Griffin

The Griffin is a mythical beast that appears in the Earthly Paradise at the summit of Mount Purgatory, where it draws the triumphal chariot of the Church in an elaborate allegorical procession. Its dual nature—part lion, part eagle—makes it the poem's most potent symbol of the union of divine and human natures in Christ, a mystery that Dante's journey progressively unveils.

Appearance and Symbolic Form

The Griffin is described as having a body that is part eagle and part lion. Its limbs are gold where it is a bird, and the rest is white mingled with vermilion. It extends its wings upward between the middle and outer bands of the seven candlesticks that precede the chariot, so that it injures none by cleaving them. The creature's wings rise so high that they are lost to sight. This hybrid form directly embodies the two natures of Christ: the eagle, king of birds, signifies the divine, while the lion, king of beasts, signifies the human. The Griffin is thus not merely a decorative monster but a carefully constructed theological emblem.

Role in the Procession of the Church

The Griffin appears in the magnificent procession that unfolds in the Earthly Paradise. It draws the chariot, which represents the Church, and is surrounded by the twenty-four elders, the four living creatures, and the three theological and four cardinal virtues. When the chariot halts opposite Dante, the Griffin remains still, and Beatrice descends from it. The creature's movement is described as so smooth that not a single feather flutters, emphasizing its perfect control and divine nature. The Griffin's role is to lead the Church forward, guided by the Griffin's own dual nature, which mirrors the Church's foundation in the God-man.

The Griffin and the Tree of Knowledge

After the procession halts, the Griffin draws the chariot to the base of the Tree of Knowledge, which has been stripped of its leaves and fruit. The souls gathered there cry out, "Blessed art thou, O Griffin, who dost not pluck with thy beak these branches sweet to taste, since appetite by this was turned to evil." The Griffin then binds the chariot's pole to the tree, and the tree is miraculously renewed, blossoming with a color less than rose and more than violet. This act signifies Christ's redemption of the sin committed by Adam and Eve at the Tree of Knowledge. The Griffin, as Christ, does not repeat the sin of grasping but instead restores the tree by attaching the Church to it, making the cross the new tree of life.

The Griffin in Beatrice's Eyes

When Dante, after his confession, is led before Beatrice, he sees the Griffin reflected in her eyes. The creature appears in her gaze as a "twofold monster," shining now with one nature, now with the other. This reflection allows Dante to perceive the unity of Christ's two natures in a single vision, a moment of profound theological insight. The Griffin thus serves as a visual and conceptual bridge between the human and the divine, a mystery that Dante can glimpse but not fully comprehend until the final vision of God.

The Griffin's Departure

After the allegorical drama of the chariot and the tree, the Griffin ascends with the rest of the heavenly host, leaving Beatrice seated alone beneath the renewed tree. The creature's departure marks the end of the Earthly Paradise's symbolic pageant and the beginning of Dante's ascent through the celestial spheres. The Griffin, having fulfilled its role as the guide and symbol of Christ's redemptive work, recedes into the higher mysteries of Paradise, where the direct vision of God replaces the need for such allegorical figures.