In sogno mi parea veder sospesa
Un' aquila nel ciel con penne d'oro
Con l'ali aperte, ed a calare intesa....
Poi mi parea, che piu rotata un poco,
Terribil come folgor discendesse,
E me rapisse suso infino al foco.
("Purgatorio," canto ix.)
In Chaucer:
Me thoughte I saw an egle sore ...
Hit was of golde and shoon so bright
That never saw men such a sighte ...
Me, fleinge, at a swappe he hente,
And with his sours agayn up wente,
Me caryinge in his clawes starke.
(ll. 449, 503, 542.)
I wol now singe, if that I can
The armes, and al-so the man, &c. (l. 142.)
Hereupon follows a complete but abbreviated account of the events in the Æneid, Dido's story being the only part treated at some length.