The Heaven of the Moon continued. Of the influence of this planet, Buti, quoting the astrologer Albumasar, says: "The Moon is cold, moist, and phlegmatic, sometimes warm, and gives lightness, aptitude in all things, desire of joy, of beauty, and of praise, beginning of all works, knowledge of the rich and noble, prosperity in life, acquisition of things desired, devotion in faith, superior sciences, multitude of thoughts, necromancy, acuteness of mind in things, geometry, knowledge of lands and waters and of their measure and number, weakness of the sentiments, noble women, marriages, pregnancies, nursings, embassies, falsehoods, accusations ; the being lord among lords, servant among servants, and conformity with every man of like nature, oblivion thereof, timid, of simple heart, flattering, honourable towards men, useful to them, not betraying secrets, a multitude of infirmities and the care of healing bodies, cutting hair, liberality of food, chastity. These are the significations (influences) of the Moon upon the things it finds, the blame and honour of which, according to the astrologers, belong to the planet ; but the wise man follows the good influences, and leaves the bad; though all are good and necessary to the life of the universe."
Narcissus mistook his shadow for a substance; Dante, falling into the opposite error, mistakes these substances or shadows.
Your destiny; that is, of yourself and the others with you.
Piccarda was a sister of Forese and Corso Donati, and of Gemma, Dante's wife. In Purg." XXIV. 13, Forese says of her:--
"My sister, who, 'twixt beautiful and good,
I know not which was more, triumphs rejoicing
Already in her crown on high Olympus."
She was a nun of Santa Clara, and was dragged by violence from the cloister by her brother Corso Donati, who married her to Rosselin della Tosa. As she herself says :--
"God knows what afterward my life became."
It was such that she did not live long. For this crime the. "excellent Baron," according to the Ottirno, had to do penance in his shirt.
Milton, Par. Lost, XII. 583:--
"Add Love,
By name to come called Charity, the soul
Of all the rest."
Constance, daughter of Roger of Sicily. She was a nun at Palermo, but was taken from the convent and married to the Emperor Henry V., son of Barabarossa and father of Frederic II. Qf these "winds of Suabia," or Emperors of the house of Suabia, Barbarossa was the first, Henry V. the second, and Frederic II. the third, and, as Dante calls him in the Convito, IV. 3, "the last of the Roman Emperors," meaning the last of the Suabian line.