The Encounter with Manfredi

Dante and Virgil begin to climb the mountain but find the rock too steep. They encounter a group of souls moving slowly, who are the late repentant. One of them, Manfredi, the son of Frederick II, speaks to Dante. He is blond and handsome, with a wound on his brow and breast. He explains that he died excommunicated but repented at the last moment, and though his body was disinterred by the Bishop of Cosenza, he is saved by God's infinite mercy. He asks Dante to tell his daughter Costanza of his salvation and the need for prayers to shorten his time in Ante-Purgatory. This episode emphasizes the power of repentance and the efficacy of prayers for the dead.