Commentary Par XXIII 34

In a single verse Dante culminates his long and varying experience of Beatrice in this recognition of what her guidance has meant and where it has finally led him.  When she came to him as mediatrix, one whose being was imprinted by Christ in order to lead him back to his Savior, he was often uncertain.  Now the identity between them is finally sensed on his pulses, and he is properly grateful.  This is a verse that many readers find themselves greatly moved by, without perhaps being able to verbalize the reasons for their emotion.  It was amazing, he must reflect, that she had faith in such as him.

For an essay on the relationship between Beatrice and Virgil as Dante's guides, see Adriana Punzi (Punz.1999.1).  For the sense that Dante, here and elsewhere, has totally revised his earlier and earthly sense of Beatrice, see Paolo Cherchi (Cher.2004.1, p. 99): 'This is the true praise.  Beatrice loses nothing of her physical beauty; indeed, she remains the most fair among the fair.  However, the "diseroticization," so to speak, comes... from Dante, who comes to understand, at a certain point in his narrative, that the lady whom he desires is truly "venuta da cielo in terra a miracol mostrare"' (come from Heaven to earth to reveal a miracle -- V.N.XXVI.6).

Masciandaro's lectura of this canto (Masc.1995.1) demonstrates the importance of aesthetic concerns throughout this particularly beautiful canto.