San Leo

Description

In the fourth canto of Purgatorio, Dante indicates San Leo as a term of comparison for the steepness of the path he and Virgil must face: «Vassi in Sanleo e discendesi in Noli». The notes to the verse explain that the author mentions earthly places similar to the Purgatorial pass, where one can indeed climb on foot, unlike the otherworldly ascent which instead requires flying with wings. The same notes recall that San Leo was a small town in the duchy of Urbino, situated on the summit of a very steep hill and dominated by an ancient castle; in Dante's time it could be accessed only by a narrow path cut into the rock. The Dantesque mention thus fits into a topographical comparison, aimed at making perceptible the difficulty of the journey toward Purgatory.