v. 29. The hinder foot.] It is to be remembered, that in ascending a hill the weight of the body rests on the hinder foot.
v. 30. A panther.] Pleasure or luxury.
v. 36. With those stars.] The sun was in Aries, in which sign he supposes it to have begun its course at the creation.
v. 43. A lion.] Pride or ambition.
v. 45. A she wolf.] Avarice.
v. 56. Where the sun in silence rests.] Hence Milton appears to have taken his idea in the Samson Agonistes:
The sun to me is dark And silent as the moon, &c The same metaphor will recur, Canto V. v. 29. Into a place I came Where light was silent all.
v. 65. When the power of Julius.] This is explained by the commentators to mean "Although it was rather late with respect to my birth before Julius Caesar assumed the supreme authority, and made himself perpetual dictator."v. 98. That greyhound.] This passage is intended as an eulogium on the liberal spirit of his Veronese patron Can Grande della Scala.
v. 102. 'Twizt either Feltro.] Verona, the country of Can della Scala, is situated between Feltro, a city in the Marca Trivigiana, and Monte Feltro, a city in the territory of Urbino.
v. 103. Italia's plains.] "Umile Italia," from Virgil, Aen lib. iii. 522. Humilemque videmus Italiam.
v. 115. Content in fire.] The spirits in Purgatory.
v. 118. A spirit worthier.] Beatrice, who conducts the Poet through Paradise.
v. 130. Saint Peter's gate.] The gate of Purgatory, which the Poet feigns to be guarded by an angel placed on that station by St. Peter.
v. 1. Now was the day.] A compendium of Virgil's description Aen. lib. iv 522. Nox erat, &c. Compare Apollonius Rhodius, lib iii. 744, and lib. iv. 1058v. 8. O mind.] O thought that write all that I met, And in the tresorie it set Of my braine, now shall men see If any virtue in thee be. Chaucer.
Temple of Fame, b. ii. v.18
v. 14. Silvius'sire.] Aeneas.
v. 30. The chosen vessel.] St.Paul, Acts, c. ix. v. 15. "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel unto me."v. 46. Thy soul.] L'anima tua e da viltate offesa. So in Berni, Orl Inn.lib. iii. c. i. st. 53. Se l'alma avete offesa da viltate.
v. 64. Who rest suspended.] The spirits in Limbo, neither admitted to a state of glory nor doomed to punishment.
v. 61. A friend not of my fortune, but myself.] Se non fortunae sed hominibus solere esse amicum. Cornelii Nepotis Attici Vitae, c. ix. v. 78. Whatever is contain'd.] Every other thing comprised within the lunar heaven, which, being the lowest of all, has the smallest circle.
v. 93. A blessed dame.] The divine mercy.
v. 97. Lucia.] The enlightening grace of heaven.
v. 124. Three maids.] The divine mercy, Lucia, and Beatrice.
v. 127. As florets.] This simile is well translated by Chaucer-- But right as floures through the cold of night Iclosed, stoupen in her stalkes lowe, Redressen hem agen the sunne bright, And speden in her kinde course by rowe, &c. Troilus and Creseide, b.ii. It has been imitated by many others, among whom see Berni, Orl.Inn. Iib. 1. c. xii. st. 86. Marino, Adone, c.
xvii. st. 63. and Sor. "Donna vestita di nero." and Spenser's Faery Queen,b.4. c. xii. st. 34. and b. 6 c. ii. st. 35.
v. 5. Power divine Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.] The three persons of the blessed Trinity. v. 9. all hope abandoned.] Lasciate ogni speranza voi ch'entrate. So Berni, Orl. Inn. lib. i. c. 8. st. 53. Lascia pur della vita ogni speranza.
v. 29. Like to the sand.] Unnumber'd as the sands Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil Levied to side with warring winds, and poise Their lighter wings. Milton, P. L. ii. 908.
v. 40. Lest th' accursed tribe.] Lest the rebellious angels should exult at seeing those who were neutral and therefore less guilty, condemned to the same punishment with themselves.
v. 50. A flag.] All the grisly legions that troop Under the sooty flag of Acheron Milton. Comus.
v. 56. Who to base fear Yielding, abjur'd his high estate.] This is commonly understood of Celestine the Fifth, who abdicated the papal power in 1294. Venturi mentions a work written by Innocenzio Barcellini, of the Celestine order, and printed in Milan in 1701, In which an attempt is made to put a different interpretation on this passage.
v. 70. through the blear light.] Lo fioco lume So Filicaja, canz. vi. st.
12. Qual fioco lume.
v. 77. An old man.] Portitor has horrendus aquas et flumina servat Terribili squalore Charon, cui plurima mento Canities inculta jacet; stant lumina flamma. Virg. 7. Aen. Iib. vi. 2.
v. 82. In fierce heat and in ice.] The delighted spirit To bathe in fiery floods or to reside In thrilling regions of thick ribbed ice. Shakesp. Measure for Measure, a. iii.s.1. Compare Milton, P. L. b. ii. 600.
v. 92. The livid lake.] Vada livida. Virg. Aen. Iib. vi. 320 Totius ut Lacus putidaeque paludis Lividissima, maximeque est profunda vorago. Catullus. xviii. 10.
v.102. With eyes of burning coal.] His looks were dreadful, and his fiery eyes Like two great beacons glared bright and wide. Spenser. F.Q. b.
vi.c. vii.st. 42
v. 104. As fall off the light of autumnal leaves.] Quam multa in silvisautumul frigore primo Lapsa cadunt folia. Virg. Aen. lib. vi. 309 Compare Apoll. Rhod. lib. iv. 214.
v. 8. A thund'rous sound.] Imitated, as Mr. Thyer has remarked, by Milton, P. L. b. viii. 242. But long ere our approaching heard Noise, other, than the sound of dance or song Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage.
v. 50. a puissant one.] Our Saviour.
v. 75. Honour the bard Sublime.]
Onorate l'altissimo poeta. So Chiabrera, Canz. Eroiche. 32. Onorando l'altissimo poeta.
v. 79. Of semblance neither sorrowful nor glad.] She nas to sober ne to glad. Chaucer's Dream.
v. 90. The Monarch of sublimest song.] Homer.
v. 100. Fitter left untold.] Che'l tacere e bello, So our Poet, in Canzone14. La vide in parte che'l tacere e bello, Ruccellai, Le Api, 789. Ch'a dire e brutto ed a tacerlo e bello And Bembo, "Vie pui bello e il tacerle, che il favellarne." Gli. Asol. lib. 1.
