L ' I N F E R N O

209
COUNT UGOLINO GHERARDESCA *---- ? - 1289 AGE : *-- ?
PLACE./.LANGUAGE ETC
PISA. (IRRELEVANT).
DESCRIPTION
SEEN ONLY: MUSE MELPOMENE. DANTE VOICES UGOLINO’S WORDS.
COUNT UGOLINO GHERARDESCA: A LEADING GUELPH OF PISA. IN 1288 UGOLINO INTRIGUED WITH ARCHBISHOP RUGGIERI
DEGLI UBALDINI. THE ARCHBISHOP HOWEVER BETRAYED HIM & HAD UGOLINO & 4 OF HIS SONS & GRANDSONS (GADDO,
UGUCCIONE; NINO (BRIGATA), ANSELMUCCIO (‘LITTLE ANSELM’) IMPRISONED IN THE TORRE DEI GUALANDI IN JULY 1288.
WHEN GUIDO DA MONTEFELTRO TOOK COMMAND OF THE PISAN FORCES, IN MARCH 1289, THE KEYS WERE THROWN INTO
THE RIVER ARNO & THE PRISONERS LEFT TO STARVE TO DEATH, EVEN A PRIEST BEING DENIED THEM. THE TOWER WAS KNOWN
AFTERWARDS AS THE TORRE DELLA FAME, THE TOWER OF FAMINE. UGOLINO HAD PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED A REPUTATION BY
THE SURRENDER OF CERTAIN CASTLES TO THE FLORENTINE & LUCCHESE AFTER THE DEFEAT OF THE PISANS BY THE GENOESE
AT MELORIA IN 1284. (THE ISLANDS OF CAPRARA & GORGONA MENTIONED, NORTH-WEST OF ELBA & SW OF LIVORNO
RESPECTIVELY, WERE HELD BY PISA AT THE TIME.)
♫INFERNAL: COLD: EXTREME * * * * * * * * * *
INF C32 123
UGOLINO./.MELPOMENE GIVES AN EXTREME (JAPANESE) STYLISED ACCOUNT OF
CANNIBALISING HIS./.HER OWN CHILDREN. DANTE SPEAKS ALL THE WORDS.
UGOLINO./.MELPOMENE HOLDS THE MASK AWAY FROM HIS./.HER FACE, SHOWING TEETH.
DANTE:
INF C32 133-135 / DANTE INF C32 133-135 / KLINE
«O tu che mostri per sì bestial segno I said: O you, who, in such a brutal way,
odio sovra colui che tu ti mangi, inflict the mark of your hatred, on him,
dimmi 'l perché», diss' io, «per tal convegno, whom you devour, tell me why:
INF C32 136-138 / DANTE
che se tu a ragion di lui ti piangi, on condition that, if you complain of him with
sappiendo chi voi siete e la sua pecca, reason, I, knowing who you are, and his offence,
nel mondo suso ancora io te ne cangi, may repay you still in the world above,
INF C32 139 / DANTE
se quella con ch'io parlo non si secca». if the tongue I speak with is not withered.
DANTE CLOSES THE CANTO.
DANTE:
INF C32 136-138 / DANTE INF C32 136-138 / KLINE
che se tu a ragion di lui ti piangi, on condition that, if you complain of him with
reason,
sappiendo chi voi siete e la sua pecca, I, knowing who you are, and his offence,
nel mondo suso ancora io te ne cangi, may repay you still in the world above,
INF C32 139 / DANTE
se quella con ch'io parlo non si secca». if the tongue I speak with is not withered.
UGOLINO./.MELPOMENE RAISES HIS./.HER HEAD AND PUTS THE BACK OF THE BOOK AGAINST
HIS./.HER FACE TO COVER IT.
CANTO 33