Marco of Lombardy continues his discourse on free will, deep in the pitch-black smoke of the third terrace of Purgatory where the angry penitents confront their sin. His discussion takes a wild turn: a developmental hypothesis of the soul as a little girl, a scheme that may or may not nix original sin from Christian theology. Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we explore this complicated passage at almost the very heart of COMEDY. If you'd like to help underwrite the many fees for this podcast, either with a one-time donation or with a little bit each month as a stipend, please consider doing so at this PayPal link right here. Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE: [01:38] My English translation of the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XVI, lines 85 - 96. If you'd like to read along or continue the conversation with me, please find the entry for this episode on my website, markscarbrough.com. [04:04] A passage from Dante's CONVIVIO that is the basis for some of this passage in COMEDY (CONVIVIO, Book IV, chapter xii, lines 14 - 17.) [10:37] Dante's developmental hypothesis about the soul. [15:35] Dante's understanding of the soul as a little girl, to confirm the heteronormative desire that is the basis of creation/being. [20:02] Answers to whether Dante jettisons the notion of original sin: 1) yes, 2) no, 3) only here, or 4) Dante's doesn't but Marco does. [26:42] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XVI, lines 85 - 96.