An Infernal Bestiary

The year is 1300 and Dante Aligheri is lost in a dark wood with no plan, not even a clue. But Heaven conspires and brings him a guide, the Roman epic poet, Virgil. Together, they begin the most arduous leg of Dante's journey to salvation: the journey through Hell. The poem is part travelogue, part cautionary tale, a Medieval catalogue of every possible way one could lose one humanity, but is neither gratuitous nor penny-dreadful: it is a necessary part of Dante's education. The road is long and hard and we are lucky to have Fr. Woods with us on the road, to lead us as Virgil leads Dante, pointing out the sights and providing the background we need to understand a journey that is not limited to the Middle Ages, but is the journey of every Christian soul to God.