and the severity of the snows, he was captured in the year 1307, and above 500 of his followers perished from starvation and the sword. He himself was burnt, and cut in pieces as a heretic; he endured his torments with the greatest fortitude, preserving his countenance unchanged amid his sufferings. His beautiful and youthful wife, Margarita, might have avoided a similar fate, but she chose rather to follow the example of her husband than renounce her erroneous doctrines. —Villani, viii. 84. See Murray's Hand Book for Northern Italy, "Frate Dolcino," page 41.

Page 246. (Line 73.) "Piero dwelt at Medicina in the territory of Bologna. He fomented dissensions among its citizens, and between Guido da Polenta and Malatesta di Rimini."Volpi. (75.) Vercelli, a city of Piedmont. Mercabo a castle on the Po. The plain of Lombardy is here described. (76.) These two most distinguished citizens of Fano, Guido del Cassero, and Angiolello da Cagnano, had incurred the displeasure of Malatesta the younger, lord of Rimini. See canto xxvii. 46. To secure their destruction, he pretended to be reconciled to them, and invited them to an entertainment. They were drowned near Cattolica, between Fano and Rimini. Malatesta "is the traitor with but a single eye." "Ni frustra augurium vani docuere parentes.”—Virgil. Æn. 1. 392.

Page 247. (Line 86.) See note, line 97. (90.) Focara is a mountain on the sea coast, whence came such boisterous winds that mariners were in the habit of offering up prayers against them. Dante says, that as Malatesta will cause them to be drowned on their passage, they will have no occasion to make any more such prayers. (97.) Curio, an outcast from Rome, went to join Julius Cæsar at Rimini, and, according to Lucan, determined him to pass the Rubicon, by exclaiming-"Tolle

moras; nocuit semper differre paratis."-Phars. i, 281. (107.)
Buondelmonte was engaged to marry a lady of the Amidei
family, but broke his promise, and united himself to one of the
Donati. This was so much resented by the former, that a meet-
ing of themselves and their kinsmen was held, to consider of the
best means of revenging the insult. Mosca degli Uberti, or de'
Lamberti, persuaded them to resolve on the assassination of
Buondelmonte, exclaiming to them, "Cosa fatto ha capo."
This counsel was in its effects the source of the Guelf and
Ghibilline factions, and of many terrible calamities to Florence.
Page 248. (Line 117.) "What stronger breast-plate than a
heart untainted ?"-Henry VI. Act iii. (132.) "Behold and see
if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow."--Lamentations of
Jeremiah, cap.
i. v. 12.

Page 249. (Line 134.) Bertrand de Bornio, Viscount of Hautefort, is described by Sismondi, Lit. Hist., as having by intrigues and arms agitated the provinces of Guienne during the latter half of the 12th century. He is said to have been the intimate friend of King John, and to have encouraged him in rebellion against his father, Henry II, Other accounts represent him as a Poet and Patriot, and the adviser of the eldest son of Henry II., also named Henry, who, having been crowned by his father in his life time, was called by the historians of that time the young king: and from the similarity between "giovani" young, and "Giovanni," John, may the mistake have arisen. Guingenè conceiving Dante to be in error, proposes to read, " al Re Giovani."

HA

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be in

ARGUMENT.

HAVING passed by Geri del Bello, a relation of Dante, they proceed into the tenth gulf, from which arise shrieks of woe, as from a hospital. Here the Alchymists are punished with divers diseases.

THE numerous tribes and various gashes deep
With tears had so inebriated mine eyes,
I gladly would have stood awhile to weep;
But Virgil said to me; "Why gazing so?

Why fix thy looks in melancholy guise
On the disfigured shades that lie below ?-
Not so thy wont in any former cell :

But, if to count them all, thy wish may be,
Think-two and twenty miles extends the dell.

The moon already lies beneath our feet;

To journey on, but little time have we;
And things as yet unseen thine eye will meet."

7

"Did'st thou," I answer'd him, "the reason weigh, 13

Thus

W

Thou might'st perhaps have pardon'd my delay."

E

O'er

My guide mov'd on, as I this answer gave,

Behind him still continuing my road,

A

"Let not compassion for his woes detain

Th

Who rues his dear-bought crimes with deep lament."

U

As v

Thy pensive soul; but turn," exclaim'd my guide, "To other objects.-Let him there remain,

E

In

Whom at the bridge's foot I chanced to see,

25

Fort

Pointing, and threat'ning thee with look enraged;
Geri del Bello, as I heard, was he:

Su

A

With him, who erst in Altafort bore sway,

Thy thoughts so wholly were the while engaged,
That Geri pass'd unnoticed on thy way."
"His violent death, dear leader," I exclaim,
"Yet unavenged on earth by those who shared,
And still remain partakers of the shame,
Inspired his scorn ;-so that in contumely

He silent pass'd, nor to accost me cared;
Hence for his fate I feel more sympathy."

Thus spake we till the next pit came in sight,

Which from the bridge's summit would be view'd
E'en to the bottom, were there stronger light.
O'er Malebolge's last sad vault of woe

Arriving, on the highest arch we stood,

Whence its contents could all be seen below.
Discordant lamentations burst around,

Their shafts with pity barb'd-whence I my hand
Upheld, to guard mine ears against the sound.
As were the wailings, if-when autumn reigns,
Each lazar house in sad Sardinia's land,

In Valdichiana, and Maremma's plains

37

43

49

Forth in one trench could all their sufferers pour,
Such here was heard; and thence came stench as rank,
As issues from foul wounds, and festerings sore.
The bridge now cross'd, we made our downward way,
Still bearing to the left along the bank:

Then more distinctly could mine eye survey
The deep abyss, where God's high minister,

Unerring Justice, punishes the crime,
And of the forgers keeps a register.

More grievous not, I deem, the sight to bear
Of all Ægina's feeble race, what time

Malignity so deadly fill'd the air,

55