61. The two rivers between which Bologna is situated. In the Bolognese dialect sipa is used for sì.
72. They cease going round the circles as heretofore, and now go straight forward to the centre of the abyss.
86. For the story of Jason, Medea, and the Golden Fleece, see Ovid, Metamorph. VII. Also Chaucer, Legende of Goode Women:—
"Thou roote of fals loveres, duke Jason!
Thou slye devourer and confusyon
Of gentil wommen, gentil creatures!"
92. When the women of Lemnos put to death all the male inhabitants of the island, Hypsipyle concealed her father Thoas, and spared his life. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautics, II., Fawkes's Tr.:—
"Hypsipyle alone, illustrious maid,
Spared her sire Thoas, who the sceptre swayed."
122. "Allessio Interminelli," says Benvenuto da Imola, "a soldier, a nobleman, and of gentle manners, was of Lucca, and from him descended that tyrant Castruccio who filled all Tuscany with fear, and was lord of Pisa, Lucca, and Pistoja, of whom Dante makes no mention, because he became illustrious after the author's death. Alessio took such delight in flattery, that he could not open his mouth without flattering. He besmeared everybody, even the lowest menials."
The Ottimo says, that in the dialect of Lucca the head "was facetiously called a pumpkin."
133. Thaïs, the famous courtesan of Athens. Terence, The Eunuch, Act III. Sc. 1:—
"Thraso. Did Thaïs really return me many thanks?
"Gnatho. Exceeding thanks.
"Thraso. Was she delighted, say you?'
"Gnatho. Not so much, indeed, at the present itself, as because it was given by you; really, in right earnest, she does exult at that."
136. "The filthiness of some passages," exclaims Landor, Pentameron, p. 15, "would disgrace the drunkenest horse-dealer; and the names of such criminals are recorded by the poet, as would be forgotten by the hangman in six months."
CANTO XIX.
1. The Third Bolgia is devoted to the Simoniacs, so called from Simon Magus, the Sorcerer mentioned in Acts viii. 9, 18. See [[../../Volume 3/Notes#Canto30|Par. XXX. Note 147]].
Brunetto Latini touches lightly upon them in the Tesoretto, XXI. 259, on account of their high ecclesiastical dignity. His pupil is less reverential in this particular.
"Altri per simonia
Si getta in mala via,
E Dio e' Santi offende
E vende le prebende,
E Sante Sagramente,
