“The three spirits, who hang from the mouths of his Satan, are Judas, Brutus, and Cassius. The poet’s reason for selecting those names has never yet been satisfactorily accounted for; but we have no hesitation in pronouncing it to have been this⁠—he considered the Pope not only a betrayer and seller of Christ⁠—‘Where gainful merchandise is made of Christ throughout the livelong day,’ ( Parad. 17,) and for that reason put Judas into his centre mouth; but a traitor and rebel to Caesar, and therefore placed Brutus and Cassius in the other two mouths; for the Pope, who was originally no more than Caesar’s vicar, became his enemy, and usurped the capital of his empire, and the supreme authority. His treason to Christ was not discovered by the world in general; hence the face of Judas is hidden⁠—‘He that hath his head within, and plies the feet without’ ( Inf. 34); his treason to Caesar was open and manifest, therefore Brutus and Cassius show their faces.”

He adds in a note:⁠—