第三篇突来的惊恐、虽然一时把灵魂逐散，但不久他们都向着高山走去。那里神的正义等待惩戒他们。这时我又接近代忠实的伴侣。没有他，我怎能继续我的征程呢？谁助我攀登那高峰呢？似乎我看见他在责备方才自己的疏忽。高尚纯洁的良心，为着细小的过失便感觉深深的痛楚！凡事慌张，便失风度，所以老师的步伐也慢下来了，我害怕的心也镇静下来，才想起了我的目的。我面向着山坡，从山脚望到山顶，真是下浮于大海，而上接于昊天呀！
那时太阳的红光射在我的背上，日光被阻，将黑影投在我的脚前。当我看见前面有黑影时，急掉头找我的引导人，深恐他又离我而去。他安慰我说：“为什么你不信任我？你以为我不在你的旁边？难道我不再做你的引路人了么？在那现在正是黄昏的地方，葬着我的遗体由布兰迪乔迁到那不勒斯，在那遗体中时，我是能够有黑影的。现在我虽然不能有影子，但你也不必惊异，天上的一种光线是不遮断别种光线的。神力创造我们这样的外貌，并感觉到热和冷的苦恼，但其中秘密是不被识破的。希望用我们些许的理性，识破无穷的无机，真似是非愚即狂。人呀！在“为什么’二字之前驻足罢！假使你能够看穿一切，那末马利亚就不必怀孕了。你知道古往今来多少哲人的欲望都不能有结果，好奇心非但不能满足，反而堕入长久的怅惘迷茫。他们就是亚里士多德和柏拉图那许多人。”维吉尔说到这里，忽然低首沉思，他似乎现出烦闷的神气。
我们到了山脚，见那山壁立峻峭，就是有一双超凡的腿，也是无能为力。在莱利齐和图尔比亚之间，那里最荒鞠、偏僻之地，也较这里容易攀登。我的老师站着说：“谁知道哪里有较平坦的山坡，可以不用双翼而攀登上去呢？”
那时他低着头，沉思着我们的前途，我在山岩的左右张望。在左边远远看见一群灵魂朝向着我们而来但是简直不能看出他们的移动，因为他们行得太慢。我对老师说：“请您看那里。那些的灵魂也许会给我们指导呢，假使您自己想不出来。”他望着他们．微露着笑容：“我们去那里，他们前进得太慢了；好孩子！你不会失望的。”
我们约走了千步以后，那些灵魂离我们仍有一箭之路，他们当时都紧贴着壁立的山岩，且互相紧靠着滞在那里，似乎在查看路径一般。维吉尔对他们说：“临终愉快的灵魂呀！你们已是天之选民了，我知道你们都在候着幸福了，请告诉我们较平坦的山坡，能攀登上去；一个人愈知道时间的价值，愈感觉废时的痛苦！”
当一群绵羊被唤出羊棚时，先只见一只，继而二，继而三，其余胆小的，站着不动，眼光和鼻子都向着地；前面一只如何做，后面一只怎样学；前面的停下，后面的挤上来；天真驯良，不知不识。我所见的这些灵魂也是如此，队伍的前面几个向着我们走来，态度是谦逊的，步履是谨慎的。
我的影子铺在我和山岩地面之间，忽被前面一排的灵魂看见，他们惊吓得后退几步，其余的也后退几步，不能明白一个所以然。我的老师对他们说：“你们不必开口，我对你们说，你们所见的这是人类的肉体，因此太阳光被遮断而不能到地。不必惊吓，若非天赐特殊的恩惠。他决不会到此地来爬山的。”那纯洁的队伍对我们说：“转过头去，请走在我们的前面。”同时用手背指示着方向。那时灵魂中的一个开始说：“你是谁？请你转身看我一下，想想是否在世上看见过我。”我转身向着他，细心地查看，金栗色的头发，漂亮的面貌，高贵的仪态，但在一只眼上有伤痕。当我请他原谅我与他素不相识时，他对我说：“再请看这里！”他又把胸部的一道伤痕指点给我看，于是他微笑着叙述人间他最后的故事如下：
“我是曼夫烈德，皇后康斯但斯的孙儿；当你返回人间的时候，请你去找着我那温顺的女儿，她是两个国王的母亲，他们在西西里和阿拉冈都很荣耀；假使别人在她面前有阴谋的报告，那末请你告知她以事实。当我经受了两个致命的打击后，我俯倒委身于上帝，他愿意宽恕我。我的罪过实在可怕，但是上帝仁慈，张开大大地手臂来接待一切向着他的孩子。假使科森萨的主教把《圣经》研读好了，不受教皇克力门的命令来虐待我，那末我的尸骨还在本尼凡特附近的桥头边，受着一堆石片的保护。现在我的遗骨被雨打、风吹，在王国边境以外，维尔德河旁，是主教吹灭了蜡烛把他们迁转到那里的。这些人的恶咒也不足以阻碍永爱的发生因为恒心从未使人绝望。这是真的：一个人被逐于教会，虽然在临终时懂得忏悔，但他的灵魂仍须留在山岩之外，三十付出他被逐的年月；不过，尽心的祈祷可以缩短处罚的年限。现在你知道，假使你能令我欢喜，那末告诉我亲爱的康斯坦斯，我处在何等的境遇，受了怎样的裁判；世上人的工作，可以令这里的灵魂得到许多方便。”
Turn'd tow'rds the mountain, whither reason's voice
Drives us; I to my faithful company
Adhering, left it not. For how of him
Depriv'd, might I have sped, or who beside
Would o'er the mountainous tract have led my steps
He with the bitter pang of self-remorse
Seem'd smitten. O clear conscience and upright
How doth a little fling wound thee sore!
Soon as his feet desisted (slack'ning pace),
From haste, that mars all decency of act,
My mind, that in itself before was wrapt,
Its thoughts expanded, as with joy restor'd:
And full against the steep ascent I set
My face, where highest to heav'n its top o'erflows.
The sun, that flar'd behind, with ruddy beam
Before my form was broken; for in me
His rays resistance met. I turn'd aside
With fear of being left, when I beheld
Only before myself the ground obscur'd.
When thus my solace, turning him around,
Bespake me kindly: "Why distrustest thou?
Believ'st not I am with thee, thy sure guide?
It now is evening there, where buried lies
The body, in which I cast a shade, remov'd
To Naples from Brundusium's wall. Nor thou
Marvel, if before me no shadow fall,
More than that in the sky element
One ray obstructs not other. To endure
Torments of heat and cold extreme, like frames
That virtue hath dispos'd, which how it works
Wills not to us should be reveal'd. Insane
Who hopes, our reason may that space explore,
Which holds three persons in one substance knit.
Seek not the wherefore, race of human kind;
Could ye have seen the whole, no need had been
For Mary to bring forth. Moreover ye
Have seen such men desiring fruitlessly;
To whose desires repose would have been giv'n,
That now but serve them for eternal grief.
I speak of Plato, and the Stagyrite,
And others many more." And then he bent
Downwards his forehead, and in troubled mood
Broke off his speech. Meanwhile we had arriv'd
Far as the mountain's foot, and there the rock
Found of so steep ascent, that nimblest steps
To climb it had been vain. The most remote
Most wild untrodden path, in all the tract
'Twixt Lerice and Turbia were to this
A ladder easy' and open of access.
"Who knows on which hand now the steep declines?"
My master said and paus'd, "so that he may
Ascend, who journeys without aid of wine?"
And while with looks directed to the ground
The meaning of the pathway he explor'd,
And I gaz'd upward round the stony height,
Of spirits, that toward us mov'd their steps,
Yet moving seem'd not, they so slow approach'd.
I thus my guide address'd: "Upraise thine eyes,
Lo that way some, of whom thou may'st obtain
Counsel, if of thyself thou find'st it not!"
Straightway he look'd, and with free speech replied:
"Let us tend thither: they but softly come.
And thou be firm in hope, my son belov'd."
Now was that people distant far in space
A thousand paces behind ours, as much
As at a throw the nervous arm could fling,
When all drew backward on the messy crags
Of the steep bank, and firmly stood unmov'd
As one who walks in doubt might stand to look.
"O spirits perfect! O already chosen!"
Virgil to them began, "by that blest peace,
Which, as I deem, is for you all prepar'd,
Instruct us where the mountain low declines,
So that attempt to mount it be not vain.
For who knows most, him loss of time most grieves."
As sheep, that step from forth their fold, by one,
Or pairs, or three at once; meanwhile the rest
Stand fearfully, bending the eye and nose
To ground, and what the foremost does, that do
The others, gath'ring round her, if she stops,
Simple and quiet, nor the cause discern;
So saw I moving to advance the first,
Who of that fortunate crew were at the head,
Of modest mien and graceful in their gait.
When they before me had beheld the light
From my right side fall broken on the ground,
So that the shadow reach'd the cave, they stopp'd
And somewhat back retir'd: the same did all,
Who follow'd, though unweeting of the cause.
"Unask'd of you, yet freely I confess,
This is a human body which ye see.
That the sun's light is broken on the ground,
Marvel not: but believe, that not without
Virtue deriv'd from Heaven, we to climb
Over this wall aspire." So them bespake
My master; and that virtuous tribe rejoin'd;
"Turn, and before you there the entrance lies,"
Making a signal to us with bent hands.
Then of them one began. "Whoe'er thou art,
Who journey'st thus this way, thy visage turn,
Think if me elsewhere thou hast ever seen."
I tow'rds him turn'd, and with fix'd eye beheld.
Comely, and fair, and gentle of aspect,
He seem'd, but on one brow a gash was mark'd.
When humbly I disclaim'd to have beheld
Him ever: "Now behold!" he said, and show'd
High on his breast a wound: then smiling spake.
"I am Manfredi, grandson to the Queen
Costanza: whence I pray thee, when return'd,
To my fair daughter go, the parent glad
Of Aragonia and Sicilia's pride;
And of the truth inform her, if of me
Aught else be told. When by two mortal blows
My frame was shatter'd, I betook myself
Weeping to him, who of free will forgives.
My sins were horrible; but so wide arms
Hath goodness infinite, that it receives
All who turn to it. Had this text divine
Been of Cosenza's shepherd better scann'd,
Who then by Clement on my hunt was set,
Yet at the bridge's head my bones had lain,
Near Benevento, by the heavy mole
Protected; but the rain now drenches them,
And the wind drives, out of the kingdom's bounds,
Far as the stream of Verde, where, with lights
Extinguish'd, he remov'd them from their bed.
Yet by their curse we are not so destroy'd,
But that the eternal love may turn, while hope
Retains her verdant blossoms. True it is,
That such one as in contumacy dies
Against the holy church, though he repent,
Must wander thirty-fold for all the time
In his presumption past; if such decree
Be not by prayers of good men shorter made
Look therefore if thou canst advance my bliss;
Revealing to my good Costanza, how
Thou hast beheld me, and beside the terms
Laid on me of that interdict; for here
By means of those below much profit comes."