Purgatory: Cantos 6–10

by Dante Alighieri
In this classic 14th-century epic poem and the second book of the Divine Comedy, the author travels through an imagined version of purgatory, a place of atonement before souls enter heaven, with the ancient Roman poet Virgil, and later his beloved Beatrice, as his guide.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Cantos 1–5, Cantos 6–10, Cantos 11–15, Cantos 16–21, Cantos 22–27, Cantos 28–33
15 words 14 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. constancy
    faithfulness and dependability in personal attachments
    Here Frederic Novello, with his hand
    Stretch’d forth, entreated; and of Pisa he,
    Who put the good Marzuco to such proof
    Of constancy.
  2. sojourn
    spend a certain length of time; reside temporarily
    Both what I write is plain,
    And these deceiv’d not in their hope, if well
    Thy mind consider, that the sacred height
    Of judgment doth not stoop, because love’s flame
    In a short moment all fulfils, which he
    Who sojourns here, in right should satisfy.
  3. entreaty
    earnest or urgent request
    But Virgil with entreaty mild advanc’d,
    Requesting it to show the best ascent.
  4. factious
    dissenting with the majority opinion
    So are the’ Italian cities all o’erthrong’d
    With tyrants, and a great Marcellus made
    Of every petty factious villager.
  5. reverential
    feeling or manifesting profound respect or awe
    Such he appear’d; then downward bent his eyes,
    And drawing near with reverential step,
    Caught him, where of mean estate might clasp
    His lord.
  6. refulgent
    radiating or as if radiating light
    Refulgent gold, and silver thrice refin’d,
    And scarlet grain and ceruse, Indian wood
    Of lucid dye serene, fresh emeralds
    But newly broken, by the herbs and flowers
    Plac’d in that fair recess, in color all
    Had been surpass’d, as great surpasses less.
  7. vale
    a valley
    For from this eminence ye shall discern
    Better the acts and visages of all,
    Than in the nether vale among them mix’d.
  8. rend
    tear or be torn violently
    They are the father and the father-in-law
    Of Gallia’s bane: his vicious life they know
    And foul; thence comes the grief that rends them thus.
  9. stripling
    a person who is older than 12 but younger than 20
    And if that stripling who behinds him sits,
    King after him had liv’d, his virtue then
    From vessel to like vessel had been pour’d;
    Which may not of the other heirs be said.
  10. resplendent
    having great beauty
    He then to me:
    “The four resplendent stars, thou saw’st this morn
    Are there beneath, and these ris’n in their stead.”
  11. tarry
    leave slowly and hesitantly
    Sordello and the other gentle shapes
    Tarrying, she bare thee up: and, as day shone,
    This summit reach’d: and I pursued her steps.
  12. prostrate
    lying face downward
    Piously at his holy feet devolv’d
    I cast me, praying him for pity’s sake
    That he would open to me: but first fell
    Thrice on my bosom prostrate.
  13. sagacity
    the trait of having wisdom and good judgment
    “One is more precious: but the other needs
    Skill and sagacity, large share of each,
    Ere its good task to disengage the knot
    Be worthily perform’d. From Peter these
    I hold, of him instructed, that I err
    Rather in opening than in keeping fast;
    So but the suppliant at my feet implore.”
  14. suppliant
    one praying humbly for something
    “One is more precious: but the other needs
    Skill and sagacity, large share of each,
    Ere its good task to disengage the knot
    Be worthily perform’d. From Peter these
    I hold, of him instructed, that I err
    Rather in opening than in keeping fast;
    So but the suppliant at my feet implore.”
  15. disentangle
    separate a twisted mass
    “So courb’d to earth, beneath their heavy teems
    Of torment stoop they, that mine eye at first
    Struggled as thine. But look intently thither,
    An disentangle with thy lab’ring view,
    What underneath those stones approacheth:
Created on Wed May 06 08:35:14 EDT 2026 (updated Wed Jun 10 13:49:26 EDT 2026)

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