Commentary Inf III 64

M. Barbi (Barb.1934.1), p. 261: sciaurati must be understood as 'vile, abbietto, da niente,' as a bitterly negative term with no softness in it. Similarly, the phrase che mai non fur vivi (who never were alive) is darkened by its probable source, cited by several modern commentators (perhaps first by Sapegno [DDP Sapegno.Inf.III.64], in Apoc. 3:1: 'Nomen habes quod vivas, et mortuus es' (and you, who are named as among the living, are dead), a fitting castigation for Dante to have had in mind for the neutrals.