Commentary Inf IV 95-96

Two problems of interpretation continue to assault these lines. (1) Is the 'lord of loftiest song' Homer or Virgil? Most today agree that Homer is meant (railing against one proponent of Virgil's candidacy Taaffe complains of 'a violence to the text above my comprehension' [Taaf.1822.1, p. 251]). (2) Does the relative pronoun in v. 96 refer to the singer or the song? That is, is it Homer (or Virgil) who soars above all other poets, or is it the lofty style of epic that flies higher than all other forms of poetic expression? Most today prefer the second reading. This argument depends heavily upon the reference of the adjective altri. Those who think that the second meaning is most likely point out that the adjective seems to refer to canto in the preceding line, while a reference to the 'other poets' can only be assumed, since there is no noun to attach to them. Our translation leaves the meaning ambivalent, as Dante seems to do. Nonetheless, the understanding that Dante probably meant to say that epic, introduced by Homer, is the highest poetic style really does seem the most likely solution to this in any case not terribly important problem, since the eventual meaning of the verses is roughly the same. Mazzoni (Mazz.1965.1, p. 145), who also believes that Homeric song is meant, rather convincingly, following Parodi, points to Dante's assimilation of the eagle to the highest form of poetic expression in V.E.II.iv.11, a point well taken. For the perhaps most challenging arguments in opposition to Mazzoni's, insisting instead that it is Homer who is seen as the high-flying 'eagle,' see Martellotti 'Omero' (ED.1973.4), p. 145b, and Mengaldo (Meng.1979.1), p. 169.