Dante Book IV Canto II Scene I

 Canto II

From Hell to Eternity

Scene I

Normally from an unknown reaction of facing another, the reaction may be antagonistic or subservient. Or a smile. Dante was dressed as a guard and got the needed reaction.

“We just arrived, Sir.” One among the group stepped forth It was a lady dressed in the shade of orange overall with the manacles on the feet. “Is this Purgatory, our next stage to reach Heaven?”

Dante did not reply to her.

“Where are we? I remember leaving Hell, where it was blazing hot and a place of misery. We were to leave for here but I see here is the opposite.”

Dante sensed her thoughts. He had looked from beyond the prison he was in. The surface was icy cold and it was flat without any notable terrain. He doubts anything can survive there.

“This is ----” His words were cut off by the lady.

“It’s the opposite of Hell. We sailed on the icy surface, past the Devil stuck in the ice, and having escaped to here. Well, we have arrived at Purgatory to proceed to Heaven.  We are cold.”

Dante saw the lady who was given a cropped haircut was shivering. There were some in the group whimpering and cursing.

“We were told that we will be safe here. We had paid for our sins while in Hell. We have confessed and received our pardons.” Another in the group spoke. “I have the scars to prove it., Why are we not received with care?”

Dante looked at the handed-out palm of their hands and saw the scars of punishment inflicted there.

“We hold no more sins in us.”

“Who did those marks?” Dante found himself asking.

“Angels or demons in which way you were treated.” The man replied. “We were to serve our penance in the most despicable conditions.”

“Aaron, they were not demons. They were Angels --- or Fallen Angels. We were sinners and served our penance.”

“Dominic, I liked the one who directed us here.” The one who displayed the palms spoke up. “They were Angels to me.”

“Aaron, you a fool. I was like all of you were inflicted penance for our sins but I had none. I was a family loving family man, with a task to do good.”

“Was developing weapons a good task?” Aaron asked. “We were all developers of the destructions. We are sinners.”

“What were you before you were captured?” Dante asked.

“I was an educator. I taught subjects of science to his students. They were his students once before.” Another voice out. That one was elderly and looked frail in the physical frame. “I may have spoken once or more at the forum on the correct governance but I was not a rebel. If I was to be punished, let it be by the laws of Man, and not by God. Here I am told to repent on my sins. What sins? I did not do any that deserved me such penance.”

Man tended to deny their wrongdoing even before God but I know we are not with God then. We are in the hands of another Man who appeared to enact the penance of God’s wrath.

“Peter--- Master Peter. Please stop the disbelief in the works of God. We are all sinners.”

“Aaron, I spoke my mind as always. I do regret passing on my knowledge to all of you who mistook it for the development of more weapons.” No one rebuked the Master then.

“What did ---they do you?” I had to ask. “The punishment I was to ask. Which level of Hell were you banished?”

“Are you playing me for a fool here, Sir? I --- You should know. You were there.” The man looked at me. “I --- We were to go to Heaven to get free.”

It was all false hopes. Dante wanted to help. He held out his hands towards the man who was called the Master. but he refused it. He looked at the others and they all turned from him. Dante felt then the same dejection he had when on his journey through Hell, or rather his version of it. He looked at his hands; there it was but of no use then. He looked to the silvery metallic surface. He did not know how to get inside and Cato was not seen there. He or rather it was hovering somewhere intangible to be seen.

“I will try to arrange for it.” Dante made an excuse and walked to the metallic surface. From the surface, it looked all the same; silvery surface shimmering in the dawn sunlight and looked oblong in design but he was no engineer of the trade.

It was then Dante heard the call of the group.

“In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:2-4)

It was spoken by one among them. Another called out in despair.

“You will be secure because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.” (Job 11:18 NIV)

Dante listened to more of them calling for their salvation while he could not even offer them than the warmth from the cold. The sun was at the half approach to the zenith. He looked to the group there, huddled like most weary travelers who went with their heart to find despair in their journey.

It was then he saw the approaching sight. It was sailing on the surface of the cold. Initially, he beholds was a speck of light and that light was skimming the surface; coming in swiftly with no obstacles to impede its path. It became brighter and then little by little it began to form a structure.

A structure of speed and what may appear to be the narrow sides on it; silvery-white and the light reflected off it like the sunlight from the sun. The narrow sides soon became drawn back wings and its bow was soon seen.

“Mind, mind thou bend thy knees; I see the Angel of God. Fold thy hands. Henceforth shalt thou see such officials, he scorns on the mad made instruments so that he wills nor oar or other sails other than his wings, between such distant shores. See how he holds them straight toward heaven, stirring the air with his eternal feathers, which are not changed like that of mortal hair.”

Dante was tempted to look but it was Cato again. He appeared before him and directed Dante to take cover.

“Huddle there with them. It’s the Bird Divine designate. The one steering is the Celestial Pilot.”

Dante heard Cato’s voice and rushed to cover with the other. They gasped in fright or surprise but the reaction of theirs was later to the newly arrived vessel. It resembled an open deck land surface but its design was more like that a ferry that I recalled used by Charon on the River Styx. The vessel had a figure standing there at the bow doing what it was doing to steer the vessel’s direction. It banked next to the ramp where I was huddled with the group and more from abroad joined the others.

The figure looked like Charon. It looked at Dante.

“Who are you?”