CANTO XVI ARGUMENT.-Journeying along the pier, which crosses the sand, they are now so near the end of it as to hear the noise of the stream falling into the eighth circle, when they meet the spirits of three military men; who judging Dante, from his dress, to be a countryman of theirs, entreat him to stop. He complies and speaks with them. The two Poets then reach the place where the water descends, being the termination of this third compartment in the seventh circle; and here Virgil, having thrown down into the hollow a cord, wherewith Dante was girt, they behold at that signal a monstrous and horrible figure come swimming up to them. N OW came I where the water's din was heard Resounding like the hum of swarming bees: That pass'd beneath the fierce tormenting storm, Ah me! what wounds I mark'd upon their limbs, Attentive to their cry, my teacher paused, 66 Wait now: our courtesy these merit well: And were't not for the nature of the place, They, when we stopp'd, resumed their ancient wail, The neck moved ever to the twinkling feet. "If woe of this unsound and dreary waste," Thus one began, "added to our sad cheer Thus peel'd with flame, do call forth scorn on us Incline thee to inform us who thou art, That dost imprint, with living feet unharm'd, 1" Gualdrada." Gualdrada was the daughter of Bellincione Berti, of whom mention is made in the Paradise, Cantos xv and xvi. He was of the family of Ravignani, a branch of the Adimari. The Emperor Otho IV being at a festival in Florence, where Gualdrada was present, was struck with her beauty; and inquiring who she was, was answered by Bellincione, that she was the daughter of one who, if it was his Majesty's pleasure, would make her admit the honor of his salute. On overhearing this, she arose from her seat, and blushing, desired her father that he would not be so liberal in his offers. The Emperor was delighted by her resolute modesty, and calling to him Guido, one of his barons, gave her to him in marriage; at the same time raising him to the rank of a count, and bestowing on her the whole of Casentino, and a part of the territory of Romagna, as her portion. Two sons were the offspring of this union, Guglielmo and Ruggieri; the latter was father of Guidoguerra, who, at the head of four hundred Florentines of the Guelf party, was signally instrumental to the victory of Charles of Anjou, at Benevento, over Manfredi, King of Naples, in 1265. One consequence of this was the expul sion of the Ghibellini and the re-establishment of the Guelfi at Florence. 2 Tegghiaio Aldobrandi endeavored to dissuade the Florentines from the attack which they meditated against the Siennese; the rejection of his counsel occasioned the defeat which the former sustained at Montaperto, and the consequent banishment of the Guelfi from Florence. 3 Giacopo Rusticucci, a Florentine, remarkable for his opulence and generosity of spirit. Fix'd deep within me, soon as this my lord Your deeds and names renown'd. Leaving the gall, 66 "So may long space thy spirit guide thy limbs," Dwell in our city, or have vanish'd clean: "An upstart multitude and sudden gains, Thus cried I, with my face upraised, and they When thou with pleasure shalt retrace the past,* This said, they broke the circle, and so swift Guglielmo Borsierę, a Florentine, whom Boccaccio terms "a man of courteous and elegant manners, and of great readiness in conversation." "Quando ti gioverà dicere to fui." Was now so near at hand, that we had scarce He compares the fall of Phlegethon to that of the Montone (a river in Romagna) from the Apennines above the Abbey of St. Benedict. All the other streams that rise between the sources of the Po and the Montone, and fall from the left side of the Apennines, join the Po and accompany it to the sea. There it loses the name of Acquacheta, and takes that of Montone. Either because the abbey was capable of containing more than those who occupied it, or because (says Landino) the lords of that territory had intended to build a castle near the water-fall, and to collect within its walls the population of the neighboring villages. "A cord." It is believed that our poet in early life, had entered into the order of St. Francis. By observing the rules of that profession he had designed " to take the painted leopard (that animal represented Pleasure) with this cord." 66 A man, if possible, should bar his lip; Since, although blameless, he incurs reproach. That through the gross and murky air I spied CANTO XVII ARGUMENT.-The monster Geryon is described; to whom while Virgil is speaking in order that he may carry them both down to the next circle, Dante, by permission, goes further along the edge of the void, to descry the third species of sinners contained in this compartment, namely, those who have done violence to art; and then returning to his master, they both descend, seated on the back of Geryon. 66 O! the fell monster' with the deadly sting, "I Who passes mountains, breaks through fenced And firm embattled spears, and with his filth Forthwith that image vile of Fraud appear'd, And orbits. Colours variegated more Nor Turks nor Tartars e'er on cloth of state "The fell monster." Fraud |