Dante's imagination

[Eartha]

Dear all,

What's the meaning of the underlined?
Thanks in advance.:-D

When time for payment arrives, if you exhibit a familiarity with legal rates you come to know what contempt is; if you find that you have left your pocketbook behind you are made to realize the mildness of Dante's imagination.

 

[birdeen's call]

Dear all,

What's the meaning of the underlined?
Thanks in advance.:-D

When time for payment arrives, if you exhibit a familiarity with legal rates you come to know what contempt is; if you find that you have left your pocketbook behind you are made to realize the mildness of Dante's imagination.

Dante was the author of The Divine Comedy. The first part of it, Inferno, pictures the hell and does it in such a way that it was adopted as a metaphor of everything painful, violent and dark. You can "realize the mildness of Dante's imagintion" when you see something that is even worse than Dante's hell.

Unfortuantely, I don't understand the whole sentence so that's all I can help you with.

 

[Eartha]

Dante was the author of The Divine Comedy. The first part of it, Inferno, pictures the hell and does it in such a way that it was adopted as a metaphor of everything painful, violent and dark. You can "realize the mildness of Dante's imagintion" when you see something that is even worse than Dante's hell.

Unfortuantely, I don't understand the whole sentence so that's all I can help you with.

Thanks birdeen's call.:up:
But I'm still confused.
Anyone who can help?

 

[riquecohen]

Dear all,

What's the meaning of the underlined?
Thanks in advance.:-D

When time for payment arrives, if you exhibit a familiarity with legal rates you come to know what contempt is; if you find that you have left your pocketbook behind you are made to realize the mildness of Dante's imagination.

In the absence of a specific context, here`s my attempt.
When it comes time to pay your debts, whether they be personal loans or credit card bills, you will become familiar with high interest rates and thus see how much contempt your creditors have for you. If you cannot pay, the pain of which Birdeen spoke will follow.

 

[Eartha]

The cabby has his point of view. It is more single-minded, perhaps, than that of a follower of any other calling. From the high, swaying seat of his hansom he looks upon his fellow-men as nomadic particles, of no account except when possessed of migratory desires. He is Jehu, and you are goods in transit. Be you President or vagabond, to cabby you are only a Fare, he takes you up, cracks his whip, joggles your vertebrae and sets you down.
When time for payment arrives, if you exhibit a familiarity with legal rates you come to know what contempt is; if you find that you have left your pocketbook behind you are made to realize the mildness of Dante's imagination...
...

Hopefully context can help.

 

[riquecohen]

The cabby has his point of view. It is more single-minded, perhaps, than that of a follower of any other calling. From the high, swaying seat of his hansom he looks upon his fellow-men as nomadic particles, of no account except when possessed of migratory desires. He is Jehu, and you are goods in transit. Be you President or vagabond, to cabby you are only a Fare, he takes you up, cracks his whip, joggles your vertebrae and sets you down.
When time for payment arrives, if you exhibit a familiarity with legal rates you come to know what contempt is; if you find that you have left your pocketbook behind you are made to realize the mildness of Dante's imagination...
...

Hopefully context can help.

Your question is about the 2nd paragraph. Here`s my interpretation. The cabby is trying to overcharge you and if you object, citing the legally set rates, he will view you with great contempt. If you haven´t a sufficient amount of money, you will have to deal with his wrath.

 

[5jj]

The cabby has his point of view. It is more single-minded, perhaps, than that of a follower of any other calling. From the high, swaying seat of his hansom he looks upon his fellow-men as nomadic particles, of no account except when possessed of migratory desires. He is Jehu, and you are goods in transit. Be you President or vagabond, to cabby you are only a Fare, he takes you up, cracks his whip, joggles your vertebrae and sets you down.
When time for payment arrives, if you exhibit a familiarity with legal rates you come to know what contempt is; if you find that you have left your pocketbook behind you are made to realize the mildness of Dante's imagination...
...

Hopefully context can help.

Well, BC was right with the information she had before her. Now, with the previous few linesprovided, we can add more refinement. The new lines describe how superior a being the cabman is (or feels himself to be). For the sentence you asked about, we can now modify riquecohen's suggestion to:
When it comes time to pay your fare, if you show that you know what the legally chargeable fares are then you wull fully understand the meaning of the word 'contempt; if you cannot pay, then the pain of which Birdeen spoke will follow.