Dante Alighieri’s timeless words continue to inspire readers around the world with their profound wisdom and poetic beauty. From exploring the depths of the human soul to reflecting on life’s greatest challenges, his quotes offer powerful insights that resonate across centuries. In this collection, we’ve gathered 30 of the most inspiring quotes from Dante, perfect for motivation, reflection, and encouragement on your own journey.
1. “There are three principles to remember if you are to teach a human being anything, and they are consistency, consistency, consistency.They are such fragile creatures to begin with, with poor eyes, poorer hearing, and no sense of smell left to speak of, it's no wonder they are made of fear. Some centuries ago they moved inside and with that move went nine-tenths of their intuition. It is almost unmerciful to make them live so long when they spend their lives in so much pain.” - Pam Houston
2. “It's the other part I'm not so sure about. You got any advice for me on that, Lucan?""Sure." The vampire grunted, his smile filled with dark amusement. "Dust off your knees, brother, because you may damn well end up walking on them before the night is through.” - Lara Adrian
3. “DANTE: And what if you found out you were right? What if it meant that I could hurt you?RENEE: I would not say that I'm not scared. Everyone has the ability to hurt. It's the choice that matters.” - Yvonne Wood
4. “I'm not afraid of death.....I'm afraid of life without you.” - Yvonne Woon
5. “It wasn't the tequila and oxy. You really are that fucking gorgeous.” - Adrian Phoenix
6. “I raised an eyebrow. "You know, you're really good at compliments. Actually, it's surprising that a person with charm like yours has any enemies." The words came out before I could stop them. At this rate I would never be able to ask him about Benjamin Gallow, and it didn't help that every time he looked at me I wanted to melt."So, you think I'm charming?" Dante countered, mocking me. "Is that why you keep staring at me?""Alarming, not charming. And no, I'm just curious.” - Yvonne Woon
7. “Non isperate mai veder lo cielo:i’ vegno per menarvi a l’altra rivane le tenebre etterne, in caldo e ’n gelo.” - Dante
8. “The portraits, of more historical than artistic interest, had gone; and tapestry, full of the blue and bronze of peacocks, fell over the doors, and shut out all history and activity untouched with beauty and peace; and now when I looked at my Crevelli and pondered on the rose in the hand of the Virgin, wherein the form was so delicate and precise that it seemed more like a thought than a flower, or at the grey dawn and rapturous faces of my Francesca, I knew all a Christian's ecstasy without his slavery to rule and custom; when I pondered over the antique bronze gods and goddesses, which I had mortgaged my house to buy, I had all a pagan's delight in various beauty and without his terror at sleepless destiny and his labour with many sacrifices; and I had only to go to my bookshelf, where every book was bound in leather, stamped with intricate ornament, and of a carefully chosen colour: Shakespeare in the orange of the glory of the world, Dante in the dull red of his anger, Milton in the blue grey of his formal calm; and I could experience what I would of human passions without their bitterness and without satiety. I had gathered about me all gods because I believed in none, and experienced every pleasure because I gave myself to none, but held myself apart, individual, indissoluble, a mirror of polished steel: I looked in the triumph of this imagination at the birds of Hera, glowing in the firelight as though they were wrought of jewels; and to my mind, for which symbolism was a necessity, they seemed the doorkeepers of my world, shutting out all that was not of as affluent a beauty as their own; and for a moment I thought as I had thought in so many other moments, that it was possible to rob life of every bitterness except the bitterness of death; and then a thought which had followed this thought, time after time, filled me with a passionate sorrow.” - W.B. Yeats
9. “Virgil, ești tu? Fântâna ești, al căriitorent - îi zisei cu rușine-acum-bogat pornit-a fluviul cuvântării?tu marea faclă-n veci pe-al artei drum!deci fie-mi de-ajutor iubirea vieși studiul lung în dulcele-ți volum.Părinte-mi ești, maestru-mi ești tu mie,tu singur ești acel ce-a dat o viațăfrumosului meu stil ce-mi e mândrie.” - Dante Alighieri
10. “Gonindu-ne-o prin cetăți închisedin loc în loc, va-mpinge-o-n Iad de veci,de unde-ntâi invidia ne-o trimise.Spre-a ta scăpare cred și judec decisă-ți fiu conducător, și te voi scoatede-aici, făcând prin loc etern să treci,s-auzi cum urlă desperate gloate,să vezi și-antice duhuri osândite,ce-a doua moarte-a lor și-o strigă toate.” - Dante Alighieri
11. “Și ca și-acel ce nu mai vrea ce-a vrut,schimbând prin noul gând pe cele-avute,așa că lasă totul ce-a-nceput,așa și eu sub poala coastei mutegândind îmi mistuii întreaga vrerece-ntâi, spre-a-ncepe, atât mi-a fost de iute.-De-ți prind din vorbe bine-a ta durere-răspunse umbra cea mărinimoasă-ți-e sufletul curpins de-acea scădere,ce-abate-ades de ținta sa frumoasăpe om, astfel (oprind) ca năzărireanălucii lui pe-o bestie fricoasă.” - Dante Alighieri
12. “Precum prin aer pe-aripi nemișcate,iau două turturele-alături sborde-acelaș dor spre cuibul drag purtate,așa și ei, dintr-al Didonei corveneau prin noaptea ce-o frământă vântul;atât cu ruga-nvinsei vrerea lor.” - Dante Alighieri
13. “A good hunter did not rush into a den of lions unprepared, and Dante was a very good hunter.” - Elizabeth Elliott
14. “I knew you were behind the tapestry,” he said. “I also knew the railing was about to give way. I was waiting for you, waiting for your fall.”Waiting all my life for you, he added silently, waiting all my life for you to fall in love with me.” - Elizabeth Elliott
15. “I learned a new phrase today while you were away.” She turned in his arms and then placed her hand on his chest. Her gaze lowered, suddenly shy. “Mi sei mancato molto.” (I missed you so much)Sometimes it was acceptable for comfort and need to collide. He leaned down and kissed her, a kiss to seal his promises, a kiss that meant they were going to miss their evening meal.” - Elizabeth Elliott
16. “Her smile turned to one of joy and something he could not quite define. “You really do love me.”“I do.” He couldn’t help but smile back at her, at the note of wonder in her voice as if she were the lucky one. His finger traced the small dimple in her cheek. “But I doubt you will ever be able to understand how much. My world was a very dark place before you came into it. I am at home in the darkness, and you will likely see traces of it still lingering in the years to come. Intrigues abound in Venice, and I will be vigilant about protecting you. There will likely be times when you see a side of me that is … unpleasant, although hopefully not as unpleasant as the day we encountered the mercenaries.” - Elizabeth Elliott
17. “His expression was suddenly serious as the tip of his finger traced her lips. “I never understood why history is filled with stories of men who waged wars over a woman they loved. There are many women in the world, and it was beyond my grasp what made one woman special enough to go to such extremes.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Now I understand.” - Elizabeth Elliott
18. “Wouldn't have pegged you for a dancer," he spoke to my mind."Funny, I would have pegged you for a stalker," I shot back.” - Becca Fitzpatrick
19. “Dante chuckled low. "There's my blush."” - Damon Suede
20. “The smile on her face was almost Dante's. Tears pricked his eyes, then hers, while all those impossible things passed between them. While the truth was sending down roots and throwing out branches until it filled the silent room with impossible blossoms.I love him.” - Damon Suede
21. “After Homer and Dante, is a whole century of creating worth one Shakespeare?” - Dejan Stojanovic
22. “Dante said, “I tried talking Nora into a ride, but she keeps blowing me off.”“That’s because she has a hard-A boyfriend. He must have beenhomeschooled, because he missed all those valuable lessons we learned in kindergarten, like sharing. He finds out you took Nora for a ride, he’ll wrap this shiny new Porsche around the nearest tree.” - Becca Fitzpatrick
23. “...you found me in my lonely labyrinth and like Beatrice, led me out of my own hell...” - John Geddes
24. “Griff held his breath, waiting for it, knowing the axe would fall and he‘d start dying as soon as he walked out the fucking door, and Dante would just grin and joke and try to forget what they had done together in this room.” - Damon Suede
25. “Annabelle laughs. "Oh, so you think you're hot, do you?""Girl, I got swag for days.” - Victoria Scott
26. “In this trunk," she says with a serious face, "is God's gift to women.""Chocolate?""No.""Midol?""What? No.""Tampons?""Stop guessing," she says.” - Victoria Scott
27. “I spent too long in the shadows... I'm looking forward to being in the light with you.” - Sylvain Reynard
28. “Why do we allow people to abuse their children? Why don't we defend the sick and the weak? Why do we let soldiers round up our neighbors and make them wear a star on their clothing and cram them into boxcars? It isn't God who's evil-it's us.” - Sylvain Reynard
29. “You don’t know who you’re fucking with, princess. Ain’t no one do bad like I do.” - Victoria Scott
30. “Her soul is clear of any red seals, but that won't last long, ' cause Papa's come to play.” - Victoria Scott
