The Divine Comedy of Virgil and Beatrice

Dante's first teacher returns to him at this point and of course Virgil as a writer of the Odyssey is one who knows a lot about journeys and particularly journeys through darkness but Virgil he learns is also there at Beatrice's request. This woman that he saw very early in his life hardly spoke to before she dies but nonetheless stirred love in him almost the kind of infatuation we might say now. Like the young sight of the first teacher he gives him the energy that's going to be required to embark upon this request.