Epistolae, the letters of Dante: Free Audiobook and Listening Guide

Epistolae, the letters of Dante, credited to Dante Alighieri, is available as a LibriVox volunteer audiobook. This guide identifies the recording, its source summary and its audio tracks.

About the work

The LibriVox catalogue summary, preserved with the recording, reads:

LibriVox recording of Epistolae, the letters of Dante by Dante Alighieri. (Translated by Paget Jackson Toynbee.) Read in English by Librivox Volunteers. This volume contains the thirteen letters of the poet Dante Alighieri translated from their original Latin, including the famous and controversial letter to his patron Cangrande della Scala. The letters provide a good deal of context for the reader of Dante regarding his political and philosophical positions. In the final letter, the authenticity of which has been hotly contested by scholars, the author dedicates the Paradiso to the Veronese Cangrande, explains his Divine Comedy's title (then just Comedy), and discusses much of the work's content. Summary by Mary J.

Recording facts

• Recording title: Epistolae, the letters of Dante
• Author credits: Dante Alighieri
• Language: English
• Original MP3 tracks: 14
• Listed recording duration: 2:50:29

Catalogue topics

• middle ages
• religion
• letters
• Italian literature
• poetry (commentary)
• medieval politics
• medieval italy

Track guide

1. 00 - Introduction — 1:01:42
2. 01 - Epistola I: To the Cardinal Niccolò da Prato, 1304 — 4:28
3. 02 - Epistola II: To the Counts Oberto and Guido da Romena, 1304 — 4:02
4. 03 - Epistola III: To a Pistoian Exile, circa 1305 — 5:04
5. 04 - Epistola IV: To the Marquis Moroello Malaspina, circa 1309 — 6:15
6. 05 - Epistola V: To the Princes and Peoples of Italy, September or October 1310 — 11:27
7. 06 - Epistola VI: To the Florentines, March 31, 1311 — 12:57
8. 07 - Epistola VII: To the Emperor Henry VII, April 17, 1311 — 12:21
9. 08 - Epistola VIII: To the Empress Margaret, April 1311 — 2:39
10. 09 - Epistola IX: The the Empress Margaret, April or May 1311 — 2:33
11. 10 - Epistola X: To the Empress Margaret, May 18, 1311 — 2:44
12. 11 - Epistola XI: To the Italian Cardinals, May or June 1314 — 12:01
13. 12 - Epistola XII: To a friend in Florence, May 1315 — 2:47
14. 13 - Epistola XIII: To Cangrande della Scala, c. 1319 — 29:27

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Source and rights

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