full name Dante Alighieri (Italian aliˈɡjɛːri). 1265–1321, Italian poet famous for La Divina Commedia (?1309–?1320), an allegorical account of his journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, guided by Virgil and his idealized love Beatrice. His other works include La Vita Nuova (?1292), in which he celebrates his love for Beatrice