The Two First Centuries of Florentine History: The Republic and Parties at the Time of Dante. Fourth Impression. — Dante Alighieri — John Shaqi
The Two First Centuries of Florentine History: The Republic and Parties at the Time of Dante. Fourth Impression.
Dante Alighieri · en
Here, then, it should end and give place to history. In fact,
Sanzanome, the earliest of the chroniclers, begins his work with the
destruction of Fiesole. But the "Libro fiesolano" sometimes introduces
capricious turns in the framework of the legend, and at this point
makes an addition worthy of note as an evidence of the mode in which
these fantastic stories were built up. The added portion refers to
the Uberti, powerful citizens always opposed to popular government in
Florence. According to tradition, they came originally from Germany
with the Othos. Evidently, however, this theory was repugnant to the
author of the "Libro fiesolano," possibly an adherent of the Uberti,
and he therefore remarks, with some heat, that, on the contrary, the
Uberti were descended from Catiline, "most noble king of Rome," with
Trojan blood running in his veins. Catiline's son Uberto Cesare had a
Fiesolan wife, who bore him sixteen children; and he was afterwards
sent by Augustus to reconquer Saxony, which had risen in rebellion.
While in that country Uberto Catilina married a German lady of high
position, and from this union sprang "the lineage of the good Ceto
[Otho] of Sansognia." Thus it is false that the Uberti were "born of
the Emperor of Germany, the truth being that the emperor was born of
their race."[55] This addition, posterior to the rest of the legend,
shows that the author desired to exalt the Uberti; but, remembering
their constant hostility to the Florentine government, declared them
descended from Catiline and his Fiesolan bride. Also, being unable to
deny outright their Ghibelline proclivities and Germanic origin, yet
unwilling to acknowledge their descent from the Othos, he converts them
into the latter's progenitors. Thus the legend is brought into harmony
with its compiler's views, or rather, with his intent of magnifying his
friends.
Inquiry into the sources of this legend would only lead us astray,
without throwing any new light on the origin of Florence, since the
fable has no real historical value. We need only say that, besides
Darses' "De excidio Troiae," the commentary to Virgil of Servius;
Orosio's History, Paolo Diacono's Roman History, and the "Storia
Miscella," &c., must have been consulted for its compilation.[56]
Leaving the question aside, we may rather note that, although Villani
and Malespini both give the legend as a preface to their histories,
they not only refer to two separate compilations, but use them in
a totally different way.[57] This is another proof that even if
Malespini's chronicle were copied from Villani, it is not always
an exact reproduction. He refers to the "Libro fiesolano,"[58] but
enlarges it with two entire chapters of his own, containing a complete
story, probably derived from some episode of the Catiline legend. And
although teeming with the strangest anachronisms, it is better written
and far livelier than the rest.