NOTES.

Page 210. (Line 11.) "O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise."-Psalm li. 15.

Page 211. (Line 23.) "It is useful to compare the passage of the Latin poet, Ovid, Met. L. viii. 801, with the imitation, to see the greater energy and grandeur of Dante."—Biagioli. “Hirtus erat crinis, cava lumina, pallor in ore, Labra incana situ, scabri rubigine dentes,

Dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent:
Ossa sub incurvis extabant arida lumbis."

(25.) The story of Erisichthon of Thessaly, who cut down a grove sacred to Ceres, and was afflicted by the goddess with insatiable hunger, is also taken from Ovid. Met. viii. 877.— (30.) The Hebrew lady-who suffering the pangs of starvation during the seige of Jerusalem by Titus, fed on her own son, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Moses, Deut. xxviii. 56. (32.) The word 'omo' (i.e. uomo, or man) is supposed by some to be represented in the face-the two eyes forming the O's, and the eyebrow and nose the M, which letter is more marked in these emaciated countenances.-The apple and the water, alluded to line 35, are the tree and the stream mentioned in the last canto, lines 131, 137, and again in the present, line 62, &c.

Page 212. (Line 48.) Forese was a great friend of Dantebrother of Corso Donati.-"The whole scene between Dante and Forese-their embrace-their exclamations-their greetings, breathes of domestic affection and the remembrance of former intimacy."-Ugo Foscolo. Disc. p. 193.

Page 213. (Line 72.) “He intimates that the spirits experienced a greater degree of pleasure in satisfying the divine jus

tice, than they did of torment, in suffering hunger and thirst."Lombardi. "We are actuated," says Forese, "by the same desire as our Saviour, when he exclaimed, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani.' As He, though fearing death, voluntarily and joyfully underwent it, in order to save mankind; so these souls though fearing to renew their thirst, voluntarily returned to the tree, and excited fresh pain for the purpose of purifying their desires."-Vellutello.

Page 214. (Line 85.) Forese's young and virtuous widow.Through the intercession of Nella for the soul of her husband, the period was shortened which is usually required before the admission of a sinner into Purgatory," where," line 84, ❝ time mispent must be by time restored: or, as described, line 89, "the coast that stays our feet." The mention of his wife's piety and worth leads Forese into a severe invective against the Florentine ladies of that day.-Barbagia is a tract in Sardinia, to which Florence is compared for the immodesty of its females.

Page 215. (Line 128.) i.e. in Paradise. Virgil told Dante, in the opening of the poem, that though he was allowed to be his guide through Hell and Purgatory, when he arrived at the dwelling of the blessed, he should be conducted by one more worthy, viz. by Beatrice. See Inf. i. 121.

CANTO XXIV.

ARGUMENT.

CONVERSATION continued between Dante aud Forese. In the presence of Statius, Forese confesses the superiority of his friend's poetry. Forese predicts the violent death of Corso Donati, Dante's political enemy. Another tree.-Voices issue from it, recording examples of gluttony. An Angel invites the three poets up to the seventh and last circle.

CHECK'D not our progress the discourse we held,

Nor check'd discourse our progress;- on we went,
Like to a ship by favouring gale impell'd.

The shades, that seem'd as things that twice had died,
Drew through their deep sunk eyes astonishment,
When of my breathing fully certified.

And I, continuing my discourse, thus spake :

"That spirit haply mounts more tardily Than else it would, for its companions' sake.

But

say where dwells Piccarda, if thou know; And tell, if any one of note I see

Among this crowd who gaze upon me so."

1

7

My sister, good and beautiful-which most
I know not-triumphs in Olympus' height,
Bearing her crown amid the joyful host."
He spake; then added this: ""Tis lawful here
To call each one by name-so lost to sight
All trace of likeness, through our fast severe.-
This,"-pointing with his finger to a shade-
"Is Buonagiunta the Lucchese ;-that face

Beyond, through fasting most unsightly made,
Held in his arms erewhile the Church divine:
From Tours he came, and now, in hopes of grace,
Purges, by fast, Bolsena's eels and wine."

Thus, one by one, he show'd me many more :

To hear their names seem'd pleasing to this race;

Not one the hue of discontentment wore.

Ubaldin della Pila there I saw

Through hunger grinding air-and Boniface, To many with his crozier giving law; Marchese-who could drink at Forli erst

13

19

25

31

With lips less dry than now: though wine might flow, Yet he was one that ne'er could quench his thirst. But as a man who marks, and learns to prize One more than other,-him of Lucca so

I mark'd, who kenn'd me with most earnest eyes.

Some words he mutter'd, and I heard the name

66

"Gentucca," hoarsely murmur'd from that place By Justice parch'd with such a torturing flame. 'Spirit," I said, "who seem'st so freely bent

On sweet communion-let our minds embrace, And each from other reap the soul's content." He answer'd: "She is born, who though still loose 43 Her tresses be, my city shall endear,

However some may load it with abuse.

Depart thou then with this prophetic strain;

And if my murmuring should confuse thine ear,

The events themselves will make its meaning plain. if I behold the man who first

But say,
Gave to the world the rhymes which thus begin:

'Ladies who in the ways of love are versed."" And I replied: "One am I who indite

When love inspires, and as he speaks within, So, in accordance with his bidding, write." "Brother," he said, "I now perceive the cause,

Why vainly I and many others strove,

Nor caught the style that wins thee such applause. Full well perceive I how your plumes pursue Close in the wake of your inspirer, love;

And this in sooth it was we fail'd to do.

49

55