DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.55699#0276
222
THE LANDSCAPE ANNUAL.
In the square, or market-place, stands an antique
pedestal of marble, which, according to a modern in-
scription upon it, was the suggestum from which Csesar
harangued his army after passing the Rubicon. It is to
be regretted that so classical an association is not sup-
ported by better evidence than that of mere tradition.
At the distance of about twelve miles from Rimini is
situated the little republic of San Marino, whose singular
fortune it has been, in the midst of despotic governments,
to maintain its independence for upwards of twelve hun-
dred years. The traveller who passes through Rimini,
from which place alone the territories of the republic can
be entered, ought not to omit to visit this little state, cele-
brated, as it has been, in the prose of Addison and in
the verse of Collins.
But Rimini is more interesting to the lovers of Italian
literature, on account of its being connected with the
tragical deaths of Francesca da Polenta and Paolo Mala-
testa, which form the subject of one of the finest episodes
in Dante’s poem.—{Inferno, c. v.) Here it will be only
necessary to remind the reader that Gianciotto Malatesta,
married to Francesca da Polenta, killed her and his own
brothei’ Paolo, under suspicion that an unlawful attach-
ment existed between them. A few words in illustra-
tion of that passage of Dante will not, perhaps, prove
unacceptable to our readers.
The house of Malatesta were lords ofVerucchio, a small
castle near Rimini, which was bestowed upon them by
that city, as a reward for services performed by that
family on behalf of the people of Rimini. This added
great consideration to the Malatestas, whose head, Mala-
THE LANDSCAPE ANNUAL.
In the square, or market-place, stands an antique
pedestal of marble, which, according to a modern in-
scription upon it, was the suggestum from which Csesar
harangued his army after passing the Rubicon. It is to
be regretted that so classical an association is not sup-
ported by better evidence than that of mere tradition.
At the distance of about twelve miles from Rimini is
situated the little republic of San Marino, whose singular
fortune it has been, in the midst of despotic governments,
to maintain its independence for upwards of twelve hun-
dred years. The traveller who passes through Rimini,
from which place alone the territories of the republic can
be entered, ought not to omit to visit this little state, cele-
brated, as it has been, in the prose of Addison and in
the verse of Collins.
But Rimini is more interesting to the lovers of Italian
literature, on account of its being connected with the
tragical deaths of Francesca da Polenta and Paolo Mala-
testa, which form the subject of one of the finest episodes
in Dante’s poem.—{Inferno, c. v.) Here it will be only
necessary to remind the reader that Gianciotto Malatesta,
married to Francesca da Polenta, killed her and his own
brothei’ Paolo, under suspicion that an unlawful attach-
ment existed between them. A few words in illustra-
tion of that passage of Dante will not, perhaps, prove
unacceptable to our readers.
The house of Malatesta were lords ofVerucchio, a small
castle near Rimini, which was bestowed upon them by
that city, as a reward for services performed by that
family on behalf of the people of Rimini. This added
great consideration to the Malatestas, whose head, Mala-