TIME REFERENCES IN
THE DIVINE COMEDY

Night. In the Forest. Moon full
(see below, Inf. xx. 127-129, and Purg. xxiii. 118-121).
“La notte ch’ i’ passai.”
Inf. i. 21.
“The night that I had spent.”
1st day. Just before sunrise.
At the foot of the Hill.
“Ma poi ch’ io fui al piè d’un colle giunto, * * * * * Guardai in alto, e vidi le sue spalle Vestite già de’ raggi del pianeta Che mena dritto altrui per ogni calle.” Inf. i. 13-18.
“But after I had reached a mountain’s foot, * * * * * Upward I looked, and I beheld its shoulders Vested already with that planet’s rays Which leadeth others right by every road.”
Sunrise 6 a.m. [452]
Climbing the Hill.
“Tempo era dal principio del mattino, E il sol montava su con quelle stelle Ch’eran con lui quando l’ Amor divino Mosse da prima quelle cose belle.” Inf. i. 37-40.
“The time was the beginning of the morning, And up the sun was mounting with those stars That with him were, what time the Love Divine At first in motion set those beautous things.”
Evening twilight.
At the Gate of Hell.
“Lo giorno se n’andava, e l’ aer bruno....” Inf. ii. 1.
“Day was departing, and the brown air....”
Midnight.
Crossing the fourth circle.
“Già ogni stella cade, che saliva Quando mi mossi.” Inf. vii. 98, 99.
“Already sinks each star that was ascending When I set out.”
2nd day. About 2 hrs. before sunrise (4 a.m.)
On the edge of the cliff,
preparing to descend to the 7th circle.
“I Pesci guizzan su per l’ orizzonta, E il Carro tutto sovra il Coro giace.” Inf. xi. 113, 114.
“Quivering are the Fishes on the horizon, And the Wain wholly over Caurus lies.”
(Dante refers to the previous day.)
In the 7th circle.
“Mi smarri’ in una valle. * * * * * Pur ier mattina le volsi le spalle.” Inf. xv. 50-52.
“I lost me in a valley. * * * * * But yestermorn I turned my back upon it.”
After sunrise, between 6 and 7 a.m.
Leaving the 4th Pit of Circle VIII.
(Virgil reminds Dante of the night before last, spent in the Forest.)
“Già tiene il confine D’ ambedue gli emisperi e tocca l’ onda Sotto Sibilia Caino e le spine; E già iernotte fu la luna tonda; Ben ten dee ricordar, chè non ti nocque Alcuna volta per la selva fonda.” Inf. xx. 124-129.
“... Already holds the confines Of both the hemispheres, and under Seville Touches the ocean-wave, Cain and the thorns; And yesternight the moon was round already; Thou shouldst remember well: it did not harm thee From time to time within the forest deep.”
7 a.m.
On the bridge over the 5th Pit.
“Ier, più oltre cinq’ ore che quest’ otta, Mille dugento con sessanta sei Anni compiè che qui la via fu rotta.” Inf. xxi. 112-114.
“Yesterday, five hours later than this hour, One thousand and two hundred sixty-six Years were complete that here the way was broken.”
About 1 p.m.
Leaving the 9th Pit.
“E già la Luna è sotto nostri piedi, Lo tempo è poco omai che n’è concesso.” Inf. xxix. 10, 11.
“And now the moon is underneath our feet. Henceforth the time allotted us is brief.”
Nightfall.
At the bottom of the world.
“La notte risurge; ed oramai È da partir, chè tutto avem veduto.” Inf. xxxiv. 68, 69.
“Night is reascending, and ’tis time That we depart, for we have seen the whole.”
3rd day. (no night intervening) 7.30 a.m.
In the new hemisphere
“Già il sole a mezza terza riede.” Inf. xxxiv. 96.
“And now the sun to middle-tierce returns.”
4th day. About an hour before sunrise (5 a.m.).
On the island of Purgatory.
“E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.” Inf. xxxiv. 139.
“Thence we came forth to see again the stars.”
“Lo bel pianeta che ad amar conforta Faceva tutto rider l’ oriente, Velando i Pesci ch’ erano in sua scorta.” Purg. i. 19-21.
“The beauteous planet that to love incites Was making all the orient to laugh, Veiling the Fishes that were in her escort.”
Dawn.
“Lo sol vi mostrerà, che surge omai.” Purg. i. 107.
“The sun, which now is rising, will direct you.”
“L’ alba vinceva l’ ora mattutina.” Purg. i. 115.
“The dawn was vanquishing the matin hour.”
Sun just below east horizon.
On the Shore of the Island.
“Già era il sole all’ orizzonte giunto Lo cui meridian cerchio coperchia Jerusalem col suo più alto punto; E la notte, che opposita a lui cerchia, Uscia di Gange fuor con le bilance Che le caggion di man quando soperchia; Si che le bianche e le vermilie guance, Là dove io era, della bella Aurora, Per troppa etate divenivan rance.” Purg. ii. 1-9.
“Already had the sun the horizon reached Whose circle of meridian covers o’er Jerusalem with its most lofty point; And night, that opposite to him revolves, Was issuing forth from Ganges, with the scales That fall from out her hand when she exceedeth; So that the white and the vermilion cheeks Of beautiful Aurora, where I was, By too great age were changing into orange.”
Sun risen.
“Da tutte parti saettava il giorno Lo sol, ch’avea con le saette conte Di mezzo il ciel cacciato il Capricorno.” Purg. ii. 55-57.
“On every side was darting forth the day The sun, who had with his resplendent shafts From the mid-heaven chased forth the Capricorn.”
Soon after sunrise.
Walking westward, towards the Mountain of Purgatory.
“Lo sol che retro fiammeggiava roggio.” Purg. iii. 16.
“The sun that in our rear was flaming red.”
Shortly after 6 a.m. (3 p.m. in Italy).
“Vespero è già colà dov’ è sepolto Lo corpo dentro al quale io facea ombra.” Purg. iii. 25, 26.
“’Tis vespers there already where is buried The body within which I cast a shadow.”
About 9.30 a.m.
At the foot of the Mountain.
“Ben cinquanta gradi salito era Lo sole.” Purg. iv. 15, 16.
“Fifty full degrees uprisen was The sun.”
Midday.
On a ledge of the Mountain (Anti-purgatory).
“Vedi ch’è tocco Meridian dal sole, e dalla riva. Copre la notte già col piè Morrocco.” Purg. iv. 137-139.
“See, the sun has touched Meridian, and from the shore the night Covers already with her foot Morocco.”
Afternoon.
Climbing the eastern slope of the Mountain.
“Vedi omai che il poggio l’ ombra getta. * * * * * Prima che sii lassù tornar vedrai Colui che già si copre della costa, Sì che i suoi raggi tu romper non fai.” Purg. vi. 51-57.
“See, e’en now the hill a shadow casts. * * * * * Ere thou art up there, thou shalt see return Him, who now hides himself behind the hill, So that thou dost not interrupt his rays.”
Evening.
“Vedi già come dichina il giorno.” Purg. vii. 43.
“See already how the day declines.”
Sunset (6 p.m.).
In the Flowery Valley, on the Mountain-side.
“Era già l’ora che volge il disio Ai naviganti e intenerisce il core, Lo di ch’han detto ai dolci amici addio; E che lo nuovo peregrin d’ amore Punge, se ode squilla di lontano Che paia il giorno pianger che si more.” Purg. viii. 1-6.
“’Twas on the hour that turneth back desire In those who sail the sea, and melts the heart, The day they’ve said to their sweet friends farewell; And the new pilgrim penetrates with love, If he doth hear from far away a bell That seemeth to deplore the dying day.”
Evening twilight.
“Tempo era già che l’ aer s’annerava.” Purg. viii. 49.
“Already now the air was growing dark.”
(Dante refers to the morning of the same day.)
“Per entro il lochi tristi Venni stamane.” Purg. viii. 58, 59.
“Through the dismal places I came this morn.”
Early night: about 7 p.m.
“Le quattro chiare stelle Che vedevi staman, son di là basse, E queste son salite ov’ eran quelle.” Purg. viii. 91-93.
“The four resplendent stars Thou sawest this morning are down yonder low, And these have mounted up to where those were.”
Shortly before moonrise, between 8 and 9 p.m.
“La concubina di Titone antico Già s’imbiancava al balco d’oriente, Fuor delle braccia del suo dolce amico; Di gemme la sua fronte era lucente, Poste in figura del freddo animale Che con la coda percote la gente; E la notte de’ passi con che sale Fatti avea due nel loco ov’ eravamo, E il terzo già chinava in giuso l’ ale.” Purg. ix. 1-9.
“The concubine of old Tithonus now Gleamed white upon the eastern balcony, Forth from the arms of her sweet paramour; With gems her forehead all relucent was, Set in the shape of that cold animal Which with its tail doth smite amain the people; And of the steps with which she mounts the Night Had taken two in that place where we were, And now the third was bending down its wings.”
5th day. Dawn.
At the Gate of Purgatory.
“Nell’ ora che comincia i tristi lai La rondinella presso alla mattina.” Purg. ix. 13, 14.
“Just at the hour when her sad lay begins The little swallow, near unto the morning.”
(See also ix. 52 “nell’ alba che precede al giorno,” and ix. 59 “come il di fu chiaro.”)
(See also “At dawn, which doth precede the day.” and “As day grew bright”).
More than 2 hours after sunrise (after 8 a.m.).
“Il sole er’ alto già più che due ore.“ Purg. ix. 44.
“And now the sun was more than two hours high.”
About 9.30 a.m.
On the 1st Cornice of the Mountain.
“Pria lo scemo della luna Rigiunse al letto suo per rícorcarsi, Che noi fossimo fuori di quella cruna.” Purg. x. 14-16.
“Sooner had the moon’s decreasing disc Regained its bed to sink again to rest. Than we were forth out of that needle’s eye.”
12 noon.
Ascent to the 2nd Cornice.
“Più era già per noi del monte volto, E del cammin del sole assai più speso Che non stimava l’animo non sciolto. * * * * * ... Vedi che torna Dal servigio del dì l’ancella sesta.” Purg. xii. 73-81.
“More of the mount by us was now encompassed, And far more spent the circuit of the sun, Than had the mind preoccupied imagined. * * * * * ... Lo, returning is From service of the day the sixth handmaiden.”
3 p.m. (midnight in Italy).
Ascent to the 3rd Cornice.
“Quanto tra l‘ultimar dell’ ora terza E il principio del dì par della spera Che sempre a guisa di fanciullo scherza, Tanto pareva già in ver la sera Essere al sol del suo corso rimaso; Vespero là, e qui mezza notte era. E i raggi ne ferian per mezzo il naso, Perchè per noi girato era si il monte, Che già dritti andavamo in ver l’occaso.” Purg. xv. 1-9.
“As much as ’twixt the close of the third hour And dawn of day appeareth of that sphere Which aye in fashion of a child is playing, So much, it now appeared, towards the night Was of his course remaining to the sun; There it was evening, and ’twas midnight here. And the rays smote the middle of our faces, Because by us the mount was so encircled, That straight towards the west we now were going.”
Evening.
On the 3rd Cornice.
“Noi andavam per lo vespero, attenti Oltre, quanto potean gli occhi allungarsi Contra i raggi serotini e lucenti.“ Purg. xv. 139-141.
“We passed along athwart the twilight, peering Forward, as far as ever eye could stretch Against the sunbeams serotine and lucent.”
Sunset at sea-level, 6 p.m.
“Io rividi Lo sole in pria, che già nel corcare era.” Purg xvii. 8, 9.
“I saw again The sun at first, that was already setting.”
On the 3rd Cornice.
“I raggi, morti già, nei bassi lidi.“ Purg. xvii. 12.
“Rays already dead on the low shores.”
Ascent to the 4th Cornice.
“Procacciam di salir pria che s’abbui.” Purg. xvii. 62.
“Let us make haste to mount ere it grow dark.”
Sunset on the Mountain, shortly after 6 p.m.
On the 4th Cornice.
“Già eran sopra noi tanto levati Gli ultimi raggi che la notte segue, Che le stelle apparivan da più lati.” Purg. xvii. 70-72.
“Already over us were so uplifted The latest sunbeams which the night pursues, That upon many sides the stars appeared.”
Towards midnight.
“La luna, quasi a mezza notte tarda, Facea le stelle a noi parer più rade, Fatta com’ un secchione che tutto arda; E correa contra il ciel per quelle strade Che il sole infiamma allor che quel da Roma Tra i Sardi e i Corsi il vede quando cade.” Purg. xviii. 76-81.
“The moon, belated almost unto midnight, [453] Now made the stars appear to us more rare, Formed like a bucket that is all ablaze; And counter to the heavens ran through those paths Which the sun sets aflame when he of Rome Sees it ’twixt Sardes and Corsicans go down.”
6th day. Nearly 2 hours before sunrise, about 4 a.m.
On the 4th Cornice.
“Nell’ ora che non può il calor diurno Intepidar più il freddo della luna, Vinto da terra, o talor da Saturno; Quando i geomanti lor Maggior Fortuna Veggiono in oriente, innanzi all’ alba, Surger per via che poco le sta bruno.” Purg. xix. 1-6.
“It was the hour when the diurnal heat No more can warm the coldness of the moon, Vanquished by Earth, or peradventure Saturn; When geomancers their Fortuna Major See in the orient, before the dawn, Rise by a path that long remains not dim.”
Early morning.
Ascent to 5th Cornice.
“Su mi levai, e tutti eran già, pieni Dell’ alto dì i giron del sacro monte, Ed andavam col sol nuovo alle reni.” Purg. xix. 37-39.
“I rose, and full already of high day Were all the circles of the sacred mountain, And with the new sun at our back we went.”
About 10 a.m.
On the 6th Cornice.
“E già le quattro ancelle eran del giorno Rimase addietro, e la quinta era al temo, Drizzando pure in su l’ ardente corno.” Purg. xxii. 118-120.
“And four handmaidens of the day already Were left behind, and at the pole the fifth Was pointing upwards still its burning horn.”
(Dante refers to “the other day” when he began the journey.)
“Di quella vita mi volse costui Che mi va innanzi, l’ altr’ ier, quando tonda Vi si mostrò la suora di colui— E il sol mostrai.” Purg. xxiii. 118-121.
“Out of that life he turned me back who goes In front of me, some days agone, when round The sister of him yonder showed herself— And to the sun I pointed.”
Between 2 and 4 p.m.
Ascent to the 7th Cornice.
“Il sole avea lo cerchio di merigge Lasciato al Tauro, e la notte allo Scorpio.” Purg. xxv. 2, 3.
“The sun bad his meridian circle To Taurus left, and Night to Scorpio.”
Evening.
On the 7th Cornice, west side of the Mountain.
“Feriami il sole sull’ omero destro, Che già, raggiando, tutto l’ occidente Mutava in bianco aspetto di cilestro.” Purg. xxvi. 4-6.
“On the right shoulder smote me now the sun, That, raying out, already the whole west Changed from its azure aspect into white.”
Sunset at sea-level, 6 p.m.
About to cross the zone of fire.
“Sì come quando i primi raggi vibra La dove il suo Fattore il sangue sparse, Cadendo Ibero sotto l’ alta Libra, E l’ onde in Gange da nona riarse, Sì stava il sole; onde il giorno sen giva.” Purg. xxvii. 1-5.
“As when he vibrates forth his earliest rays In regions where his Maker shed his blood, The Ebro falling under lofty Libra, And waters in the Ganges burnt with noon, So stood the sun; hence was the day departing.”
Sun about to set on the mountain heights.
At the foot of the last stairway.
“Lo sol sen va, soggiunse, e vien la sera.” Purg. xxvii. 61.
“The sun departs, it added, and night cometh.”
Sun sets.
Climbing the last stairway.
“Io toglieva i raggi Dinanzi a me del sol ch’era già basso. * * * * * Il sol corcar, per l’ ombra che si spense Sentimmo.” Purg. xxvii. 65-69.
“I cut off the rays Before me of the sun, that now was low. * * * * * By the vanished shadow the sun’s setting Behind us we perceived.”
Night.
On the last stairway.
“Vedev’ io le stelle.” Purg. xxvii. 89.
“I beheld the stars.”
7th day. About 4 a.m.
“Nell’ ora, credo, che dell’ oriente Prima raggiò nel monte Citerea.” Purg. xxvii. 94, 95.
“It was the hour, I think, when from the east First on the mountain Cytherea beamed.”
Dawn.
“E già per gli splendori antelucani * * * * * Le tenebre fuggian da tutti i lati.” Purg. xxvii. 109-112.
“And now before the antelucan splendours * * * * * The darkness fled away on every side.”
Early morning.
In the Earthly Paradise.
“Vedi là il sol che in fronte ti riluce.” Purg. xxvii. 133.
“Behold the sun that shines upon thy forehead.”
“L’ ôre prime.”
“The hours of prime.”
Midday.
By the fountain of Eunoë.
“Teneva il sole il cerchio di merigge.” Purg. xxxiii. 104.
“The sun was holding the meridian circle.”
Ascent to Paradise.
“Fatto avea di là mane e di qua sera Tal foce quasi, e tutto era là bianco Quello emisperio, e l’ altra parte nera.” Par. i. 43-45.
“Almost that passage had made morning there And evening here, and there was wholly white That hemisphere, and black the other part.”
8th day.
A lapse of 6 hrs. since entering the 8th heaven.
(Cf. Par. xxii. 151-153).
Sunset in Jerusalem (sunrise in Purgatory).
In the eighth heaven among the stars of Gemini.
“Dall’ ora ch’io avea guardato prima Io vidi mosso me per tutto l’arco Che fa del mezzo al fine il primo clima; Si ch’io vedea di là da Gade il varco Folle d’Ulisse. e di qua presso il lito Nel qual si fece Europa dolce carco; E più mi fora discoperto il sito Di questa Aiuola, ma il sol procedea Sotto i miei piedi un segno e più partito.” Par. xxvii. 79-87.
“Since the first time that I had downward looked I saw that I had moved through the whole arc Which the first climate makes from midst to end; So that I saw the mad track of Ulysses Past Gades, and this side well nigh [454] the shore Whereon became Europa a sweet burden; And of this threshing-floor the site to me Were more unveiled, but the sun was preceding Under my feet, a sign and more removed.”