Commentary Par XIX 133-135

Frederick is the only one of the pestilential dozen to receive more than a single tercet for his dispraises.  With a wry sense of humor, Dante claims that Frederick is unworthy of attention, yet he gives Frederick's unworthiness more space than any of his competitors in malfeasance.  Tozer (DDP Tozer.Par.XIX.133-135) paraphrases the tercet as follows and then comments: '"In order to let men know how paltry he is, that which is written against him will take the form of abbreviations, which will enumerate many vices within a small space."  Abbreviations were commonly used in MSS. to save space; so they would be used in God's record of Frederic, because he was too insignificant for a large space to be allotted to him.'