List of Cultural References in Divine Comedy - B

B

  • Bacchus: The Roman name of the Greek god Dionysus, protector of wine.
    • Born in the Thebes. Inf. XX, 59.
  • Barbarossa: Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor (1155–1190). He captured Milan in his Italian campaign in 1154. Purg. XVIII, 119.
  • Barrators: Those who have committed the sin of barratry.
    • The barrators, are found in the fifth pouch in a lake of boiling pitch guarded by the Malebranche. Inf. XXI–XXII.
  • Barratry: The sin of selling or paying for offices or positions in the public service or officialdom (cf. simony).
    • One of the sins of ordinary fraud punished in the eighth circle. Inf. XXI, 60.
  • "Beati misericordes": "Blessed are the merciful." (Mat 5:7)
    • Heard by Dante as he passed upward out of the terrace of the envious. Purg. XV, 38.
  • "Beati mundo corde": "Blessed are the pure in heart." (Mat 5:8).
    • Sung by an angel before Dante passed upward out of the terrace of the lustful. Purg. XXVII, 8.
  • "Beati pacifici": "Blessed are peacemakers." (Mat 5:9)
    • Heard by Dante as he passed upward out of the terrace of the angry. Purg. XVII, 68–69.
  • "Beati pauperes spiritu": "Blessed are the poor in spirit." (Mat 5:3)
    • Heard by Dante as he passed upward out of the terrace of the prideful. Purg. XII, 110.
  • "Beati quorum tecta sunt peccata": "Blessed are they whose sins are covered." (Psalm 32:1; Psalm 31:1 in the Latin Vulgate.)
    • Sung by Matilda as she conversed with Dante in Terrestrial Paradise. Purg. XXIX, 1–3.
  • Baptist: See John the Baptist.
  • Beatrice (1266–1290): Dante's idealised childhood love, Beatrice Portinari. In the poem, she awaits the poet in Paradise, replaces Virgil as Dante's guide, and conducts him through the heavens. She symbolises Heavenly Wisdom.
    • The "worthier spirit" who Virgil says will act as Dante's guide in Paradise. Inf. I, 121–123.
    • Asks Virgil to rescue Dante and bring him on his journey. Inf. II, 53–74.
    • Asked by Lucia to help Dante. Inf. II, 103–114.
    • When Dante appears upset by Farinata's prophecy on his future exile, Virgil intervenes and explains to him that Beatrice, "quella il cui bell' occhio tutto vede" ("one whose gracious eyes see everything"), will eventually clarify all. Inf. X, 130–132.
    • Virgil, speaking with Chiron, alludes to Beatrice as she who has entrusted Dante to him. Inf. XII, 88.
    • Speaking with Brunetto Latini Dante alludes to her as the woman who shall fully explain the sense of Brunetto's prophecy regarding his exile from Florence. Inf. XV, 90.
    • Virgil uses the promise of meeting Beatrice to encourage Dante to enter the fire of Purgatory. Purg. XXVII, 36.
    • Dante meets Beatrice in Purgatory. Purg. XXX, 31.
  • Saint Bede: English monk, and scholar, whose best-known work, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People) gained him the title "The father of English history".
    • Encountered in the Fourth Sphere of Heaven (The sun). Par. X, 130–131.
  • Belacqua: Personal acquaintance of Dante's, perhaps Duccio di Bonavia, a music instrument maker noted for his laziness.
    • Dante encounters him in Ante-Purgatory, waiting a lifetime because he waited to his deathbed to repent. Purg. IV, 106–135.
  • Belisarius: (ca. 500–565) Roman general who served under the Emperor Justinian and regained much of Italy for the Empire.
    • Commended by the soul of Justinian in Heaven. Par. VI, 25–27.
  • "Benedictus qui venis" ("Blessed are you who come") Variation of "Benedictus qui venit" ("Blessed is he who comes"), sung in the Sanctus of the Latin Mass. The phrase comes from the Gospel of Mark (Mark 11:10), when the crowds welcome Jesus into Jerusalem.
    • Sung by angels in the Pageant of the Church Triumphant, welcoming Beatrice to the procession. Purg. XXX, 19.
  • Mastro Benvenuto: Nicknamed Asdente ("toothless"), he was a late 13th century Parma shoemaker, famous for his prophecies against Frederick II. Dante also mentions him with contempt in his Convivio, as does Salimbene in his Cronica, though with a very different tone.
    • Among the soothsayers. Inf. XX, 118–120.
  • Gualdrada Berti: Daughter of Bellincione Berti dei Ravignani, from about 1180 wife to Guido the Elder of the great Guidi family, and grandmother of Guido Guerra. The 14th century Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani remembers her as a model of ancient Florentine virtue.
    • "The good Gualdrada". Inf. XVI, 37.
  • Bertran de Born (c. 1140–c. 1215): French soldier and troubadour poet, and viscount of Hautefort, he fomented trouble between Henry II of England and his sons.
    • Among the sowers of discord, where he carries his severed head (although he died a natural death). Inf. XXVIII, 118–142.
    • "The lord of Hautefort." Inf. XXIX, 29.
  • Guido Bonatti: A prominent 13th century astrologer, and a staunch Ghibelline, he is famous for having boasted of being responsible for the Senese victory at Montaperti in 1260.
    • Among the soothsayers. Inf. XX, 118.
  • Bonaventure: Franciscan theologian.
    • He eulogised St. Dominic. Par. XII, 31–105.
  • Buonconte: Son of military strategist Guido da Montefeltro, he helped expel the Guelph party from Arezzo in 1287. His army was defeated by Guelphs from Florence at the Battle of Campaldino in 1289. Dante fought for Florence in the battle. Buonconte's body was not found after the battle.
    • Dante encounters Buonconte waiting to enter Purgatory among the souls who died violent deaths and repented in the final moments. Purg. V, 85–125.
  • Pope Boniface VIII (c. 1235–1303): Elected in 1294 upon the abdication of Celestine V, whom he promptly imprisoned. He supported the Black Guelphs against Dante's party the White Guelphs (see Guelphs and Ghibellines). He was in conflict with the powerful Colonna family, who contested the legitimacy of Celestine's abdication, and thus Boniface's papacy. Wishing to capture the impregnable Colonna stronghold of Palestrina, he sought advice from Guido da Montefeltro, offering in advance papal absolution for any sin his advice might entail. He advised Boniface to promise the Colonnas amnesty, then break it. As a result the Collonas surrendered the fortress and it was razed to the ground.
    • "One who tacks his sails". Inf. VI, 68.
    • Referred to ironically using one of the official papal titles "servo de' servi" (Servant of His servants"). Inf. XV, 112
    • Accused of avarice, deceit and violating the "lovely Lady" (the church). Inf. XIX, 52–57.
    • Pope Nicholas III prophesies his eternal damnation among the Simoniacs. Inf. XIX, 76–77.
    • The "highest priest — may he be damned!". Inf. XXVII, 70.
    • The "prince of the new Pharisees". Inf. XXVII, 85.
    • His feud with the Colonna family and the advice of Guido da Montefeltro. Inf. XXVII, 85–111.
    • Treatment at the hands of Philip IV of France compared to a new crucifixion of Jesus. Purg. XX, 85–93.
  • Guglielmo Borsiere, a pursemaker accused of sodomy (see Sodom), who made a joke that was the subject of the Decameron (i, 8).
    • A sodomite mentioned in the seventh circle, round 3 by Jacopo Rusticucci as having spoken to him and his companions of the moral decline of Florence, generating great anguish and inducing Rusticucci to ask Dante for corroboration. Inf. XVI 67–72.
  • Martin Bottario: A cooper of Lucca who held various positions in the government of his city. He died in 1300, the year of Dante's travel.
    • Probably the "elder of Saint Zita" who is plunged into a lake of boiling pitch with the other barrators by a Malebranche. Inf. XXI, 35–54.
  • Brennus: Gaulic king who invaded Rome and held the city for ransom in the 4th cent. BCE.
    • He was the last successful foreign invader of the city until the 5th cent. C.E. Par. VI, 44.
  • Briareus: Son of Uranus and Gaia and one of the Hekatonkheires ("hundred-handed")
    • Bound in the Well of the Giants in Hell. Dante asks Virgil to point him out. Inf. XXXI, 97–105.
    • Depicted on the pavement in Purgatory being hurled from Olympus as an exemplar of arrogance. Purg. XII, 28.
  • Agnello Brunelleschi: From the noble Florentine Brunelleschi family, he sided first with the White Guelphs, then the Blacks. A famous thief, he was said to steal in disguise.
    • Among the thieves, he merges with Cianfa Donati to form a bigger serpent. Inf. XXV, 68.
  • Brutus, Lucius Junius: Traditionally viewed as the founder of the Roman Republic, because of his role in overthrowing Tarquin, the last Roman king.
    • Seen in Limbo. Inf. IV, 127.
  • Brutus, Marcus Junius (d. 43 BCE): One of the assassins of Julius Caesar, with whom he had close ties. His betrayal of Caesar was famous ("Et tu Brute") and along with Cassius and Judas, was one of the three betrayer/suicides who, for those sins, were eternally chewed by one of the three mouths of Satan. Inf. XXXIV, 53–67.
  • Bulicame: Spring near Viterbo renowned for its reddish colour and sulphurous water. Part of its water was reserved for the use of prostitutes. Inf. XIV, 79–83.

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