The Eagle of Justice and the Righteous Kings

Dante and Beatrice ascend to the sphere of Jupiter, where the souls of just rulers form the shape of an eagle. The eagle speaks with a single voice, explaining the mystery of divine justice. It addresses Dante's doubt about the salvation of those who lived without knowledge of Christ, and affirms that God's justice is beyond human comprehension. The eagle then names the righteous kings who form its eye and brow: David, Trajan, Hezekiah, Constantine, William II of Sicily, and Ripheus the Trojan. It condemns the corrupt Christian kings of Dante's time. This episode explores the theme of divine justice and the salvation of the virtuous pagan.