A Modern Reader's Guide to Dante's The Divine Comedy (1999)

Still need to finish Le Comedia; about 2/3rds thru I switched to the Readers Guide by Gallagher.

Although at times it is a little short but it is obvious that a complete guide could be 3 volumes.

I think that what among many things became clear is just what an incredible story he wrote. Where is the analysis of how he came up with it? Was it a dream, a vision, did he use a flow chart maybe?

This thing is so elaborate and well thought out how many versions would he have gone through? I am unaware of any other more complete description of the entire underworld - over-world.

So completely impossible to Summarize  but these are a few of the notes that speak to me
I marked about 25 pages in the guide that illuminated. 

Many of the quotes below are directly from Gallagher.

Dante covers many sins;

• The sin of a passionless or disinterested life.
• Wrath; horrible destructive valueless

One of the surprising sins that gets special attention is FRAUD; a major sin.
Making someone do or think something that is not true for personal gain, wow do we have some politicians headed for Hell!

As Dante was exiled he may have become tolerant of other marginalized peoples.

This statement took a while to comprehend but again Absolute power corrupts Absolutely. 
"For where the force of intellect is added to ill will and power, mankind can have do defense"

In Purgatory:
PRIDE, pride of Blood, Talent, and Power; OMG these are the people we suffer every day.

ENVY; the root of all evil.

 A deep and worthwhile discussion regarding Virtue and its direct tie to Free Will.
Free Will is an amazing scapegoat, somehow are lives are lived with laws of our own making and laws that are imposed upon us.
So the moth to the flame of Desire, we are left to our own devices for controlling these strong, compelling, irresistible compulsions.

•  Dante explains how the sole gets into the embryo; just to try and explain this its incredible.

• "Lust is Cured not by reason, but by a higher love"

• Beatrice speaks: "How did you (a wretched man) dare to come to this mount where men are happy?" 

Paridiso

•  Experience is the fountain of human arts

• "How can noble fathers beget such ignoble heirs?" 

• A further discussion of how each of us is born for one greatness but are lead, strayed, convinced, or otherwise directed to another path

• Never Deny, Seldom Affirm, Always Distinguish; pride can keep hasty persons from changing their minds.

  
  

• nobility of blood is a mantle that quickly shrinks; "if we do not add to it, day by day, time goes around it with scissors"
• In lamenting about corrupt clergy: "It's the old story; discipline creates wealth; wealth destroys discipline"
• "Faith is what gives substance to hope" faith may provide the foundation for spiritual growth. 
• Aquinas: Love is to wish good upon
• I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway