Dante's Influence On Politics

Political influence, love it or hate it, determines the way that society functions. The morals, values, folkways, and core principles of a culture greatly effect politics, especially through media. Today we see mass media affecting politics on a grand scale, however in the middle ages and antiquity, where no televisions could be found, literature filled this political gap. In the middle ages, songs and epics brought fame and fortune to crusader heroes, but Dante’s The Divine Comedy on the other hand, was deeply critical and questioning of the power struggle between the people, the church, and the king. In the early years of the Augustan era of Rome, Augustus’s advisor Maecenas had several poets craft epics to depict Rome and Augustus in a favorable
light. Out of this came Virgil’s Aeneid, which is widely regarded as one of the most influential writings of all time for its political undertones. Since Virgil wrote as requested and Dante wrote of his own freewill, there must be some considerable differences in their political reflections of their respective time periods, as Virgil would be greatly positive towards the Augustan era, and Dante would see the struggles of the people of Florence in its true light.
Dante was a man who suffered greatly at the hands of a political power struggle between two opposing factions in his home city: the white and black Guelphs. Dante was a white Guelph and did not support the tyrannical pope Boniface VIII. For this the black Guelphs forbid him from the city forcing Dante to leave his family behind and travel. Greatly embittered by the experience, Dante wrote The Divine Comedy. Because of this harrowing and life altering experience, Dante saw the Black Guelphs in a very negative light in his comedy. Dante even depicted a seen where he reveled in the torment of one of his contemporaries in hell, “I saw the wretch so mangled by a gang of muddy souls that, to this day, I thank my Lord and praise Him for that sight: ‘Get Filippo Argenti!’ They all cried” (NAWL Canto VIII 58-61). With this quote it seems that Dante is taking great pleasure in seeing this person tortured, and the fact that the individual is from Florence and likely a political adversary of Dante’s is no coincidence. To Dante, this man represents the vile and filth of Florence, which he attributes to the black Guelphs.
Earlier than the torture of Filippo, Dante gives a clear representation of his feelings toward the future of Florence with a compatriot of Dante’s named Ciaccio being punished for Gluttony. The man speaks few words to Dante, but gives a grim prophecy for the sordid city, “‘tell me what will happen, if you know, to the citizens of that divided state?’…’after much contention they will come to bloodshed; the rustic party will drive the other out by brutal means. Then it will come to pass, this side will fall within three suns, and the other will rise to power’” (NAWL Canto VI 60-68). This is clearly meant as a message to the denizens of Florence. Dante feels that their corrupt ways will bring about their downfall much like the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah. The message is also an allegory for what happened in the city of Florence with the White Guelphs being driven from power and Dante being exiled, so it also serves to communicate Dante’s own personal tragedy.
Toward the end of Dante’s tenure in hell we see him journey through the lands of the biggest sin, which to him is treachery.
Treachery to kin, country, guests, and benefactors; all sins that to us seem fairly normal, but to Dante, these were the true devices of evil laying waste to the city of Florence. He first stumbles upon Nimrod, the great and powerful builder of the tower of babel, “His words accuse him. He is Nimrod, through whose infamous device the world no longer speaks a common language. But let’s leave him alone and not waste breath, for he can no more understand our words than anyone can understand his language” (NAWL Canto XXXI 76-81) Nimrod was the great divider of people, as his tower, according to Christian mythos, is the reason that there is not one common language among humans. His placement this near to Satan is very indicative of the pope, as Pope Boniface’s tyranny was the reason for the civil unrest in Florence, and Dante’s subsequent ousting from his home. In a sense, Pope Boniface is also guilty of the same sin as Nimrod, treachery to people, as he divided the city of Florence, and Dante’s parallel of Nimrod is can be seen as a direct accusation of the Pope for this
sin.
Virgil used his opportunity to not only concoct a great but slightly false history for Rome’s new leader, Augustus, but also cement himself forever in the accords of history as one of the most influential poets and writers of all time. Virgil was perhaps Dante’s greatest inspiration as well, and this is shown through The Divine Comedy, as Virgil’s spirit serves as Dante’s guide through Hell and Purgatory. However, Virgil’s writing was much less enflamed compared to Dante’s. Virgil’s Aeneid starts with a brief but very important mention of the downfall of Carthage, “…Carthage would rule the nations of the earth if only the fates were willing. This was Juno’s goal from the start, and so she nursed her city’s strength. But she heard of a race of men, sprung from Trojan blood, would one day topple down her Tyrian stronghold…” (NAWL Book I 20-24) This quote speaks of the Punic wars, in which Rome will defeat the Carthaginian Empire once and for all. This is quite significant because it shows Virgil crafting the destination of this story, and showing his favor of the Roman Empire. The Punic Wars also mark the grand heritage of Augustus, and is thus something that he would like immortalized as a great victory for Rome.
Early on in the Aeneid, Virgil show us the fall of Trojan people and their city Ilium, devastated by the Greeks in a surprise attack, “The last day has come for the Trojan people, no escaping this moment.
Troy’s no more. Ilium, gone-our awesome Trojan glory” (NAWL Book II 407-409). The downfall of such a proud and strong people by a cunning sneak attack, only to have the survivors of the attack go on to found the greatest empire of all time, was quite the bit of pathos for Virgil. Here he gives Augustus the proud history he needs to inspire all those around him with a sense of survivor’s glory. Virgil also introduces to us the powerful and pious figure of Aeneas, the story’s hero, “So come, dear father, climb up onto my shoulders! I will carry you on my back. This labor of love will never wear me down. Whatever falls to us now, we both will share one peril, one path to safety” (NAWL Book II 880-883). Virgil shows us here how powerful Aeneas truly is, not to mention his piety, he stops fighting to save his father and carry his family and relics to safety to appease his faith. This strong figure of Aeneas would’ve easily been connected to by many a Roman commoner, and Augustus would easily be able to parallel himself with such a
hero.
Virgil’s greatest piece of political propaganda lays with Aeneas’s shield. Which shows the exploits of Hercules, Augustus’s favorite hero, history of Rome, and the exploits of Augustus himself, “And here in the heart of the shield: the bronze ships, the battle of Actium… On one flank Caesar Augustus leading Italy into battle, the senate and people too, the gods of the hearth and home, and the great gods themselves.” (NAWL Book VIII 790-796). It is no mistake that Virgil placed the deeds of Augustus near the center of the shield, this is the one and only time in the epic that Augustus is directly referred to, and it certainly paints a grandiose picture. Augustus’s deeds are also directly paralleled with his favorite Hercules, which serves to embolden his rule further by saying to his people that he is heroic enough to stand amongst even the greatest of heroes as an equal. Virgil spares no expense in blending this luminous image in seamlessly with his mythology of Rome’s founding.
To say that Virgil and Dante where polar opposites in their views of their respective societies is an understatement. Virgil’s relationship to his leader, Augustus, when placed up to Dante’s relationship with Pope Boniface is almost eerily dissimilar. Virgil sing praises of the heavens for the deeds of the great Roman people, while Dante displays the hellishness of the deeds of the people of Florence. However different, both are equal in their far reaching historical grasp on the influence of literature in politics.