Dante's Plaque: Adimari Cavicciuoli's Houses

L'OLTRACOTATA SCHIATTA CHE S' INDRACA DIETRO A CHI FUGGE, E A CHI MOSTRA ‘L DENTE O VER LA BORSA, COM' AGNEL SI PLACA

DANTE, PARAD., XVI, 115-117

THE INSOLENT RACE, THAT LIKE A DRAGON FOLLOWS, WHOEVER FLEES, AND UNTO HIM THAT SHOWS HIS TEETH OR PURSE IS GENTLE AS A LAMB

Dante’s indignation, expressed through the words spoken by the ancestor Cacciaguida, is perfectly understandable: Boccaccio Adimari took possession of the Poet’s assets as he was exiled. Paraphrase: the arrogant family becomes a dragon (“s'indraca” Dante’s neologism) in front of those who are forced to flee, but it is meek like a lamb towards the most powerful and rich men.