Dante Book IV Canto III Scene III

 Canto III

Ex-communicates

Scene III

“Oh yeah wh0 have made good ends, spirits already elect”, Virgil began, “By that peace which I believe is awaited by you all, tell us, where the entrances lie as we can scale the walls here? For to lose time is most displeasing to him who know most.”

“Do you mock us, one who is not with us?” One from the group approached Virgil. “We have been marching for days and nights looking for the entrance and found none of the path or entrance into Purgatory.”

“My companion bears no malice, dear Sir. Please proceed on your way.” Dante stepped in.

“What in madness did you try to speak in that manner?” Dante looked back at Virgil when the other had marched on.

“I am was reciting the words from Dante’s Purgatory as recorded to me by my creator. What did I ail him?”

“Please, Virgil. Your clumsy attempts at the works of the Master are worse. Please do not try that again.” Dante looked at the group that soon stopped at the wall. Some stood timid looking at the wall, while some others tried to find the entrance as stated by them, some just fell to their knees offering prayers while some looked above for their answers.

“Ex-communicates--- the dis-believer to God,” Dante uttered the words to explain the group.

“Yes, they are the ones that defy the existence of God and now they search for its existence. Denial of God is the denial of faith inside you.” Cato whispered to Dante when he approached the other. “Ex-communicated is the ultimate punishment of the House. It was originally used by the Catholic Church but since then it had spread to the other Houses. Even in the faith of the others like Buddhism, the monks can be expelled for failure to abstain from the four defeats; sexual intercourse, stealing, murder, and lying about spiritual gains. It’s an act of abandoning one’s belief. Once a person is excommunicated, there is repentance except by the will of their Gods.”

“That act is made by the clergy who held the ranks in the House to do it as an act of deterrent to the others not to defile the faith in any form. An example of it will be St Columbia in 562 was excommunicated for praying for the winning side in an Irish War, which later was reversed he was held to be an abuse of justice. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_excommunicated_by_the_Catholic_Church).

“It’s not a perfect call but its wrath could be felt as harsh.”

Dante was to reply when one in the group called out.

“There is a shadow. It’s there.” The others heard the call and rushed to see it.

“Move back. We may have scared it.” The group who had gathered there moved back when they lost the shadow. The group had blocked Dante’s shadow and hence it was not seen there anymore.

“Make way. Let me through.” Dante pushed his way and the group dispersed.

“It was a bad sign. Our repentance is not there as yet.” One among the group sighed. It was Dante who leaned over to look and saw the shadow was his. The shadow was back; his shadow by the rising sun. For once in his lifetime, he admired his own shadow. It was elongated and from his feet to the wall, it stretched out like a narrow silhouette.

“The shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. Your atomized form represented that opaque object. They are souls like you but unlike you, their forms do not attract the radical atoms hence they hold no shadows.”

“And they are fascinated by it?” Dante asked.

“They don’t have a shadow. Perhaps or they think it’s the entity that was from inside. Like a ghost perhaps.” Cato went into his analytical observation.

“Ghosts are what we are after death?” Dante replied but did not wait for the other to reply.

“Hello everyone. The shadow you saw is mine. It’s my reflection.” Dante saw the group turn towards him. “I am ---alive.”

“Alive? None of us are. We don’t have a shadow. He does not have one.” One among those in the group pointed to Cato. “Neither does he. How could you be?”

“I --- It's complicated,” Dante replied. He was then interrupted by one who approached him. The figure was a man in his twenties-years, blond and had the elegance of good living stood stout with his physique.

“I am Manfred, grandson of Empress Constance. I recalled you when you were once in the Royal Court to recite your poems to the emperor then.”

Dante recalled his time at the Court when he brought Beatrice to be there. He was to regret it for their Beatrice met Manfred’s father, Count Benedict who later pursue and stole Beatrice from him.

“Manfred---- I think we met. So, you died?” Dante was blunt.

“I believe so. I was or won’t be here. I was mortally wounded, lain in the pool of my blood.” Manfred explained his condition but in Dante’s mind then was it was a dramatic and emotional plea from the Royal brat. “I fought hard but we were outnumbered ----.”

“And you died?” Dante cut in bluntly.

“Yes, I did. I found myself in Hell and was to serve my sins. My sins were horrible but by the Infinite Goodness”, Manfred motioned to the above. “I was pardoned. If only the Pastor had not listened to the Pope and had me excommunicated, I would have been in Heaven.”

“Pope did what?” Dante was ever curious. He had encountered these men of the faith who misuse their influence.

“Excommunicate me. The Pope said I was a miscreant and had defiled the House. I did not but how have I convinced them otherwise when I was away at the battlefield. Fate drew to die there and here I am.”

“Presumably so.” Dante's tone was flat like the terrain there. And cold.

“One who dies in the contumacy of the House, though he repents at the end, needs must stay outside upon this ---land. I was told thirtyfold the whole time that was my presumption but I lost count.”

 When did you get here?” Dante asked.

“We lost track of the days and times. I was with the group and had been looking to get in. Or up.” Manfred sighed. “I recalled in your works you did speak of one works from ---Dante of your namesake. The works were of one named Dante who traveled through Hell and ---”

“Purgatory? Yes, I did. And we --- are there.” Dante smiled. “Nasty place.”

“Yet you are alive. You have a shadow. So, that makes you alive. You are here as what was recited by you. I rejoice for you.” Manfred laughed. “Do this for me ---“.

Insolent brat was to command me as I was his loyal subject.

“Do speak to my daughter when you returned. Tell her I miss her and take care. Tell her mother that I love her. See to it, that you will make me glad knowing my messages are delivered.”

“I shall endeavor, my Lord --- Manfred. Please continue your penance --- I meant search to find the entrance.” With that Dante stepped back and did a bow to the young Lord. He then joined with Cato and Virgil.

“What was that?” Virgil asked.

“Excommunicates,” Dante replied and walked on ahead but the shouts of the group stopped him.

“We found it. It’s the ---entrance. Thank God.”

 

 

 

 

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