Florence

Description

Dante mentions Florence – or Fiorenza – in numerous cantos of the three cantiche, often expressing harsh judgments on the political and moral life of the city. In the Inferno he calls it 'so great' and accuses it of continually renewing its people and customs; in the Purgatorio he urges it to be content with its lot and mocks it because one of its affairs 'makes the belly burst.' In the Paradiso he recalls the ancient ring of its walls, speaks of the necessity of leaving Florence, remembers the names of its citizens, and imagines a future in which the city will once again be 'a just and healthy people.' The verses thus attest to a profound, autobiographical, and critical bond with the poet's native city.