«Di retro al sol»: nota per una diversa lettura di «Inferno» xxvi.117

This paper suggests a new interpretation of Ulysses’ expression ‘di retro al sol’ in Inf. XXVI.117, based on the astronomic and poetic heritage of Antiquity. Instead of the usual interpretation of the phrase as ‘westwards’, it is possible to consider this indication as a reference to the annual pathway of the sun, and to infer that it means ‘beyond the tropic of Capricorn’. The hypothesis is reinforced by the interpretation of a similar expression found in Virgil’s Aeneid. Petrarca’s development of the theme of the Antipodes is also considered.