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v。 16。 As when the ray。＇ Compare Virg。 Aen。 1。viii。 22； and Apol。
Rhod。 1。 iii。 755。
v。 19。 Ascending at a glance。＇ Lucretius； 1。 iv。 215。
v。 20。 Differs from the stone。＇ The motion of light being quicker
than that of a stone through an equal space。
v。 38。 Blessed the merciful。 Matt。 c。 v。 7。
v。 43。 Romagna's spirit。＇ Guido del Duea； of Brettinoro whom we
have seen in the preceding Canto。
v。 87。 A dame。＇ Luke； c。 ii。 18
v。 101。 How shall we those requite。＇ The answer of Pisistratus the
tyrant to his wife； when she urged him to inflict the punishment of death
on a young man； who； inflamed with love for his daughter； had snatched
from her a kiss in public。 The story is told by Valerius Maximus； 1。v。 1。
v。 105。 A stripling youth。＇ The protomartyr Stephen。
Canto XVI
v。 94。 As thou。＇ 〃If thou wert still living。〃
v。 46。 I was of Lombardy； and Marco call'd。＇ A Venetian gentleman。
〃Lombardo〃 both was his surname and denoted the country to which he
belonged。 G。 Villani； 1。 vii。 c。 120； terms him 〃a wise and worthy courtier。〃
v。 58。 Elsewhere。＇ He refers to what Guido del Duca had said in the
thirteenth Canto； concerning the degeneracy of his countrymen。
v。 70。 If this were so。＇ Mr。 Crowe in his Lewesdon Hill has
expressed similar sentiments with much energy。
Of this be sure； Where freedom is not； there no virtue is； &c。
Compare Origen in Genesim； Patrum Graecorum； vol。 xi。 p。 14。 Wirer
burgi； 1783。 8vo。
v。 79。 To mightier force。＇ 〃Though ye are subject to a higher power
than that of the heavenly constellations； e‘en to the power of the great
Creator himself； yet ye are still left in the possession of liberty。〃
v。 88。 Like a babe that wantons sportively。＇ This reminds one of the
Emperor Hadrian's verses to his departing soul：
Animula vagula blandula； &c
v。 99。 The fortress。＇ Justice； the most necessary virtue in the chief
magistrate； as the commentators explain it。
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v。 103。 Who。＇ He compares the Pope； on account of the union of
the temporal with the spiritual power in his person； to an unclean beast in
the levitical law。 〃The camel； because he cheweth the cud； but divideth
not the hoof； he is unclean unto you。〃 Levit。 c。 xi。 4。
v。 110。 Two sons。＇ The Emperor and the Bishop of Rome。
v。 117。 That land。＇ Lombardy。
v。 119。 Ere the day。＇ Before the Emperor Frederick II was defeated
before Parma； in 1248。 G。 Villani； 1。 vi。 c。 35。
v。 126。 The good Gherardo。＇ Gherardo di Camino of Trevigi。 He is
honourably mentioned in our Poet's 〃Convito。〃 Opere di Dante； t。 i。 p。
173 Venez。 8vo。 1793。 And Tiraboschi supposes him to have been the
same Gherardo with whom the Provencal poets were used to meet with
hospitable reception。 See Mr。 Matthias's edition； t。 i。 p。 137； v。 127。
Conrad。＇ Currado da Palazzo； a gentleman of Brescia。
v。 127。 Guido of Castello。＇ Of Reggio。 All the Italians were
called Lombards by the French。
v。 144。 His daughter Gaia。＇ A lady equally admired for her modesty；
the beauty of her person； and the excellency of her talents。 Gaia； says
Tiraboschi； may perhaps lay claim to the praise of having been the first
among the Italian ladies； by whom the vernacular poetry was cultivated。
Ibid。 p。 137。
Canto XVII
v。 21。 The bird； that most Delights itself in song。＇ I cannot think with
Vellutello； that the swallow is here meant。 Dante probably alludes to the
story of Philomela； as it is found in Homer's Odyssey； b。 xix。 518 rather
than as later poets have told it。 〃She intended to slay the son of her
husband's brother Amphion； incited to it； by the envy of his wife； who had
six children； while herself had only two； but through mistake slew her own
son Itylus； and for her punishment was transformed by Jupiter into a
nightingale。〃 Cowper's note on the passage。 In speaking of the nightingale；
let me observe； that while some have considered its song as a melancholy；
and others as a cheerful one； Chiabrera appears to have come nearest the
truth； when he says； in the Alcippo； a。 l。 s。 1； Non mal si stanca d' iterar le
note O gioconde o dogliose； Al sentir dilettose。
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Unwearied still reiterates her lays； Jocund or sad； delightful to the ear。
v。 26。 One crucified。＇ Haman。 See the book of Esther； c。 vii。 v。 34。
A damsel。＇ Lavinia； mourning for her mother Amata； who； impelled by
grief and indignation for the supposed death of Turnus； destroyed herself。
Aen。 1。 xii。 595。
v。 43。 The broken slumber quivering ere it dies。＇ Venturi suggests
that this bold and unusual metaphor may have been formed on that in
Virgil。
Tempus erat quo prima quies mortalibus aegris Incipit； et dono divun
gratissima serpit。 Aen。 1。 ii。 268。
v。 68。 The peace…makers。＇ Matt。 c。 v。 9。
v。 81。 The love。＇ 〃A defect in our love towards God； or
lukewarmness in piety； is here removed。〃
v。 94。 The primal blessings。＇ Spiritual good。
v。 95。 Th' inferior。＇ Temporal good。
v。 102。 Now。＇ 〃It is impossible for any being； either to hate itself；
or to hate the First Cause of all； by which it exists。 We can therefore only
rejoice in the evil which befalls others。〃
v。 111。 There is。＇ The proud。
v。 114。 There is。＇ The envious。
v。 117。 There is he。＇ The resentful。
v。 135。 Along Three circles。＇ According to the allegorical
commentators； as Venturi has observed； Reason is represented under the
person of Virgil； and Sense under that of Dante。 The former leaves to the
latter to discover for itself the three carnal sins； avarice； gluttony and
libidinousness； having already declared the nature of the spiritual sins；
pride； envy； anger； and indifference； or lukewarmness in piety； which the
Italians call accidia； from th