Dante and Virgil get their first glimpse of Purgatory. It is an island dominated by a steep mountain, but unlike Inferno, has colors, light, and beauty. It is the world of the purification of souls, and while it has suffering and darkness (at night) there is now an overpowering feeling of hope and joy. All souls here are destined for Heaven. Contrary to some popular culture misconceptions no one goes to Hell who is in Purgatory. It is, in a sense, a part of Heaven, in fact there is a gate of Purgatory but no gate to Dante’s Heaven. This world is the preparation to see God in Heaven, and all suffering has the purpose of purification of the souls for this vision.

The first soul encountered is that of Cato, a stoic, pagan and historical figure. He has been summoned from Limbo to be a sort of gatekeeper in Purgatory. After questioning Dante and Virgil, he instructs them to walk down to the shore and wash themselves of the filth from Hell. He also tells Dante to wrap a reed around his waist. Dante then witnesses his first miracle, as he pulls the reed out of the ground, another immediately appears to take it’s place. The pliant reed represents humility, a major theme of Purgatorio.

The two travelers now notice that Cato had disappeared and see a light rapidly approaching them from the distance. …continue… …or go back…

As Dante and Virgil continue to walk, they see sinners now completely encased in the ice.  They are frozen alive for eternity in various contortions and positions, unable to even speak.  In the distance Dante sees what looks to him like a windmill.  As they get closer, they see it is Satan, flapping his bat-like wings, frozen in the water from the chest down.  In a mockery of the Trinity, Satan has three terrifying faces, each face chewing on a sinner.  The three sinners Satan is eating are Judas, Cassius, and Brutus.  Cassius and Brutus conspired to assassinate Caesar, just as Judas conspired against Christ.  These three sinners represent those who commit treachery against the Church and the Roman empire.

The climax of this final scene is the escape from Hell as Virgil leads Dante out by climbing down Satan’s hairy flanks toward the center of the earth.  As they climb down Satan’s legs, they are in the exact middle of the earth and are now climbing upward toward the other side of the earth.  This leads Dante and Virgil out of Hell and to the other side of the earth (on Easter morning) to a sight that brings joy to Dante, a sky full of stars.

we climbed up, he first and I behind him,
far enough to see, through a round opening,
a few of those fair things the heavens bear.
Then we came forth, to see again the stars.

…continue to Purgatory… …or go back…

Dante watches in shock as the sinner looks up from chewing on the bloody head of his companion. This sinner is Count Ugolino, and his eternal meal is Archbishop Ruggieri, traitors against their country. Ugolino describes in excruciating detail the story of how he was betrayed by Ruggieri and locked in a prison with his sons to starve to death. Ugolino leads us to believe that he probably ended up cannibalizing his own children (scholars believe they were actually his grandchildren). Dante’s punishment once again mimics the sin.

Dante and Virgil then encounter souls with only their faces above the ice, their eyes frozen in the sockets by tears. One of these was a corrupt Friar involved in a murder plot. Dante learns that even though the soul of this Friar is in Hell, his body is still alive on earth, inhabited by a demon. It’s worth noting that the center of Hell is dominated by ice, not fire. Ice represents the absence of love and separation from God. Although fire is encountered in other parts of Hell, it is often associated with the love of God and is a theme found in purgatory.

Dante and Virgil then begin incredible climax of Inferno. …continue…   …or go back…