Rulers and nobles
Pyrrhus
King of Epirus (4th century B.C.) and an implacable enemy of the Romans, recalled by Dante in the seventh circle of the Inferno among the leaders of destructive armies and in the Paradiso among the enemies faced by the Roman eagle.
Profile
In Canto XII of the Inferno, Pyrrhus is placed among those who laid Italy waste, alongside Attila and Sextus: the note to the verse specifies that, between the two possible Pyrrhuses, the one who seems more appropriate is the king of Epirus, invader of southern Italy, distinct from Pyrrhus son of Achilles of the Virgilian tradition. In Canto VI of the Paradiso his name appears in the list of enemies against whom the Romans turned, after the mention of Brennus, in the survey of republican exploits. The note to the verse specifies that this is Pyrrhus king of Epirus, who came to the aid of the Tarentines, and that the name falls among the Italic peoples who opposed resistance to Rome.
In the text
Linked verses
2 verses| Cantica | Canto | Verso | Testo | Open verse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inferno | Canto XII | 135 | e Pirro e Sesto; e in etterno munge | Open verse |
| Paradise | Canto VI | 44 | Romani incontro a Brenno, incontro a Pirro, | Open verse |