Dante's Plaque: Battistero di San Giovanni

SE MAI CONTINGA CHE 'L POEMA SACRO AL QUALE HA POSTO MANO E CIELO E TERRA SÌ CHE M' HA FATTO PER PIU' ANNI MACRO, VINCA LA CRUDELTÀ CHE FUOR MI SERRA DEL BELLO OVILE, OV' IO DORMI' AGNELLO NIMICO AI LUPI, CHE LI DANNO GUERRA; CON ALTRA VOCE OMAI, CON ALTRO VELLO RITORNERÒ POETA, ED IN SUL FONTE DEL MIO BATTESMO PRENDERÒ 'L CAPPELLO.

DANTE, PAR, XXV, 1-9.

IF E'ER IT HAPPEN THAT THE POEM SACRED, TO WHICH BOTH HEAVEN AND EARTH HAVE SET THEIR HAND, SO THAT IT MANY A YEAR HATH MADE ME LEAN, O'ERCOME THE CRUELTY THAT BARS ME OUT, FROM THE FAIR SHEEPFOLD, WHERE A LAMB I SLUMBERED, AN ENEMY TO THE WOLVES THAT WAR UPON IT, WITH OTHER VOICE FORTHWITH, WITH OTHER FLEECE, POET WILL I RETURN, AND AT MY BAPTISMAL FONT I WILL I TAKE THE LAUREL CROWN.

In this “canto” of the Paradise, Dante expresses with emotion the hope that he will return to Florence, and, aware to be a great poet, he imagines himself receiving "the hat" (the laurel wreath) just where he was baptized. Unfortunately, he will never return from the exile. Dante’s plaque is located at the foot of the Baptistery, side via Calzaiuoli.

To discover the affectionate nickname that Dante gave the Baptistery in the Divine Comedy, click here.