Purgatorio

Gate of Purgatory — William Blake

Having left Hell, Dante accompanied by Virgil who he calls Master, now ascends Mount Purgatory.

Before the Gates to enter Mount Purgatory, Dante finds souls who have been excommunicated by the church and sinners who renounced their sins before they died.

On the ascent of Mount Purgatory, tortured souls who go round and round in torment, but unlike Hell, where they are doomed for all eternity, in Purgatory, there is the prospect of Redemption, and the souls are slowly moving forward.

Dante has to ascend Mount Purgatory to reach Heaven.

Excellent dramatisation by BBC, all the more the crass stupidity of the BBC only on-line for one week, now only 15 hours left.

• Abandon hope all ye who enter here

Tags: Dante, Dante Alighieri, Purgatorio, The Divine Comedy