‘While gazing on thy villa-studded hills ’Twould seem as though the earth grew palaces As she is wont by nature to bring forth Young shoots, and leafy plants, and flowery shrubs: And if within one wall and single name Could be collected all thy scattered halls, Two Romes would scarcely form thy parallel.’ ”

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The “which” in this line refers to Montemalo of the preceding. ↩

Bellincion Berti, whom Dante selects as a type of the good citizen of Florence in the olden time, and whom Villani calls “the best and most honored gentleman of Florence,” was of the noble family of the Ravignani. He was the father of the “good Gualdrada,” whose story shines out so pleasantly in Boccaccio’s commentary. See note 224 . ↩