Conoscenza divina e futuri contingenti in Par., XVII 13-18, 37-42

This article falls into two parts. The first is about Boethius: I examine his discussion of the relation between God’s knowledge of future contingencies and free will in the Consolatio Philosophiae, book V, and his solution to the problem, which is based on a distinction (drawn from the Platonic tradition) between God’s eternity and time. Τhe second part analyses Dante’s treatment of the same topic in Paradiso, XVII 13–18, 37–42. I give a detailed account of how Dante depends on Boethius as his main source and make several points of interpretation about the passage. In particular I provide a close reading of the ship simile, arguing that every element of it is invested with specific theoretical relevance.