... afternoon. The Trinitarian reference is used again, as always throughout his entire journey, almost over-emphasizing that special, divine number, three. The translator, Mark Musa, in his notes on lines 1-6, exposes the significance of the time and the number three. He explains that since Dante tells us it is 3:00 in the afternoon "up there" in Purgatory, and that it is simultaneously ... people participate in it. Virgil proclaims: "But if your love were for the lofty sphere, your cravings would aspire for the heights, and fear of loss would not oppress your heart; the more there are up ...

• Word Count: 2279
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School