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Sappho
editThe figures surrounding the female, left of center are:
Solomon
Ariosto
Petrarch
Pythagoras (as a child)
Homer.
S-A-P-P-HO.
(The figure identified in the article as "Ariosto" is actually Alphonso d'Este.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_I_d'Este,_Duke_of_Ferrara
Sister Beatrice and father Ercole are grouped with him. The figure identified as "Statius" is Raphael, who inserted himself in the 'School of Athens' as well as 'Disputa'. Kind of hard to figure how that one was missed).
Understanding, rather than scholarship and citations, is what is required, I'm afraid.
Cato
editDante and Virgil appear twice in Parnassus.
In the lower right corner, there appears to be a scene from Purgatorio where the poets encounter Cato:
"Then, do not return this way: the sun, that is now rising, will show you where to climb the mountain, in an easier ascent". (My emphasis).
Purgatorio Canto I:85-111
http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Italian/DantPurg1to7.htm#_Toc64099517
A remarkably similar depiction by Dore, of the same encounter:
http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/purgatory/gallery/0115cato.jpg
The point being, of course, that the traditional interpretation of Parnassus depicting some sort of poet's paradise is demonstrably incorrect. And, Parnassus includes depictions of figures usually identified as poets, who are clearly not. (The d'Este clan as noted, above).
The reference is to Dante. The Divine Comedy. Purgatorio. And climbing the mountain.
(Dante and Virgil also appear in the School of Athens, upper left. The reference is to 'Limbo' where they encounter a group of philosophers. Dante then appears, alone, in Disputation of the Holy Sacrament...and one should be able to sense the overall structure of all three panels as referring to the three sections of the Divine Comedy. Inferno, Purgatory, Paradise. Dante appears alone, in Paradise, as Virgil was not allowed).