Dante begins “in the middle of the journey of our life,” when he finds himself “lost in a dark wood, for the straight way was lost” (1-3). This wood is a fearful place, but he unexpectedly finds good there.

Lost and terrified, Dante tries to find his way out of the dark wood by ascending a sunlit mountain, but three terrible beasts block his way: a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf. This last beast overwhelms him with fear, and he gives up climbing the mountain. Dante is about to fall back into darkness when he sees a mysterious figure and begs him for help.

In a voice that “through long silence seemed hoarse” (63), this figure introduces himself: he is the shade (the ghost) of the Roman poet Virgil. Dante becomes overwhelmed with wonder and admiration: Virgil is his great hero and influence. Dante begs Virgil for help facing the she-wolf and climbing the mountain, and Virgil gravely informs Dante that he will have to take a different path. This wolf does not let anyone pass, and has driven plenty of people away before Dante. Virgil mysteriously adds that one day a greyhound will come and drive the she-wolf away—but not yet.