III

FILIPPO VILLANI'S DE VITA ET MORIBUS DANTIS INSIGNIS COMICI

"THE life and character of Dante the distinguished comedian!" is the curious title of the next document we have of the poet's deeds. Filippo Villani, the author, was a nephew of the great chronicler, a lawyer of renown, who lectured on the Divina Commedia in Florence, and who also wrote a work entitled, Liber de Civitatis Florentinae Famosis Civibus. The Lives are between thirty and forty in number, and are written in Latin. That of Dante is the longest, though occupying but a few pages. He draws chiefly from Boccaccio, but contradicts his statement that lussuria had a large place in Dante, saying that the poet was vitae continentissimae, cibi potusque parcissimus. He also informs us that Dante studied theology in Paris. The most important and original contribution Villani has given us is an account of Dante's last illness. "He was sent by his patron Guido Novello da Polenta on an embassy to Venice, but the Venetians, dreading (says Villani) the power of his eloquence, repeatedly refused to grant him an audience. At the last, being sick with fever, he begged them to convey him back to Ravenna by sea; but they, increasing in their fury against him, utterly refused this, so that he had to undertake the fatiguing and unhealthy journey by

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land. This so aggravated the fever from which he was suffering that he died in a few days after his arrival at Ravenna. We have some details about his burial, especially that apud vestibulum Fratrum Minorum eminenti conditus est sepulcro." 1

Villani gives us very little, excepting the Venetian Embassy, that is not more fully stated in the Life by Boccaccio.

1 Dante and His Early Biographers, p. 61.

IV

THE LIFE OF DANTE BY LIONARDO BRUNI ARETINO

"A MUCH more original character1 and critical value belong to the next of the Early Biographies which we have to consider, that of Lionardo Bruni, commonly known from the name of his birthplace as Lionardo Aretino., Born in 1369 and dying in 1444, he was thus a little more than a century later than Dante, and about half a century later than Boccaccio. He was well acquainted with both Latin and Greek literature, and translated several Greek works, parts of Aristotle, Plato, Demosthenes, etc., and was able to address a Greek oration to the Greek Emperor and Patriarch at the Council of Constance. He filled important political posts at Rome and at Florence, and, regarding him as a biographer of Dante, it is interesting to note that he was at the Council of Constance in attendance on Pope John XXIII., at which Council there was also present John of Serravalle, who, at the instance of the two English bishops, Hallam and Bubwith (also present at the Council), wrote a commentary on the Commedia, which including a brief biography of its author, the chief interest of which is the novel and unsupported assertion of Dante's visit to England, and to London and Oxford in particular. Lionardo, who, as we shall presently see, is entirely ignorant of any such journey, and by implication excludes the possibility of it, must doubtless have met Serravalle and his patrons at the Council. It is curious to speculate whether they compared notes or otherwise discoursed together about the sub

1 Dante and His Early Biographers, Dr. Edward Moore, pp. 64-66.

ject of their common literary labors.

Lionardo was a some

what voluminous writer on a variety of subjects, some of his works being in Latin and some in Italian.

"His chief work is a Historia Florentina from the earliest times to 1404.

"In the particular work with which we are concerned he begins by taking his readers into his confidence in a very pleasant and lively manner. I had just completed,' he says, a few days ago a somewhat laborious work, and I felt the need of some literary recreation, for variation in the subjects of study is quite as necessary as variety in one's diet. Just as I was thinking about this, I chanced to take up again the Life of Dante by Boccaccio, a book which I had indeed formerly read with much care. It struck me that Boccaccio, excellent man and charming writer though he is, had written the life of the sublime poet as though he had been undertaking another Filocolo, Filostrato, or Fiammetta' (referring to well-known light works of Boccaccio). Indeed he seems to write with the idea that a man is born into the world for nothing else than to qualify himself for a place in the Decameron. Consequently, Boccaccio has recorded numerous trivialities about the life of Dante, but has neglected the weightier and more serious parts of his life. ‘I propose, therefore,' says Lionardo, to write for my diversion a new life of Dante, paying greater attention to the significant events. I do this not in disparagement of Boccaccio, but that I may compose a supplement to his work.'"

Dante's ancestors1 belonged to one of the oldest Florentine families. Indeed the poet in certain passages seems to imply that they were among those Romans who founded Florence. But this is most doubtful, mere supposition, as it seems to me. His

1 The Earliest Lives of Dante, trans. by James Robinson Smith. Yale Studies in English, A. S. Cook, editor: Henry Holt & Co. Used by permission.

great-great-grandfather, as I am informed, was Messer Cacciaguida, a Florentine knight who served under the Emperor Conrad. This Messer Cacciaguida had two brothers, Moronto and Eliseo. We do not read of any succession from Moronto, but from Eliseo sprang the family of the Elisei, who, however, possibly bore this name previously. From Messer Cacciaguida came the Aldighieri, so called from one of his sons, who received the name from the family of his mother.

Messer Cacciaguida, his brothers, and their ancestors lived almost at the corner of the Porta San Piero, where it is first entered from the Mercato Vecchio, in houses still called of the Elisei, since their ancient title has remained to them. The Aldighieri, who were descended from Messer Cacciaguida, dwelt in the piazza at the rear of San Martino del Vescovo, opposite the street that leads to the houses of the Sacchetti. On the other side their dwellings extend toward those of the Donati and of the Giuochi.

Dante was born in the year of our Lord 1265, shortly after the return to Florence of the Guelfs, who had been in exile because of the defeat at Monteaperti. In his boyhood he received a liberal education under teachers of letters, and at once gave evidence of a great natural capacity equal to excellent things. At this time he lost his father, but, encouraged by his relatives and by Brunetto Latini, a most worthy man for those times, he devoted himself not only to literature but to other liberal studies, omitting nothing that pertains to the making of an excellent man.

He did not, however, renounce the world and shut himself up to ease, but associated and conversed with youths of his own age. Courteous, spirited, and full