Divine Comedy, Cary's Translation, Hell

A wanderer finds himself lost in a dark, tangled forest, haunted by fear and confusion. Three fierce beasts—a leopard, a lion, and a she‑wolf—block his path, each embodying a different kind of danger that drives him to the brink of despair. In that moment of terror, a familiar, scholarly voice appears: the ancient poet Virgil, who offers his guidance and promises a way out of the wilderness.

Together they begin a descent into the shadowy realm of the underworld, stepping through a towering, foreboding gate into a landscape of endless night. The narrator is introduced to a meticulously ordered circle of punishment, where each sinner’s fate mirrors the nature of their earthly sins. The journey is narrated with vivid, poetic imagery that captures both the terror of the abyss and the steady, reassuring presence of a learned guide, inviting listeners to explore the moral and philosophical depths of this timeless voyage.