Virgilio and Dante

Ed ecco, quasi al cominciar de l’erta, una lonza leggera e presta molto, che di pel macolato era coverta;        e non mi si partia dinanzi al volto, anzi ’mpediva tanto il mio cammino, ch’i’ fui per ritornar più volte vòlto.        Temp’era dal principio del mattino, e ’l sol montava ’n sù con quelle stelle ch’eran con lui quando l’amor divino        mosse di prima quelle cose belle; sì ch’a bene sperar m’era cagione di quella fiera a la gaetta pelle        l’ora del tempo e la dolce stagione; ma non sì che paura non mi desse la vista che m’apparve d’un leone.        Questi parea che contra me venisse con la test’alta e con rabbiosa fame, sì che parea che l’aere ne tremesse.        Ed una lupa, che di tutte brame sembiava carca ne la sua magrezza, e molte genti fé già viver grame,        questa mi porse tanto di gravezza con la paura ch’uscia di sua vista, ch’io perdei la speranza de l’altezza.

At first in motion set those beauteous things; So were to me occasion of good hope, The variegated skin of that wild beast, The hour of time, and the delicious season; But not so much, that did not give me fear A lion's aspect which appeared to me. He seemed as if against me he were coming With head uplifted, and with ravenous hunger, So that it seemed the air was afraid of him; And a she-wolf, that with all hungerings Seemed to be laden in her meagreness, And many folk has caused to live forlorn! She brought upon me so much heaviness, With the affright that from her aspect came, That I the hope relinquished of the height.

What if Dante decided to stay in the black woods of the sin? What if Virgil never guided him to the light?  And what if they adopt the three beasts?
For those unaware: The "leopard" (isn't really a leopard but a "lonza", a mixed breed, beautiful, feline), spotted haired and lithe body, is the symbol of lust; the lion, big and scary, is the allegory of pride, and finally the horrible she-wolf, a symbol of covetousness and of the insatiable greed of men to the honors and material goods.

I always wanted to draw Will as Dante and Hannibal as Virgil!
Ps. Who can spot all the hidden symbolisms?

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