Book III.—Once more at his old home, Mantua becomes but a dream. Sordello, well or ill, is exhausted: rather than imperfectly reveal himself, he will remain unrevealed. He will remain himself, instead of attempting to project his soul into other men. He spent a year with Nature at Goïto, but as one defeated,—youth gone, love and pleasure foregone, and nothing really done. With an all-embracing sympathy he has not himself really lived. When Nature makes a mistake she can rectify it. He must perish once, and perish utterly. He should have brought actual experience of things obtained by sterling work to correct his mere reflections and observations. He may do something yet: though youth is gone, life is not all spent. He has the will to do,—what of the means? Resolution having thus been taken, the means are suddenly discovered. Naddo arrives as messenger from Palma, telling how Eccelin has distributed his wealth to his two sons, has married them to Guelf brides, and has retired to a monastery; that Palma is betrothed to Richard of St. Boniface, and Sordello must compose a marriage hymn. Sordello seizes the opportunity, and hastens to meet Palma at Verona. We have now arrived at the point at which the poem of Sordello opens in Book I. He has to hear a strange confession from the lips of Palma. If Sordello had been paralysed by indecision, she too had done nothing, because she was awaiting an “out-soul.” Weary with waiting for her complement, which should enable her to live her proper life, she had conceived a great love for Sordello when he burst upon the scene at the Love Court. To win Sordello for herself and her cause henceforth was her life-object. When Adelaide died this became practicable. She had heard the astonishing dying confession of Adelaide, and had witnessed Eccelin’s visit to the death-chamber when he came to undo everything which Adelaide had done. He had resolved to reconcile the Guelf and Ghibelline factions. Taurello determined to use Palma to support the Ghibellines. Palma, as head of the house, agreed to this; but it was arranged that the project should not at present be made public. She must profess her intention to carry out the arrangement which Taurello had made, before he entered on the religious life, of marrying the Guelf, Count Richard. Taurello has thus entrapped the Count, and has him in prison at Ferrara. Palma’s father, Eccelin, blots out all his old engagements. All now rests with Palma, and she arranges to fly with Sordello on the morrow as arbitrators to Taurello at Ferrara. Now is one round of Sordello’s life accomplished. Mr. Browning here makes a long digression, beginning, “I muse this on a ruined palace-step at Venice.” The City in the Sea seems to him a type of life:—

“Life, the evil with the good,
Which make up living, rightly understood;
Only do finish something!”

No evil man is past hope; if he has not truth, he has at least his own conceit of truth; he sees it surely enough: his lies are for the crowd. Good labours to exist; though Evil and Ignorance thwart it. In this life we are but fitting together an engine to work in another existence. He sees profound disclosures in the most ordinary type of face: the world will call him dull for this, as being obscure and metaphysical. There are poets who are content to tell a simple story of impressions; another class presents things as they really are in a general, and not, as in the previous class, in an individual sense; but the highest class of all brings out the deeper significance of things which would never have been seen without the poet’s aid. These are the Makers-see—obviously a higher type of genius than the Seers. “But,” asks the objector, “what is the use of this?” It is quite true that men of action, like Salinguerra, are not unwisely preferred to dreamers like Sordello: they, at least, do the world’s work somehow; this is better than talking about it. But, at any rate, there is no harm done in compelling the Makers-see to do their duty. It is their province to gaze through the “door opened in heaven,” and tell the world what they see, and make us see it too, as did John in Patmos Isle. And so Mr. Browning has analysed for us the soul of Sordello; but he expects no reward for it. The world is too indolent to look into heaven with John, or into hell with Dante.

Book IV.—The description of the unhappy position of Ferrara, “the lady city,” for which both Guelf and Ghibelline contended, opens the fourth book. Sordello is here with Palma. He has seen the dreadful condition of the people, and has espoused their cause. Here, in the midst of carnage and ruin, Sordello learns his altruism. He appeals to Taurello Salinguerra, but nothing comes of it. The more he sees of the misery of the people, the more he vows himself to an effort to raise them. The soldiers ask him to sing at their camp-fire. He sings, and Palma hears and takes him back to Taurello Salinguerra. The poet here describes the chief and tells his story. He is the doer, as contrasted with Sordello the visionary; but he has led a life of misfortune and adventure. At the burning of Vicenza he lost wife and child; he embraced the cause of Eccelin and the Ghibellines. As Eccelin had gone into a monastery, all Taurello’s plans were disarranged. He ponders as to whom shall be given the Emperor’s badge of the prefectship; and what shall he do with his prisoner Richard; Sordello asks Palma what are the laws at work which explain Ghibellinism. He feels he has been a recreant to his race: Taurello has the people’s interest at heart; all that Sordello should have done he does. Are Guelfs as bad as Ghibellines, or better? Both these do worse than nothing, is a reflection which comforts the do-nothing poet. What if there were a Cause higher and nobler than either, and he (Sordello) were to be its true discoverer? A soldier, at this point, suggests to Sordello a subject for a ballad: a tale of a dead worthy long ago consul of Rome, Crescentius Nomentanus, who—

“From his brain,
Gave Rome out on its ancient place again.”

Sordello resolves to build up Rome again—a Rome which should mean the rights of mankind, the realisation of the People’s cause.

Book V.—The splendid dream of a New Rome has vanished from Sordello’s mind ere night; his enthusiasm is chilled, and arch by arch the vision has dissolved. Mankind cannot be exalted of a sudden; the work of ages cannot be done in a day. The New Rome is one more thing which Sordello could imagine, but could not make. His heart tells him that the minute’s work is the first step to the whole work of a man: he has purposed to take the last step first: he may be a man at least, if he cannot be a god. The world is not prepared for such a violent change; society has never been advanced by leaps and bounds. Charlemagne had to subject Europe by main force, then Hildebrand was enabled to rule by brain power. Strength wrought order, and made the rule of moral influence possible; in its turn, moral power allied itself with material power. The Crusaders learned the trick of breeding strength by other aid than strength; and so the Lombard League turned righteous strength against pernicious strength. Then comes, in its turn, God’s truce to supersede the use of strength by the Divine influence of Religion. All that precedes is as scaffolding, indispensable while the building is in progress, but a thing to spurn when the structure is completed: that, however, is not yet. As talking is Sordello’s trade, he endeavours to persuade Salinguerra to join the Guelfs, as this, to Sordello, seems the more popular cause. Taurello hears him with patience, mixed with a contemptuous indifference. His scornful demeanour rouses Sordello to make the highest claims for the poet’s authority: “A poet must be earth’s essential king.” To bend Taurello to the Guelf cause, Sordello would give up life itself. He knows that “this strife is right for once.” Taurello is impressed at last: the argument hits him, not the man; himself must be won to the Ghibellines. Palma, being a woman, is impossible as leader of the party; her love for Sordello may, however, be cast in the balance, and in an inspired moment Taurello invests Sordello with the Emperor’s badge, which he casts upon his neck. Palma now tells Taurello that Adelaide, on her death-bed, confessed that Sordello was Taurello’s own son, who did not perish, as he believed, at Vicenza. Adelaide, for her own purposes, had concealed his rescue. “Embrace him, madman!” Palma cried; thoughts rushed, fancies rushed. “Nay, the best’s behind,” Taurello laughed. Palma hurries Taurello away, that Sordello may collect his thoughts awhile. Sordello is crowned. They hear a foot-stamp as they discuss the future, in the room where they left Sordello, and “out they two reeled dizzily.”

Book VI.—Now has arisen the great temptation of Sordello. Is it to be the Great Renunciation or the Fall? With the magnificent prospect before him of Chief of the Ghibellines, the Emperor cause; with the Emperor’s badge on his neck; with Palma, his Ghibelline bride, he, Taurello Salinguerra’s son, might at last do something! After all, what was the difference between Guelf and Ghibelline? Why should he give up all the joy of life that the multitude might have some joy? “Speed their Then.” “But how this badge would suffer!—you improve your Now!” So Sordello lovingly eyes the tempter’s apple. After all, evil is just as natural as good; and without evil no good can accrue to men. Sordello may then as well be happy while he may. Soul and body have each alike need of the other: soul must content itself without the Infinite till the earth-stage is over. He has tried to satisfy the soul’s longing, and has failed: why not seek now the common joys of men? Salinguerra and Palma reach the chamber door and dash aside the veil, only to find Sordello dead, “under his foot the badge.” Has he lost or won? He learned how to live as he came to die: he made the Great Renunciation, and in seeming defeat he achieved his soul’s success.

Notes to Book I.—Line 6, Pentapolin, “o’ the naked arm,” king of the Garamanteans, who always went to battle with his right arm bare. (See Don Quixote, I. iii. 4; “The friendless-people’s friend,” etc.) Don Quixote is here spoken of, and “Pentapolin named o’ the Naked Arm” is mentioned by Don Quixote when he sees the two flocks of sheep: “Know, friend Sancho, that yonder army before us is commanded by the Emperor Alifanfaron, sovereign of the Island of Trapoban; and the other is commanded by his enemy the king of the Garamanteans, known by the name of Pentapolin with the naked arm, because he always engages in battle with the right arm bare.” l. 12, Verona: a city of North Italy, on the Adige, under the Lombard Alps. l. 66, “The thunder phrase of the Athenian,” etc.: Æschylus, who fought at Marathon. l. 70, “The starry paladin”: Sir Philip Sidney’s love poems to Stella were written under the nom de plume of Astrophel (the lover of the star). [S.] l. 80, The Second Friedrich == Holy Roman Emperor (1194-1250), surnamed the Hohenstauffen, the most remarkable historic figure of the middle ages. He was the grandson of Barbarossa, and was crowned in 1220. l. 81, Third Honorius == Pope Honorius III. (1216-1227): he was a Guelf. l. 104, Richard of St. Boniface, Count of Verona, was of the Guelfs; Lombard League: the famous alliance of the great Lombard cities began in 1164. l. 117, “Prone is the purple pavis”: a pavise is a large shield covering the whole body: when the shield was prone—i.e. fallen flat on its face—its owner was defenceless. l. 124, “Duke o’ the Rood”: of the Order of the Holy Cross. l. 126, Hell-cat == Eccelin. l. 131, Ferrara: an ancient city of North Italy, twenty-nine miles from Bologna and seventy from Venice. l. 131, Osprey: a long-winged eagle. “An osprey appears to have been the coat of arms of Salinguerra, as the ‘ostrich with a horseshoe in his beak’ was that of Eccelin.” [S.] l. 142, Oliero: the monastery which Eccelin the monk entered. It is situated near Bassano, in the Eastern Alps. ll. 148 and 149, Cino Bocchimpane and Buccio Virtù: citizens. l. 149, God’s Wafer: an oath (Ostia di Dio). l. 150, “Tutti Santi” == “All Saints!” an exclamation. l. 153, Padua: a famous city of Lombardy, said to be the oldest in North Italy; Podesta == governor of a city. l. 197, Hohenstauffen: this dynasty of Germany began with Conrad III. (1137-52). Frederick II. was the most illustrious man of this illustrious family. l. 198, John of Brienne: crusader and titular king of Jerusalem (1204). He was afterwards Emperor of the East. His daughter Yolande or Iolanthe married Frederick II. l. 201, Otho IV., Holy Roman Emperor (c. 1174-1218). l. 202, Barbaross == Frederick Barbarossa: one of the greatest sovereigns of Germany (1152-90). There is a German tradition that he is not dead, but only sleeping, and that when he starts from his slumbers a golden age will begin for Germany. l. 205, Triple-bearded Teuton Barbarossa: the legend runs that his beard has already grown through the table slab, but must wind itself thrice round the table before his second advent. l. 253, Trevisan: of the province of Treviso; its chief town, Treviso, is distant seventeen miles from Venice. l. 257, Godego: a town in Venetia, amongst the Asolan hills. Marostica: a town of North Italy, fifteen miles north-east of Vicenza, at the foot of Mount Rovero. l. 258, Castiglione: a town at the Italian end of the Lago di Garda (Cartiglion in the text, but evidently a misprint); Bassano: a city of Italy, in the province of Vicenza, on the Brenta. In the centre of the town is the Tower of Ezzelino. Loria, or Lauria: a city of Italy in the province of Potenza. The castle was the birthplace of Ruggiero di Loria. l. 259, Suabian: the struggle for the Imperial throne between Philip of Swabia and Otto of Brunswick (1198-1208) enlisted the sympathies of Italy, and some of the Guelfic towns took the part of the Guelf Otto. l. 262, Vale of Trent: Trent or Tridentum was once the wealthiest town in Tyrol; it lies between Botzen and Verona. l. 263, Roncaglia, near Piacenza, where Frederick I. held the Diet in 1154, and received the submission of the Lombards. l. 265, Asolan and Euganean hills: in the Trevisan, a district of North Italy, between Trent and Venice. l. 266, Rhetian, of the country of the Tyrol and the Grisons; Julian mountains: between Venetia and Noricum. l. 288, Romano: Eccelino da Romano. l. 304, Rovigo: a city of Italy, about twenty-seven miles S.S.W. of Padua. From the eleventh to the fourteenth century the Este family was usually in authority. l. 305, Ancona’s March: the frontier or boundary of Ancona, a city of Central Italy on the Adriatic. l. 315, Hildebrand: Pope Gregory VII. (1073-85). l. 317, Twenty-four: the magistrates of Verona who managed the affairs of the city. l. 324, Carroch, or caroccio: a Lombard war carriage, which was drawn by oxen, and bore a great bell, the standard of the army, and the Sacred Host, forming a rallying point. l. 373, “John’s transcendent vision”—Book of Revelation. ll. 382 and 385, Mantua and Mincio: about seven hundred years ago the river Mincio formed a great marsh round the city of Mantua; this separated the city from the mountains, on the slope of which stood the castle of Goïto. l. 420, Caryatides: figures of women serving to support entablatures. l. 587, “That Pisan Pair”: Niccolo Pisano, and Giovanni Pisano, his son were great sculptors and architects of Pisa (circ. 1207-78). “Nicolo was born about 1200, and was one of the first to seek after the truer forms of art in the general quickening of the century. He was a great sculptor, as his works and those of his son Giovanni (architect of the Campo Santo at Pisa) and his school bear witness at Pisa, Orvieto, Pistoia, and many other towns. After he had met with an example of the genuine antique—a sarcophagus now at Pisa—he brought his future work into accordance with its rules.” [S.] l. 589, “while at Sienna is Guidone set”: “The name Guido da Sienna and the date 1221, mark a picture now at Sienna; and this, with other works attributed to the same painter, show him to have been one of the earliest artists who express a feeling independent of Byzantine influence.” [S.] l. 591, “Saint Euphemia”: a fine brick church at Verona, dating from the thirteenth century. The interior has now been entirely remodelled. [S.]. Saint Eufemia: of Chalcedon: her body was said to have been miraculously conveyed to Rovigno, in the sixth century. l. 606, “so they found at Babylon”: “It is said that after the city (of Seleucia) was burnt, the soldiers searching the temple (of Apollo) found a narrow hole, and when this was opened in the hope of finding something of value in it, there issued from some deep gulf, which the secret magic of the Chaldeans had closed up, a pestilence laden with the strength of incurable disease, which polluted the whole world with contagion, in the time of Verus and Marcus Antoninus, and from the borders of Persia to Gaul and the Rhine.”—Ammianus Marcellinus. [S.] l. 607, “Colleagues, mad Lucius and sage Antonine”: during the joint reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (the philosopher) and the scapegrace Lucius Verus; the latter was in command of the Roman forces in the east, and engaged in a war with Parthia. His generals sacked Seleucia, and he was himself present in the neighbourhood of Babylon during the winters of A.D. 163-5 (v. Clinton, Fasti Romani). [S.] l. 608, “Apollo’s shrine”: “Seleuceus, one of Alexander’s generals, and himself a Macedonian, founded the Syrian empire, and built the town of Seleucia. A good deal is told of the Hellenization of the East under Seleucus. He, no doubt, founded the temple of Apollo, who was claimed as an ancestor of the family.” [S.] l. 617, Loxian: surname of Apollo. l. 671, Orpine: a yellow plant, commonly called Livelong (Sedum Telephium). l. 679, “adventurous spider”: the geometric spiders (Orbitelariæ), are almost the only ones whose method of forming a snare have been at all minutely recorded. The garden spider (Epeira) spins a large quantity of thread, which, floating in the air in various directions, happens, from its glutinous quality, at last to adhere to some object near it—a lofty plant, or the branch of a tree. When the spider has one end of the line fixed, he walks along part of it, and fastens another, then drops and affixes the thread to some object below; climbs again, and begins a third, fastening that in a similar way. Mr. Browning is in error when he makes the spider shoot her threads from depth to height, from barbican to battlement. l. 707, “eat fern seed”: this was anciently supposed to make the eater invisible; Naddo: appears as Sordello’s friend and adviser: Mr. Browning makes him a representative of the “Philistine” party, and puts into his mouth the words of mere conventional, superficial wisdom. l. 720, “Poppy—a coarse brown rattling crane”: the cranium or skull-like poppy head, when it contains the seed and is dry. l. 784, Valvassor, or vavasour: in feudal law a principal vassal, not holding immediately of the sovereign, but of a great lord; suzerain: a feudal lord, a lord paramount. l. 835, “The Guelfs paid stabbers, etc.”: “In 1209 Otho IV. entered Italy, and held his court near Verona. All the chief lords of Venetia, but especially Eccelino II., da Romana, and Azzo VI., Marquis d’Este, were summoned to attend. Those two gentlemen had profited by the long interregnum which preceded Otho’s reign. They had used the various discords between the towns to increase each his own faction; and the hatred between the two was more bitter than ever. A dramatic scene took place at the meeting before the Emperor. When Eccelino saw Azzo, he said, in the presence of the whole court, ‘We were intimate in our youth, and I believed him to be my friend. One day we were in Venice together, walking on the Place of St. Mark, when his assassins flung themselves upon me to stab me; and at the same moment the Marquis seized my arms, to prevent me from defending myself; and if I had not by a violent effort escaped, I should have been killed, as was one of my soldiers by my side. I denounce him, therefore, before this assembly as a traitor; and of you, Sire, I demand permission to prove by a single combat his treachery to me as well as to Salinguerra, and to the podesta of Vicenza.’ Shortly afterwards, Salinguerra arrived, followed by a hundred men at arms, and throwing himself at the feet of the Emperor, he made a similar accusation against the Marquis, and also demanded the ordeal of battle. Azzo replied to him, that he had on his hands plenty of gentlemen more noble than Salinguerra ready to fight for him if he was so anxious for battle. Then Otho commanded all three to be silent, and declared that he should not accord to any of them the privilege of fighting for any of their past quarrels. From these two chiefs the Emperor expected greater service than from all other Italians; and he secured their allegiance by confirming the lordship of the Marches of Ancona upon the Marquis, and by declaring Eccelino to be imperial deputy and permanent podesta of Vicenza.” [S.] Line 857, Malek, a Moor. l. 885, Miramoline: a Saracen prince, whose territory was situated in North Africa: in the year 1214, St. Francis of Assisi set out for Morocco to preach the gospel to this famous Mahometan, but was taken seriously ill on the way. l. 888, “dates plucked from the bough John Brienne sent”: he sent a bunch of dates to remind Frederick of his promise to join the crusade. l. 924, crenelled: embattled, crenellated. l. 935, Damsel-fly: the dragon-fly, so called from its elegant appearance. l. 946, Python: a monstrous serpent which haunted the caves of Parnassus, and was slain by Apollo. l. 950, “Girls—his Delians”: at the island of Delos the festival of Apollo was celebrated. The girls were priestesses of Apollo. l. 956, “Daphne and Apollo”: Daphne was a nymph who, being pursued by Apollo, was at her own entreaty changed into a bay tree—the tree consecrated to Apollo. l. 1008, Trouvères == troubadours.

Book II.—Line 68, Jongleurs: minstrels who accompanied the troubadours, and who sometimes did a little jugglery. l. 71, Elys: “Elys, then, is merely the ideal subject, with such a name, of Eglamour’s poem, and referred to in other places as his (Sordello’s) type of perfection, realised according to his faculty (Ellys—the lily)”—Robert Browning. [S.] l. 156: “The rhymes ‘Her head that’s sharp ... sunblanched the livelong summer’ are referred to Book V., l. 246, ‘the vehicle that marred Elys so much,’ etc., and ‘his worst performance, the Goïto as his first.’ l. 980 of the same book.” [S.] l. 94, “spied a scarab”: one of the marks of Apis, the sacred bull of ancient Egypt. The marks were “a black coloured hide with a white triangular spot on the forehead, the hair arranged in the shape of an eagle on the back, and a knot under the tongue in the shape of a scarabæus, the sacred insect and emblem of Ptah, and a white spot resembling a lunar crescent at his right side” (Dr. S. Birch). l. 183, “A Roman bride”: “on the wedding day, which in early times was never fixed upon without consulting the auspices, the bride was dressed in a long white robe with purple fringe and a girdle at the waist; her veil was of a bright yellow, and shoes likewise; her hair was divided with the point of a spear, which the antiquarians explained as emblematic of the husband’s authority, or as typical of the guardianship of Juno Curitico (Juno with the lance).” “But while these rites are being performed, remain unwedded, ye damsels; let the torch of pinewood await auspicious days, and let not the curved spear part thy virgin ringlets” (Ovid, Fasti, ii. 160). [S.] l. 218, “Perseus”—rescuing Andromeda when chained to the rock in the sea. l. 222, “gnome”: the Rosicrucians imagined gnomes to be sprites presiding over mines, etc. l. 224, “Agate cup, his topaz rod, his seed pearl”: amongst the various superstitions connected with precious stones the agate was held to be an emblem of health and long life, and to possess certain medicinal uses. The topaz, said the old doctor, “is favourable to hæmorrhages, to impart strength, and promote digestion”; it was an emblem of fidelity. l. 307, “Massic jars dug up at Baiæ”: Massic wine was famous in old Roman days. Baiæ, an ancient town near Naples; in old Roman days a health and pleasure resort of the wealthy; innumerable relics of these times have been unearthed. “Mons Massicus was a vine-clad hill in the Campagna, where the Falernian wine was grown.” [S.] l. 297, “A plant they have”; The day-lily—St. Bruno’s lily—the Hemerocallis liliastrum, in French, belle de jour. l. 329, Vicenza: a city of Northern Italy of great antiquity; the first encounter between the Guelfs and Ghibellines took place here, about 1194. l. 330, Vivaresi: a Lombard family. l. 331, Maltraversi: a noble family of Padua. l. 435, Machine: see l. 1014. l. 460, “some huge throbbing stone”: “In one of Ossian’s poems a description is given of bards walking around a rocking stone, and by their singing making it move as an oracle of battle.” [S.] l. 483, truchman == an interpreter. l. 527, rondel, tenzon, virlai, or sirvent: forms of Provençal poetry. “Rondel, a thirteen-verse poem, in which the beginning is repeated in the third and fourth verses—from rotundus; tenzon, a contest in verse before a tribunal of love—from tendo, in the sense of to strive; virlai, or vireley, a short poem, always in short lines, and wholly in two rhymes, with a refrain—from virer; sirvent, a poem of praise or service, sometimes satirical; from servire.” (Imp. Dict.) [S.] l. 529, angelot: an instrument of music somewhat resembling a lute. l. 625, “sparkles off”: intransitive verb,—“his mail sparkles off and it rings, whirled from each delicatest limb it warps.” [S.] l. 627, “Apollo from the sudden corpse of Hyacinth”: Apollo was one day teaching Hyacinthus to play at quoits, and accidentally killed him. l. 630, Montfort: the father of Simon de Montfort, who fought against the Albigenses. l. 729, Vidal: Pierre Vidal, of Toulouse, a poet of varied inspiration, was loaded with gifts by the greatest nobles of his time (see Sismondi, Lit. Eur., vol. i., p. 135). Professor Sonnenschein says he was a Provençal troubadour, who died about 1210. He was a sort of caricature of the usual troubadour excellence and foolishness. Some of his poems are the best remaining of the Provençal poetry. He went twice to Palestine, once with a crusade. He was hated by Sordello, and referred to in some of his poems which are extant. l. 730, filamot: yellow-brown colour; from feuille-morte; murrey-coloured: of a dark-red or mulberry colour (morus, mulberry). l. 755, plectre, or plectrum: a staff of ivory, horn, etc., for playing with on a lyre. l. 784, “Bocafoli’s stark-naked psalms”: not merely plain song, but naked song. l. 785, Plara’s sonnets. Both personages are imaginary. l. 786, almug: “probably the red sandalwood of China and India” (Dr. W. Smith). l. 788, river-horse: the hippopotamus. l. 792, pompion-twine: pumpkin. l. 843, Pappacoda: a nickname. Tagliafer, or Taillefer: the favourite minstrel-knight of William of Normandy, who rode in front of the invading army at the battle of Senlac, and sang the song of Roland. l. 846, o’ertoise: overstretch? l. 877, Count Lori, or Loria of Naples. l. 883, “The Grey Paulician”: “Eccelino II. found the Paterini or Paulicians, a Manichæan sect, who were driven from the East by the Empress Theodora (who had a hundred thousand of them killed) and her successors. They were slowly forced westward, and at last settled in Italy, and in Languedoc, in the neighbourhood of Albi. They are credited with planting the first seeds of the Reformation in the Latin Church. Innocent III., alarmed at their doctrines and increasing numbers, opposed them, and instructed St. Dominic and St. Francis to preach against them. The result was the cruel crusade of 1206, which continued in the form of more or less spasmodic persecution for many years,—at least thirty.” [S.] l. 899, Romano: the birthplace of Ezzelino, near Bassano. Eccelino Romano was chief of the Ghibellines. l. 901, Azzo’s sister Beatrix: married Otho IV. l. 902, Richard’s Giglia: a Guelf lady. l. 929, Retrude: wife of Salinguerra. l. 948, Strojavacca: a troubadour? l. 986, “Cat’s head and Ibis’ tail”: “Egyptian symbols in mosaic on the porphyry floor.” [S.] l. 989, Soldan: Sultan. l. 1009, “Iris root the Tuscan grated over them”: orris-root. l. 1013, Carian group: the Caryatides—women dressed as at the feasts of Diana Caryatis. Carya was a town in Arcadia.

Book III.—Line 2, moonfern and trifoly: plants which have supposed magical and healing properties [S.]; moonfern, the same as moonwort—Rumex lunaria; mystic trifoly == trefoil; “Herb Trinity” was used by St. Patrick to teach the mystery of the Holy Trinity. l. 12, painted byssus: silky fibres of a mollusc which has sometimes been spun with silk. l. 14, Tyrrhene whelk: the celebrated Tyrian purple, formerly prepared from a shell fish at Tyre. l. 14, trireme: a galley or vessel with three benches of oars on a side. l. 15, satrap == the governor of a province (Persian). l. 87, “Marsh gone of a sudden”: when the lake appeared in its place. l. 88, “Mincio in its place laughed”: when the river occupied the place of the marsh. l. 121, Island house: “a villa outside Palermo called La Favara” [S.]; Nuocera: between Pompeii and Amalfi. It was called “de Pagani,” from a Saracenic colony of Frederick II., who was sometimes contemptuously called the Sultan of Nocera. Villani preserves the quaint words of the famous taunt which Charles of Anjou addressed to Manfred, before the bath of Benvinutum: “Alles e dit moi a li Sultan de Nocere hoggi metorai lui en enfers o il mettar moi en paradis.” [S.] l. 123, Palermitans: citizens of Palermo. l. 124, Messinese: citizens of Messina. l. 125, “dusk Saracenic clans Nuocera holds”: Frederick, who was afterwards the renowned Frederick II., Emperor of Germany, was crowned at Palermo, in Sicily, in 1198; during his minority the land was torn by turbulent nobles, and revolted Saracens; in 1220 the Emperor-King planted a colony of Saracens at Nocera on the mainland. l. 132, mollitious alcoves == soft alcoves. l. 133, Byzant domes: Byzantine architecture, in which the dome was a feature, developed about A.D. 300. l. 135, “August pleasant Dandolo”: “Enrico Dandolo, one of the patrician family of that name in Venice, was chosen doge in 1192, although already blind and seventy-two years old. After naval successes against the Pisans, he was applied to at the time of the fourth crusade to furnish vessels for transport to Constantinople. After making terms most advantageous to the Republic, he himself led the enterprise to success, and shared with the French in the pillage of the city, and very largely in booty and privileges accruing. The four horses of St. Mark’s Church were brought over to Venice by him.” [S.] l. 140, “Transport to Venice square”: St. Mark’s Church in Venice is adorned with precious columns brought from temples and buildings in all parts of the ancient world. l. 225, “The bulb dormant, etc.”: “It was the custom to bury the hyacinth bulb with mummies.” [S.] l. 85, The Carroch: “during the war of the Milanese with Conrad, the Salic archbishop, Eribert, invented the Carroccio, which was at once adopted by all the cities of Italy. He placed it at the head of the army, and it was an imitation of the ark of the covenant of the tribes of Israel. The carroccio was a four-wheeled car drawn by four yokes of oxen. It was painted red; the oxen were dressed in red clothes to their heels; a very high mast, also painted red, was in the midst; it terminated in a golden ball. Below, between two white veils, floated the standard of the commune, and below that again was a crucifix, with the Saviour extending His arms to bless the army. A sort of platform in the front of the car was devoted to some of the bravest soldiers appointed for its defence. Another platform in the rear was occupied by musicians and trumpeters. Mass was said upon the carroccio before it left the town, and there was frequently a special chaplain attached to it.” [S.] l. 312, “the candle’s at the gateway”: “compare with King Alfred’s measurement of time. It is still the custom at Bremen for property to be sold at an auction by the candle—that is, the bidding goes on till the candle goes out.” [S.] l. 314, Tiso Sampier: “Eccelin I. and Tissolin di Campo St. Pierre had been warm friends until, a difference occurring about a marriage portion, Eccelin proved treacherous and grasping, and a lasting feud arose between the two families.” [S.] l. 315, “Ferrara’s succoured Palma!” “The preceding passages in quotation marks are all in the Guelf spirit; this explanation is Ghibelline, say from Browning himself.” [S.] l. 386, Cesano: a city of Emilia, between Bologna and Ancona, Dante, in Inferno, canto xxvii., characterises Cesano as living midway between tyranny and freedom. l. 456, Fomalhaut: a star of the first magnitude, in the constellation Priscus Australis, one of the brightest visible in the midnight meridian of September. [S.] l. 476, Conrad: the Swabian (1138-52). l. 486, Saponian: Mr. Browning explained this puzzling term as referring to the Saponi, who were a branch of the Eccelini family, which settled in Lombardy before the time of Sordello. l. 496, Vincentines: the people of Vicenza. l. 514,

“... just
As Adelaide of Susa could entrust
Her donative ...
... to the superb
Matilda’s perfecting.”

“The Biographie Universelle says: ‘Adelaide, Marchioness of Susa, was contemporary with Matilda the great Countess of Tuscany, and governed Piedmont with wisdom and firmness. She endeavoured more than once to make peace between the Emperor and Popes. She was married three times—to a Duke of Swabia, a Marquis of Montferrat, and a Count of Maurienna; and partly through her inheritance from the husbands, all of whom she survived, partly on account of her wise management, her fief Susa became the most important in Italy. Matilda, the great Countess of Tuscany, was one of the most famous characters of her age. Absolute ruler of the most powerful country in Italy, she defended Hildebrand, and adhered to the Pope against all enemies, proffers or threats. During her lifetime she transferred the greater part of her possessions by deed of gift to the papacy; and that deed was the foundation of Papal claims to many lands in Italy throughout the following centuries. She owned the Castle of Canozza, where the Pope took refuge from Henry IV., who had married Adelaide’s daughter; and it was to Canozza that that Emperor was obliged to resort, when later he sought the Pope’s forgiveness, and when he was left standing barefoot in the snow awaiting the Pope’s pleasure. Matilda conveyed her estates to the Pope in 1102, was made sovereign of all Italy in 1110, and died 1115.’ There appears to be no mention of any donative entrusted to the superb Matilda, either in the Biographie Universelle, or in Sismondi.” [S.] Line 501, “lion’s crine” == lion’s hair. l. 583, “like the alighted Planet Pollux wore.” Castor and Pollux were generally represented mounted on two white horses, armed with spears, and riding side by side with their heads covered with a bonnet, on the top of which glittered a star. The twins took part in the Argonautic expedition, and when a violent storm arose two flames of fire appeared, and were seen to play around their heads. Pollux was the son of Jupiter, whilst Castor was only his half-brother; but he obtained from Jupiter, for Castor, the gift of immortality, and a place with him amongst the constellations. St. Elmo’s fire, which frequently appears and plays about masts and yards of ships during storms, was called Castor and Pollux by Roman sailors” (Lemprière, Class. Dict.). l. 590,

“For thus
I bring Sordello.”

See Book I., l. 353. l. 616, “Verona’s Lady” is a statue on the top of a fountain at one end of the Piazza d’Erbe. The fountain was put up in 916, at the completion of the aqueduct by Berenger. It was restored in 1368. The statue was first erected by Theodosius in 1380. It is called by the people Donna Verona, and wears a steel crown as a symbol that the town was an imperial residence. l. 617, Gaulish Brennus, who besieged Rome B.C. 385. l. 621, Manlïus: Manlius Marcus, a celebrated Roman who defended the Capitol against the Gauls. l. 625, platan: the plane tree. l. 626, Archimage: the high priest of the Magi or fire-worshippers. l. 687, colibri: humming birds. l. 712, Bassanese, of Bassano, a noble town on the Brenta. l. 797, Basilic: the Basilica, St. Mark’s great Cathedral. l. 798, “God’s great day of the Corpus Domini” (or Body of the Lord): the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is held on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday. l. 811, losel == a wasteful, worthless fellow. l. 813,

“God spoke,
Of right hand, foot, and eye.”
(See St. Matthew v. 29, 30) [S.]

l. 837, mugwort == a herb of the genus Artemisia. l. 839, “Zin the Horrid”: the Syrian wilderness where the Israelites found no water (Num. xx. 1). l. 847, “potsherd and Gibeonites”: see Joshua ix. l. 852, Meribah: see Exod. xvii. 7 and Num. xxvii. 14. l. 898, “Prisoned in the Piombi”: horrible torture cells on the leads of the Ducal Palace at Venice, where the prisoners were roasted in the sun. l. 924, “Tempe’s dewy vale”: a beautiful valley in Thessaly. l. 964, Hercules—in Egypt: in his quest for the golden apples of the Hesperides, Hercules journeyed through Egypt—Busiris, the king, was about to sacrifice Hercules to Zeus, but he broke his bonds and slew Busiris, his sons and servants. l. 975, patron-friend: Walter Savage Landor, who warmly praised Browning’s poetry when others abused it; the reference is to Empedocles, a Greek poet. l. 977, Marathon, Platæa, and Salamis: celebrated Greek battle-places. l. 987, “The king who lost the ruby”: Polycrates of Samos. He was advised to throw into the sea the most precious of his jewels, a beautiful seal; he grieved much at the loss, but in a few days he had a present of a large fish, in the belly of which his ring was found. l. 992, English Eyebright: the botanical name of the plant is Euphrasia officinalis. Euphrasia was the name of a lady who was an old friend of Mr. Browning’s (Dr. Furnivall). l. 1021, Xanthus: a disciple of St. John the Evangelist. l. 1024, Polycarp, an early Christian martyr, A.D. 166; and a disciple of St. John. l. 1025, Charicle: also a disciple. l. 1045, “twy prong” was one of the instruments used by necromancers in “raising the devil.” “To procure the magic fork.—This is a branch of a single beam of hazel or almond, which must be cut at a single stroke with the new knife used in the sacrifice. The rod must terminate in a fork.” (Waite’s Mysteries of Magic, p. 260.) Pastoral Cross: the cross on a priest’s vestment is sometimes Y-shaped. Hargrave Jennings, in his Rosicrucians, says it is now used as an anagram exemplifying the Athanasian Creed; exactly, in fact, like the magic twy prong in shape. An Archbishop’s crozier or pastoral staff terminates in a cross at the top.

Book IV.—Line 24, quitch-grass == couch-grass or dog-grass; it roots deeply, and is not easily killed. l. 24, “loathy mallows”: loathsome mallows, probably because they grow in ditches and in churchyards. l. 34, Legate Montelungo: Gregorio di Montelongo, Pontifical legate for Gregory IX. l. 50, arbalist, a crossbow; manganel, an engine of war for battering down walls and hurling stones; and catapult, a war engine. l. 72, Jubilate: rejoice ye! Jubilate Deo, 66th Psalm. l. 83:

“... What cautelous
Old Redbeard sought from Azzo’s sire to wrench vainly.”

The Lombard League had built Alexandria to defy Barbarossa, who was twice unsuccessful in taking it. l. 89, Brenta: a river of North Italy, passing near Padua. Bacchiglione: the river on which stand Vicenza and Padua. l. 98, San Vitale: a small town near Vicenza. l. 147, “Messina marbles Constance took delight in”: the marbles of Sicily. For variety and beauty they rival those of any country of Europe. l. 229, Mainard, or Meinhard: Count of Görz, in the Tyrol. l. 280, Concorezzi: a knightly family of Padua. l. 395, “Crowned grim twy-necked eagle”: the two-headed eagle, symbol of the empire. l. 479, The Adelardi: were a noble Guelf family of Ferrara and Mantua. Marchesella was heiress of the Adelardi family; Obizzo I. carried her off, and married her to his son Azzo V. l. 483, Blacks and Whites: the Neri, the black party, and the Bianchi the white. The Bianchi are called the Parte selvaggia, because its leaders, the Cerchi, came from the forest lands of Val di Sieve. The other party, the Neri, were led by the Donati. (See Longfellow’s Dante—Notes to Inferno, vi. 65.) l. 511, “goshawk”: a short-winged slender hawk (Falco palumbarius). l. 533, Pistore: Pistoia. l. 577, Matilda: Countess of Tuscany (1046-1114), known as the Great Countess; she was the champion of the Church and the ally of Hildebrand. l. 585, Heinrich: “Henry VI., married Constance, daughter of the King of Naples and Sicily. He reigned from 1190 to 1197.” [S.] “Philip and Otho”: “the latter conspired against Frederick II., who was brought up by Innocent III., and after Philip’s death made Emperor, in 1212. He lived till 1250. His son Henry, King of the Romans, rebelled against him.” [S.] l. 614, Bassano: a city of Italy, in the province of Vicenza, on the Brenta. There is a church of St. Francis at Bassano. Lanze says, “It is the peculiar boast of Bologna that she can claim three of the few artists of the earliest times: one Guido, one Ventura, and one Ursone, of whom there exist memorials as far back as 1248.” [S.] l. 615, Guido the Bolognian: Guido Reni, the great painter of Bologna (1575-1642). l. 645, Guglielm == William; Aldobrand or Aldovrandino: Governor of Ferrara, in conjunction with Salinguerra (1231). l. 735, San Biagio: St. Biase, a place near the Lake of Garda. l. 797, Constance: wife of Henry VI. of Germany; by this marriage Frederick hoped that his empire would soon include Naples and Sicily. l. 837, Moorish lentisk: the mastich tree. l. 884, poison-wattles: the baggy flesh on the animal’s neck, an excrescence or lobe. l. 977, Crescentius Nomentanus: a Roman tribune, who, in the absence of Pope John and King Otho, tried to restore consular Rome. But the Pope and King returned, and crucified him, A.D. 998. (See Gibbon’s Decline and Fall, chap. xlix.) Professor Sonnenschein sends me the following further note: “Crescentius was a Roman who, towards the end of the tenth century, endeavoured to restore his country’s liberty and ancient glory. The power of the Eastern emperors had long ceased in Rome, that of the Western emperors had been suspended by long interregnas. Rome was a republic in which the citizens, the neighbouring nobles, and the Pope, disputed the authority. Crescentius, who was of the family of the Counts of the Tusculum, placed himself at the head of the anarchic government about 980, with the title of Consul. He had, to dispute his rank, Boniface VII., who, murderer of two popes, had become Pope himself. This pontiff was stained by the most shameful crimes, and as his authority was not well founded, the nobles and the people aided Crescentius in breaking the yoke. Boniface died 985. John XV., who succeeded him, was detained by Crescentius far from Rome, in exile, until he recognised the sovereignty of the people. Upon his return he did not seek to trouble the government; and, as well as one can judge through the obscurity of ages, the Roman republic enjoyed until 996, under the Consul Crescentius, such peace, order, and security, as it had not known for a long time. John XV. died the year Otho III. went from Germany to Italy, to receive the imperial crown. The young monarch chose his relative, Gregory V., to succeed John. None of the rights or privileges of Rome were known to the new pontiff, who, long accustomed to regard the popes as gods on earth, having now himself become pope, could not conceive of any resistance to his will. Crescentius refused to recognise a pope whose election and conduct were alike irregular. He opposed to him another pope, a Greek by birth, who took the name of John XVI., and he asked the Emperor of the East to send troops to his assistance. Otho III. entered Rome with an army in 998. He condemned John XVI. to horrible torture, and besieged Crescentius in the castle of St. Angelo; and as he could not conquer the latter, he offered him an honourable capitulation. However, he no sooner had him in his hands than he put him to death and ill-treated his wife. Three years later, on his return from a penitential pilgrimage, she succeeded in causing his death by poison.” l. 1006, wranal: a lantern. l. 1032, “Rome of the Pandects”: “The digest or abridgment in fifty books of the decisions and opinions of the old Roman jurists, made in the sixth century, by order of the Emperor Justinian, and forming the first part of the body of the civil law.” (Webster.)

Book V.—Line 6, Palatine, one invested with royal privileges and rights. l. 16, atria, halls or principal rooms in Roman houses. l. 17, stibadium, a half-round reclining couch used by Romans near their baths. l. 18, lustral vase: used in purification at meals, etc. l. 34, pelt, a skin of a beast with the hair on. l. 43, obsidion, a kind of black glass produced by volcanoes. l. 58, Mauritania, an ancient country of North Africa == land of the Moors, celebrated for the wood called Citrus, for tables of which the Romans gave fabulous prices. l. 61, Demiurge: a worker for the people; so God, as Creator of the world. Mareotic: of the locality of Lake Mareotis, in Egypt. Mareotic wine was very famous; Cæcuban: Cæcubum, a town of Latium. Cæcubus Ager was noted for the excellence and plenty of its wines. l. 82, Pythoness: the priestess who gave oracular answers at Delphi, in Greece. l. 83, Lydian king: Lydia was a kingdom of Asia Minor. The king referred to was Crœsus, who interpreted in his own favour the ambiguous answer of the oracle, and was destroyed by following the advice he thought was given to him. l. 115, Nina and Alcamo: Sicilian poets of the period. In the life of Joanna, Queen of Naples, we read of “the Poetess Nina, whose love of her art caused her to become enamoured of a poet whom she had never seen. This fortunate bard (who returned her poetical passion) was called Dante; but we cannot plead in her excuse that he had anything else in common with the great poet of that name. Nina was the most beautiful woman of the day, and the first female who wrote verse in Italian. She was so engrossed by her passion for her lover that she caused herself always to be called ‘The Nina of Dante.’” [S.] “Sismondi only mentions C. d’Alcamo as a Sicilian poet, apparently nearly contemporary with Frederick II. See Ginguené for a full account of Sicilian poetry.” [S.] l. 145, Castellans, governors of castles. l. 146, Suzerains, feudal lords. l. 163, “Hildebrand of the huge brain mask”: Pope Gregory VII. He was one of the most famous of the popes, and he lived in the latter part of the eleventh century. l. 174, Mandrake: Mandragora—a plant with a bifurcated root, concerning which many singular superstitions have accumulated. l. 186, “Three Imperial Crowns”: the Imperial Crown proper, the German crown, and the Italian or Lombard crown. There seems a little confusion here in the order of the different metals. The Imperial Crown was of gold. The German is always spoken of as the silver crown. The Italian or Lombard crown was known as the iron crown, because one of the nails of Christ’s cross was inserted into its gold frame. (Encyc. Brit.) l. 188, Alexander IV., Pope of Rome (1254-61); Innocent IV., Pope (1243-54). l. 189, Papal key: the keys of Peter in the papal arms. l. 194, “The hermit Peter”: Peter, the Hermit of Amiens, who preached up the first Crusade. l. 195, Claremont == Clermont, a city of France, in which, at a council held in 1095, Pope Urban II. first formally organised the great Crusade. l. 200, Vimmercato, a town on the Molgova, fourteen miles north-east of Milan. l. 203, “Mantuan Albert”: Blessed Albert founder of the Order of Canons Regular. But it was Albert, patriarch of Jerusalem, who was umpire between Pope and Emperor. l. 204, Saint Francis, of Assisi, born 1182; one of the most beautiful characters who ever lived. All living creatures to him were his “brothers and sisters.” l. 205, “God’s truce”: “The Pax Ecclesiæ,” or “Treuga Dei”—a suspension of arms, putting a stop to private hostilities within certain periods. The treaty called the “Truce of God” was set on foot in A.D. 999. It was agreed, among other articles, that “churches should be sanctuaries to all sorts of persons, except those who violated this truce; and that from Wednesday till Monday morning no one should offer violence to any one, not even by way of satisfaction for any injustice he had received” (Butler’s Lives of the Saints, sub “St. Odilo,” Jan. 1st.) l. 281, hacqueton: a quilted jacket, worn under a coat of mail. l. 298, trabea: a regal robe. l. 384, thyrsus: a spear wrapped about with ivy, carried at feasts of Bacchus. l. 405, baldric: a richly ornamented belt, passing only over one shoulder. l. 453, “Caliph’s wheel work man”: an automaton. l. 509, Typhon, a giant. l. 660, Lombard Agilulph: a king of Lombardy, A.D. 601. l. 712, “changed the spoils of every clime at Venice”: the great Cathedral of St. Mark’s, Venice, contains columns and ornaments of various kinds, brought from heathen temples in all parts of the Roman world. Pillars from the Temple of Jerusalem, and precious marbles from ancient Roman palaces, combine to make the interior of St. Mark’s one of the strangest and richest Christian churches in the world. So these spoils from many lands, taken from temples devoted to alien worship, have been “changed” to Christian uses in this church. l. 718, “earth’s reputed consummations”: that is to say, the noblest works which the world at the time could produce. “The temple at Thebes was the consummate achievement of one age; of another, that of the Temple of Jupiter Tonans; of another, the Parthenon at Athens. All these were ‘earth’s reputed consummations.’” l. 719, “razed a seal”: Thebes being despoiled like Rome, Athens rifled like Byzant, until St. Mark’s at Venice having razed a seal (i.e. broken the seal, or, as it were, extracted the nails that fixed the most famous works in the world to their original site) lo! the glittering symbols of the all-purifying Trinity blazed above them: so the “horned and snouted god,” the “cinerary pitcher,” became part of the Christian edifice. l. 719, “The All-transmuting Triad blazed above”: that is, they were consecrated by reason of the new faith in the Trinity. The three persons of the Holy Trinity are represented in the mosaics of St. Mark’s Church.”[7] l. 750, Treville or Treviglio: a town in Lombardy, fourteen miles south of Bergamo. l. 751, Cartiglione: is this a misprint for Castiglione? l. 788, writhled == wrinkled. l. 794, pauldron: a defence of armour-plate over the shoulders. l. 909, Gesi or Jesi: a city in the Italian province of Ancona. It was the birthplace of Frederick II. in 1194. l. 943, Valsugan: a town on the Brenta, on the road from Trent to Venice. l. 970 Torriani: a faction of Valsassina of Lombardy, contending with the Visconti (l. 971): Otho Visconti, Archbishop of Milan (1262), founded the house of Visconti. The Torriani were democrats, the Visconti aristocrats. l. 1065, “Trent upon Apulia”: i.e., Northern upon Southern Italy. l. 1071, Cunizza: called Palma throughout the poem (see p. 123). l. 1090, Squarcialupo: not historical.

Book VI.—Line 100, jacinth == hyacinth in mineralogy; a name given to several kinds of stone—topaz, etc.; lodestone: magnetic oxide of iron. l. 101, flinders: fragments (of shining metal). l. 142, Cydippe: an Athenian girl who met Acontius at a festival of Artemis. He wrote a promise of marriage from the girl to himself on an apple, and threw it at her feet. The girl read the words aloud, and the oracle told her father she would have to comply with the words she had read. l. 143, Agathon—evidently meant for Acontius in the above story. l. 184, Dularete: not historical. l. 323, “brakes at balm-shed”: brake ferns at seed time—i.e., autumn. l. 387, reate == a waterweed, as water crow-foot. l. 388, gold-sparkling grail: gravel gold-coloured. l. 417, citrine == crystals: a yellow pellucid variety of quartz; “fierce pyropus-stone” == a carbuncle of fiery redness. l. 590, King-bird: “The Phœnix travels (in an egg of myrrh) to Heliopolis to die.” [S.] l. 614, “an old fable,” etc. See Pindar’s, “Fourth Pythian Ode.” l. 630, Hermit-bee—a species of Apidæ; some of the best known of this species are solitary in their habits. The Carpenter-bee (Xylocopa) excavates nests and cells in wood; the Mason-bee (Osmia and Megachill) forms nests with particles of sand. l. 677-8, “Henry of Egna,” “Sofia,” “Lady of the Rock,” etc.: Sofia was the “youngest daughter of Eccelin the monk, widow of Henry of Egna, the ‘Lady of the Rock,’ or of the Trentine Pass” (W. M. Rossetti). l. 698, Campese: a town on the Brenta, near Bassano. l. 699, Solagna: a village in the province of Vicenza, in the Eastern Alps. l. 787, Valley Rù: in the valley of Enneberg or Gaderthal, on the Eastern Alps. l. 788, San Zeno: the basilica of St. Zeno, an early bishop of Verona. l. 792, raunce, or rance, a bar or rail. l. 799, cushat’s chirre—the ringdove’s coo. l. 802, barrow: a tomb. l. 803, Alberic: brother of Eccelin. He was tortured to death. l. 858, Hesperian fruit: of the Western land (Italy or Spain). The golden apples of the Hesperides probably were oranges. l. 894, “rifle a musk pod and ’twill ache like yours”: a freshly-opened musk pod has a most powerful and pungent ammoniacal odour. Musk requires to be smelt in minute quantity. Sordello’s story deals with political troubles and horrors of war, too powerful a dose for reading at one sitting.

“So, the head aches and the limbs are faint!” (Ferishtah’s Fancies.) The sixth lyric begins with these words.

Soul, The. It “existed ages past” (Cristina); “is resting here an age” (Cristina); “on its lone way” (Cristina and Rabbi ben Ezra); “its nature is to seek durability” (Red Cotton Night-cap Country); “is independent of bodily pain” (Red Cotton); “is here to mate another soul” (Cristina); “shall rise in its degree” (Toccata of Galuppi’s); “it craves all” (Cleon); and “can never taste death” (Paracelsus). La Saisiaz is the poem for proof of its existence and immortality.

Soul’s Tragedy, A: Act I. being what was called the poetry of Chiappino’s life, and Act II. its prose (London, 1846). The incidents are not all historical; they are imagined to have occurred at Faenza, a city of Italy about twenty miles south-west of Ravenna, in the sixteenth century. Chiappino is a patriot—so far as words and fine sentiments go. He is a good type of the men who in all popular movements seek their own interest while pretending to be concerned only for the welfare of the people. Having fomented popular feeling against the Provost of Faenza he has been sentenced to exile. He has, however, an influential friend, Luitolfo, who has volunteered to exert his good offices with the Provost, with whom he is on good terms, with the view of obtaining a pardon. The first Act opens with a dialogue between Eulalia and Chiappino in Luitolfo’s house, concerning the cause of the latter’s prolonged absence on his errand of friendly intercession. Luitolfo and Eulalia are betrothed lovers. Chiappino, while his friend is absent endeavouring to save him, is bragging of his humanitarian courage and daring, and depreciating his friend while making love to his betrothed. Eulalia listens, but begs for “justice to him that’s now entreating, at his risk, perhaps, justice for you!” Chiappino hates Luitolfo for the favours he has done him, the fines he has paid for him, the intercession he has made; and so he endeavours to make himself important in the woman’s eyes, to pose as the martyr of humanity, while he belittles her betrothed lover, and tries to prove that his acts of kindness were unimportant. While they discuss, a knocking is heard without; the door is opened, and Luitolfo rushes in with blood upon him. He declares he has killed the Provost, and the crowd are in pursuit of him. Chiappino offers his protection, and talks bravely as usual; forces Luitolfo to fly in his disguise while he remains with Eulalia and meets the angry pursuers. The populace enter, and Chiappino, without hesitation, declares it was he who killed the Provost: he knows the people will bless him as their saviour, so he takes the credit of Luitolfo’s act of vengeance. Eulalia is anxious he should give the credit to Luitolfo, as the murder turns out to be popular; but Chiappino defers the explanation till the morrow. Act II. is in prose; the scene is laid a month after, in the market-place of Faenza: Luitolfo is mingling in disguise with the populace assembled outside the Provost’s palace. A bystander tells him that Chiappino will be the new Provost: it is he who was the brave friend of the people; Luitolfo the coward, who ran away from them and their cause. Ravenna, he says, governs Faenza, as Rome governs Ravenna; and the Papal legate, Ogniben, has entered the town, saying satirically: “I have known three-and-twenty leaders of revolts!” He wishes to know what the revolters want. The soldiers came into Ravenna, bearing their wounded Provost (he had not been killed, as Luitolfo supposed). The Legate had come to arrange matters amicably. He will have no punishments for the insurrection. What he desires to know is, Do they wish to live without any government at all? or if not, do they wish their ruler to be murdered by the first citizen who conceives he has a grievance? Chiappino puts himself forward as spokesman, and declares he is in favour of a republic. “And you the administrator thereof?” asks the Legate. After a little fencing, Chiappino agrees to this; and so the crowd is waiting to see him invested with the provostship. He is to marry Luitolfo’s love and succeed to his property. Luitolfo will not believe all this till he sees Eulalia and his quondam friend. Chiappino enters with Eulalia, making excuses for his volte-face both in politics and love, and shows that he falls completely into the trap the clever and satirical ecclesiastic has set for the pretended patriot. After much cutting sarcasm at Chiappino’s expense on the part of the brilliant legate, who evidently knows his man to the marrow, the waiting populace are informed that the provostship will be conferred on Chiappino as soon as the name of the person who attempted to kill the late Provost is given up. Luitolfo comes from his place in the crowd to own and justify his act, much to the confusion of the man who has claimed all the credit of the deed. The Legate orders Luitolfo to his house, and recommends the patriot to rusticate himself awhile. Then, demanding the keys of the Provost’s palace, and advising profitable meditation to the people, he leaves them chuckling that he has known four-and-twenty leaders of revolts. The character of the ecclesiastic Ogniben is one of the finest inventions of Mr. Browning.

Notes.—Act I. Scudi: dollars. Act II.: Brutus the Elder: who conspired with Cassius against Julius Cæsar. “Dico vobis!” I tell you! “St. Nepomucene of Prague” == St. John Nepomucen of Prague (1383), martyr. He was an anchorite and an apostle. The Emperor Wenceslaus had him put to death because he refused to betray what the Empress had told him under the seal of confession. Ravenna: a very celebrated and very ancient city of North-east Italy. Its great historical importance began early in the fifth century, when Honorius transferred his court thither. From 402 to 476 A.D. Ravenna was the chief residence of the Roman emperors. It was subject to papal rulers in the period of this story. “Cur fremuere gentes?” (Psalm ii. 1): “Why do the heathen so furiously rage together?” Pontificial Legate: an ambassador sent by the Pope to the court of a foreign prince or state. “Western Lands”: The allusion is to the discovery of America and the treasures and curiosities brought by Columbus to Spain.

Speculative. (Asolando, 1889.) Could the inspirations and pure delights of the past return, and remain with some great souls who have learned the divine alchemy of turning to gold the pains and pleasures of earth’s old life, it would be for them all that lower minds seek in a new life in what they call heaven; the real heaven being a state, and not a place. Love has inspired the poem.

Spiritualism. Browning’s opinions on this subject are to be found in his poem Mr. Sludge the Medium.

Spring Song. The poem commencing

“Dance, yellows and whites and reds!”

was published under the title of “Spring Song” in the New Amphion, 1886. In 1887 it was published at the end of Gerard de Lairesse in the “Parleyings” volume.

Statue and the Bust, The. The Riccardi Palace in Florence is the scene of the story told in this poem. A lady who has just been married to the head of the noble Riccardi house notices one who rides past her window with a “royal air.” The bridesmaids whisper that it is the great Duke Ferdinand; who in his turn directs his glance at the bride the head of the house of Riccardi had that day brought home. As he looked at the woman and she at the man, her past was a sleep—her life that day only began. That night there was a feast in the house of the bride, and the Grand Duke was present. The lovers stood face to face a minute. In accordance with the courtly custom of the time, he was privileged to kiss the bride. Whether a word was spoken or not cannot be said. The husband, who stood by, however, saw or heard something which mortally offended him; and when, at night, he led his bride to her chamber, he told her calmly that the door which was then shut on her was closed till her body should be taken thence for burial. She could watch the world from the window, which faced the east, but could never more pass the door. The bride as calmly assented:

“Your window and its world suffice,”

she said. It would be easy, she thought, to fly to the Duke, who loved her: it would only be necessary to disguise herself as a page, and she would save her soul. She reflected, however, that next day her father was to bless her new condition; and she must tarry for a day, consoling herself with the reflection that she should certainly see the Duke ride past. And so she turned on her side, and went to sleep. That night the Duke resolved to ruin body and soul, if need might be, for the sake of this beautiful woman; and on the morrow he addressed the bridegroom, whose duties at court brought him into his presence, suggesting that he, with his wife, should visit him at his country seat at Petraja. The bridegroom quietly declined the invitation, giving as his reason that the state of his lady’s health did not permit her to quit the palace, the wind from the Apennines being particularly dangerous for her. The Duke was foiled in his project; but promised himself it should not be long before he met the bride again, yet he must wait a night, for the envoy from France was to visit him. He too reflects that he shall see the lady as he rides past her palace. They saw each other, and each resolved that next day they would do more than glance at a distance; but next day and the next passed, and as constantly was the project of union deferred; the weeks grew months, the years passed by, till age crept on, and each perceived they had been dreaming. One day the lady had to confess that her beauty was fading: her hair was tinged with grey, her mouth was puckered, and she was haggard-cheeked; and as she beheld herself in her glass she bade her servants call a famous sculptor to fix the remains of her beauty, so that it should no more fade. Della Robbia must make her a face on her window waiting, as ever, to watch her lover pass in the square below. But long before the artist’s work was finished, and the cornice in its place, the Duke had sighed over the escape of his own youth; and he too set John of Douay to make an equestrian statue of him, and to place it in the square he had crossed so often, so that men should admire him when he had gone to his tomb. The figure looks straight at one of the windows of the Riccardi Palace: the attitude suggests love for the lady and contempt of her husband. In connection with all this the poet reflects on the condition of the spirits of these two awaiting the Last Judgment. Do they reflect on the greatness of the gift of life—how they had seen the proper object of their lives, and yet had missed it? “But,” the poet hears us object, “their end was a crime, and delay was best.” The test, however, of our use of life can be as well attained by a crime as a virtue. A game can be played without money: where a button answers, it would be vain to use a sovereign. Whether we play with counters or coins, we must do our best to win:—

“If you choose to play!—is my principle,
Let a man contend to the uttermost
For his life’s set prize, be it what it will.”

These people as surely lost their counter as if it were lawful coin. This moral has been much disputed by Browning students. So far as society was concerned the lady and the Duke did well: so far as their own souls were concerned they undoubtedly did ill. The Duke would have been more manly and the woman truer to her human instincts if he and she had let love have its way. Both dwarfed and withered their souls by looking and longing and pining for what they had not courage to grasp. The sin in each case was as great in the sight of God. It was simply prudence and conventionality which restrained the lovers; and these things count for nothing with the poet-psychologist. But conventionality counts for a great deal in our conduct of life. It may have been “the crowning disaster to miss life” for the man and woman: if so, it was a sacrifice justly due to human society. If every woman flew to the arms of the man whom she liked better than her own husband, and if every governor of a city felt himself at liberty to steal another man’s wife merely to complete and perfect the circle of his own delights, society would soon be thrown back into barbarism. The sacrifice to conventionality and the self-restraint these persons practised may have atoned for much that was defective in their lives. “Pecca fortiter” (sin bravely), said Luther; but it would be difficult to defend the doctrine on any principle of ethics. Many readers have found difficulties in understanding this poem. One such wrote to an American paper to inquire: “(1) When, how, and where did it happen? Browning’s divine vagueness lets one gather only that the lady’s husband was a Riccardi. (2) Who was the lady? who the Duke? (3) The magnificent house where Florence lodges her Préfet is known to all Florentine ball-goers as the Palazzo Riccardi. It was bought by the Riccardi from the Medici in 1659. From none of its windows did the lady gaze at her more than royal lover. From what window, then, if from any? Are the statue and the bust still in their original positions?” These queries fell into the hands of Mr. Wise, who forwarded them to Mr. Browning, who sent the following answer:—“Jan. 8th, ’87. Dear Mr. Wise,—I have seldom met with such a strange inability to understand what seems the plainest matter possible. ‘Ball-goers’ are probably not history readers; but any guide-book would confirm what is sufficiently stated in the poem. I will append a note or two, however. (1) ‘This story the townsmen tell’: ‘when, how, and where’ constitutes the subject of the poem. (2) The lady was the wife of Riccardi, and the Duke—Ferdinand, just as the poem says. (3) As it was built by and inhabited by the Medici till sold, long after, to the Riccardi, it was not from the Duke’s palace, but a window in that of the Riccardi, that the lady gazed at her lover riding by. The statue is still in its place, looking at the window under which is ‘now the empty shrine.’ Can anything be clearer? My ‘vagueness’ leaves what to be ‘gathered’ when all these things are put down in black and white? Oh, ‘ball-goers’!—Yours very sincerely, Robert Browning.” The Medicean palace in the Via Larga, now called the Via Cavour, is meant as the duke’s palace. See articles on this question in Poet Lore, vol. iii., pp. 284 and 648. It is an error to suppose that but one palace is referred to in the poem. The Piazza della Annunziata in Florence is the square referred to in the first verse. The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin was built in 1250, and adorned at the expense of Pietro de’ Medici from the designs of Michelozzi. The loggia of the church forms the north side. On the east is the Foundling Hospital, Spedale degli Innocenti, dating from the year 1421. In the centre of the square is an equestrian statue of Ferdinand I., cast from cannon taken by the Knights of St. Stephen from the Turks.

Notes.—“Great Duke Ferdinand”: Ferdinand I. was Grand Duke of Florence, an honour first conferred on Cosimo (dei Medici) I. by Pope Pius V., who conferred the patent and crown upon him in Rome. Ferdinand was a cardinal from the age of fourteen, but he had never taken holy orders. He was an amiable and capable ruler, and Tuscany flourished under his government. He was thirty-eight years old when, in 1587, he succeeded his brother on the throne. Riccardi: a noble family of Florence. “The Palazzo Riccardi, a proud and stately residence, was begun in 1430 by Cosimo dei Medici. It remained in the possession of the family till 1659, when they sold it to Gabriele Riccardi; but towards the end of the last century it was bought by the Grand Duke, and is now employed as a species of Somerset House, partly for literary purposes and partly for government offices. It is a noble building, and is most imposing in appearance. The window-sills are by Michael Angelo” (see Murray’s Handbook to North Italy). Via Larga: this was overshadowed by the Medici Palace, symbolical of the shadow cast by the crime of its owners in destroying the liberties of the city. Encolure (Fr.): the neck and shoulders of a horse. Emprise: undertaking, enterprise. “Cosimo and his cursed son”: Cosimo dei Medici was called “the father of his country,” his grandson was “Lorenzo the Magnificent.” Arno: the river which flows through Florence. Petraja: a suburban residence near Florence. Apennine: the mountain range in the valley of which Florence is seated. “Robbia’s craft,” “Robbia’s cornice”: Della Robbia is the name of a family of great distinction in the art history of Florence. “Robbia’s craft” would seem to be a term applied to the kind of work done, and does not refer to the artist himself, as the last famous Della Robbia (Girolamo) died in 1566. The work called Robbia ware was terra-cotta relief covered with enamel. John of Douay (1524-1608), usually called Giovanni da Bologna: a celebrated sculptor of Italy. “stamp of the very Guelph”: English money of our time, our royal family being Guelfs. “de te fabula”: the fable is told concerning yourself.