Dante, Purgatorio
The Two Guards of the Valley
Two angels descend with green wings and garments and flame-lit swords whose points are broken. Sordello identifies them as guards against the serpent, and they occupy opposite sides of the valley. When the serpent enters, the narrator cannot say how their movement began but sees both already in flight. The sound of their wings drives it away, and they return to their stations.
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In the sources
The encounter
LiteraryTwo angels descend with green wings and garments and flame-lit swords whose points are broken. Sordello identifies them as guards against the serpent, and they occupy opposite sides of the valley.
Further detail
LiteraryWhen the serpent enters, the narrator cannot say how their movement began but sees both already in flight. The sound of their wings drives it away, and they return to their stations.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the supplied Thompson & Thomas edition of H. F. Cary’s translation. It describes Dante’s literary vision, distinguishing its assignments and reported claims from historical biography, other classical traditions and independently established accounts of an afterlife.
Original passages
Source 1
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante
Two angels, with two flame-illumined swords, Broken and mutilated of their points. Green as the tender leaves but newly born, Their vesture was, the which, byOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Purgatory and Paradise, Cary translation; active reader leaf 53
Passage read in the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace-normalised anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Associated plates separately inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0119-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0119-E001-P0053
- Original scan leaf
- 54
- Recorded leaf number
- 54
- Current Reader position
- 50
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante
The angels up return'd with equal flight. The spirit, (who to Nino, when he call'd. Had come,) from viewing me with fixed ken, Through all thatOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Purgatory and Paradise, Cary translation; active reader leaf 55
Passage read in the exact edition’s extracted canto text; whitespace-normalised anchor and original-leaf mapping checked. Associated plates separately inspected.
- Edition
- IMJ-0119-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0119-E001-P0055
- Original scan leaf
- 56
- Recorded leaf number
- 56
- Current Reader position
- 52
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Conrad Malaspina's Coming Proof
A nobleman's reputation becomes a prediction of the traveller's future experience.
Shared source pageNino, the Judge of Gallura
A familiar judge asks Dante to bring a request for prayer to his daughter.
Shared source pageThe Serpent in the Flowered Valley
A snake enters through the valley's open side and withdraws at the guards' approach.
Same subject and traditionThe Angelic Pilot of Purgatory
A winged steersman brings newly arrived spirits across the sea.