The Inferno of Dante

Canto I/5 Line 1 Midway on our life's journey, I found myself 

In dark woods, the right road lost. To tell

About those woods is hard-

Dante sets off  theme here with this brief epigraph.  He has turned 35 and states he has become lost, in this case he is talking about religion. This sets up the idea of fighting his way through hell to heaven. The idea that one must learn about and become familiar with sin stay away from it to get to heaven.

Canto I/9 Line70 "A different path from this one would be best

For you to find your way from this feral place"

Interesting that Virgil would suggest a different path to heaven than going through hell, who would have thought. This raises questions though as Virgil is suppose to be an expert, correct? Is this part of Dante's confusion and weather or not he is taking "the right road", perhaps doubting himself on his decision?

CantoII/15 Line18 "Such favor on him befits him, chosen for glory 

   By highest heaven to be the father of Rome...

So is this making fun of whoever ordered Virgil to write The Aeneid? Or is it saying that the gods picked him to be the creator of Rome? Or is it saying that God picked him? In which case why didn't he know about God when he was being commanded and chosen by him? 

CantoII/15 Line27 ".....What cause, whose favor,could send me forth

  On such a voyage? I am no Aeneas or Paul:

  Not I nor others think me of such worth,

It seems Ironic that all these characters/heros, Virgil, Aeneas, Hercules, etc... are stuck in hell because they lacked God, but are yet going to be examples or guides for Dante to get through hell to heaven. I'm not quite understanding why Dante believes himself "of such worth" that he can't make it through hell......I also realized the lines are in Tercets, we stated this in class but i didn't make the connection that this is another 3 or the Trinity which is somewhat the idea of self consciousness and the reason why people would go to Hell.