Chapter 7: Chariot
There are several chariots mentioned in the Commedia and illustrated in the manuscripts. In the Purgatorio (12:46-48) is the story of Rehoboam fleeing in a chariot shown in Figure 15 (~1385). In the Paradisio (Canto 22) Dante looks back down at the planets and sees the Sun, represented in Figure 16 (~1445) as an angel in a fiery chariot.
 
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The most important example of a chariot occurs at the end of the Purgatory (29-32). The top of Mount Purgatory is represented as the site of the earthly paradise, Eden. Dante sees a triumphal procession centered on a 2-wheeled chariot representing the Church pulled by a griffon, i.e., an eagle/lion. Figure 17 (early 15th century) shows Christ riding in the chariot.
However, Dante suggests that it is Beatrice, rather than Christ, who is riding in the chariot (Luke 1975). Since the chariot itself represents the Church, this would make Beatrice a good candidate for the Papess, but the illustrations (e.g., Figure 18, late 14th century) do not depict her in this form.
There is another interesting feature of the chariot images that should be noted here. Figure 19 (late 15th century) shows an overview with most of the procession illustrated. Notice, following right behind the chariot, Saint Paul is depicted. He is holding a book in his left hand and his right hand holds sword. This representation of Saint Paul is interesting because, depending on the artist's perspective, Saint Paul sometimes appears to be in the chariot itself as in Figure 20 (mid-14th century). This makes one wonder if images such as Figure 20 might have led to the association of the chariot with Mars.
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