Commentary Par XV 88-135

For the perhaps surprising presence of so many virtuous women representing 'the good old days' (for this phrase see Davis, who, in an article entitled 'Il buon tempo antico' [Davi.1968.1 -- republished in Davi.1984.1], takes that nostalgic American phrase and recasts it in Italian so that some American readers wrongly assume, as Davis was pleased to recount in informal conversation, that it is in fact found in the poem) in Florence, see Honess (Hone.1997.2), esp. pp. 108-14.