Toynbee "Màntova"
Mantua, town in SE. extremity of Lombardy, situated between several small lakes formed by the Mincio, not many miles from its confluence with the Po, [Purg. vi. 72]; Mantua, [Inf. xx. 93]; V.E. I. xv. 2; Quest. 2.

In origin, Mantua is an Etruscan city (cf. Livy, v. xxxiii. 7-11), its name being derived from Mantus, the Etruscan Pluto, god of the underworld, who was called 'Dis pater' by the Romans (cf. Servius on {Virg. Aen. x. 198}). According to Virgil, however, Mantua was founded by Ocnus, a son of the Tuscan river-god and the seeress Manto, the daughter of Tiresias of Thebes, and was named for Manto. [Manto.]

The ancient Mantua was celebrated on account of its connexion with Virgil, who claimed it as his birthplace, although he was actually born in the neighbouring village of Andes (about 3 miles S. of Mantua), on the ancient site of which is now found the mod. Virgilio, formerly known as Pietola. (Cf. [Purg. xviii. 83].) [Virgilio.]

Mantua is mentioned as the birthplace of Virgil in connexion with the story of its foundation bv Manto, after whom it was named -- a story which D. puts into Virgil's mouth, and which is inconsistent with Virgil's own account, {Aen. x. 198-200} -- [Inf. xx. 93]; là dove nacqu'io, [Inf. xx. 56]; la città, [Inf. xx. 91] [Manto]; Virgil mentions it again as his birthplace, [Purg. vi. 72] (cf. [Inf. xx. 56]); and it is referred to (perhaps) in the same connexion as villa mantovana, [Purg. xviii. 83] [Pietola]; it is mentioned also as the native land of Sordello (who was born at Goito near Mantua), V.E. I. xv. 2 [Sordello]; and as the scene of the discussion as to the relative heights of land and sea, which led to D.'s disputation Questio de aqua et terra, Quest. 2.

©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