Commentary Inf XII 58-63

The centaurs take Virgil and Dante for wandering damned souls and one of them (we learn that this is Nessus at v. 67) challenges them. His words, 'Tell us from there. If not, I draw my bow' (Ditel costinci; se non, l'arco tiro), are probably modelled on Charon's to the armed figure of Aeneas (Aen. VI.389): 'fare age, quid venias, iam istinc, et comprime gressum' (tell me, even from there, why you come here, and hold your steps). The citation is perhaps first found in Daniello (DDP Daniello.Inf.XII.63).