Commentary Inf XXXIII 8

The phrasing of Ugolino's hoped for fruition of infamy for Ruggieri possibly reflects the language of the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-11), where Jesus interprets the seed as the word of God. Durling and Martinez (Durl.1996.1), p. 531, suggest the importance, for the images of fruition used both by Ugolino and Alberigo, of Matthew 7:20: 'by their fruits you shall know them.' Theodore Faunce (Princeton '73) many years ago suggested another biblical passage that comments adversely upon Ugolino's hope: 'For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteouness and truth' (Ephesians 5:9).