Dante Book 1 Canto V Scene 1

 

Canto V

The Second Circle; Lust

Scene 1

 

Lust in word as a noun stood for strong sexual desire. In the context of the Book; It was texted as a strong craving or desire, often of a sexual nature. Though used relatively infrequently (twenty-nine times) in Scripture, a common theme can be seen running through its occurrences. The word is never used in a positive context; rather, it is always seen in a negative light, relating primarily either to a strong desire for sexual immorality or idolatrous worship. In secular literature, the word indicates only a strong desire. (https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/lust/).

IN Mark 6.22, King Herod was attracted to lust, and so was James 1.15; Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/read/eng/KJV/Jas/1/15/).

That was in the ancient texts, and in the later generations, the term sexual was dropped out. It was replaced by the word; strong desire. A desire that became an obsession to need it. It may not be love as the underlying reason, but other perverted needs. It did however mean that if it pursues into it will lead to destruction, not of themselves but the other in the works.

Dante had these thoughts on his lips but Virgil was ignoring him. Their journey was silent until they reached a huge wide dark wall, not of solid materials but elements. They could hear the loud howls inside the darkness resembling the strong winds that sink sea-faring ships.

“Do we go in or …” Dante's question was cut off when he found himself dragged in by what may appear to be a tail.

A rather long tail it was.

“Who are you?” Dante was bound by the long tail that went around the body the ninth time before it released its hold on the living soul. He looked at the one who addressed him.

“I am Dante and here …on a self-exploration.” Dante looked to the one that held the frame of Man, who was standing on the huge boulder yet he held a long tail that trailed to the ground. He had one the diadem on the head that resembled a crown.

“How did you get to be here? Here is Hell and only the dead could pass.” The one who guards the entrance spoke. “I am to check to where they are to be sent in Hell.”

“Then you are Minos. The one who judged the sinners.” Dante recalled his reading on the Underworld.

Dante read that King Minos, the legendary ruler of Crete. He was also the son of Zeus, the King of the Gods. This was Greece myth. King Mino's victory was by the Greek god Poseidon, and from Knossos (or Gortyn) he gained control over the Aegean islands, colonizing many of them and ridding the sea of pirates. Upon his victory, he prayed to the sea god Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull as a sign of the god's favor. Minos was to sacrifice the bull to honour Poseidon, but owing to the bull's beauty he decided instead to keep him. Minos believed that the Gods would accept a substitute sacrifice. To punish Minos, Poseidon made Minos' wife Pasiphaë fall in love with the bull. The monstrous Minotaur was the result.

As the unnatural offspring of a woman and a beast, the Minotaur had no natural source of nourishment and thus devoured humans for sustenance. Minos, following advice from the oracle at Delphi, had Daedalus construct a gigantic labyrinth to hold the Minotaur. Its location was near Minos' palace in Knossos.

Upon the death of the King, he was made the judge to whoever enter Hell. He was given the tool which was a tail that will bound itself to the soul and by its rounds of bindings, it will denote the level of Hell the soul was to be sent.

“I cared not what you may know of me but you do not belong here.” Minos glared at Dante. “Only the dead may go past me.”

It was then Virgil stepped forth.

“And yet he must go there to get to where he belongs,” Virgil told Minos. “Do you defy those words? Charon did not. He was allowed across the river.”

“Does he belong here? No, he is not. He is not dead. he has to return to the living world.” Minos was insistent. “If he persists he will go mad.”

“When was it said that only the dead may pass here?” Virgil asked. “Before you do reply, remember this from Proverbs 18:21; the tongue has the power of life and death. And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

“I don’t understand.” Minos was humbled by those words.

“Your words may send him to a fate worse than Hell when all he was to ask was the passage through,” Virgil replied. “Can you imagine him wandering in Limbo without a destination? Or to return to the world of living to recapture the horrors of its time and time again? You were a King once. Did you not commit those sins I had spoken? Did you not commit your half breed to the labyrinth, and be doomed there?”

“He was not …human.” Minos challenged back. “He was banished there.”

“Did he die like one? He did. He was killed by another human. Did he pass you by? He was a sinner for his slaughter of the innocent lives.”

“He did not. I had them sacrificed to him. I …:” Minos bit his lips then.

“John 9:1-3 when asked of the man blind, the words said was It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Virgil raised the issue towards Minos. “How can you judge when you should be judged? The Minotaur hold your sins.”

“You annoy me with your words. I cannot…” Minos gave up.

“So shall we pass on for it will not be you that can determine to where he shall go?” Virgil pulled Dante by the arm to move forward. The duo stepped into what was to be named the Second Circle.