Some commentators think that Dante did not intend the Martian year to be taken so precisely, but only as approximately two solar years, since he gave it thus in _Conv._ II. xv. 145. But there he specially states that he is quoting an approximate figure only (“uno anno quasi”[359] is half the period of Mars) whereas in the _Paradiso_ it is used to fix a date. Since by taking 580 × 2 years we get 1160, an impossible date of birth for a man who died in 1147, the only way to support this theory that Dante was speaking loosely here is to adopt another reading of the passage, and substitute “tre” for “trenta.”[360] Then 553 (instead of 580) × 2 years would give the date 1106; but the reading is not supported by good authority. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [358] _Par._ xvi. 34-39. [359] “About a year.” [360] “Three,” for “thirty.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The period of Venus is used with equal appropriateness when Dante is relating how love for the Gentil Donna found a way to his heart, coming on the rays of Venus,[361] the star of love. “La stella di Venere due fiate ere rivolta in quello suo cerchio che la fa parere serotina e mattutina, secondo i due diversi tempi, appresso lo transpassamento di quella Beatrice beata, che vive in cielo con gli angioli e in terra colla mia anima, quando quella Gentil Donna, di cui feci menzione nella fine della _Vita Nuova_, apparve primamente accompagnata d’Amore agli occhi miei, e prese alcuno luogo nella mia mente.”[362] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [361] _Conv._ II. vii. 88, 89. [362] “The star of Venus had twice revolved in that circle of hers which makes her appear as evening and morning star, according to her two seasons, since the translation of that holy Beatrice who lives in heaven with the angels and on earth in my soul, when that Gentle Lady, of whom I made mention at the end of the ‘New Life,’ appeared first before my eyes, escorted by Love, and took some place in my mind.” _Conv._ II. ii. 1-12. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Venus runs through her changes, appearing first as Evening and then as Morning star, in 584 days; and, as the reader will remember, this movement was ascribed by Ptolemy to her epicycle (“quello suo cerchio,” “that circle of hers”). Dante would find 584 days given for it in his Alfraganus.[363] Twice 584 is 1168 days, or three years and a little more than 2 months. Therefore, since we know from _V. N._ xxx. that Beatrice died in June 1290, Dante wishes to say that he first saw the Lady of Pity in August 1293.