The Guardian Angels and the Serpent

As night falls, the souls in the valley sing the hymn 'Te lucis ante.' Two angels descend with flaming swords, truncated at the points, and take up positions on either side of the valley. Sordello explains that they are guardians against the serpent that will come. Dante sees a serpent slither through the grass, but the angels drive it away. Nino di Gallura, a judge, recognizes Dante and asks him to tell his daughter Giovanna to pray for him. He laments that his wife remarried. Currado Malaspina speaks with Dante, and Dante praises the Malaspina family. This episode introduces the theme of spiritual warfare and the protection of divine grace.