（一枚鑄有但丁頭像的兩歐元硬幣）

Dante on a two Euro coin

但丁在有關「世界帝國」的方案裏忘記了設計這種鑄有但丁頭像的兩歐元硬幣。由此可見但丁是一個多麼謙虛的人。

In his Monarchia, Dante did not predict a two Euro coin stamped with his portrait. This shows humility.

兩歐元在意大利可以買到一支中號冰激淩，在中國可以買到一冊250頁的書或半條0.8mg的「中南海」香煙。

In Italy, two Euros buy a medium ice cream cone; in China a 250-page book or 5 packs of 0.8mg Zhongnanhai cigarettes.

但丁的頭像被鑄到硬幣上，於是但丁變成一個量：這東西值一個但丁，那東西不值一個但丁。

With his head on a coin, Dante becomes a quantum: this item is worth a Dante, that is not.

但事實上，只有1302年被從佛羅倫薩趕出去的那個但丁才值一個但丁。

But in fact only the Dante expelled from Florence in 1302 is worth a Dante.

無數人捏著但丁，其中肯定包括但丁的後人，或者也包括了死後又投胎轉世回到這個世界上的但丁。有人在硬幣上認出他來，有人沒有認出。

So many pinch a Dante between two fingers, among whom must be Dante’s descendants, or even Dante reincarnated. Some recognize Dante on the coin, some don’t.

但丁不會想到自己會把自己留在了銀行裏、商店裏、自動售貨機裏、公用電話的投幣箱裏，並且不得不快樂地在這些地方之間跑來跑去。

Moving so unhappily place to place, Dante could hardly imagine leaving himself in banks, shops, vending machines, payphones.

但丁在《地獄篇》裏可能因為疏忽而沒有寫到「快樂」，或者說，但丁忘了談一談那九層地獄中諸般罪過與「快樂」的關係。

Dante may not have mentioned “joy” in the Inferno, or simply forgot to trace sin’s path from joy to hell’s nine levels.

但丁沒有想到，在他身後，拜金主義者們有了體面的崇拜對象：但丁。

Dante couldn’t guess how the greedy would find his face a proper object of worship.

而他在《天堂篇》裏寫的是一個比這世界好得多的地方，儘管這世上很多人其實對那個世界裏的諸般好處不以為然。

Though he described a much better place in Paradiso, few now consider heaven’s benefits.

天堂裏不使用鑄有但丁頭像的兩歐元硬幣，那和但丁有關。我們以但丁的名義購買和施捨，這和但丁無關。

In Dante’s paradise they don’t use the two Euro Dante. Here we buy and donate with his image, but hardly in his name.