Virgil and Dante come upon a dark forest filled with old, gnarled trees and devoid of any greenery. Here are the harpies, horrible part-woman part-bird monsters of Greek mythology. The harpies roost in the trees and release terrible shrieks. Virgil tells Dante that they are now in the second ring of the seventh circle of hell. Dante hears screaming all around him but does not see anyone. He looks around, confused.