Editing Pope Adrian V (section)

=== Pope Adrian V in Dante's ''Divine Comedy'' ===
In the ''[[Divine Comedy]]'', [[Dante Alighieri]] meets Pope Adrian V in the fifth terrace of ''Purgatorio'' (reserved for the avaricious and the prodigal) where Adrian V cleanses for the vice of avarice (''Purgatorio'' 19.79-145). Since the souls in this terrace purge their vices by facing down on earth and fixing their eyes on the ground, Adrian V’s identity is not revealed by facial recognition but through indirect inference. His papal identity is inferred from his Latin phrase, ''scias quod ego fui successor Petri'' ("I was Peter’s successor," ''Purgatorio'' 19.99), and by his words ''fui'' ''roman pastore'' ("I was a Roman shepherd," ''Purgatorio'' 19.107). These phrases reveal the papal identity of Adrian V, given that popes are successors of the first pope, [[Saint Peter]], and shepherds of the church in the teachings of the [[Catholic Church]]. Adrian V also describes his family name as being descended from those that reside between [[Sestri Levante|Sestri]] and [[Chiavari]] (''Purgatorio'' 19.100-102). This reveals his family title, [[Fieschi family|Fieschi]], as the family held extensive land between the two cities.<ref name=":0">''Dante Encyclopedia'', Taylor & Francis Group, 2000.</ref>

There exists a lack of historical evidence about Adrian V’s avaricious behavior. Some scholars believe that Dante’s view of Adrian V emanated from reading excerpts from [[John of Salisbury]]'s ''[[Policraticus]]'', in which the author anonymously attributed the behavior of avarice to [[Pope Adrian IV|Adrian IV]]. Dante likely interpreted the excerpts as referring to Adrian V instead of Adrian IV.<ref name=":0" />

Despite the possible misinterpretation of Adrian V’s character, his presence in the ''Comedy'' help to understand Dante’s views about the Church and the role of women in achieving man’s [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]]. Pope Adrian V’s representation of avarice reflects the zealous ambition for earthly power and goods.<ref name=":1">Scott, John A. 1932- (John Alfred). ''Dante's Political Purgatory.'' University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1996.</ref> Adrian V describes that he had to detach himself from the love of worldly things that came to be after he was assigned the papal sit in the short period he was a pope (''Purgatorio'' 19.106-114).<ref name=":1" /> This symbolizes Dante’s view of how avarice was at the heart of the church and popes in the Middle Ages were excessively drawn to earthly things and preoccupied with exercising power.<ref name=":1" /> Moreover, Adrian V outlines not only his avarice but also the corrupt nature of his family, with the exception of his niece, [[Alagia Fieschi]] (''Purgatorio'' 19.142-145). In a melancholic tone, Adrian V expresses how Alagia is the only remaining virtuous woman whose extension of prayer can help his journey of salvation. Alagia's portrayal reflects Dante’s view of how Christian women play a miraculous role in men’s achievement of salvation through their prayer.<ref>Paolucci, Anne. ''The Women in Dante's Divine Comedy and Spenser's Faerie Queene.'' Griffon House Publications, Dover, Del, 2005.</ref>