that thou wilt he able to gloss it.[10] This deed released him from those limits.”[11] [1] This stooping is the symbol of Dante’s consciousness of pride as his own besetting sin. [2] Oderisi of Gubbio and Franco of Bologna were both eminent in the art called miniare in Italian, enluminer in French. [3] Ages in which no progress is made. [4] The first Guido is doubtless Guido Guinicelli, whom Dante calls (see Canto XXVI.) his master; the other probably Dante’s friend, Guido Cavalcanti. [5] Dante’s words are pappo and dindi, childish terms for “bread” and “money.” [6] The mad Florentine people were utterly cast down in 1260, at the battle of Montaperti. [7] The sun. [8] Provinzano Salvani was one of the chief supporters of the Ghibelline cause in Tuscany. He was a man of great qualities and capacity, but proud and presumptuous. Defeated and taken prisoner at the battle of Colle, in 1269, he was beheaded. [9] The Campo of Siena is her chief public square and marketplace, set round with palaces. The friend of Provinzano is said by the old commentators to have fought for Conradin against Charles of Anjou, and, being taken captive, to have been condemned to death. His ransom was fixed at ten thousand florins. Provinzano, not being able to pay this sum from his own means, took his seat in the Campo and humiliated himself to beg of the passers-by. [10] The meaning of the dark words seems to be: Exile and poverty will compel thee to beg, and begging to tremble in every vein. [11] This deed of humility and charity released him from the necessity of tarrying outside the gate of Purgatory. CANTO XII. First Ledge: the Proud.—Examples of the punishment of Pride graven on the pavement.—Meeting with an Angel who removes one of the P’s.—Ascent to the Second Ledge. Side by side, like oxen who go yoked, I went on with that burdened spirit so long as the sweet Pedagogue allowed it; but when he said, “Leave him, and come on, for here it is well that, both with sail and oars, each as much as he can should urge his bark,” I straitened up my body again, as is required for walking, although my thoughts remained both bowed down and abated. I was moving on, and following willingly the steps of my Master, and both now were showing how light we were, when he said to me, “Turn thine eyes downward; it will be well for thee, in order to solace the way, to look upon the bed of thy footprints.” As above the buried, so that there may be memory of them, their tombs in earth bear inscribed that which they were before,—whence oftentimes is weeping for them there, through the pricking of remembrance, which only to the pious gives the spur,—so saw I figured there, but of better semblance in respect of skill, all that for pathway juts out from the mountain. I saw him who was created more noble than any other creature,[1] down from heaven with lightning flash descending, at one side. [1] Lucifer.