Final answer:
Before crossing the river Acheron in 'The Divine Comedy', Dante wept, symbolizing the passage from life to the realm of the dead, contrasting with the hopeful crossings in slave spirituals where water signified reaching salvation and the Promised Land.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before crossing the river Acheron, Dante wept. This event occurs in Dante Alighieri's epic poem 'The Divine Comedy', specifically in the first part, 'Inferno'. Crossing the Acheron is a significant moment symbolizing the passage from the living world to the realm of the dead, which is why it is associated with emotional responses such as weeping.
Dante's reaction is in stark contrast with the hopeful messages found in the spirituals sung by slaves, where crossing over water symbolized a journey towards freedom and salvation.
For instance, in the song 'The Old Ship of Zion', the crossing is led by Jesus and represents reaching the Promised Land, not a descent into the afterlife as in Dante's journey.