Page:Sonnets and Ballate of Guido Cavalcanti.djvu/21

 first sonnet. In 1284 he was a member of the Grand Council with Dino Compogni and Brunetto Latino. In party feuds of Florence Guelf, then a “White” with the Cherci, and most violent against Corso Donati. 1292–96 is the latitude given us for the pilgrimage to the holy house of Galicia. Corso, it is said, tried to assassinate him on this pilgrimage. It is more plausible to accept 1292 as the date of the feud between the Cavalcanti and the Bundelmonti, dating so the sonnet to Nerone; for upon his return from the pilgrimage which had extended only to Toulouse, Guido attacks Corso in the streets of Florence, and for the general turmoil ensuing, the leaders of both factions were exiled. Guido was sent with the “Whites” to Sarzana, where he caught his death fever. Dante at this time (1300), being a prior of Florence, was party to decree of exile, and perhaps, though no one so far as I know has suggested it, a cause of Cavalcanti’s speedy recall. “Il nostro Guido” was buried on August 29, whence writes Villani, “and his death is a great loss, for as he was philosopher, so was he man of parts in more things, although somewhat punctilious and fiery.” Boccaccio considers him “probably” the “other just man,” in Dante’s statement that there were two in Florence.

Benvenuto says so positively, “alter oculus Florentiæ.” In the Decameron we hear that, “He was of the best logicians in the world, a very fine natural philosopher. Thus was he leggiadrisimo”