Why does Eliot most likely include an epigraph quoting Dante and acirc and 128 and 153s Inferno at the beginning of the poem?

Eliot likely includes the epigraph from Dante's Inferno to establish themes of spiritual desolation, journey, and the search for meaning that are relevant to his own poem. By referencing Dante, Eliot sets a tone of seriousness and alludes to the idea of a transformative journey that parallels the modern individual's quest for understanding in a disillusioned world.