Cantos 1-5

And suddenly--a leopard, near the place
The way grew steep: lithe, spotted, quick of foot.
Blocking the path, she stayed before my face

My heart with hope of that beast with festive skin--
But not so much that the next sight wasn't fearful:
A lion came at me, his head high as he ran,

Roaring with hunger so the air appeared to tremble.
Then, a grim she-wolf--whose leanness seemed to compress
All the world's cravings, that had made miserable

-Cantos I (25-27, 34-39)

The first Canto in Dante's Inferno is essential for the understanding of the text, because otherwise the reader would be left wondering why Dante is taking this journey, and that curiosity can distract the reader from the true meaning of the text. The setting of Dante in the woods may be a hint that Dante is considering suicide. The significance of the Leopard, Lion, and She-wolf is that they represent the temptations for sin. The scene foreshadows Dante's future trip through hell and leads him to meet his guide on his journey, Virgil. Without his terror and suicidal thoughts signifying his decent into insanity and temptations to sin, Virgil would not have appeared and therefore the entire story would not have occurred. It is therefore essential that Dante include the beginning Canto in his work, and set the tone for the rest of the story.

Though me you enter into the city of woes,
Through me you enter into eternal pain,
Through me you enter the population of loss.

Justice moved my high maker, in power divine,
Wisdom supreme, love primal. No things were
Before me not eternal;Eternal I remain.

Abandon all hope, you who enter here.

-Cantos III (1-7)

The message carved into the entrance warns Dante of what he may witness and experience, yet he shows no hesitance or weary thoughts, he simply questions Virgil of its meaning. One must then wonder why Dante continues on his journey through such terrible and unimaginable terrors that face him in hell. Does he not worry of the consequences, of what he may see scaring him for life? The lines written at the entrance would make any normal person cringe: city of woes, eternal pain, population of loss, abandon all hope. One is given a pretty clear image of what lies ahead, and would normally run from such a fate, yet Dante willingly enters, in fact wants to enter. His actions are quite curious indeed.