'Chè m' è venuta voglia con _pietosa_
Rima di scriver _una storia antica_,
Tanto negli anni riposta e nascosa,
Che _latino_ autor non par ne dica,
Per quel ch' io senta, in libro alcuna cosa.'
Thus it appears that, when speaking of his finding an old story in Latin,
he is actually translating from an Italian poem which treats of a story not
found in Latin! That is, his words give no indication whatever of the
source of his poem; but are merely used in a purely conventional manner.
His 'old story' is really that of the siege of Thebes; and his _Latin_ is
the Thebais of Statius. And neither of them speaks of Anelida!