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Canto 3: Manfred of Sicily is saved despite excommunication, reminding Dante that mercy isn’t controlled by human systems. But there’s still a cost: those who waited to change now have to wait before they can even begin the climb. If it’s never too late to turn things around, why do so many people wait until the last possible moment?

Canto 2 feels hopeful at first—souls arrive singing Psalm 114 like they’re stepping out of exile, and Dante reunites with Casella for a moment that almost pauses everything. But that’s the catch: even something beautiful can become a distraction, and Cato shuts it down fast: no lingering, keep climbing. What good things in your life are keeping you from climbing?