Eunoe - and remembering

[richard]

After the full restoration of soul and relationship – and understanding God’s Grace in the process – there is one last stop in Eden, with the River of Eunoe.

The Greek Tradition had five rivers, and Dante here invents a sixth river from the words “well” (eu-) and “nous”, a “well/good mind”, as the purpose of the river.

While often thought of as the river to “restore the memories of the Good” or of “the Good deeds”, there is also likely a much deeper function, drawing on St. Aquinas and older Catholic theology: the soul deep inside has memories of its own origins, and roots, in God. So in a way, this final scene could also imply that the final “touch” of preparation for the ascent to Heaven, is to connect your soul with its deepest roots in existence, reality, the breath and image of God, within its very origins.

This might also be why Matelda provides this function here, as the transformed earthly life that is transparent for Divine realities. She has the capacity to lead or assist in this process or threshold for the soul, to have its first experience of again sensing or “remembering” its origins. Which would in a larger way complete Eden with not only the soul and the relationship, but also its memory of connection.

When Matelda gently tells Stazio to go with the Pilgrim, this likely suggests that this new remembrance of origins, is a step that every soul will go through as completing the Purgatorio. The task is complete. And the Heavens await, in the stars.