In Relation to Boyd

• Less focus on Dante’s state of life and more details on the wood itself, describing it as “gloomy” and stating “so bitter ‘t is that death is little worse”
• Dante clearly states how he cannot remember how he came to be in the wood
• There is a focus on the mountain Dante observes, mentioning the planets’ rays which he will later explore in greater detail throughout Paradiso. This observance also leads to an increase in his calmness
• Upon encountering the mountain, although his fears are alleviated slightly, it appears as though Dante’s lasting tension is very much still present
• Dante’s description of the journey up the mountain is not as toilsome as how it is described in Boyd’s translation and he appears to make a quicker and greater recovery
• This translation also mentions a leopard rather than Boyd’s panther
• The leopard is portrayed as a blockade rather than a direct threat, causing Dante to turn back without displaying clear aggression
• The act of the rising sun is compared to “Love Divine” and causes Dante to hope that his tensions with the leopard will disappear
• While the leopard was not portrayed as a direct threat, the lion very clearly appears to be stalking Dante as prey
• The she-wolf is given a more antagonistic description, remarking how she has “caused many ere now to lead unhappy lives”
• Virgil mentions the “lying gods” in Rome and Anchises’ son, both of which are absent in Boyd’s translation
• Upon Virgil’s introduction, Dante appears to almost begin to worship him as he describes how he turned to run from the beasts
• Virgil speaks about the she-wolf more, describing how she is full of sin and kills those who she encounters, prophesizing this behaviour will continue until “the Hound” comes and puts her to her death
• Virgil does not spend much time discussing what the journey will entail and only gives a brief summary before confiding how he can only serve as a guide for part of the journey

In Relation to Wilstach

• Forest referred to as “wild and rough”, creating an image of vines and thick foliage
• Dante states how he chose the path of truth
• Mountain is described as being “mantled with planet’s rays” guiding people along the right path
• The passage Dante proceeds through is described more brutally, implying it has killed those who previously passed through it rather than simply not allowing mortals through
• Mention of the day beginning to pass by as the sun and stars are beginning to rise

In Relation to Arndt

• It seems that Dante lost his way by accident, rather than straying by choice