I found this image on the website http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/prologue.html#darkwood. At first, I clicked on the link labeled Inferno Gallery which led to the Danteworlds Image Gallery. I clicked on the Dark Wood link which led to a page filled with different images of artwork. This particular piece is by William Blake and is entitled “The Three Beasts”. It refers to Canto 1 in which Dante encounters three beasts, a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf.

Here are his encounters as mentioned in the text, respectively:

In lines 31-32, Dante states, “And behold, almost at the beginning of the steep, a leopard, light and very swift, covered with spotted fur;”

In lines 43-44, Dante narrates, “…but not so that I did not fear the sight of a lion that appeared to me.”

In lines 49-50, Dante observes, “And a she-wolf, that seemed laden with all cravings in her leanness and has caused many peoples to live in wretchedness.”

In the artwork there are five important figures. One of them appears to be Dante who is making a gesture towards an angel who is making a similar gesture. It seems as if the angel and Dante are protecting each other from the beasts or perhaps, keeping them at bay. Meanwhile, in this stretched out position, Dante is staring down the three animals: a she-wolf, a lion, and a leopard from top to bottom, respectively. Each of them appear malevolent and hostile, as if ready to attack or kill him, especially the leopard who is closest to Dante. Behind the angel, there is a body of water, which impedes Dante from having a successful escape from the beasts that he encounters in a forest. There’s also a sunrise in the background. It is certainly a sunrise as opposed to a sunset because in the first canto, in lines 37-38, Dante narrates, “The time was the beginning of the morning, and the sun was mounting up with those stars that were with it…” He makes this observation after encountering the fearsome leopard and prior to mentioning the appearance of a lion and a she-wolf.

According to the same online source, where the image above is provided, there is an unsettled debate on the significance and meaning of the presence of the three beasts. Certain opinions ascertain that they represent the three major divisions of hell. The three major divisions, according to Dante, are concupiscence or sexual desire, violence, and fraud. It is said that the leopard, lion, and she-wolf align with these three respectively. However, others might say that the leopard could be fraud while the she-wolf could be concupiscence. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that the three beasts are obstacles to Dante who wishes to reach the top of a hill, which may represent heaven. He becomes overcome with fear and hopelessness and at this point, he meets Virgil whom he believes is a ghost, which only heightens his terror. He begins to weep and beg for mercy, in hopes of escaping the ferocious circumstances.

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