v. 53. Nino, thou courteous judge.] Nino di Gallura de’ Visconti nephew to Count Ugolino de’ Gherardeschi, and betrayed by him. See Notes to Hell Canto XXXIII.
v. 65. Conrad.] Currado Malaspina.
v. 71 My Giovanna.] The daughter of Nino, and wife of Riccardo da Cammino of Trevigi.
v. 73. Her mother.] Beatrice, marchioness of Este wife of Nino, and after his death married to Galeazzo de’ Visconti of Milan.
v. 74. The white and wimpled folds.] The weeds of widowhood.
v. 80. The viper.] The arms of Galeazzo and the ensign of the Milanese.
v. 81. Shrill Gallura’s bird.] The cock was the ensign of Gallura, Nino’s province in Sardinia. Hell, Canto XXII. 80. and Notes.
v. 115. Valdimagra.] See Hell, Canto XXIV. 144. and Notes.
v. 133. Sev’n times the tired sun.] “The sun shall not enter into the constellation of Aries seven times more, before thou shalt have still better cause for the good opinion thou expresses” of Valdimagra, in the kind reception thou shalt there meet with.” Dante was hospitably received by the Marchese Marcello Malaspina, during his banishment. A.D. 1307.