THE DIVINE COMEDY THE INFERNO Canto I - Dante finds himself in a dark wood = sinful moment of his life - He tries to climb a nearby mountain but cant due to three beasts: - Dancing leopard - Snarling lion - Hungry she-wolf - He then meets the shade of Virgil (Roman poet) - Virgil leads Dante through Hell and Mount Purgatory - Virgil cannot take Dante through Heaven as he is a pagan - Beatrice, Dantes love, will lead Dante through the heavenly spheres William Blakes portrayal of Dante and the three beasts Canto II As the day (Good Friday) ends, Dante starts mentally preparing himself for the pilgrimage Dante resorts to asking the Muses for help in continuing Dante admits to Virgil he is unsure of this journey and tries to make excuses Virgil tells Dante to man-up and accuses him of being a coward Virgil encourages Dante by telling him that Beatrice (Dantes love) is in heaven He relates Virgils work Aeneid to the establishment of Rome, saying that Aeneas sowed the seeds for the Roman empire which eventually led to the establishment of the papacy Dante admits to feeling prepared for the journey Canto III Dante arrives at the Gate of Hell and passes through the vestibule of Hell This is where those who didnt make the choice to believe or go against God belong Their uncertainty leaves them spending eternity chasing a flag that changes direction constantly Dante and Virgil continue on and come across Charon, the ferryman of the river Acheron, who waits to transport all lost souls across the river into the nether regions Charon first refuses to take Dante into his boat because he is still alive, but then Virgil explains that God has declared it and Charon decides to allow Dante to come As the boat fills with souls, an earthquake shakes the shoreline Dante then faints Canto IV Dante wakes up on the other side of Acheron, on the verge of Hells pit Dante and Virgil then descend into the first circle of Hell: Limbo Limbo contains the unbaptized and virtuous pagans including Virgil Limbo resembles the Elysian Fields, and is green and peaceful Those who are in hell never had the opportunity to choose Virgil also tells Dante of the descent of Christ into the first circle of Hell in which he removed the saints of the Old Testament era and took them to God to be judged in Heaven