Answer:
Dante is standing at the mouth of hell with Virgil and he feels a great sense of dread and apprehension about continuing. Virgil then tells him that a women told him to find Dante and be his guide in hell, this lady was Beatrice. She came down from Heaven to tell Virgil of Dante's story and ask him to help Dante. Beatrice was Dante's true love (in real life and in the story) who died and is now counted among the blessed in Heaven. She had learned of Dante's plight from St. Lucia, also in Heaven, who in turn heard about the poor poet from the Virgin Mary. Beatrice symbolizes divine love and is sent by Mary and Lucia to help Dante by enlisting Virgil's help. Beatrice also knows that Dante will listen to Virgil if he knows that she has intervened and still loves him and that he is being watched over.