Toynbee "Malatesta, Pàolo"
third son of Malatesta da Verrucchio, lord of Rimini, il mastin vecchio ([Inf. xxvii. 46]). He married in 1269 Orabile Beatrice, daughter of the count of Ghiacciuolo, by whom he had two sons; one of these, Uberto, was in 1324 murdered by his uncle Pandolfo, at that time lord of Rimini [Malatesta]. Paolo acted as proxy for his elder brother, Gianciotto, at the betrothal of the latter to Francesca, daughter of Guido Vecchio da Polenta (probably in 1275). In Feb. 1282, Paolo was called to Florence as capitano del popolo, a post which he voluntarily abandoned in Feb. 1283. D., who was 17 at the time, could have known him during this period.

In 1285, when Paolo himself had been married sixteen years and was the father of two sons, and Francesca was the mother of a daughter 9 years old, the two were surprised together by Gianciotto and slain. [Francesca.]

D. places Paolo, whom he does not name (and who figures merely as a mute personage), together with Francesca, among the Lustful in Circle II of Hell, costui, [Inf. v. 101, 104], questi [Inf. v. 135]; l'altro [spirto], [Inf. v. 140]; Paolo and Francesca together, quei due, [Inf. v. 74]; anime affannate, [Inf. v. 80]; anime offense, [Inf. v. 109]; costoro, [Inf. v. 114]; l'uno [spirto] . . . l'altro, [Inf. v. 139-140]. [Lussuriosi.]

Paolo is said to have been a man of handsome person and attractive manners, in direct contrast to his ill-favoured brother. Boccaccio says of him: 'era bello e piacevole uomo e costumato molto.'

©Oxford University Press 1968. From A Dictionary of Proper Names and Notable Matters in the Works of Dante by Paget Toynbee (1968) by permission of Oxford University Press