisogno il tuo fedele di te, e io a te lo raccomando—.
This lady called upon Lucia in her plea, and said: Now your faithful one has need of you, and I commend him to you.
This lady called Lucia in her request and said: Now your faithful one has need of you, and I commend him to you.
The chain lengthens by one link. Mary turns to Lucia — traditionally St Lucy, patron of sight and, for Dante, of illuminating grace — and appoints her to act. The em dashes mark her quoted words within Beatrice's speech within Virgil's, and Dante still keeps every voice distinct.
<i>Il tuo fedele</i>, your faithful one: Dante is claimed as Lucia's own devotee. He is not a stranger to Heaven but a known soul, missed and sought by name.
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Inferno 2.97 — The Great Library Project interlinear edition · greatlibraryproject.com/book/dante-inferno/2.97/