where, the centre of earth's gravity being reached, Virgil suddenly
turns around and begins an upward climb with his burden. Although
Dante fully expects soon to behold Satan's head once more, he is
amazed to discover they are climbing up his leg. Then, through a
chimney-like ascent, where the climbing demands all their strength,
Dante and Virgil ascend toward the upper air.

Explaining they are about to emerge at the antipodes of the spot
where they entered Hades, where they will behold the great Western
Sea, Virgil adds they will find in its centre the Mount of Purgatory,
constructed of the earth displaced by Satan's fall. Thus, Dante and
his leader return to the bright world, and, issuing from the dark
passage in which they have been travelling, once more behold the
stars!

"By that hidden way
My guide and I did enter, to return
To the fair world: and heedless of repose
We climb'd, he first, I following his steps,
Till on our view the beautiful lights of heaven
Dawn'd through a circular opening in the cave:
Thence issuing we again beheld the stars."




PURGATORY


_Canto I._ About to sing of a region where human spirits are purged of