Jacques Maritain Center

Dante and the Blessed Virgin

RALPH McINERNY

University of Notre Dame Press
Notre Dame, Indiana

Copyright 2012 by University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
www.undpress.nd.edu
All Rights Reserved

For Cathy, Mary, Anne, Nancy, Beth, Amy, Terrill, Ellen, Clare, Lucy, Rita, and Vivian

Sed certe ad hoc opus nimiam omnino fateor esse meam insufficientiam, propter nimiam materiam incomprehensibilitatem, propter nimiam scientiae meae tenuitatem, propter nimiam linguae meae indignitatem, et propter nimiam personae laudandae laudem et laudabilitatem.

Certainly I must confess my utter insufficiency to write this book -- because of the matter, difficult of comprehension; because of the thinness of my knowledge; because of the unworthiness of my style; and because of the profound praise due the person to be honored.

        - Speculum Beatae Mariae Virginis, prologus


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