雖然在但丁的《地獄篇》中從來沒有提過聖母瑪利亞的名字，但從詩的一開始，她就是一個活躍但隱蔽的存在。當朝聖者詩人為走出「黑暗森林」而掙扎時（Inf. 1.2），是瑪利亞在但丁說出祈求垂憐的呼喊前（Inf. 1.65）就做出回應，派了貝緹麗彩（Beatrice）去請維吉爾（Virgil）幫助他擺脫困境（Inf. 2.52-108）。不過當但丁進入地獄的領地，在維吉爾與魔鬼對峙時，他呼求的是瑪利亞的權能（例如在Inf. 3.94 -96、Inf. 5.22-24）。在但丁的詩作裡，他賦予瑪麗主要諸寵中保（Mediatrix of Grace）以及為與魔鬼對抗的終極依靠角色不會讓我們感到驚訝。畢竟，對中世紀的基督徒來說，每當發現自己需要寬恕和克服邪惡的恩典時，會求助於慈悲聖母是很理所當然的。她是魔鬼的對手（inimica diaboli），是那個曾擊敗撒旦，將救世主帶到世上，並扭轉了厄娃（Eve）的詛咒的人。她是信友在抵抗撒但的詭計時，常常求其保護的人。而身為女中保，她為罪人提供了重返天主子身邊的確定途徑。

Although the name of the Virgin Mary is never uttered in Dante’s Inferno, from the very outset of the poem she is an active, though veiled presence. When the pilgrim poet is struggling to find his way out of the “dark wood” (Inf. 1.2), it is Mary who responds to Dante’s cry for mercy (Inf. 1.65), even before it is uttered, by sending Beatrice to enlist Virgil’s aid in rescuing him from his plight (Inf. 2.52-108). And as Dante descends into the infernal realm, it is Mary’s authority that Virgil invokes when he meets the opposition of the demons (Inf. 3.94-96, Inf. 5.22-24, for instance). It should not surprise us that Dante assigns to Mary the role of principal mediatrix of grace and ultimate recourse against diabolical resistance in his poem. After all, for a Medieval Christian it was natural to turn to the Mother of Mercy whenever one found oneself in need of forgiveness and the grace to overcome evil. She was the inimica diaboli, the one who had defeated Satan, brought the Saviour on earth and reversed the curse of Eve. It was to her that the faithful often turned for protection against Satan’s wiles, and as Mediatrix, it was she who provided a certain route for sinners to return to her Son.