CANTO XIV
v. 34. Maim’d of Pelorus.] Virg. Aen. 1. iii. 414.
—a hill Torn from Pelorus Milton P. L. b. i. 232
v. 45. ’Midst brute swine.] The people of Casentino.
v. 49. Curs.] The Arno leaves Arezzo about four miles to the left.
v. 53. Wolves.] The Florentines.
v. 55. Foxes.] The Pisans
v. 61. Thy grandson.] Fulcieri de’ Calboli, grandson of Rinieri de’ Calboli, who is here spoken to. The atrocities predicted came to pass in 1302. See G. Villani, 1. viii c. 59
v. 95. ’Twixt Po, the mount, the Reno, and the shore.] The boundaries of Romagna.
v. 99. Lizio.] Lizio da Valbona, introduced into Boccaccio’s Decameron, G. v. N, 4.
v. 100. Manardi, Traversaro, and Carpigna.1 Arrigo Manardi of Faenza, or as some say, of Brettinoro, Pier Traversaro, lord of Ravenna, and Guido di Carpigna of Montefeltro.
v. 102. In Bologna the low artisan.] One who had been a mechanic named Lambertaccio, arrived at almost supreme power in Bologna.
v. 103. Yon Bernardin.] Bernardin di Fosco, a man of low origin but great talents, who governed at Faenza.
v. 107. Prata.] A place between Faenza and Ravenna
v. 107. Of Azzo him.] Ugolino of the Ubaldini family in Tuscany He is recounted among the poets by Crescimbeni and Tiraboschi.
v. 108. Tignoso.] Federigo Tignoso of Rimini.
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 fable so admirably paraphrased from Boccaccio, was of the former: her lover and the specter were of the Anastagi family.
v. 111. The ladies, &c.] These two lines express the true spirit of chivalry. “Agi” is understood by the commentators whom I have consulted,to mean “the ease procured for others by the exertions of knight-errantry.” But surely it signifies the alternation of ease with labour.
v. 114. O Brettinoro.] A beautifully situated castle in Romagna, the hospitable residence of Guido del Duca, who is here speaking.
v. 118. Baynacavallo.] A castle between Imola and Ravenna
v. 118. Castracaro ill And Conio worse.] Both in Romagna.
v. 121. Pagani.] The Pagani were lords of Faenza and Imola. One of them Machinardo, was named the Demon, from his treachery. See Hell, Canto XXVII. 47, and Note.
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 offspring behind him. He is enumerated among the poets by Crescimbeni, and Tiraboschi. Mr. Matthias’s edit. vol. i. 143
v. 136. Whosoever finds Will slay me.] The words of Cain, Gen. e. iv. 14.
v. 142. Aglauros.] Ovid, Met. I, ii. fate. 12.
v. 145. There was the galling bit.] Referring to what had been before said, Canto XIII. 35.