Dante, Purgatorio
Giacopo del Cassero's Last Flight
The canto's argument names Giacopo del Cassero among those overtaken by violent death after delaying repentance. The first speaker asks Dante to obtain prayers from the inhabitants of Fano. He attributes his pursuit to Este's prince and says that another route might have saved him. Instead he fled into marshes, became entangled in mud and rushes, and watched his blood spread over the ground.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryThe canto's argument names Giacopo del Cassero among those overtaken by violent death after delaying repentance. The first speaker asks Dante to obtain prayers from the inhabitants of Fano.
Further detail
LiteraryHe attributes his pursuit to Este's prince and says that another route might have saved him. Instead he fled into marshes, became entangled in mud and rushes, and watched his blood spread over the ground.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the supplied Thompson & Thomas edition of H. F. Cary’s translation. It describes Dante’s literary vision, distinguishing its assignments and reported claims from historical biography, other classical traditions and independently established accounts of an afterlife.
Original passages
Source 1
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante
Giacopo del Cassero, Buonconte da Montefeltro, and Pia, a lady of Sienna. XT OW had I left those spirits, and pursued ^ ^ The steps ofOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Purgatory and Paradise, Cary translation; active reader leaf 32
Passage read in the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace-normalised anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Associated plates separately inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0119-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0119-E001-P0032
- Original scan leaf
- 33
- Recorded leaf number
- 33
- Current Reader position
- 29
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante
But to the marsh I sped; And in the mire and rushes tangled there Fell, and beheld my life-blood float the plain." Then said another: "AhOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Purgatory and Paradise, Cary translation; active reader leaf 36
Passage read in the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace-normalised anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Associated plates separately inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0119-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0119-E001-P0036
- Original scan leaf
- 37
- Recorded leaf number
- 37
- Current Reader position
- 33
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Literary & Visionary Figures ↗
Buonconte da Montefeltro's Final Tear
A last invocation and tear decide the fate of a dying fighter in the poem.
Same subject and traditionConrad Malaspina's Coming Proof
A nobleman's reputation becomes a prediction of the traveller's future experience.
Same subject and traditionHarry of England in the Valley
The English king appears alone within the company of waiting rulers.
Same subject and traditionNino, the Judge of Gallura
A familiar judge asks Dante to bring a request for prayer to his daughter.