CANTO XVI
v. 10. With greeting.] The Poet, who had addressed the spirit, not knowing him to be his ancestor, with a plain “Thou,” now uses more ceremony, and calls him “You,” according to a custom introduced among the Romans in the latter times of the empire.
v. 15. Guinever.] Beatrice’s smile encouraged him to proceed just as the cough of Ginevra’s female servant gave her mistress assurance to admit the freedoms of Lancelot. See Hell, Canto V. 124.
v. 23. The fold.] Florence, of which John the Baptist was the patron saint.
v. 31. From the day.] From the Incarnation to the birth of Cacciaguida, the planet Mars had returned five hundred and fifty-three times to the constellation of Leo, with which it is supposed to have a congenial influence. His birth may, therefore, be placed about 1106.
v. 38. The last.] The city was divided into four compartments. The Elisei, the ancestors of Dante, resided near the entrance of that named from the Porta S. Piero, which was the last reached by the competitor in the annual race at Florence. See G. Villani, 1. iv. c. 10.
v. 44. From Mars.] “Both in the times of heathenish and of Christianity.” Hell, Canto XIII. 144.
v. 48. Campi and Certaldo and Fighine.] Country places near Florence.
v. 50. That these people.] That the inhabitants of the above- mentioned places had not been mixed with the citizens: nor the limits of Florence extended beyond Galluzzo and Trespiano.”
v. 54. Aguglione’s hind and Signa’s.] Baldo of Aguglione, and Bonifazio of Signa.
v. 56. Had not the people.] If Rome had continued in her allegiance to the emperor, and the Guelph and Ghibelline factions had thus been prevented, Florence would not have been polluted by a race of upstarts, nor lost the most respectable of her ancient families.
v. 61. Simifonte.] A castle dismantled by the Florentines. G. Villani, 1. v. c. 30. The individual here alluded to is no longer known.
v. 69. The blind bull.] So Chaucer, Troilus and Cresseide. b. 2.
For swifter course cometh thing that is of wight
When it descendeth than done things light.
Compare Aristotle, Ethic. Nic. l. vi. c. 13. [GREEK HERE]
v. 72. Luni, Urbisaglia.] Cities formerly of importance, but then fallen to decay.
v. 74. Chiusi and Sinigaglia.] The same.
v. 80. As the moon.] “The fortune of us, that are the moon’s men doth ebb and flow like the sea.” Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV. a. i. s. 2.
v. 86. The Ughi.] Whoever is curious to know the habitations of these and the other ancient Florentines, may consult G. Villani, l. iv.
v. 91. At the poop.] Many editions read porta, “gate.” -The same metaphor is found in Aeschylus, Supp. 356, and is there also scarce understood by the critics. [GREEK HERE] Respect these wreaths, that crown your city’s poop.
v. 99. The gilded hilt and pommel.] The symbols of knighthood
v. 100. The column cloth’d with verrey.] The arms of the Pigli.
v. 103. With them.] Either the Chiaramontesi, or the Tosinghi one of which had committed a fraud in measuring out the wheat from the public granary. See Purgatory, Canto XII. 99
v. 109. The bullets of bright gold.] The arms of the Abbati, as it is conjectured.
v. 110. The sires of those.] “Of the Visdomini, the Tosinghi and the Cortigiani, who, being sprung from the founders of the bishopric of Florence are the curators of its revenues, which they do not spare, whenever it becomes vacant.”
v. 113. Th’ o’erweening brood.] The Adimari. This family was so little esteemed, that Ubertino Donato, who had married a daughter of Bellincion Berti, himself indeed derived from the same stock (see Note to Hell Canto XVI. 38.) was offended with his father-in-law, for giving another of his daughters in marriage to one of them.
v. 124. The gateway.] Landino refers this to the smallness of the city: Vellutello, with less probability, to the simplicity of the people in naming one of the gates after a private family.
v. 127. The great baron.] The Marchese Ugo, who resided at Florence as lieutenant of the Emperor Otho III, gave many of the chief families license to bear his arms. See G. Villani, 1. iv. c. 2., where the vision is related, in consequence of which he sold all his possessions in Germany, and founded seven abbeys, in one whereof his memory was celebrated at Florence on St. Thomas’s day. v. 130. One.] Giano della Bella, belonging to one of the families thus distinguished, who no longer retained his place among the nobility, and had yet added to his arms a bordure or. See Macchiavelli, 1st. Fior. 1. ii. p. 86. Ediz. Giolito.
v. 132. -Gualterotti dwelt And Importuni.] Two families in the compartment of the city called Borgo.
v. 135. The house.] Of Amidei. See Notes to Canto XXVIII. of Hell. v. 102.
v. 142. To Ema.] “It had been well for the city, if thy ancestor had been drowned in the Ema, when he crossed that stream on his way from Montebuono to Florence.”
v. 144. On that maim’d stone.] See Hell, Canto XIII. 144. Near the remains of the statue of Mars. Buondelmonti was slain, as if he had been a victim to the god; and Florence had not since known the blessing of peace.
v. 150. The lily.] “The arms of Florence had never hung reversed on the spear of her enemies, in token of her defeat; nor been changed from argent to gules;” as they afterwards were, when the Guelfi gained the predominance.