The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri · Dante Alighieri
FOOTNOTES:
There is a remarkable sonnet by Guido Cavalcanti addressed to Dante, reproaching him for the deterioration in his thoughts and habits, and urging him to rid himself of the woman who has bred the trouble. This may refer to the time after the death of Beatrice. See also _Purg._ xxx. 124. [50] _Convito_ ii. 13. [51] Some recent writers set his marriage five years later, and reduce the number of his children to three. [52] His sister is probably meant by the 'young and gentle lady, most nearly related to him by blood' mentioned in the _Vita Nuova_. [53] The difference between the Teutonic and Southern conception of marriage must be kept in mind. [54] He describes the weather on the day of the battle with the exactness of one who had been there (_Purg._ v. 155). [55] Leonardo Bruni. [56] _Inf._ xxii. 4. [57] _Inf._ xxi. 95. [58] _Conv._ iii. 9, where he illustrates what he has to say about the nature of vision, by telling that for some time the stars, when he looked at them, seemed lost in a pearly haze. [59] The _Convito_ was to have consisted of fifteen books. Only four were written. [60] _Wife of Bath's Tale._ In the context he quotes _Purg._ vii. 121, and takes ideas from the _Convito_. [61] Dies to sensual pleasure and is abstracted from all worldly affairs and interests. See _Convito_ iv. 28.
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