Julius Caesar

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In Canto IV of the Inferno Dante places Caesar, "armed with the falcon's eyes," in the catalogue of illustrious figures of Roman history who populate Limbo. The critical note on the passage clarifies that the list in Canto IV is not random: the first group brings together heroes of the active life, all figures from the history of Rome, to which the history of Troy is also tied, and the providential and prophetic value that Rome and its Empire hold in Dante's conception of world history lies at the origin of this choice. Caesar is thus presented as one of the culminating figures of that story, which from the defeat of Troy and the Latins was meant to lead to the birth of Rome. The form of the verse – "Caesar armed with the falcon's eyes" – conveys a warlike and fierce image of him, consistent with the historical role of commander attributed to him by tradition.