The Appearance of Beatrice and Dante's Confession

The procession stops, and Beatrice appears on the chariot, veiled and crowned with olive. Dante, overcome with the memory of his love, turns to Virgil for comfort but finds him gone. Beatrice calls Dante by name and rebukes him for his sins after her death. She demands that he confess his infidelity to her. Dante, weeping, confesses that the false pleasures of the world led him astray. Beatrice then allows him to drink from Lethe, which erases the memory of sin. The four cardinal virtues lead him to Beatrice's eyes, where he sees the Griffin reflected. This episode is the emotional climax of the Purgatorio, marking the transition from Virgil's guidance to Beatrice's.