Purgatory

by Dante Alighieri

  but this scheme will prove as chimerical as their former plan for the discovery of a subterraneous stream under their city.” Why they gave v. 99. The registry.] In allusion to certain in stances of fraud committed the appellation of Diana to the imagined stream, Venturi says he leaves with respect to the public accounts and measures See Paradise Canto XVI.

  it to the antiquaries of Sienna to conjecture.

  103.

  CANTO XIV

  CANTO XIII

  v. 34. Maim’d of Pelorus.] Virg. Aen. 1. iii. 414.

  v. 26. They have no wine.] John, ii. 3. These words of the Virgin are

  —a hill Torn from Pelorus Milton P. L. b. i. 232

  referred to as an instance of charity.

  v. 45. ‘Midst brute swine.] The people of Casentino.

  v. 29. Orestes] Alluding to his friendship with Pylades.

  v. 49. Curs.] The Arno leaves Arezzo about four miles to the left.

  v. 32. Love ye those have wrong’d you.] Matt. c. v. 44.

  v. 53. Wolves.] The Florentines.

  v. 33. The scourge.] “The chastisement of envy consists in hearing examples of the opposite virtue, charity. As a curb and restraint on this v. 55. Foxes.] The Pisans

  vice, you will presently hear very different sounds, those of threatening and punishment.”

  v. 61. Thy grandson.] Fulcieri de’ Calboli, grandson of Rinieri de’

  Calboli, who is here spoken to. The atrocities predicted came to pass v. 87. Citizens Of one true city.] “For here we have no continuing city, in 1302. See G. Villani, 1. viii c. 59

  but we seek to come.” Heb. C. xiii. 14.

  v. 95. ‘Twixt Po, the mount, the Reno, and the shore.] The boundaries 108

  The Divine Comedy of Dante - Purgatory of Romagna.

  v. 118. Castracaro ill And Conio worse.] Both in Romagna.

  v. 99. Lizio.] Lizio da Valbona, introduced into Boccaccio’s Decameron, v. 121. Pagani.] The Pagani were lords of Faenza and Imola. One of G. v. N, 4.

  them Machinardo, was named the Demon, from his treachery. See Hell, v. 100. Manardi, Traversaro, and Carpigna.1 Arrigo Manardi of Faenza, Canto XXVII. 47, and Note.

  or as some say, of Brettinoro, Pier Traversaro, lord of Ravenna, and Guido di Carpigna of Montefeltro.

  v. 124. Hugolin.] Ugolino Ubaldini, a noble and virtuous person in Faenza, who, on account of his age probably, was not likely to leave any v. 102. In Bologna the low artisan.] One who had been a mechanic offspring behind him. He is enumerated among the poets by named Lambertaccio, arrived at almost supreme power in Bologna.

  Crescimbeni, and Tiraboschi. Mr. Matthias’s edit. vol. i. 143.

  v. 103. Yon Bernardin.] Bernardin di Fosco, a man of low origin but v. 136. Whosoever finds Will slay me.] The words of Cain, Gen. e. iv.

  great talents, who governed at Faenza.

  14.

  v. 142. Aglauros.] Ovid, Met. I, ii. fate. 12.

  v. 107. Prata.] A place between Faenza and Ravenna.

  v. 145. There was the galling bit.] Referring to what had been before v. 107. Of Azzo him.] Ugolino of the Ubaldini family in Tuscany He is said, Canto XIII. 35.

  recounted among the poets by Crescimbeni and Tiraboschi.

  v. 108. Tignoso.] Federigo Tignoso of Rimini.

  CANTO XV

  v. 109. Traversaro’s house and Anastagio’s.] Two noble families of Ravenna. She to whom Dryden has given the name of Honoria, in the v. 1. As much.] It wanted three hours of sunset.

  fable so admira bly paraphrased from Boccaccio, was of the former: her lover and the specter were of the Anastagi family.

  v. 16. As when the ray.] Compare Virg. Aen. 1.viii. 22, and Apol. Rhod.

  1. iii. 755.

  v. 111. The ladies, &c.] These two lines express the true spirit of chivalry. “Agi” is understood by the commentators whom I have v. 19. Ascending at a glance.] Lucretius, 1. iv. 215.

  consulted,to mean “the ease procured for others by the exertions of knight-errantry.” But surely it signifies the alter nation of ease with v. 20. Differs from the stone.] The motion of light being quicker than labour.

  that of a stone through an equal space.

  v. 114. O Brettinoro.] A beautifully situated castle in Romagna, the v. 38. Blessed the merciful. Matt. c. v. 7.

  hospitable residence of Guido del Duca, who is here speaking.

  v. 43. Romagna’s spirit.] Guido del Duea, of Brettinoro whom we have v. 118. Baynacavallo.] A castle between Imola and Ravenna seen in the preceding Canto.

  v. 87. A dame.] Luke, c. ii. 18

  109

  The Divine Comedy of Dante - Purgatory v. 101. How shall we those requite.] The answer of Pisistratus the tyrant v. 99. The fortress.] Justice, the most necessary virtue in the chief to his wife, when she urged him to inflict the punishment of death on magistrate, as the commentators explain it.

  a young man, who, inflamed with love for his daughter, had snatched from her a kiss in public. The story is told by Valerius Maximus, 1.v. 1.

  v. 103. Who.] He compares the Pope, on account of the union of the temporal with the spiritual power in his person, to an unclean beast in v. 105. A stripling youth.] The protomartyr Stephen.

  the levitical law. “The camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof, he is unclean unto you.” Levit. c. xi. 4.

  CANTO XVI

  v. 110. Two sons.] The Emperor and the Bishop of Rome.

  v. 94. As thou.] “If thou wert still living.”

  v. 117. That land.] Lombardy.

  v. 46. I was of Lombardy, and Marco call’d.] A Venetian gentleman.

  v. 119. Ere the day.] Before the Emperor Frederick II was defeated

  “Lombardo” both was his surname and denoted the country to which he before Parma, in 1248. G. Villani, 1. vi. c. 35.

  belonged. G. Villani, 1. vii. c. 120, terms him “a wise and worthy courtier.”

  v. 126. The good Gherardo.] Gherardo di Camino of Trevigi. He is honourably mentioned in our Poet’s “Convito.” Opere di Dante, t. i. p.

  v. 58. Elsewhere.] He refers to what Guido del Duca had said in the 173 Venez. 8vo. 1793. And Tiraboschi supposes him to have been the thirteenth Canto, concerning the degeneracy of his countrymen.

  same Gherardo with whom the Provencal poets were used to meet with hospitable reception. See Mr. Matthias’s edition, t. i. p. 137, v. 70. If this were so.] Mr. Crowe in his Lewesdon Hill has expressed similar sentiments with much energy.

  v. 127. Conrad.] Currado da Palazzo, a gentleman of Brescia.

  Of this be sure,

  v. 127. Guido of Castello.] Of Reggio. All the Italians were called Where freedom is not, there no virtue is, &c.

  Lombards by the French.

  Compare Origen in Genesim, Patrum Graecorum, vol. xi. p. 14. Wirer v. 144. His daughter Gaia.] A lady equally admired for her modesty, burgi, 1783. 8vo.

  the beauty of her person, and the excellency of her talents. Gaia, says Tiraboschi, may perhaps lay claim to the praise of having been the first v. 79. To mightier force.] “Though ye are subject to a higher power than among the Italian ladies, by whom the vernacular poetry was cultivated.

  that of the heavenly constellations, eèn to the power of the great Creator Ibid. p. 137.

  himself, yet ye are still left in the possession of liberty.”

  v. 88. Like a babe that wantons sportively.] This reminds one of the CANTO XVII

  Emperor Hadrian’s verses to his departing soul: Animula vagula

  blandula, &c

  v. 21. The bird, that most Delights itself in song.] I cannot think with Vellutello, that the swallow is here meant. Dante probably alludes to the 110

  The Divine Comedy of Dante - Purgatory story of Philomela, as it is found in Homer’s Odyssey, b. xix. 518 rather v. 95. Th’ inferior.] Temporal good.

  than as later poets have told it. “She intended to slay the son of her husband’s brother Amphion, incited to it, by the envy of his wife, who v. 102. Now.] “It is impossible for any b
eing, either to hate itself, or had six children, while herself had only two, but through mistake slew to hate the First Cause of all, by which it exists. We can therefore only her own son Itylus, and for her punishment was transformed by Jupiter rejoice in the evil which befalls others.”

  into a nightingale.” Cowper’s note on the passage. In speaking of the nightingale, let me observe, that while some have considered its song v. 111. There is.] The proud.

  as a melancholy, and others as a cheerful one, Chiabrera appears to have come nearest the truth, when he says, in the Alcippo, a. l. s. 1, v. 114. There is.] The envious.

  Non mal si stanca d’ iterar le note

  v. 117. There is he.] The resentful.

  O gioconde o dogliose,

  Al sentir dilettose.

  v. 135. Along Three circles.] According to the allegorical commentators, as Venturi has observed, Reason is represented under the person of Unwearied still reiterates her lays,

  Virgil, and Sense under that of Dante. The former leaves to the latter Jocund or sad, delightful to the ear.

  to discover for itself the three carnal sins, avarice, gluttony and libidinousness; having already declared the nature of the spiritual sins, v. 26. One crucified.] Haman. See the book of Esther, c. vii.

  pride, envy, anger, and indifference, or lukewarmness in piety, which the Italians call accidia, from the Greek word.

  v. 34. A damsel.] Lavinia, mourning for her mother Amata, who, impelled by grief and indignation for the supposed death of Turnus, CANTO XVIII

  destroyed herself. Aen. 1. xii. 595.

  v. 43. The broken slumber quivering ere it dies.] Venturi suggests that v. 1. The teacher ended.] Compare Plato, Protagoras, v. iii. p. 123. Bip.

  this bold and unusual metaphor may have been formed on that in Virgil.

  edit. Apoll. Rhod. 1. i. 513, and Milton, P. L. b. viii. 1. The angel ended,

  &c.

  Tempus erat quo prima quies mortalibus aegris

  Incipit, et dono divun gratissima serpit.

  v. 23. Your apprehension.] It is literally, “Your apprehensive faculty derives intention from a thing really existing, and displays the Aen. 1. ii. 268.

  intention within you, so that it makes the soul turn to it.” The commentators labour in explaining this; and what ever sense they have v. 68. The peace-makers.] Matt. c. v. 9.

  elicited may, I think, be re solved into the words of the translation in the text.

  v. 81. The love.] “A defect in our love towards God, or lukewarmness in piety, is here removed.”

  v. 47. Spirit.] The human soul, which differs from that of brutes, inasmuch as, though united with the body, it has a separate existence v. 94. The primal blessings.] Spiritual good.

  of its own.

  111

  The Divine Comedy of Dante - Purgatory v. 65. Three men.] The great moral philosophers among the heathens.

  CANTO XIX

  v. 78. A crag.] I have preferred the reading of Landino, scheggion, v. 1. The hour.] Near the dawn.

  “crag,” conceiving it to be more poetical than secchion, “bucket,” which is the common reading. The same cause, the vapours, which the v. 4. The geomancer.] The geomancers, says Landino, when they commentators say might give the appear ance of increased magnitude divined, drew a figure consist ing of sixteen marks, named from so many to the moon, might also make her seem broken at her rise.

  stars which constitute the end of Aquarius and the begin ning of Pisces.

  One of these they called “the greater fortune.”

  v. 78. Up the vault.] The moon passed with a motion opposite to that of the heavens, through the constellation of the scorpion, in which the v. 7. A woman’s shape.] Worldly happiness. This allegory reminds us sun is, when to those who are in Rome he appears to set between the of the “Choice of Hercules.”

  isles of Corsica and Sardinia.

  v. 14. Love’s own hue.] A smile that glow’d

  v. 84. Andes.] Andes, now Pietola, made more famous than Mantua Celestial rosy red, love’s proper hue. Milton, P. L. b. viii. 619

  near which it is situated, by having been the birthplace of Virgil.

  —f acies pulcherrima tune est

  v. 92. Ismenus and Asopus.] Rivers near Thebes

  Quum porphyriaco variatur candida rubro

  Quid color hic roseus sibi vult? designat amorem:

  v. 98. Mary.] Luke, c i. 39, 40

  Quippe amor est igni similis; flammasque rubentes

  Ignus habere solet.

  v. 99. Caesar.] See Lucan, Phars. I. iii. and iv, and Caesar de Bello Civiii, I. i. Caesar left Brutus to complete the siege of Marseilles, and hastened Palingenii Zodiacus Vitae, 1. xii.

  on to the attack of Afranius and Petreius, the generals of Pompey, at Ilerda (Lerida) in Spain.

  v. 26. A dame.] Philosophy.

  v. 118. abbot.] Alberto, abbot of San Zeno in Verona, when Frederick v. 49. Who mourn.] Matt. c. v. 4.

  I was emperor, by whom Milan was besieged and reduced to ashes.

  v. 72. My soul.] Psalm cxix. 5

  v. 121. There is he.] Alberto della Scala, lord of Verona, who had made his natural son abbot of San Zeno.

  v. 97. The successor of Peter Ottobuono, of the family of Fieschi Counts of Lavagna, died thirty-nine days after he became Pope, with the title v. 133. First they died.] The Israelites, who, on account of their of Adrian V, in 1276.

  disobedience, died before reaching the promised land.

  v. 98. That stream.] The river Lavagna, in the Genoese territory.

  v. 135. And they.] Virg Aen. 1. v.

  v. 135. nor shall be giv’n in marriage.] Matt. c. xxii. 30. “Since in this state we neither marry nor are given in marriage, I am no longer the 112

  The Divine Comedy of Dante - Purgatory spouse of the church, and therefore no longer retain my former dignity.

  v. 52. All save one.] The posterity of Charlemagne, the second race of French monarchs, had failed, with the exception of Charles of Lorraine v. 140. A kinswoman.] Alagia is said to have been the wife of the who is said, on account of the melancholy temper of his mind, to have Marchese Marcello Malaspina, one of the poet’s protectors during his always clothed himself in black. Venturi suggest that Dante may have exile. See Canto VIII. 133.

  confounded him with Childeric III the last of the Merosvingian, or first, race, who was deposed and made a monk in 751.

  CANTO XX

  v. 57. My son.] Hugh Capet caused his son Robert to be crowned at Orleans.

  v. 3. I drew the sponge.] “I did not persevere in my inquiries from the spirit though still anxious to learn more.” v. 11. Wolf.] Avarice.

  v. 59. The Great dower of Provence.] Louis IX, and his brother Charles of Anjou, married two of the four daughters of Raymond Berenger Count v. 16. Of his appearing.] He is thought to allude to of Provence. See Par. Canto VI. 135.

  Can Grande della Scala. See Hell, Canto I. 98.

  v. 25. Fabricius.] Compare Petrarch, Tr. della Fama, c. 1. Un Curio ed v. 63. For amends.] This is ironical

  un Fabricio, &c.

  v. 64. Poitou it seiz’d, Navarre and Gascony.] I venture to read Potti e Navarra prese e Guascogna, instead of Ponti e Normandia prese e v. 30. Nicholas.] The story of Nicholas is, that an angel having revealed Guascogna Seiz’d Ponthieu, Normandy and Gascogny. Landino has to him that the father of a family was so impoverished as to resolve on

  “Potti,” and he is probably right for Poitou was annexed to the French expos ing the chastity of his three daughters to sale, he threw in at the crown by Philip IV. See Henault, Abrege Chron. A.D. l283, &c.

  window of their house three bags of money, containing a sufficient Normandy had been united to it long before by Philip Augustus, a portion for each of them.

  circumstance of which it is diffi cult to imagine that Dante should have been igno rant, but Philip IV, says Henault, ibid., took the title of King v. 42. Root.] Hugh Capet, ancestor of Philip IV.

  of Navarre: and the subjugation of Nava
rre is also alluded to in the Paradise, Canto XIX. 140. In 1293, Philip IV summoned Edward I. to v. 46. Had Ghent and Douay, Lille and Bruges power.] These cities had do him homage for the duchy of Gascogny, which he had conceived the lately been seized by Philip IV. The spirit is made to imitate the ap design of seizing. See G. Villani, l. viii. c. 4.

  proaching defeat of the French army by the Flemings, in the battle of Courtrai, which happened in 1302.

  v. 66. Young Conradine.] Charles of Anjou put Conradine to death in v. 51. The slaughter’s trade.] This reflection on the birth of his ancestor 1268; and became King of Naples. See Hell, Canto XXVIII, 16, and Note.

  induced Francis I to forbid the reading of Dante in his dominions Hugh Capet, who came to the throne of France in 987, was however the v. 67. Th’ angelic teacher.] Thomas Aquinas. He was reported to have grandson of Robert, who was the brother of Eudes, King of France in been poisoned by a physician, who wished to ingratiate himself with 888.

  Charles of Anjou. G. Villani, I. ix. c. 218. We shall find him in the Paradise, Canto X.

  113

  The Divine Comedy of Dante - Purgatory v. 114. Crassus.] Marcus Crassus, who fell miser ably in the Parthian v. 69. Another Charles.] Charles of Valois, brother of Philip IV, was sent war. See Appian, Parthica.

  by Pope Boniface VIII to settle the disturbed state of Florence. In conse quence of the measures he adopted for that pur pose, our poet and his CANTO XXI

  friend, were condemned to exile and death.

  v. 71. -with that lance Which the arch-traitor tilted with.] con la lancia

  v. 26. She.] Lachesis, one of the three fates.

  Con la qual giostro Guida. If I remember right, in one of the old romances, Judas is represented tilting with our Saviour.

  v. 43. —that, which heaven in itself Doth of itself receive.] Venturi, I think rightly interprets this to be light.