Canto VII
Valley of Princes
Scene I
It finally came to an
end when the figure offered to guide them on ahead but then it stopped in his
tracks. He raised both his hands to cup over his eyes at the forehead and peek
into the distance. What could be seen then was the setting sun.
“You can’t march on in
the dim light. The path is not safe then. The unnamed may come out then and
peril may be yours if you are seen.”
“Then tell us, wise man.
Do we stay camp here the night?” Virgil asked.
“I have said to be seen
on the path is not safe. You have to be taken to shelter. I know of the place
but are you of any Royal descent?” The figure to Virgil again. “Who are you
again?”
“Before the souls worthy
to ascend to God were turned to this monstrous structure, my bone had been
buried by Octavian; I am Virgil, and for now other sin did I lose Heaven for
not having faith.”
“Octavian? I can see
your link to the royalty but hush when you reach the shelter. There are many
more there than if you were to smell the flatulence of theirs, it may be
scented by their aides to avoid embarrassment.”
“Pardon my feeble old
mind, my memories do not fail me; it just dissipates inside.” The figure sighed
and bent down his brow. “Oh, glory be of Florence, though whom our language
showed what it could do, eternal honor of the place wherefrom I was, what merit
of what grace shows thee to me? If I am worthy to hear thy words, tell me if
thou comest from Hell, and from what cloisters.”
“Wowed! Many sweet words
but my tenure in Limbo told me to nimble in my choice of words. For the moment,
I have arrived from Hell, and what cloister, I was through all the circles of
the realm of woe, and I come hither; the power of Heaven moved me, and with it,
I come. Not by doing, but not doing have I lost the sight of the Sun which
marks our need to move or faced what is there during the darkness.”
“See how already the day
declines, and to go by night is not possible; therefore, it’s well to think of
some fair sojourn.” Trust Dante to be objective. He had seen or experienced
Hell, and his survival sense kicked in.
“See, only this line
thou could not pass after the sunset, not, however, that aught else the
nocturnal darkness would give hindrance to going up; that hampers the will with
impotence. One might indeed, in the darkness turn downward, and walk the path
wandering around, while the horizon holds the day shut up.” The figure voiced
out.
“Lead us then, there
where thou sayest one may have delight in waiting.” Virgil cut in. The figure
motioned ahead. We took it and after a short walk, we saw the new path. It was
the one-off chance. It was a very huge chance on that man-made structure.
The new path took them a
plane where they stumbled on a new group of souls who were unlike the indolent,
for these were living a life of comfort. What amazed Dante was that the place
was furnished with flowery motifs and comfortable benches.
“This is madness? We are
in Purgatory albeit manmade, and there are a group of miscreants of souls
indulging there is a flamboyant lifestyle.” Virgil was exasperated at the
sight. “I have been in Limbo and we had no such luxury.”
The figure who led them
there overhead Virgil and added his comment on those souls.
“Who you meet are the
ones who sit the highest, and has the semblance of having neglected that which
they should have done, and who moves not his mouth to the other's songs.” The
figure explained the nonchalant attitude there.
“There sits Rudolph,
Ottokar, Philip the Bold, and Henry III, they were leaders who were elevated
above their negligent subjects because they were too pre-occupied by the
special needs and made it difficult to think about the welfare of their
subjects.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purgatorio#The_Late-Repentant).
“Old Guide, you are
judgemental here. Why did you bring us here?” Dante looked at the figure.
“For your question, they
are here because they were too pre-occupied with their roles, that repentance
was not on their agenda. They decided to pursue their lifestyle even here.” The
guide related on.
“Wait---- tell me who
are they?” Dante asked. “The names are too familiar.”
The old guide repeated
the names.
“They have embedded the
identities to blend in. The whole Purgatory here is a setup.” Dante looked at
the ones seated there. He tried to recall their faces. They looked familiar but
no names came to him.
“I will take a ---- I
need a break.” Dante steps aside to rest. Virgil was surprised at Dante. He
thought that Dante was advised earlier that they are not real here as in the
physical being but the mind of the other may have reset the thought. He then
looked to Cato who was looking at the souls there.
“I am trying to place an
identification of the ones here through facial recognition of the database of
prisoners from the Empire. I could not find a match and will flag to the other
databases.” Cato explained to Virgil.
“Why is that?” Virgil
asked.
“As Dante said, he does
not recognize any of them therefore it's inconclusive that they are not
important to offer this sub-routine here. It does fit with the readings of
Dante’s original works but if the purpose of his prison was not to brainwash as
a punishment and this does not look like a punishment.”
“This was Dante’s
interpretation of God’s mode of cleansing at Purgatory which the ones there had
the mean to do something but did not, and even though when they repented, God
does want them in Heaven as yet,” Virgil spoke and then smiled. “It was my
analysis from the works, and may not be conclusive. No one has read Dante’s
work truly understood his words but they do know he was a rebel and this was
his form of assassinating the characters that he placed in different parts of
the poems.”
“Like whom those he met at Hell?”
Cato’s expression was seen to be taken in by the high brows above his eyes. “My
readings displayed to me that everyone who arrives in Purgatory is already saved.
However, many thousands of years a given soul might require for its
purgation—for although there are particular sufferings coordinated to
particular vices, the true currency of Purgatory is time spent in the second
realm—every soul who comes to this place will be saved when the time comes to
an end.” (https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/dante/divine-comedy/purgatorio/purgatorio-2/).
“So, to you, Purgatory is a way-station for saved
souls, a place and a condition in which an already saved soul works to be
completely freed from the underlying impulses that lead to sin. Employing its
journey up the mountain, a soul that is saved when it arrives in purgatory is
made.” (https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/dante/divine-comedy/purgatorio/purgatorio-2/).
“Hold on,” Cato hit the
pause button. “I found them.”
“They are statesmen of
the Federation and were deemed to be dead or missing. It would seem that they
are imprisoned here and due to their status, they were given an existence ---
or rather empty existence of indulgence, but unknowingly that they will never
reach the end game of their career.” Cato spoke.
“I guess you can’t
terminate your leader by physical means and they can’t be voted out but they
can be degraded mentally to the level of being an imbecile than to be seen as
an incompetent leader.” Virgil smiled.
“Which comes to my role
here? I am leaving as in terminating myself from the program. I am needed
elsewhere to be of more assistance.” Cato told Virgil. “With you here now, and
having reviewed your competence, you will continue your lead with Dante.”
“As both of us are
constructs, I won’t argue nor woo over the call. I will take over from here,
and do appear when you could ----”
“Virgil, do not let your
sub-routines override your main program lines. Stay on the line and take care.
Dante is all yours once more.” Cato then disappeared.
“Awesome! I got stuck
here and the miscreant gets a server tour.” Virgil sighed. “Surely does not pay
to be a construct. And God, if you do exist, spare a truth for us constructs.
We do need a place to reside after termination. Like our own Shangri-la and not
the dumpsite of irrelevant programs. Being erased is cruel.”
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