v. 101.  Our suburban turret.] Uccellatojo, near Florence, from whence that city was discovered.

v. 103.  Bellincion Berti.] Hell, Canto xvi. 38. nd Notes.  There is a curious description of the simple manner in which the earlier Florentines dressed themselves in G. Villani, 1 vi. c. 71.

v. 110.  Of Nerli and of Vecchio.] Two of the most opulent families in Florence.

v. 113.  Each.] “None fearful either of dying in banishment, or of being deserted by her husband on a scheme of battle in France.

v. 120.  A Salterello and Cianghella.] The latter a shameless woman of the family of Tosa, married to Lito degli Alidosi of Imola:  the former Lapo Salterello, a lawyer, with whom Dante was at variance.

v. 125.  Mary.] The Virgin was involved in the pains of child-birth Purgatory, Canto xx. 21.

v. 130 Valdipado.] Cacciaguida’s wife, whose family name was Aldighieri; came from Ferrara, called Val di Pado, from its being watered by the Po.

v. 131.  Conrad.] The Emperor Conrad iii who died in 1152.  See G. Villani, 1. iv. 34.

v. 136.  Whose people.] The Mahometans, who were left in possession of the Holy Land, through the supineness of the Pope.

CANTO XVI

v. 10.  With greeting.] The Poet, who had addressed the spirit, not knowing him to be his ancestor, with a plain “Thou,” now uses more ceremony, and calls him “You,” according to a custom introduced among the Romans in the latter times of the empire.

v. 15.  Guinever.] Beatrice’s smile encouraged him to proceed just as the cough of Ginevra’s female servant gave her mistress assurance to admit the freedoms of Lancelot.  See Hell, Canto V. 124.

v. 23.  The fold.] Florence, of which John the Baptist was the patron saint.

v. 31.  From the day.] From the Incarnation to the birth of Cacciaguida, the planet Mars had returned five hundred and fifty-three times to the constellation of Leo, with which it is supposed to have a congenial influence.  His birth may, therefore, be placed about 1106.

v. 38.  The last.] The city was divided into four compartments.  The Elisei, the ancestors of Dante, resided near the entrance of that named from the Porta S. Piero, which was the last reached by the competitor in the annual race at Florence.  See G. Villani, 1. iv. c. 10.

v. 44.  From Mars.] “Both in the times of heathenish and of Christianity.”  Hell, Canto xiii. 144.

v. 48.  Campi and Certaldo and Fighine.] Country places near Florence.

v. 50.  That these people.] That the inhabitants of the above-mentioned places had not been mixed with the citizens:  nor the limits of Florence extended beyond Galluzzo and Trespiano.”

v. 54.  Aguglione’s hind and Signa’s.] Baldo of Aguglione, and Bonifazio of Signa.