Dante Alighieri was born in Florence in 1265. When he was nine years old he met Bice Portinari, the Beatrice who inspires both his first work, La Vita Nuova and The Divine Comedy. Beatrice died in 1290. He had at least three children with his wife Gemma di Manetto Donati. His involvement in politics in Florence led to his exile in 1302 and he eventually settled in Ravenna where he died in 1321.

Steve Ellis, Professor in English at the University of Birmingham, was born and brought up in York, and studied in Florence as part of his doctorate for London University. His frustration as a student with existing translations of Dante spurred a long-lasting desire to translate it himself. His critical works include Dante and English Poetry: Shelley to T.S. Eliot and a study of Eliot's Four Quartets.A major Gregory Award winner, he has also published two books of poetry, Home and Away and West Pathway.