Commentary Inf XXIX 136-139

Capocchio was, according to some early commentators, known to Dante in their early days as students. He was supposedly a particularly adept imitator of the words and gestures of others, a talent which he later extended to 'alchemical' malfeasance, to his cost. For the concept of the ape as mimic, see Curtius (Curt.1948.1), pp. 538-40.