The woman gathering flowers in the Earthly Paradise in Purgatorio XXVIII is Matelda.
Dante first sees Matelda across a stream at the summit of Mount Purgatory, in the garden representing Eden before the Fall. She gathers flowers, sings, and approaches the pilgrim with an air of serene authority. Her introduction prepares Dante for the arrival of Beatrice and the transition from Virgil’s guidance to a more explicitly theological vision.
Matelda explains the unusual conditions of the Earthly Paradise, including its gentle air and the two sacred rivers. Lethe erases the memory of sin, while Eunoe restores the memory of good deeds. Later, she leads Dante into Lethe and helps immerse him in Eunoe before he proceeds toward Paradise.
Readers sometimes confuse Matelda with Beatrice, Rachel, or the historical Matilda of Tuscany. Dante’s text names her only near the end of Purgatorio, and her exact historical identity remains debated. Her literary role is clearer: she represents restored innocence and acts as a guide and purifier in Eden.