Authors: Dante
9.
For “phantasy” as a technical term in medieval versions of Aristotelian “physiology of mind,” see Carroll (comm. to
Par.
IV.28–48) and Singleton (comm. to
Purg.
XVII.13–18); see also the note to
Purgatorio
XVII.13–18. This faculty is the image-receiving element in the mind. Carroll, Singleton, and Hollander consequently use this spelling in order to distinguish this term from the modern one, “fantasy,” a daydream or another form of fictive flight.
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10.
The first commentator to report the resonance here of Apocalypse 8:13, “Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead,” was Tommaseo (comm. to vv. 10–12). The context is the fourth angelic trumpet blast, and the eagle is announcing woe to those who dwell on earth. Dante’s Eagle, on the other hand, has a more eupeptic message.
It seems clear that Geoffrey Chaucer was amused when he read this verse; his loquacious eagle in that delightful send-up of Dante’s poem,
The House of Fame
, surely was one poet’s laughing salute to another.
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13.
Bosco/Reggio (comm. to this verse) point out the resonance of the description of Trajan (shortly himself to appear in the poem at
Par.
XX.44–45) in
Purgatorio
X.93, where he is portrayed as moved by
giustizia
and
pietà
.
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14–15.
These verses were initially and widely interpreted to refer to that glory (salvation) that is greater than any desire for it. Scartazzini (comm. to verse 15), however, cites Bartolomeo Perazzini (
Note alla “Divina Commedia”
[Venice, 1844], p. 155), who says that the heavenly glory won by these souls, even more than did their desire, reflected (and rewarded) their deeds. Given the context of their virtuous acts as rulers, this interpretation has won support ever since it was presented by Scartazzini and Campi (comm. to vv. 13–15). Nonetheless, there is still no consensus, with various commentators advancing the one or the other explanation. Here is Carroll (comm. to vv. 1–18), summarizing the debate before attempting to find a way out: “Two interpretations are suggested: (1) that this glory of Jupiter is superior to all human desire; (2) that it does not allow itself to be won by mere desire—it must be worked for (Matth. 7:21). I venture to suggest a third: the common way in which kings aim at glory is at their own ‘desire’ or
ambition, and earthly glory may be so won. But not so the glory of this Heaven: it can be ‘conquered’ only ‘by being just and merciful.’ ”
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16–18.
We may need to remind ourselves that the Eagle is speaking as a corporate entity, his “I” really meaning “we,” that is, the virtuous rulers composing his shape have all left exemplary lives behind them that draw lip service but no imitative good actions.
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18.
The commentators, from Benvenuto (comm. to vv. 16–18) onward, generally take
storia
here in the sense of
exemplum
, that is, according to the fourteenth-century Dantist, the wicked on the earth do not follow the positive examples of these virtuous rulers, present here in the Eagle, of whom we shall see some in the next canto.
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19–21.
The simile pounds home the poet’s insistence that the plurality of souls making up the Eagle’s unity sing as a single voice.
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22–24.
The protagonist himself, as it were, picks up the theme of the simile only to express it in metaphor: He believes that these souls have become a garden of flowers giving off a single perfume, that is, speaking as one.
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25–33.
We probably are reminded of the presence in Limbo of the virtuous pagans (unauthorized by previous authority, e.g., St. Thomas, who denies them a place alongside the only inhabitants of the “orthodox” Limbus, the innocent but unbaptized infants [see the note to
Inf.
IV.30]). It was clear from that earlier passage that our poet had a problem with traditional Christian views of the “guilt” of otherwise morally good (or even excellent) human beings. The last words of his request to the souls in the Eagle make it plain that in his life he had been bothered by the Church’s teaching on the postmortal situation of the virtuous heathen.
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25.
The gerund (perhaps used here as a present participle)
spirando
(breathing forth) is a form of the verb (
spirare
) that Dante uses to indicate the “spiration” of the Holy Spirit. For confirmation of this association, see verse 101.
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28–30.
The poet here refers, as Tommaseo (comm. to this tercet) was apparently the first commentator to point out, to Cunizza’s words in
Paradiso
IX.61–62, from which he has learned that the angelic order of
Thrones, presiding over the heaven of Saturn, is designated as reflecting divine justice. But this does not mean that these just souls here in Jupiter are innocent of such knowledge, since they know about earthly justice and, further, like all the saved, see the higher form reflected in God Himself.
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34–39.
This is the first of two similes based on avian behavior in this canto. This one shows a tamed falcon being prepared to go off on a hunt for prey, while the next, at vv. 91–96, completes the implicitly joined image with a stork that has fed its young.
For six other references to falconry in the poem, see Bosco/Reggio (comm. to vv. 34–36).
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35.
For the double sense here of the Latin verb
plaudere
(both “to beat one’s wings” and “to express approval” [as found in both Ovid and Virgil]), see Scartazzini (comm. to this verse).
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40–63.
The following is Tozer’s paraphrase of these lines: “God, who created all things, infinitely surpasses in Himself the wisdom which appears in His creation (ll. 40–45). Lucifer, the highest of created beings, fell, because he lacked as yet the light which would have enabled him to see God perfectly (ll. 46–48). How much more feeble must be the vision of beings inferior to him! (ll. 49–51). Hence our minds cannot have any true conception of God’s attributes (ll. 52–57), and, in particular, of His justice (ll. 58–63).”
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40.
For the image of the compass in God’s designing of the universe, see Proverbs 8:27, as was perhaps first noted by Tommaseo (comm. to vv. 40–42). Torraca added the information that Dante himself cited this passage in
Convivio
III (xv.16).
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46–48.
Lucifer’s fall (and that of the other rebellious angels) will have an entire passage to itself for Beatrice’s elucidation in
Paradiso
XXIX.49–66. For Adam’s contrasting “ripeness,” see
Paradiso
XXVI.91. The poet might seem to suggest that Lucifer did not await God’s finishing His creation of him, which would have made him “perfect” with the light of grace.
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58–60.
Some commentators follow Scartazzini (comm. to verse 58) in ascribing this thought to Psalm 35:7 [36:6], “Your judgments are like the great deep,” first cited, if without ascription, by John of Serravalle (comm. to vv. 70–78).
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64–66.
The answer to Dante’s question will be found in God alone (in the metaphor, such shining as is never clouded over), as opposed to human sight, obfuscated by clouds of unknowing (products of our fallible or, worse, corrupt senses).
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67–69.
Marked by two Latinisms used as rhymes (
latebra
, “hiding-place”;
crebra
, “frequent”), this tercet marks the Eagle’s finally coming to grips with Dante’s insistent question about the justice of the condemnation of pagans who had apparently committed no positive sin.
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69.
The poet, allowing the Eagle to do so for him, insists once again that his life has been marked by a sort of prehumanist zeal to defend the pagans from unfair Christian treatment. But see the note to vv. 88–90.
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70–78.
This passage gives the fullest and most affecting version of this question, one that was directed at, as we have seen, perhaps the single most troubling aspect of Christian orthodoxy for Dante. The language, if indirectly, revisits a scene from
Purgatorio
(XXI.7–13), the appearance of Statius, himself led to salvation by Virgil, represented so as to be reminiscent of Jesus, resurrected, appearing to Cleopas and his wife. See Luke 24:19, a description of Jesus given by Cleopas (to Jesus Himself, whom he did not at first recognize), “vir propheta potens in opere et sermone” (a prophet mighty in deed and word), perhaps first cited by Tommaseo (comm. to vv. 73–75). In
Purgatorio
XXI.17–18, Virgil, hoping Statius will soon enjoy the fruits of salvation, refers to his own situation, condemned by “the unerring court / that confines me in eternal exile,” with full acceptance of his guilt in God’s eyes. It is difficult to read the passage at hand and not think of Virgil. Once we encounter some of the virtuous pagans who were saved in the next canto, it will once more be difficult not to think of him.
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70–72.
For a meditation on the challenge to Dante’s claim to universality presented by those dwelling beyond the Indus (i.e., in India or even farther to the east), see Schildgen (Schi.1993.1).
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77.
As Foster explains (Fost.1976.1), p. 83, this hypothetical Indian must be condemned to Limbo, for he is (verse 73) without sin.
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79–90.
Up until now we have probably been sympathizing with the protagonist’s unwillingness to embrace the justice that would condemn such
an essentially admirable human being who, through no fault of his own, has not heard the Word. Suddenly the Eagle pounces on Dante (his “tu” is most personal, where in most of the rest of his long speech [vv. 40–90], with the exception of five other second-person singular pronouns or verbs within four lines, 67–70, he seems to be thinking of all mortals, three times addressing us as “voi”). “Who are you, Dante, to judge God’s judgment?” Further (and now the Eagle resorts to third-person attack, Dante being offhandedly treated as a caviling subtilizer), is he not aware of what the Bible says? See the discussion of Romans 9:20 in the note to vv. 79–81.
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79–81.
As a biblical source for this tercet, Venturi (comm. to verse 79) adduces the Pauline formula (Romans 9:20) that will have most currency among later commentators: “o homo tu quis es qui respondeas Deo?” (But who are you, O man, that you answer back to God? [Is this the source of the Eagle’s “tu”?]) Tommaseo adds a reference to Dante himself speaking in this vein (
Conv
. IV.v.9).
For the notion that this is the most important tercet of the canto, see Scrivano (Scri.1995.1), p. 29.
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81.
A “span” is as much as can be covered by a human palm, that is, not very much, at least not in comparison with one thousand miles.
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