Chapter 1:
“Seek,… And ye shall find.” – A vague message from a mysterious, sleek woman appearing in a dream Robert Langdon has as he lies in a hospital bed with his head injury.
Lapis Lazuli – A small, blue stone that has an intense blue color. It was grounded into a fine powder and subsequently was used as paint by Renaissance artists. In Dan Brown’s Inferno, the mysterious woman of Langdon’s dreams wears a small lapis lazuli amulet on a necklace.
Lapis Lazuli amulet
Dr. Sienna Brooks – The doctor who is charged with the care of Langdon as he recovers from his head wounds. She will become Langdon’s companion throughout the rest of the novel.
Dr. Marconi – Dr. Brooks’ colleague in the hospital. He is the first person Langdon sees when he wakes up. Dr. Marconi can’t speak English very well.
Art History– The study of art, its historical development, and its relationship and influence to other historical events. Robert Langdon is an Art History professor at Harvard University.
Symbology – Symbology, or the study of symbols, is a fictional subject that Langdon is an expert in. He also teaches Symbology classes at Harvard University.
Harvard University – A top-flight University in Cambridge Massachusetts. Established in 1636, Harvard is one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in the world. Attracting the best and brightest from all of the world, the University is home to Robert Langdon and has provided a great base for all of his personal research into the fields of Art History and Symbology.
The Harvard University Seal. The Latin word “Veritas” directly translates to “Truth”
Harris Tweed – a type of cloth originating in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Langdon’s favorite jacket (and the jacket he was wearing before his accident) was Harris Tweed, so when he came in to the hospital unidentified, the doctors assumed he was British, because of the jacket.
Penny loafers
Somerset loafers – Very comfortable, casual, slip-on shoes that Langdon has become fond of. These are another aspect of Langdon’s signature “look” as a Harvard professor, and also helped the doctors (incorrectly) identify the country he came from.
Massachusetts General Hospital – The main public hospital on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. When asked where he was, Langdon’s guesses the Massachusetts General Hospital, showing that he has no idea where he is or what happened to him.
Ve-sorry… Ve-sorry – The almost unintelligible phrase Langdon was muttering when he first arrived at the hospital. The doctors assumed he was apologizing (very sorry, very sorry), but in fact, as we find out later in the novel, he was reciting the name of a Renaissance painter, Vasari.
Il Duomo de Firenze
Il Duomo de Firenze – One of Italy’s largest churches, the Duomo is one of the greatest architectural accomplishments of the early Renaissance in Europe. It has been a fixture in the Florence skyline since the 15th century, and Langdon initially figures out he’s in Florence by peering out the window and seeing the outline of the Dome and the tower.
Via Torregalli – A road in the center of Florence, right outside of the Hospital that Langdon is recovering in. The road is not particularly famous or notable for any reason.
BMW motorcycle – A motorcycle created by the German vehicle engineering company BMW, this line of bikes is noted for its speed, reliability, regularly winning prizes for its quality. The woman with “close-cropped hair—styled into spikes” (who, perhaps, calls to mind Lisbeth, the heroine and girl with the dragon tattoo of the Swedish trilogy by Stieg Larsson) uses this motorcycle as her main method of transportation throughout the early parts of the novel, further adding to her aura of intimidation and power.