[271] In _Chevraeana_, premiere partie, Paris, 1697, 8vo. p. 119, this
story is altered to suit the Emperor Maximilian I.
[272] See Balbo, _Vita di Dante_, edit. 1853. Can de la Scala, mentioned
in the text, was one of the sons of Alberto de la Scala, Lord of Verona,
and was born in 1292. Some account of Alberto de la Scala may be found
in my _Venetian History_.
The anecdote related here probably refers to the earlier period of
Dante's acquaintance with the prince, about A. D. 1318-20. Balbo does
not seem to have thought this story worthy of notice, though he
furnishes one or two other examples of the poet's powers of retort. See
also Cinthio's _Hecatommithi, Deca Settima, Novella settima_, edit.
1608.
+ _Of hym that had sore eyes._[274] lxxxviii.
+ One, that had sore eies, was warned of the phisitian, that he shulde
in any wyse forbeare drinking or els lose his eies: to whom he sayd: it
is more pleasure for me to lose myne eies with drinkynge, than to kepe
them for wormes to eate them oute.
By this tale ye may perceyue, that it auayleth nat to warne some for
theyr own profytte.