down: and first her beautiful eyes showed me that open entrance;
then she and slumber went away together." Like a man that in
perplexity is reassured, and that alters his fear to confidence
after the truth is disclosed to him, did I change; and when my
Leader saw me without solicitude, up along the cliff he moved on,
and I behind, toward the height.

[1] Statius, in the first book of the Achilleid, tells how
Thetis, to prevent Achilles from going to the siege of Troy, bore
him sleeping away from his instructor, the centaur Chiron, and
carried him to the court of King Lycomedes, on the Island of
Scyros, where, though concealed in women's garments, Ulysses and
Diomed discovered him. Statius relates how wonderstruck Achilles
was when on awaking he found himself at Scyros:
Quae loca? qui fluctus? ubi Pelion? onmia versa
Atque ignota videt, dubitatque agnoscere matrem--249-50.

[2] The morning of Easter Monday.

[3] Lucia seems to be here the symbol of assisting grace, the
gratia operans of the school-men. It was she who was called upon
by the Virgin (Hell, Canto II.) to aid Dante when he was astray
in the wood, and who had moved Beatrice to go to his succor.


Reader, thou seest well how I exalt my theme, and therefore
marvel not if with more art I reenforce it.[1]

[1] These words may be intended to call attention to the doctrine
which underlies the imagery of the verse.

The entrance within the gate of Purgatory is the assurance of
justification, which is the change of the soul from a state of
sin to a state of justice or righteousness. Justification itself
consists, according to St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica,
Prima Secundae, quaest. cxiii. art. 6 and 8), of four parts:
first, the infusion of grace; second, the turning of the free
will to God through faith; third, the turning of the free will
against sin; fourth, the remission of sin. It must be accompanied
by the sacrament of penance, which consists of contrition,
confession, and satisfaction by works of righteousness.

Outside the gate of Purgatory justification cannot be complete.
The souls in the Ante-Purgatory typify those who have entered on
the way towards justification, but have not yet attained it. They
undergo a period of mortification to sin, of deliberation, as St.
Thomas Aquinas says: "Contingit autem quandoque quod praecedit
aliqua deliberatio quae non est do substantia justificationis sed
via in justificationem." Summa Theol., l. c. art. 7.


We drew near to it, and reached such place that there, where at
first there seemed to me a rift, like a cleft which divides a
wall, I saw a gate, and three steps beneath for going to it of
divers colors, and a gatekeeper who as yet said not a word. And
as I opened my eye there more and more, I saw him sitting on the
upper step, such in his face that I endured it not.[1] And he had
in his hand a naked sword, which so reflected the rays toward us
that I often raised my sight in vain. "Tell it from there, what
would ye?" began he to say; "where is the guide? Beware lest the
coming up be harmful to you." [2] "A lady from Heaven with these
things acquainted," replied my Master to him, "only just now said
to us, 'Go thither, here is the gate.'" "And may she speed your
progress in good," began again the courteous gatekeeper, "come
forward then unto our steps."

[1] The angel at the gate appears to be the type of the priest
who administers absolution.

[2] Unless grace has been infused into the heart it is a sin to
present one's self as ready for the sacrament.


Thither we came to the first great stair; it was of white marble
so polished and smooth that I mirrored myself in it as I appear.
The second, of deeper hue than perse, was of a rough and scorched
stone, cracked lengthwise and athwart. The third, which above
lies massy, seemed to me of porphyry as flaming red as blood that
spirts forth from a vein. Upon this the Angel of God held both
his feet, seated upon the threshold that seemed to me stone of
adamant.[1] Up over the three steps my Leader drew me with good
will, saying, "Beg humbly that he undo the lock." Devoutly I
threw myself at the holy feet; I besought for mercy's sake that
he would open for me; but first upon my breast I struck three
times.[2] Seven P's upon my forehead he inscribed with the point
of his sword,[3] and "See that thou wash these wounds when thou
art within," he said.

[1] The first step is the symbol of confession, the second of
contrition, the third of satisfaction; the threshold of adamant
may perhaps signify the authority of the Church.

[2] Three times, in penitence for sins in thought, in word, and
in deed.

[3] The seven P's stand for the seven so-called mortal sins,--
Peccati, not specific acts, but the evil dispositions of the soul
from which all evil deeds spring,--pride, envy, anger, sloth
(accidia), avarice, gluttony, and lust. After justification these
dispositions which already have been overcome, must be utterly


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