Forese Donati was an Italian nobleman born in Florence, associated with the Guelphs. He was the son of Simone di Forese and Tessa, and the brother of Corso and Piccarda Donati.Cellerino, L. (1992). Donati, Forese In "Dizionario Biografico". Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/forese-donati_%28Dizionario-Biografico%29/#:~:text=DONATI%2C%20Forese He was married to

Nella Donati Nella Donati (possibly also known as Giovanna or Giovannella) was a medieval noblewoman from Florence, Italy. She is primarily known because of Dante Alighieri's treatment of her relationship to her husband, Forese Donati, in the ''Divine Comedy' ...

, and had one daughter, Ghita, with her. He was known as a childhood friend of

Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...

. He died in 1296, in Firenze. In their youth, Forese and Dante exchanged a series of playful sonnets called ''tenzone'', which take the form of a series of exchanged insults.

Role in the Works of Dante Alighieri

Forese in Dante's ''Divine Comedy''

In Purgatorio 23 of the ''

Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature ...

,'' Dante encounters Forese on the sixth terrace of

Purgatory Purgatory (, borrowed into English via Anglo-Norman and Old French) is, according to the belief of some Christian denominations (mostly Catholic), an intermediate state after physical death for expiatory purification. The process of purgatory ...

, where the gluttonous are punished by being forced to starve for food and drink while passing past them, similar to the punishment of

Tantalus Tantalus ( grc, Τάνταλος ) was a Greek mythological figure, most famous for his punishment in Tartarus: he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the wate ...

. Dante barely recognizes Forese's emaciated face, and his friend's state causes him great grief. He expresses surprise at Forese's salvation - he had died five years before - and at his quick advancement through the terraces of Purgatory. Forese praises his wife Nella, whose prayers have allowed him to pass quickly through Purgatory, and in contrast maligns the provocatively-dressed Florentine women and predicts that more restrictive dress codes will soon be enforced in

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...

, in a manner reminiscent of Christian moral

invective Invective (from Middle English ''invectif'', or Old French and Late Latin ''invectus'') is abusive, reproachful, or venomous language used to express blame or censure; or, a form of rude expression or discourse intended to offend or hurt; vituperat ...

of the fourth-century Church Fathers. Curious to know how Dante came to be here, Forese asks after Dante's life since his own death. Dante refers to their friendship and their joint indulgence in sinful behavior when they were younger, probably including the composition of the vulgar and insulting ''tenzone'' detailed below. Dante tells Forese of his journey through Hell and Purgatory, accompanied by

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: th ...

. He asks about Forese's sister Piccarda, and Forese informs Dante that Piccarda is now in Heaven. He goes on to identify other prominent personages on the terrace of the gluttons. Before leaving Dante, Forese predicts the coming death of his brother Corso and his descent into Hell.

Forese in Dante's ''Tenzone'' with Forese

In Dante's ''tenzone'' with Forese, he accuses Forese of being sexually inadequate, as well as economically troubled.Alfie, Fabian. "5 Citations and Interpretations: The Literary Memory of the Sonnets in Boccaccio and Others". ''Dante's Tenzone with Forese Donati'', Toonto: University of Toronto Press, 2017, pp. 100-121. https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442663619-007 Forese is described as being associated with his immoral family name, who are known to be infamous for their ways with money. There is an excerpt from Nella's mother in the ''tenzone'' in which she describes how upset she is that Forese has wasted Nella's dowry. His wife is described as being constantly cold, since Forese cannot please her in bed.Alfie, Fabian. "5 Citations and Interpretations: The Literary Memory of the Sonnets in Boccaccio and Others". ''Dante's Tenzone with Forese Donati'', Toonto: University of Toronto Press, 2017, pp. 100-121. https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442663619-007

Role in the Works of Dante Alighieri

Forese in Dante's ''Divine Comedy''

Forese in Dante's ''Tenzone'' with Forese

References

Further reading