Beatrice Portinari is seen throughout the book of “Dante The Divine Comedy”. She first met Dante in 1274, on May 1 in Florence, Italy. Béatrice comes from a wealthy Florentine family and was eight years old the first time they met and did not speak to each other (Cotter, 21). She was the main inspiration for Dante's La Vita Nuova, a book about Dante's romantic connection with her (Passages to the Past). Dante and Beatrice only met twice, but Dante was so touched by both encounters that he shares his love for Beatrice with the reader. The second meeting took place when they crossed paths in the streets of Florence. She turned and greeted him; this filled him with such joy that he ran to his room and began to dream of her. Béatrice died at the age of twenty-four. From this meeting was born the first sonnet of La Vita Nouva, which he wrote in 1293 (Rosetti). Beatrice sees Dante in the book “Dante the Divine Comedy” when he has to travel through the underworld. She represents divine love, and it is her concern that drives Dante to seek Virgil to be his guide. Since Virgil lived before Christianity, he lives in limbo with other non-Christians (NovelGuide.com). By trusting Beatrice, Dante trusts Virgil, who puts him through hell. Virgil is used as Dante's knowledgeable guide through the underworld and into heaven (NovelGuide.com). Dante was told in Canto II, when he was lost, that Beatrice descended from heaven into limbo to find Virgil and explain to him her concern for Dante. Beatrice is there to spiritually guide Dante to heaven (NovelGuide.com). Virgil explains to Dante that the lady who came to be guided by Virgil had "eyes [that] shone brighter than the staff...... middle of paper ......medy.com, June 7, 2012 .Internet. May 5, 2014. "Dante's Purgatory - Earthly Paradise." Dante's Purgatory - Earthly Paradise. University of Texas at Austin, nd Web. May 5, 2014. “Divine Comedy: Character Profiles.” » Novel guide. Np, and Web. May 02, 2014.La Vita Nuova." The New Life IX. Np, nd Web. May 01, 2014."Inferno Canto I: 1-60 The Dark Wood and the Hill." Dante: The Divine Comedy. Trans. AS Kline. PoetryInTranslation.com, 2000. Web. May 5, 2014. Malik, Keenan. “A BOOK IN PROGRESS [PART 8]: DANTE, POET OF THE LECTURE, May 5, 2014.”: Dante, Beatrice and La Vita Nuova. past: Dante, Beatrice and La Vita Nuova. Www.passagestothepast.com, nd Web. May 5, 2014. Rosetti, Dante Gabriel. "Romance: Dante and Beatrice." Romance: Dante and Beatrice. 2014.