# Endnotes explained — Romola > Chapter companion for Romola by George Eliot. ## What happens This chapter consists of endnotes providing explanatory references for terms, historical figures, and cultural practices mentioned in the main text. It clarifies Italian phrases, local customs, and historical allusions, including notes on Savonarola's sermons, the Medici family, and Florentine society. ## Themes in this chapter ### Political and Religious Corruption Notes on Savonarola's sermons and the Law of Appeal reflect political and religious tensions in Florence. ### Historical Change and Continuity Endnotes provide historical context on Florentine customs, institutions, and figures, highlighting continuity and change. ## Character check-ins ### Girolamo Savonarola Referenced in notes about his sermons and the Law of Appeal. ### Lorenzo de' Medici Mentioned in a note about a carnival song and a votive image. ## Key lines > The Franciscans. A reference to the Franciscan order. _Clarifies a term used in the text._ > Now Boboli. The location is now known as the Boboli Gardens. _Provides a modern name for a historical site._ > “God does not pay on a Saturday.” A proverb suggesting that divine justice may be delayed. _Explains a cultural saying._ > The name given to Naples by way of distinction among the Italian States. Naples is referred to by a special name to distinguish it from other Italian states. _Clarifies a geographical reference._ > “Who wants to exchange rags, broken glass, or old iron?” A street cry of a rag-and-bone man. _Illustrates a common trade in Florence._ > Walled village. A village enclosed by walls. _Defines a term used in the text._ > Arms of the Medici. The coat of arms of the Medici family. _Identifies a heraldic symbol._ > A votive image of Lorenzo, in wax, hung up in the Church of the Annunziata, supposed to have fallen at the time of his death. Boto is popular Tuscan for Voto. A wax votive offering of Lorenzo was hung in the Church of the Annunziata and was said to have fallen when he died; 'Boto' is the Tuscan dialect for 'Voto'. _Explains a religious and historical artifact._ > The phrase used to express the absence of disqualification— i.e. , the not being entered as a debtor in the public book— specchio . The term 'specchio' refers to the public record of debtors, and not being listed there meant no disqualification. _Clarifies a legal term._ > The stone Lion, emblem of the Republic. The stone lion is the symbol of the Florentine Republic. _Identifies a civic emblem._ > A sign that such contrasts were peculiarly frequent in Florence, is the fact that Saint Antonine, Prior of San Marco, and afterwards archbishop, in the first half of this fifteenth century, founded the society of Buonuomini di San Martino (Good Men of Saint Martin) with the main object of succouring the poveri vergognosi —in other words, paupers of good family. The frequency of such contrasts in Florence is evidenced by Saint Antonine founding the Buonuomini di San Martino to help impoverished nobles. _Provides historical context on social welfare._ > A play on the name of the Dominicans ( Domini Canes ) which was accepted by themselves, and which is pictorially represented in a fresco painted for them by Simone Memmi. The Dominicans embraced the pun on their name, 'Domini Canes' (Hounds of the Lord), depicted in a fresco by Simone Memmi. _Explains a religious pun and its artistic representation._ > “ Arte di Calimara ,” “ arte ” being, in this use of it, equivalent to corporation. The 'Arte di Calimara' refers to a guild or corporation, as 'arte' means corporation in this context. _Clarifies a term for a medieval trade guild._ > Spokesman or Moderator. A person who speaks on behalf of others or moderates a discussion. _Defines a role in governance._ > A sum given by the bridegroom to the bride the day after the marriage ( Morgengabe ). A gift given by the groom to the bride the morning after the wedding, known as Morgengabe. _Explains a marriage custom._ > Funeral mourners: properly, paid mourners. Professional mourners hired for funerals. _Clarifies a term for hired mourners._ > A Sister of the Third Order of Saint Francis: an uncloistered nun. A member of the Third Order of Saint Francis who lives in the world, not in a convent. _Defines a religious vocation._ > The name given to the grotesque black-faced figures, supposed to represent the Magi, carried about or placed in the windows on Twelfth Night: a corruption of Epifania. Grotesque black-faced figures representing the Magi, displayed on Twelfth Night, are called 'Befana', a corruption of 'Epifania'. _Explains a folk custom._ > “Beauteous is life in blossom! And it fleeteth—fleeteth ever; Whoso would be joyful—let him! There’s no surety for the morrow.” Carnival Song by Lorenzo de’ Medici. A carnival song by Lorenzo de' Medici extols the fleeting beauty of life and urges enjoyment without certainty of tomorrow. _Quotes a famous Renaissance poem._ > The little Fair. A small market or fair. _Defines a term for a minor fair._ > “Quando una donna è grande, ben formata, porta ben sua persona, siede con una certa grandezza, parla con gravità, ride con modestia, e finalmente getta quasi un odor di Regina; allora noi diciamo quella donna pare una maestà, ella ha una maestà.” Firenzuola: Della Bellezza delle Donne A quote from Firenzuola's 'Della Bellezza delle Donne' describing a woman of majestic bearing and demeanor. _Provides a contemporary description of female beauty._ > “ La vacca muglia ” was the phrase for the sounding of the great bell in the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio. The phrase 'la vacca muglia' (the cow moos) referred to the sound of the great bell in the Palazzo Vecchio tower. _Explains a colloquial expression for the bell._ > The poorer artisans connected with the wool trade—wool-beaters, carders, washers, etc. The lower-class workers in the wool industry, such as beaters, carders, and washers. _Defines a social class in Florence._ > The sermon here given is not a translation, but a free representation of Fra Girolamo’s preaching in its more impassioned moments. The sermon in the text is an original composition inspired by Savonarola's passionate preaching, not a literal translation. _Clarifies the nature of the sermon._ > “Peccato celato e mezzo perdonato.” A hidden sin is half forgiven. _Quotes an Italian proverb._ > “Se vi pare che io abbia detto poche cose, non ve ne maravigliate, perchè le mie cose erano poche e grandi.” If it seems I have said few things, do not wonder, for my matters were few and great. _Quotes Savonarola's words._ > The largest prison in Florence. The biggest prison in Florence. _Identifies a location._ > He himself had had occasion enough to note the efficacy of that vehicle. “If,” he says in the Compendium Revelationum , “you speak of such as have not heard these things from me, I admit that they who disbelieve are more than they who believe, because it is one thing to hear him who inwardly feels these things, and another to hear him who feels them not; … and, therefore, it is well said by Saint Jerome, ‘ Habet nescio quid latentis energiae vivae vocis actus, et in aures discipuli de auctoris ore transfusa fortis sonat .’ ” Savonarola noted the power of the spoken word, quoting Saint Jerome that the living voice has a hidden energy that strongly affects the listener. _Provides a quote from Savonarola's writings._ > “Del mondo o di maremma.” From the world or from the marshland. _Quotes an Italian phrase._ > The most recent, and in some respects the best, biographer of Savonarola, Signor Villari, endeavours to show that the Law of Appeal ultimately enacted, being wider than the law originally contemplated by Savonarola, was a source of bitter annoyance to him, as a contrivance of the aristocratic party for attaching to the measures of the popular government the injurious results of licence. But in taking this view the estimable biographer lost sight of the fact that, not only in his sermons, but in a deliberately prepared book (the Compendium Revelationum ) written long after the Appeal had become law, Savonarola enumerates among the benefits secured to Florence, “ the Appeal from the Six Votes, advocated by me, for the greater security of the citizens .” Villari, Savonarola's biographer, argues that the Law of Appeal was a source of annoyance to him, but the author notes that Savonarola himself listed the Appeal as a benefit in his Compendium Revelationum. _Discusses historical interpretation of Savonarola's political actions._ > The old diarists throw in their consonants with a regard rather to quantity than position, well typified by the Ragnolo Braghiello (Agnolo Gabriello) of Boccaccio’s Ferondo. Old diarists used consonants based on quantity rather than position, as seen in the name 'Ragnolo Braghiello' for Agnolo Gabriello in Boccaccio's work. _Explains a linguistic quirk of the time._ > Parish priest. A priest in charge of a parish. _Defines a clerical role._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se/chapters/endnotes - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/romola_se/chapters