All 10 Uses of

contrary

in

Dante's Purgatory -- translated by Norton

Thou warmest the world, thou shinest upon it; if other reason prompt not to the contrary, thy rays ought ever to be guides.†
Canto 12-22 (definition 1) *

Then I, "My sight is so vivified in thy light that I discern clearly all that thy discourse may imply or declare: therefore I pray thee, sweet Father dear, that thou demonstrate to me the love to which thou referrest every good action and its contrary."†
Canto 12-22

What I was saying of that only bride of the Holy Spirit, and which made thee turn toward me for some gloss, is ordained for all our prayers so long as the day lasts, but when the night comes, we take up a contrary sound instead.†
Canto 12-22

The soul wills at first indeed, but the inclination,—which, contrary to the will, Divine Justice sets to the torment, as erst to the sin,—allows it not.†
Canto 12-22 (definition 2) *

Wherefore if to purify myself I have been among the people who lament their avarice, because of its contrary this has befallen me.†
Canto 12-22 *

Buti, on the contrary, says, "tortura cioe tormento."†
Canto 23-33 (definition 3) *

"The water," said I, "and the sound of the forest, impugn within me recent faith in something that I heard contrary to this."†
Canto 23-33 (definition 2)

The one showed himself one of the familiars of that supreme Hippocrates whom Nature made for the creatures that she holds most dear[1] the other showed the contrary care,[2] with a shining and sharp sword, such that it caused me fear on the hither side of the stream.†
Canto 23-33

[2] The Pauline Epistles, typified by their writer, whose sword is the symbol of war and martyrdom, a contrary care to the healing of men.†
Canto 23-33

Definitions:

(1) (to the contrary as in: to the contrary)
with an opposite or different effect; or something with an opposite or different effect

(2) (contrary to as in: contrary to)
in opposition to

editor's notes: You could also think of this as meaning, despite, or in spite of, or in conflict with; but since a common meaning of contrary is opposite, you many find it easiest to think of contrary to as in opposition to.

(3) (on the contrary as in: on the contrary)
an expression used to intensify denial of an idea

editor's notes: More rarely, on the contrary is used to oppose an idea contained in what was just said rather than to oppose what was literally said. Here is an example: "I will not pay you for the work. On the contrary, I may sue you for damages." Suing for damages does not oppose not paying, but it does oppose the idea of paying.

(contrary as in: a contrary idea)
different (perhaps opposite or mutually exclusive)

editor's notes: In formal logic, contrary propositions or contrary arguments describe two things that cannot both be true. They might be described as mutually exclusive. For example, a pet cannot be both a cat and a dog. It doesn't need to be either, but if it is one, it cannot be the other. So the statement that a pet is a cat and the statement that the same pet is a dog, are contrary statements.