Summary and Analysis by Canto

Canto XII

Slides of Mark near Trent on the left bank of the river Adige about two miles from Roverto.

Infamy of Crete the Minotaur.

Minotaur Greek Mythology. a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull (in some versions, with the body of a bull and the head of a man), confined by Minos in a labyrinth built by Daedalus, and annually fed seven youths and seven maidens from Athens, until killed by Theseus.

Centaurs Greek Mythology. any of a race of monsters with a man's head, trunk, and arms, and a horse's body and legs.

Chiron Greek Mythology. the wisest of all Centaurs, famous for his knowledge of medicine; he is the teacher of Asclepius, Achilles, and Hercules.

Nessus Centaur who tried to abduct Hercules' wife and was killed for doing so.

Dejanira Hercules wife.

Pholus mentioned by a number of classical poets, but not much detail is known about him.

Alexander Alexander the Great; 356–323 b.c.; king of Macedonia (336–323); military conqueror who helped spread Greek culture from Asia Minor and Egypt to India.

Dionysius father and son, I and II, tyrants of Sicily.

Azzolinao cruel Ghibelline tyrant.

Opizzo da Esti cruel Ghibelline tyrant.

That one before God's Altar pierced a heart Guy de Montfort, leader of a rebellion against Henry III.

Sextus the younger son of Pompeii the Great.

Pyrrhus either the son of Achilles or the king of Epirus; both were bloodthirsty warriors.

Attila king of the Huns and called "Scourge of God" because of his cruelty.


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