• The downfall of a great city is more swift and terrible than that of a smaller one; or, as Venturi interprets, “The size of the body and greater robustness of strength in a city and state are not helpful, but injurious to their preservation, unless men live in peace and without the blindness of the passions, and Florence, more poor and humble, would have flourished longer.” Perhaps the best commentary of all is that contained in the two lines of Chaucer’s Troilus and Cresseide , II 1385⁠—aptly quoted by Mr. Gary:⁠— “For swifter course cometh thing that is of wight, Whan it descendeth, than done thinges light.” ↩
• In this line we have in brief Dante’s political faith, which is given in detail in his treatise “ De Monarchia .” ↩
• Luni, an old Etruscan city in the Lunigiana; and Urbisaglia, a Roman city in the Marca d’ Ancona. ↩
• Chiusi is in the Sienese territory, and Sinigaglia on the Adriatic, east of Rome. This latter place has somewhat revived since Dante’s time. ↩