Virgil, a scholarly writer and inspiration to Dante in regards to his literary work, most specifically The Aeneid, is chosen to lead Dante in his journey through hell. Throughout Dante Alighieri's epic, Inferno, Virgil serves as an inspirational role model and mentor whom Dante respects, as well as a protective and encouraging guide to Dante, chosen to persuade Dante to get off the wrong path by presenting to him the misery and torture of hell that he would want to avoid. In Dantes Inferno, Virgil proves to be protective and sympathetic to Dante, encouraging him to continue his journey when Dante feels that he is not capable of doing so, and protecting him from the dangers of hell. Through Virgils encouragement and help to Dante throughout their journey in hell, Virgil is able to make Dante aware of the dangers and misery that he would want to prevent. Virgil shows his encouragement and confidence in Dante before they started their journey when Dante said that I am not Aeneas, am not Paul; nor I nor others think myself so worthy (Mandelbaum, 2.31-32-33), showing that Dante did not believe he had the potential to go through with such a journey. However, Virgil is able to persuade him to continue through encouragement, scolding him for his cowardice showing that he believes in Dante. Virgil also shows his protectiveness in Dante consistently throughout the epic, when he makes others aware of Dante's journey that was willed by god in order to prevent others from hurting him. Dante shows his protectiveness when they are escaping from the Malebranche that are chasing them in the 5th pouch of the 8th circle. In their escape from the Malebranche, Dante describes that My guide snatched me up instantly, just as the mother who is wakened by a roar and catches sight of blazing blames beside her, will lift her son and run without a stop and down the hard embankments edge- his back lay flat along the sloping rock that closes one side of the adjace