# Purgatory Canto 14

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

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> 
> Canto XIV
> 
> Argument
> 
>      Our Poet on this second cornice finds also the souls of Guido del Duca of
> Brettinoro, and Rinieri da Calboli of Romagna; the latter of whom, hearing
> that he comes from the banks of the Arno, inveighs against the degeneracy of
> all those who dwell in the cities visited by that stream; and the former, in
> like manner, against the inhabitants of Romagna. On leaving these, our Poets
> hear voices recording noted instances of envy.
> 
> "Say,[1] who is he around our mountain winds,
> Or ever death has pruned his wing to flight;
> That opens his eyes, and covers them at will?"
> "I know not who he is, but know thus much;
> He comes not singly. Do thou ask of him,
> For thou art nearer to him; and take heed,
> Accost him gently, so that he may speak."
> 
> [1: "Say." The two spirits who thus speak to each other are Guido del
> Duca, of Brettinoro, and Rinieri da Calboli, of Romagna.]
> 
> Thus on the right two spirits, bending each
> Toward the other, talk'd of me; then both
> Addressing me, their faces backward lean'd,
> And thus the one[2] began: "O soul, who yet
> Pent in the body, tendest towards the sky!
> For charity, we pray thee, comfort us;
> Recounting whence thou comest, and who thou art:
> For thou dost make us, at the favor shown thee,
> Marvel, as at a thing that ne'er hath been."
> 
> [2: "The one." Guido del Duca.]
> 
> "There stretches through the midst of Tuscany,"
> I straight began, "a brooklet,[3] whose well - head
> Springs up in Falterona; with his race
> Not satisfied, when he some hundred miles
> Hath measured. From his banks bring I this frame.
> To tell you who I am were words mis - spent:
> For yet my name scarce sounds on rumour's lip."
> 
> [3: The Arno, that rises in Falterona, a mountain in the Apennines.
> Its course is 120 miles.]
> 
> "If well I do incorporate with my thought
> The meaning of thy speech," said he, who first
> Address'd me, "thou dost speak of Arno's wave."
> 
> To whom the other:[4] "Why hath he conceal'd
> The title of that river, as a man
> Doth of some horrible thing?" The spirit, who
> 
> [4: Rinieri da Calboli.]
> 
> Thereof was question'd, did acquit him thus:
> "I know not: but 'tis fitting well the name
> Should perish of that vale; for from the source,[5]
> Where teems so plenteously the Alpine steep
> Maim'd of Pelorus, (that doth scarcely pass
> Beyond that limit), even to the point
> Where unto ocean is restored what heaven
> Drains from the exhaustless store for all earth's streams,
> Throughout the space is virtue worried down,
> As't were a snake, by all, for mortal foe;
> Or through disastrous influence on the place,
> Or else distortion of misguided wills
> That custom goads to evil: whence in those,
> The dwellers in that miserable vale,
> Nature is so transform'd, it seems as they
> Had shared of Circe's feeding. 'Midst brute swine,[6]
> Worthier of acorns than of other food
> Created for man's use, he shapeth first
> His obscure way; then, sloping onward, finds
> Curs,[7] snarlers more in spite than power, from whom
> He turns with scorn aside: still journeying down,
> By how much more the curst and luckless foss[8]
> Swells out to largeness, e'en so much it finds
> Dogs turning into wolves.[9] Descending still
> Through yet more hollow eddies, next he meets
> A race of foxes,[10] so replete with craft,
> They do not fear that skill can master it.
> Nor will I cease because my words are heard[11]
> By other ears than thine. It shall be well
> For this man,[12] if he keep in memory
> What from no erring spirit I reveal.
> Lo! I behold thy grandson,[13] that becomes
> 
> [5: From the rise of the Arno in the Apennines, whence Pelorus in
> Sicily was torn by a convulsion of the earth, even to the point where the same
> river unites with the ocean, Virtue is persecuted by all.]
> 
> [6: The people of Casentino.]
> 
> [7: "Curs." The Arno leaves Arezzo about four miles to the left.]
> 
> [8: "Foss." So in his anger he terms the Arno.]
> 
> [9: "Wolves." The Florentines.]
> 
> [10: "Foxes." The Pisans.]
> 
> [11: Guido still addresses Rinieri.]
> 
> [12: For Dante, who has told us that he comes from the banks of
> Arno.]
> 
> [13: "Thy grandson." Fulcieri da Calboli, grandson of Rinieri da
> Calboli, who is here spoken to. The atrocities predicted came to pass in
> 1302.]
> 
> A hunter of those wolves, upon the shore
> Of the fierce stream; and cows them all with dread.
> Their flesh, yet living, sets he up to sale,
> Then, like an aged beast, to slaughter dooms.
> Many of life he reaves, himself of worth
> And goodly estimation. Smear'd with gore,
> Mark how he issues from the rueful wood;
> Leaving such havoc, that in thousand years
> It spreads not to prime lustihood again."
> 
> As one, who tidings hears of woe to come,
> Changes his looks perturb'd, from whate'er part
> The peril grasp him; so beheld I change
> That spirit, who had turn'd to listen; struck
> With sadness, soon as he had caught the word.
> 
> His visage, and the other's speech, did raise
> Desire in me to know the names of both;
> Whereof, with meek entreaty, I inquired.
> 
> The shade, who late address'd me, thus resumed:
> "Thy wish imports, that I vouchsafe to do
> For thy sake what thou wilt not do for mine.
> But, since God's will is that so largely shine
> His grace in thee, I will be liberal too.
> Guido of Duca know then that I am.
> Envy so parch'd my blood, that had I seen
> A fellow man made joyous, thou had'st mark'd
> A livid paleness overspread my cheek.
> Such harvest reap I of the seed I sow'd.
> O man! why place thy heart where there doth need
> Exclusion of participants in good?
> This is Rinieri's spirit; this, the boast
> And honour of the house of Calboli;
> Where of his worth no heritage remains.
> Nor his the only blood, that hath been stript
> ('Twixt Po, the mount, the Reno, and the shore[14])
> Of all that truth or fancy asks for bliss:
> But, in those limits, such a growth has sprung
> Of rank and venom'd roots, as long would mock
> Slow culture's toil. Where is good Lizio?[15] where
> 
> [14: The boundaries of Romagna.]
> 
> [15: "Lizio." Lizio da Valbona introduced into Boccaccio's Decameron,
> G. v. N. 4.]
> 
> Mainardi, Traversaro, and Carpigna?[16]
> O bastard slips of old Romagna's line!
> When in Bologna the low artisan,[17]
> And in Faenza yon Bernardin[18] sprouts,
> A gentle cyon from ignoble stem.
> Wonder not, Tuscan, if thou see me weep,
> When I recall to mind those once loved names,
> Guido of Prata,[19] and of Azzo him[20]
> That dwelt with us; Tignoso[21] and his troop,
> With Traversaro's house and Anastagio's,[22]
> (Each race disherited); and beside these,
> The ladies and the knights, the toils and ease,
> That witch'd us into love and courtesy;
> Where now such malice reigns in recreant hearts
> O Brettinoro![23] wherefore tarriest still,
> Since forth of thee thy family hath gone,
> And many, hating evil, join'd their steps?
> Well doeth he, that bids his lineage cease,
> Bagnacavallo;[24] Castrocaro ill,
> And Conio worse,[25] who care to propagate
> A race of Counties[26] from such blood as theirs.
> Well shall ye also do, Pagani,[27] then
> When from amongst you hies your demon child;
> Not so, howe'er, that thenceforth there remain
> 
> [16: Arrigo Manardi, of Faenza, or, as some say, of Brettinoro; Pier
> Traversaro, Lord of Ravenna; and Guido di Carpigna, of Montefeltro.]
> 
> [17: One who had been a mechanic, named Lambertaccio, arrived at
> almost supreme power in Bologna.]
> 
> [18: Benardin di Fosco, a man of low origin, but great talents, who
> governed at Faenza.]
> 
> [19: "Prata." A place between Faenza and Ravenna.]
> 
> [20: "Of Azzo him." Ugolino, of the Ubaldini family in Tuscany.]
> 
> [21: Federigo Tignoso of Rimini.]
> 
> [22: Two noble families of Ravenna.]
> 
> [23: "O Brettinoro." A beautifully situated castle in Romagna, the
> hospitable residence of Guido del Duca, who is here speaking. Landino relates
> that there were several of this family who, when a stranger arrived among them
> contended with one another by whom he should be entertained; and that in order
> to end this dispute, they set up a pillar with as many rings as there were
> father of families among them, a ring being assigned to each, and that
> accordingly as a stranger on his arrival hung his horse's bridle on one or
> other of these, he became his guest to whom the ring belonged.]
> 
> [24: "Bagnacavallo." A castle between Imola and Ravenna.]
> 
> [25: "- Castrocaro ill, and Conio worse." Both in Romagna.]
> 
> [26: "Counties." I have used this word here for "counts," as it is in
> Shakespeare.]
> 
> [27: "Pagani." The Pagani were lords of Faenza and Imola. One of
> them, Machinardo, was named "the Demon," from his treachery. See Hell, Canto
> xxvii. 47 and note.]
> 
> True proof of what ye were. O Hugolin,[28]
> Thou sprung of Fantolini's line! thy name
> Is safe; since none is look'd for after thee
> To cloud its lustre, warping from thy stock.
> But, Tuscan! go thy ways; for now I take
> Far more delight in weeping, than in words.
> Such pity for your sakes hath wrung my heart."
> 
> [28: "Hugolin." Ugolino Ubaldini, a noble and virtuous person in
> Faenza, who, on account of his age probably, was not likely to leave any
> offspring behind him.]
> 
> We knew those gentle spirits, at parting, heard
> Our steps. Their silence therefore, of our way,
> Assured us. Soon as we had quitted them,
> Advancing onward, lo! a voice, that seem'd
> Like volley'd lightning, when it rives the air,
> Met us, and shouted, "Whosoever finds
> Will slay me"; then fled from us, as the bolt
> Lanced sudden from a downward - rushing cloud.
> When it had given short truce unto our hearing,
> Behold the other with a crash as loud
> As the quick - following thunder: "Mark in me
> Aglauros, turn'd to rock." I, at the sound
> Retreating, drew more closely to my guide.
> 
> Now in mute stillness rested all the air;
> And thus he spake: "There was the galling bit,
> Which should keep man within his boundary.
> But your old enemy so baits the hook,
> He drags you eager to him. Hence nor curb
> Avails you, nor reclaiming call. Heaven calls,
> And, round about you wheeling, courts your gaze
> With everlasting beauties. Yet your eye
> Turns with fond doting still upon the earth.
> Therefore He smites you who discerneth all."
>
> — *Purgatory Canto 14*