v. 41.  The land.l The territory of Forli, the inhabitants of which, in 1282, mere enabled, hy the strategem of Guido da Montefeltro, who then governed it, to defeat with great slaughter the French army by which it had been besieged.  See G. Villani, l. vii. c. 81.  The poet informs Guido, its former ruler, that it is now in the possession of Sinibaldo Ordolaffi, or Ardelaffi, whom he designates by his coat of arms, a lion vert.

v. 43.  The old mastiff of Verucchio and the young.] Malatesta and Malatestino his son, lords of Rimini, called, from their ferocity, the mastiffs of Verruchio, which was the name of their castle.

v. 44.  Montagna.] Montagna de’Parcitati, a noble knight, and leader of the Ghibelline party at Rimini, murdered by Malatestino.

v. 46.  Lamone’s city and Santerno’s.] Lamone is the river at Faenza, and Santerno at Imola.

v. 47.  The lion of the snowy lair.] Machinardo Pagano, whose arms were a lion azure on a field argent; mentioned again in the Purgatory, Canto xiv. 122.  See G. Villani passim, where he is called Machinardo da Susinana.

v. 50.  Whose flank is wash’d of SSavio’s wave.] Cesena, situated at the foot of a mountain, and washed by the river Savio, that often descends with a swoln and rapid stream from the Appenine.

v. 64.  A man of arms.] Guido da Montefeltro.

v. 68.  The high priest.] Boniface viii.

v. 72.  The nature of the lion than the fox.]
        Non furon leonine ma di volpe. 
So Pulci, Morg.  Magg. c. xix.

        E furon le sua opre e le sue colpe
        Non creder leonine ma di volpe.

v. 81.  The chief of the new Pharisee.] Boniface viii. whose enmity to the family of Colonna prompted him to destroy their houses near the Lateran.  Wishing to obtain possession of their other seat, Penestrino, he consulted with Guido da Montefeltro how he might accomplish his purpose, offering him at the same time absolution for his past sins, as well as for that which he was then tempting him to commit.  Guido’s advice was, that kind words and fair promises nonld put his enemies into his power; and they accordingly soon aftermards fell into the snare laid for them, A.D. 1298.  See G. Villani, l. viii. c. 23.

v. 84.  Nor against Acre one
               Had fought.]
He alludes to the renegade Christians, by whom the Saracens, in Apri., 1291, were assisted to recover St.John d’Acre, the last possession of the Christians in the Iloly Land.  The regret expressed by the Florentine annalist G. Villani, for the loss of this valuable fortress, is well worthy of observation, l. vii. c. 144.

v. 89.  As in Soracte Constantine besought.] So in Dante’s treatise De Monarchia:  “Dicunt quidam adhue, quod Constantinus Imperator, mundatus a lepra intercessione Syvestri, tunc summni pontificis imperii sedem, scilicet Romam, donavit ecclesiae, cum multis allis imperii dignitatibus.”  Lib.iii.