v. 101.  My predecessor.] Celestine V. See Notes to Canto iii.

Canto xxviii.

v.8.  In that long war.] The war of Hannibal in Italy.  “When Mago brought news of his victories to Carthage, in order to make his successes more easily credited, he commanded the golden rings to be poured out in the senate house, which made so large a heap, that, as some relate, they filled three modii and a half.  A more probable account represents them not to have exceeded one modius.”  Livy, Hist.

v. 12.  Guiscard’s Norman steel.] Robert Guiscard, who conquered the kingdom of Naples, and died in 1110.  G. Villani, l. iv. c. 18.  He is introduced in the Paradise, Canto xviii.

v. 13.  And those the rest.] The army of Manfredi, which, through the treachery of the Apulian troops, wns overcome by Charles of Anjou in 1205, and fell in such numbers that the bones of the slain were still gathered near Ceperano.  G. Villani, l. vii. c. 9.  See the Purgatory, Canto iii.

v. 10.  O Tagliocozzo.] He alludes to tile victory which Charles gained over Conradino, by the sage advice of the Sieur de Valeri, in 1208.  G. Villani, l. vii. c. 27.

v. 32.  Ali.] The disciple of Mohammed.

v. 53.  Dolcino.] “In 1305, a friar, called Dolcino, who belonged to no regular order, contrived to raise in Novarra, in Lombardy, a large company of the meaner sort of people, declaring himself to be a true apostle of Christ, and promulgating a community of property and of wives, with many other such heretical doctrines.  He blamed the pope, cardinals, and other prelates of the holy church, for not observing their duty, nor leading the angelic life, and affirmed that he ought to be pope.  He was followed by more than three thousand men and women, who lived promiscuously on the mountains together, like beasts, and, when they wanted provisions, supplied themselves by depredation and rapine.  This lasted for two years till, many being struck with compunction at the dissolute life they led, his sect was much diminished; and through failure of food, and the severity of the snows, he was taken by the people of Novarra, and burnt, with Margarita his companion and many other men and women whom his errors had seduced.”  G. Villanni, l. viii. c. 84.

Landino observes, that he was possessed of singular eloquence, and that both he and Margarita endored their fate with a firmness worthy of a better cause.  For a further account of him, see Muratori Rer.  Ital.  Script. t. ix. p. 427.

v. 69.  Medicina.] A place in the territory of Bologna.  Piero fomented dissensions among the inhabitants of that city, and among the leaders of the neighbouring states.

v. 70.  The pleasant land.] Lombardy.

v. 72.  The twain.] Guido dal Cassero and Angiolello da Cagnano, two of the worthiest and most distinguished citizens of Fano, were invited by Malatestino da Rimini to an entertainment on pretence that he had some important business to transact with them:  and, according to instructions given by him, they mere drowned in their passage near Catolica, between Rimini and Fano.