The Divine Comedy by Dante, Illustrated, Hell, Volume 01

The opening of this timeless journey finds a weary traveler suddenly stranded in a dark, tangled forest, uncertain of the path that once guided him. As night gives way to the first light of dawn, he confronts three fierce symbols—a leopard, a lion, and a she‑wolf—each embodying a different kind of fear that blocks his way forward. In his desperation he cries out for help and is greeted by a familiar, compassionate voice: a poet from antiquity who offers guidance through the unknown.

The poet, revealed as the ancient Roman bard, offers to lead the lost wanderer out of the perilous wilderness and onto a higher road. Their conversation hints at a pilgrimage that will take them beyond the forest, through realms of wonder and moral testing. Listeners are invited to follow this early encounter, where the promise of redemption and the power of poetic wisdom begin to unfold.