The Divine Comedy — Dante Alighieri
p. 150Cahto V. Thence came I : but the passages deep laid, Whence flowed the blood, in which in life I sate, In the lap of the Antenori were they made, ^^ There where I thought myself most safe from hate : The lord of Este caused them, anger bred Eevenge in him beyond what law could sate. But towards La Mira had I only fled. At Oriaco when o'erta'en that time, ^ Still in the breathing world I life had led.
Unto the marsh I ran, the reeds and slime So tangled me, I fell, and saw down drop My blood, that flowing formed a lake of crime. Then said another : " Ah that this thy hope ^ May be fulfilled, which draws thee to the mount, To help my wish give tender pity scope. I was Buonconte, Montefeltro's count, Giovanna, or the rest have me forgot.
Since thus I go mid these, with humbled front." *" And I to him : " What force or chanceful lot Hurried thee so beyond the Campaldine, That of thy burial-place man knoweth not ?" ** O," answered he, " at the foot of the Casentine Crosses a streamlet called the Archian, Born o'er the Desert, in the Apennine. There where its proper name is changed again Did I arrive, deep wounded in the throat. Flying on foot, incarnading the plain.
I lost my speech and vision in that spot. And died in Mary's name, 'twas there I fell. And there remained my body all remote. The truth I'll say which thou again wilt tell : God's Angel took me : * O thou son of Heaven Why dost thou 'prive me?' cried the bom of Hell, Line 73.
The speaker is Jacopo del Cassero, a citizen of Fano, who havinjc spoken ill of Azzoni III. of Este, IV^rqnis of Ferrara, whilst he was Podesta of Bologna, was assassinated by the onlers of Azzoni near Oriaco, as he was endeavouring to escape from the effects of his anger. Line 74. According to the opinion, that the blood is the seat of the soul. Line 75.
In the Paduan territory, the founder of whose city was Antenor, the betrayer of Troy, after whom one of the lowest circles of hell is named. Line 88. Buonconte was the son of Count Guido da Montefeltro, who has been introduced in Canto XXVII. of Hell. Giovanna was the wife of the former. He was slain in a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibelines on the plain of the Casentine, and it appeal's his body was never discovered. Line 97.
The Archian loses its own name on joining the Amo. Line 103. In comparing this with a similar contention for the soul of the father, one cannot but consider the objection raised by the fiend to be not groundless.
Canto VI. PURGATORY. 151 * Of him thou bear'st away the Eternal leayen For one small tear, which he from me did take : To me the rest for other fate is given.* Thou know'st how in the air coUeeteth black The humid vapour, which returns in rain, ^^'^ When risen where the cold doth melt its rack. Conceived the evil will that aye seeks bane, With intellect, and moved the cloud and wind By power, his nature gave him o'er their train.
The valley thence, as the blank day declined, ^^* From Pratomagno to the gorge, with cloud Was -jovered, and the sky grew black behind. So that the pregnant air with water bowed ; The rain fell down, and to the ditches came All that the earth's drenched surface overflowed : ^^ And as all centred towards the largest stream, Towards the royal river, with such speed It hurried headlong, nothing could reclaim.
My frozen body lying in its bed, The rushing Archian found, and bore away ^^* To AlTuo, and across my breast undid The arms I cro^sed there, 'neath death's conquering sway ; Along its banks and down its deep it swirled, Then bound and shrouded me with all its prey. " Ah, when thou art returned unto the world, ^ And from thy travels restest in idea," .
After the second spirit said a third, ** Bemember also me, who am La Pia ; The life that Siena gave, Maremma fell Rathely destroyed, as he who erst made me a ^ Bride with his ring espousing, knoweth well. Line 133. This lady's story has become immortal through these four lines.
She was married to one Nello della Fietra, a powerful noble in Siena, who, after his marriage, removed her to one of his possessions in Maremma, where he alone was aware of the nature of her deaUi. It is doubtful whether he killed her or whether she died from the pestilential nature of the place, to which he trusted for the attainment of his end.
CANTO VI. The poet oontinues amongst the same troop, of whom he names several more. At last, freed from their importunities, he advances with Virgil till they meet another solitary shade, who proves to be the Mantuan Sordello. On seeing his affectionate greeting with his countryman, Dante bursts into an invective against the whole of Italy divided by party feuds, where, especially in Florence, such a spirit was entirely lost.
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150 PURGATORY. Cahto V. Thence came I : but the passages deep laid, Whence flowed the blood, in which in life I sate, In the lap of the Antenori were they made, ^^ There where I thought myself most safe from hate : The lord of Este caused them, anger bred Eevenge in him beyond what law could sate. But towards La Mira had I only fled. At Oriaco when o'erta'en that time, ^ Still in the breathing world I life had led. Unto the marsh I ran, the reeds and slime So tangled me, I fell, and saw down drop My blood, that flowing formed a lake of crime." Then said another : " Ah that this your hope ^ May be fulfilled, which draws you to the mount, To help my wish give tender pity scope. I was Buonconte, Montefeltro's count, Giovanna, or the rest have me forgot. Since thus I go mid these, with humbled front." *" And I to him : " What force or chanceful lot Hurried you so beyond the Campaldine, That of your burial-place man knows not ?" ** O," answered he, " at the foot of the Casentine Crosses a streamlet called the Archian, Born o'er the Desert, in the Apennine. There where its proper name is changed again Did I arrive, deep wounded in the throat. Flying on foot, incarnading the plain. I lost my speech and vision in that spot. And died in Mary's name, 'twas there I fell. And there remained my body all remote. The truth I'll say which you again will tell : God's Angel took me : * O you son of Heaven Why do you 'prive me?' cried the bom of Hell, Line 73. The speaker is Jacopo del Cassero, a citizen of Fano, who havinjc spoken ill of Azzoni III. of Este, IV^rqnis of Ferrara, whilst he was Podesta of Bologna, was assassinated by the onlers of Azzoni near Oriaco, as he was endeavouring to escape from the effects of his anger. Line 74. According to the opinion, that the blood is the seat of the soul. Line 75. In the Paduan territory, the founder of whose city was Antenor, the betrayer of Troy, after whom one of the lowest circles of hell is named. Line 88. Buonconte was the son of Count Guido da Montefeltro, who has been introduced in Canto XXVII. of Hell. Giovanna was the wife of the former. He was slain in a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibelines on the plain of the Casentine, and it appeal's his body was never discovered. Line 97. The Archian loses its own name on joining the Amo. Line 103. In comparing this with a similar contention for the soul of the father, one cannot but consider the objection raised by the fiend to be not groundless.
Canto VI. PURGATORY. 151 * Of him you bear'st away the Eternal leayen For one small tear, which he from me did take : To me the rest for other fate is given.* You know'st how in the air coUeets black The humid vapour, which returns in rain, ^^'^ When risen where the cold does melt its rack. Conceived the evil will that aye seeks bane, With intellect, and moved the cloud and wind By power, his nature gave him o'er their train. The valley thence, as the blank day declined, ^^* From Pratomagno to the gorge, with cloud Was -jovered, and the sky grew black behind. So that the pregnant air with water bowed ; The rain fell down, and to the ditches came All that the earth's drenched surface overflowed : ^^ And as all centred towards the largest stream, Towards the royal river, with such speed It hurried headlong, nothing could reclaim. My frozen body lying in its bed, The rushing Archian found, and bore away ^^* To AlTuo, and across my breast undid The arms I cro^sed there, 'neath death's conquering sway ; Along its banks and down its deep it swirled, Then bound and shrouded me with all its prey." " Ah, when you are returned unto the world, ^ And from your travels restest in idea," . After the second spirit said a third, ** Bemember also me, who am La Pia ; The life that Siena gave, Maremma fell Rathely destroyed, as he who erst made me a ^ Bride with his ring espousing, knows well." Line 133. This lady's story has become immortal through these four lines. She was married to one Nello della Fietra, a powerful noble in Siena, who, after his marriage, removed her to one of his possessions in Maremma, where he alone was aware of the nature of her deaUi. It is doubtful whether he killed her or whether she died from the pestilential nature of the place, to which he trusted for the attainment of his end.
CANTO VI. The poet oontinues amongst the same troop, of whom he names several more. At last, freed from their importunities, he advances with Virgil till they meet another solitary shade, who proves to be the Mantuan Sordello. On seeing his affectionate greeting with his countryman, Dante bursts into an invective against the whole of Italy divided by party feuds, where, especially in Florence, such a spirit was entirely lost.
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