Commentary Purg XXIV 21-24

Simon de Brie, who 'married' Holy Church as Pope Martin IV (1281-85), was French.  He was not born in Tours, but had served as treasurer of the cathedral of St. Martin in Tours.  He briefly served as chancellor of France before becoming a cardinal in 1261.  And his French connection was further apparent when Charles of Anjou was instrumental in securing the papacy for him.  His gluttonous affection for eels from Lake Bolsena caused him, according to Jacopo della Lana (DDP Lana.Purg.XXIV.19-24), to have them, still alive, drowned in white wine from Liguria (the town of Vernazza) and then roasted.  The commentator also reports that, as pope, coming from meetings dealing with Church business, he would cry out, 'O Lord God, how many ills must we bear for Your holy Church!  Let us have a drink!' and head for table to console himself.

      Not only did this gluttonous pope support French political designs in Italy, he was the man who promoted Benedetto Caetani to the rank of cardinal, thus greatly facilitating his eventual elevation as Pope Boniface VIII (a promotion that Dante could not have regarded with equanimity, given his personal sufferings at the hands of this pope [see [Inf XIX 52-53]]).  In the light of such things, why did Dante decide that Martin was among the saved?  Trucchi (DDP Trucchi.Purg.XXIV.19-24) suggests that, as the successor to the nepotistic and venal Nicholas III (see [Inf XIX 69-72]), Martin put an end, for a time, to the practice of simony in the papacy.  It is for that reason, in his opinion, that Dante overlooked his other flagrant sins to save him.