DANTE ALIGHIERI, pron. diin'at it'le-gya'r6 (12135-1321). (inc of the greatest poets of all times, and incomparably the greatest among the Italians. Ile was born in Florence in the latter part of Slay, 1265, and his name was originally Durante. The outward circumstances and fortunes of Dante's life are largely involved in uncertainty, and recent critical researches have tended rather to destroy long-accepted be liefs than to add new and reliable details. Rome, Ferrara, Parma, and Verona in turn claimed the origin of his family, which was not neces sarily of ancient lineage, although Dante himself seems to have believed that. he sprang from Roman stook and to have prided himself upon hi, noble blood. The first appearance, however, of the Alighie•i in history was in 1147, when Cacciaguida, the poet's great-great-grandfather, fell in the Crusades. Alighiero, Dante's father, may or may not have been a jurist, but it is cer tain that he was an adherent. of the Guelph fac tion. Of his mother nothing is known except that her name was Bella. There is reason to suppose that she died soon after his birth, that his father soon married again. and, dying in 1275. left him with a step-mother. a brother, and two sisters. Of Dante's boyhood and education we know little beyond his own statement that he hail 'taught himself the art of bringing words into verse.' It i:3 not surely known that he was ever a pupil of the learned Florentine Brunetto Latini. though he undoubtedly profited from the latte•'s precepts and example. It is equally questionable whether be ever purgued legal studies at the University of Bologna. We are better informed regarding the social influences under which he grew up in Fb,renee. Among his friends and intimates were the poets Guido Cavalcanti and Cino da Pistoia, who was also a jurist of note; Dino Frescobaldi and Lapo Gianni. both famed for their finished verse; the musician Casella, and the artist Giotto. The most significant event, however, of Dante's early youth, and the one fraught with most enduring consequenees. was his with the Beatrice afterwards celebrated in his poems, and believed. upon the authority of Boccaccio, to have been the daughter of Folco Portinari. who later became the wife of :Simone de' Bardi. As related in that unique and earliest of the poet's productions, the 1 ita Nonce, he met her first at a family festival when he himself was but nine years old, and she some months younger. Vet from that moment his love for her seems to have lmon the dominant influ ence in his life. There seems to be no good reason for questioning, as some have questioned. whether, after all, Beatrice was a real person ality, or whether she was not the creation of a poet's mind, a mere personification of philosophy. It is difficult to read the Vita Nuorn and still question the truth of what it narrates; from first to last it bears the striking stamp of sin cerity. Vet it must be borne in mind that his
love for Beatrice was very different from what is ordinarily understood by the term. It was the highest form of spiritual love, freed from the dross of all earthly desires and vulgar jealousy. In Beatrice he saw something more than a woman: from first to last, she was in his eyes an 'angiol a gent lb ss i ma 2 Beatrice died June 9, 1290, a date that marks an epoch in Dante's life. We know not who was the donna gentile to whom a year later he turned for spiritual sympathy, though some have chosen to see in this unknown comforter the Geniis Donati, whom by the persuasion of his friends he was soon after led to marry. Two sons, a daughter Antonia. and perhaps another. Beatriee. were the fruit of this union, which there is no positive reason for believing an unhappy one. Dante maintained an unbroken silence regarding his wife, who continued to live in Florence after his exile, and presumably they never met again.
Of Dante's part in the public affairs of his city a few meagre details are preserved. enough to show that his interest gradually deepened after the death of Beatrice. Too much importance has sometimes been attached to the so-called heroism of his military service. In point of fact, he was simply discharging the duties incumbent upon a citizen of the commune when. in 12S9, lie tone part in an invasion of the territory of Arezzo and was present at the taking of the fortress of Caprona, shortly afterwards. After 1295 his voice was heard with growing frequency in muni oipal affairs, until the summer of 1300. when he was chosen as one of the six Priors of the city. Though his duties lasted hut two months, the time was long enough. as he himself said. to ulcer his undoing. The Guelph- at this time had become divided into two factions—the Agri. led by Corso Donati, and supporters of the Papal power: and the Bianchi or moderate who leafed toward the ideas of the Ghibellines. Dante had allied himself with the latter faction. ton dining his tenure of office party feeling ran so high that the Priors decided upon the extreme measure of banishing the leaders of both fae lions. and Dante advocated the measure, though Donati. a relative of his wife. was among the banished ri, and Cavaleanti. his friend, among the Itionelli. But soon afterwards the Bianchi were unwisely allowed to return, and, fearing that their party would get the upper hand in the city. Bonifaee VIII. sent Charles of Valois to Florenee. who qniekly restored the Nrri to power. la 1302 there followed a wholesale banishment f the Bbinebi. them Dante. charged with barratry. extortion. corruption. and eonspiraey against Boniface. and the Guelph party.