42 . Many commentators and translators interpret alcuna in its usual signification of some: "For some glory the damned would have from them." This would be a reason why these pusillanimous ghosts should not be sent into the profounder abyss, but not reason why they should not be received there. This is strengthened by what comes afterwards, l. 63. These souls were "hateful to God, and to his enemies." They were not good enough for Heaven, nor bad enough for Hell. "So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth." Revelation iii. 16. Macchiavelli represents this scorn of inefficient mediocrity in an epigram on Peter Soderini:--
"The night that Peter Soderini died
He was at the mouth of Hell himself presented.
`What, you come into Hell? poor ghost demented,
Go to the Babies' Limbo!' Pluto cried."
The same idea is intensified in the old ballad of Carle of Kelly- Burn Brees, Cromek, p. 37:--She's nae fit for heaven, an' she'll ruin a' hell."
Dante – Divine Comedy (Inferno)
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