Over long periods of time, changes in a language make it difficult to

(1).establish conventions about usage.
(2).use reference materials to find definitions.
(3).derstand texts written many years earlier
(4).let go of words that are no longer widely used

the answer is 3, understand texts written many years earlier

the answer is 3, understand texts written many years earlier

the most likely reason why dante included the names of historical figures in his well-known masterpiece the divine comedy is because he was trying to expose his own historical judgement to the figures. he settles different characters of the occidental culture in parts of the hell, purgatory and paradise constituting a spiritual judgment according to his thought.