With his guide Virgil, Dante leaves Hell behind and journeys into Purgatory, the “second realm where human spirits purge themselves from stain” and become worthy to “ascend to Heaven” (160). He invokes the Muses, inviting Calliope to “play her part” (160). As Dante emerges from Hell’s “morbid air” that “weighed so heavy on my eyes and heart,” (160) the sight of dawn breaking delights him.

Dante notices a respectable older man, Cato of Utica, who is the caretaker of Purgatory. Concerned that they are escaping from Hell, Cato questions Dante and Virgil. Virgil explains that, though Dante is still living, “a lady from Heaven” (161) has appointed him Dante’s guide. Virgil has shown Dante the damned and will now show him the spirits who seek to purify themselves. Virgil asks Cato to “[…] look kindly on his coming” (162) since he seeks liberty.

Cato instructs Virgil to bind Dante with a belt made from a reed, cleanse him of “filth and stains” (163), and follow the sun. As dawn chases night away, Virgil performs the cleansing ritual, and Dante has tears on his cheeks. Virgil binds Dante, and he notices that a new reed immediately grows to replace the one Virgil plucked.