Dante's Plaque: Cerchi's Houses

…LA PORTA, CH'AL PRESENTE È CARCA DI NUOVA FELLONIA, DI TANTO PESO, CHE TOSTO FIA IATTURA DELLA BARCA

DANTE, PARAD., XVI, 94 – 96

 …THE GATE THAT IS AT PRESENT LADEN WITH A NEW FELONY OF SO MUCH WEIGHT THAT SOON IT SHALL BE JETSAM FROM THE BARK

Cacciaguida, Dante’s ancestor, describes Florence of his time: it refers in particular to the area of Porta San Piero, where new inhabitants, coming from the countryside, settled. According to Dante, they somehow corrupted the ancient value system.

The Cerchi family, one of the richest families at that time, bought some houses in the ancient Florence bordering those of the Donati. The conflict between these two families is one of the causes of internal rivalries between white Guelphs and black Guelphs.