The Divine Comedy: Purgatorio

Having survived the depths of Hell, Dante and Virgil ascend out of the undergloom, to the Mountain of Purgatory. There Dante and Virgil are attracted by a musical performance by Casella, a pagan who has been placed by God as the general guardian of the approach to the mountain. Dante starts the ascent up Mount Purgatory and meets many different people on the way. Finally, Dante is shown a beautiful valley where he sees the lately-deceased monarchs of the great nations of Europe, and a number of other persons whose devotion to public and private duties hampered their faith. From this valley Dante is carried up to the gates of Purgatory.