Poets and thinkers

Bonagiunta Orbicciani da Lucca

A notary and poet from Lucca in the thirteenth century, present in Purgatory as Dante's interlocutor on the terrace of the gluttons. The verse recalls him with the familiar nickname «dal Torso» and says he is intent on expiating the sin of gluttony through fasting.

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Bonagiunta Orbicciani, called «dal Torso», is recalled by Dante in the twenty-third verse of Canto XXIV of Purgatorio as he undergoes his punishment among the gluttons: «dal Torso fu, e purga per digiuno». He was a Tuscan notary and poet active between the first and second half of the thirteenth century, at least until 1296, old enough to recognize Dante on sight and to have been able to read the canzone Donne ch'avete. He is remembered as one of the first to introduce into Tuscany the love poetry born at the court of Sicily, following forms more faithful to the model of Guittone d'Arezza. Verses polemical against the «manner» of Guinizelli—considered by Dante the father of the Stil Nuovo—are attributed to him. His placement on the terrace of the gluttons is introduced by Dante himself, who immediately afterwards addresses him as the second interlocutor of the scene.

In the text

Linked verses

3 verses
CanticaCantoVersoTestoOpen verse
PurgatoryCanto XXIV19Questi», e mostrò col dito, «è Bonagiunta,Open verse
PurgatoryCanto XXIV20Bonagiunta da Lucca; e quella facciaOpen verse
PurgatoryCanto XXIV23dal Torso fu, e purga per digiunoOpen verse