Commentary Inf XIII 55-78

Pier's speech to Dante, in its entirety, forms an Italian version of a classical oration, with its parts measured as follows: (1) capturing of the good will of the audience (55-57); (2) narrative of events at issue (58-72); (3) peroration, making the climactic point (73-75); (4) petition, seeking the consent of the audience (76-78). (For a more detailed consideration of the rhetorical construction of the speech see Higgins [Higg.1975.1], pp. 63-64.)