Dante Book II Canto V Scene II

 Scene 2

 

Dante had known Brunetto V for years. He was Dante’s guardian after the death of his father. Early Dante commentators spoke of Brunetto as his teacher, as does Dante himself. It is also believed that there was an intellectual and affectionate bond between the elderly man and the young poet. It was perhaps Brunetto who induced Dante to read Cicero and Boethius when younger.

“It’s an old text but one worth is read into today’s pages. There was once a poet named Cicero who urges the Roman elite to adopt. Stoicism as Cicero understood it held that the gods existed and loved human beings. Both during and after a person's life, the Gods rewarded or punished human beings according to their conduct in life.” Brunetto had told Dante then. It was his first glimpse of Cicero's works.

“What fortune or what fate Before the last day leadeth thee down here? And who is this that showeth thee the way?” Brunetto looked at the one he had taken care of since young. It was sorrow for him to see Dante there.

“Up there above us in the life serene,” Dante replied. “I lost myself in a forest, hunted by the predators, I fell and --- Or ever yet my age had been completed for it was like yesterday, I turned my back upon it. I not dead and my soul lives in me. It will lead me back to my home once I have done my task here.”

“If thou thy star do follow, thou cannot fail thee of a glorious port, If well I judged in the life beautiful for you.” Brunetto smiled at Dante. “And if I had not died so prematurely, I would have given thee comfort in the work as we did before in Florence.”

Brunetto Latini wrote his Italian ‘Tesoretto’ and in French, his prose ‘Li Livres dou Trésor’, both summaries of the encyclopedic knowledge of the day was once praised by a historian of Florence, Giovanni Villani who said that Brunetto was a great philosopher and a consummate master of rhetoric, not only in knowing how to speak well, but how to write well.

“Ser, you were the radiance among men and speaks with gratitude of that sweet image, gentle and paternal’ Dante praised his mentor. “You were to me in the world when hour by hour, you taught me how man makes himself eternal. Your gift to me gave me the courage to carry on, and do the work even after your death.”

“Yes, I had seen that in you. I had long ago recognized your genius mind that of glory would be fulfilled. Your life journey was heading for a glorious port” Brunetto looked from his student to the group that had marched before him earlier.

“Know this, Dante. That group of my friends who had passed us. We stand by shoulders the clerics, men of letters and fame but alas, we are stained by one same sin upon the earth; we are deviants in our preference.” Brunetto smiled at Dante. “You may have heard of it.” 

“The act between men? Yes, I had but it was disputed by many including me. I had known you for a longer time than the accusers. Your banishment was placed by envy and fear. They are people of avarice, envious and proud’ and qualms they will have to act on you.”

“Who walks with you? Are they ----sinners of the same? You knew that in the twentieth century, not far behind us by three generations. Despite major changes in laws and norms surrounding the issue of it, public opinion on the acceptance in society remains sharply divided.” 

“It’s not the decision of the heart or mind, but both and also the society, we have to adhere or it will crumble into dust.” Brunetto lowered his voice. “For short would be the time for so much speech.”

Dante knew his mentor was not keen to gossip and he was rare if there were any.

“Look to my group who walked with me. Our numbers vary by the rounds we walk. Some may falter not of exhaustion for we are dead souls here but the loss of will to proceed. They will stop despite knowing the infliction of the flames for a generation.” Dante’s mentor looked at the group he was in.

“They are not defeatist. I know them in sum, that all of them were clerks, and men of letters great and of great fame, in the world tainted with the selfsame sin. There is the Priscian goes yonder with that wretched crowd, and one stand out on the left was Francis of Accorso and Bishop Andrea da Mozzi. They were all servants of the servants, dedicated in their works. They have been here a longer time than I had but I hope not will I spend an eternity here.”

“Characters accused but…” Dante took his protest further.

“It may be but in judgment, we are who we were,” Brunetto told Dante. “Be it by chance or will, we were once.”

Dante was to ask more when Brunetto saw another group approached them where they stood.

“I must go now. I will do that soon but not before I caution you, young one. I have on me to foretell you but beware of your future, some are ungrateful and malignant people; they came from Florence itself, will make itself, for thy good deeds and also thy foe to become. They are people of avarice, envious and proud’ and qualms they will have to act on you.” 

Dante heard his mentor and resolved that his mind was open but to his mentor, he held his view.

“If my entreaty wholly were fulfilled,” Dante told his mentor once more. “Not yet would you be in banishment from human nature placed; for in my mind is fixed, and touches now. My heart the dear and good paternal image of you, when in the world from hour to hour. You taught me how a man becomes eternal; and how much I am grateful, while I live behooves that in my language be discerned.”

“What you narrate of my career I write and keep it to be glossed with other text By a Lady who can do it if I reach her. This much will I have manifest to you; provided that my conscience does not chide me, For whatsoever Fortune I am ready.”

“Commended unto thee be my Tesoro, in which I still live, and no more I ask.” Brunetto told me.”It's my heart and mine desire that it will last eternally.”

Dante nodded to his mentor who had rushed on to re-join his group.

“The one who wins, and not the one who loses. That’s you, my mentor.” Dante looked to his mentor. “Stay well, Ser.”