Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita
Mi vitro vai per una selva oscura
che la diritta via era smarrita

Midway in our life's journey, I went astray

From the straight road and woke to find myself
alone in a dark wood. How shall I say

What wood that was! I never saw so drear,
so rank, so arduous a wilderness!
Its very memory gives a shape to fear.
                             Canto I - Ciardi translation

As Dante wanders out of this dark dreary tangled forest, which represents the madness and confusion of the real world, he sees a little hill lighted by the early morning sun. He tries to go there but three ferocious beasts suddenly spring in his path.

A gaudy spotted leopard, symbolizing lust.
A great raging lion, symbolizing wrath and violence.
And a gaunt she-wolf, starving, ravening, wasted, and craving.
She is Avarice; the more she has the more she craves.

"I wavered back and still the beast pursued
forcing herself against me bit by bit
til I slid back into the sunless wood."

Dante swoons in terror.