Canto XII
First Terrace; Prideful
Scene I
“If
my memories served me right, pride was not referred to by itself but along with
prejudice yet the latter was may be considered as sinful,” Virgil spoke of it
on the walk with Dante, while they trailed the group of souls with the burdens
on their back.
“Masters, do the same to them, and stop
your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in
heaven and that there is no partiality with him. Ephesians 6:9.” Dante spoke of
the verse from the Book. “It was the veiled message of the poems of Dante.”
“Have you read Pride and Prejudice by one named
Jane Austen in 1813?” Dante asked of Dante.
“I am programmed what was loaded by my creator
and not by reading. I do have my contents of Janes Austen, including the works
of her other books; Sense and Sensibility. Both books including Pride and
Prejudice was the works of satire on the behavior and conditions prevailing
then of the living souls.”
“The emphasis was placed on
subtle behaviors that signaled someone’s class background. Examples might
include how one dressed, the vocabulary one used, one’s table manners, and what
sort of topics one understood to be appropriate for discussion.” Dante added
in. (https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pride/genre/) “Much
of what was described in Pride
and Prejudice would have been recognizable and familiar. The novel also
focuses on the personal emotional experiences of the characters rather than
political or historical events. For example, while the presence of the regiment
implies that a war is taking place, Austen does not discuss geopolitical events
in her novel.”
“It’s no different to what we have now.” Dante compared to the
war that was waged by the Empire and Federation. “I felt like an ox led by the
events that did seem to have changed.”
“Turn thine eyes downwards; it will well for thee, to cheer the
way, to look upon the bed of thy footsteps,” Virgil spoke to Dante.
Dante looked up and then straightened his posture. He felt not his burden lightened but the sight
had taken on the visions on the weight carried by the souls there. He did not
speak of the sights to Virgil but he did feast his eyes on them.
“It’s a metaphor of sorts,” Dante told himself. “The slab of
stone there can be compared to the tombstones of the dead. Such a view reminded
me of the death of a living body, and to many, it will bring tears to the ones
affected by those who were dead there. Not etched there were the reason they
died but their names to the living ones. It seems befitting them to be
remembered as such than for their deeds, or misdeeds.”
“Like pride which Dante wrote on his poems, that of mythological figures who have suffered for their pride:
Thymbraeus, Mars, and Pallas, who contemplate the giants they’ve dismembered;
Nimrod at the foot of his Tower of Babel; Niobe amongst her fourteen murdered
children; Saul, who died on his sword; Arachne, who was turned into a spider;
Rehoboam, who’s running from a chariot Alcmaeon; the children of Sennacherib as
they attack their father Tomyris; the Assyrians; and, finally, the city of Troy”
“All the ones mentioned may still be here,
carrying the burden of their prideful life.” Dante sighed. He looked to the
ones before him. He saw the setting sun and cried out in a loud voice.
“Lift thy head; there is no longer time for going
thus abstracted. See yonder an Angel, who is making ready to come toward us;
see how the sixth hand-maiden is returning from the service of the day. I am to
tell ---” Dante was interrupted by the presence of the Angel who appeared there
at the side of him.
“Dante, you are to break your vow not to tell
them but your words rang hope in them. I cannot deny you have lifted much of
the burden in them but they are still bound in this program.”
“I saw their plight. I wanted to ---” Dante was
cut off.
“You wanted to assure them that they are imprisoned
and lay in the hope to fight back but these are not fighters. They are
experiments that the Doctor had brought in to be tested like yourself. I think
you had seen enough of the First Terrace and could move on.” The Angel told
Dante. “Beyond there is the cleft; there you may ascend.”
Dante looked at the spot indicated and felt a
stirring on his forehead. He reached to touch it and felt one of the ‘P” was
erased.
“I have taken off one of the ‘P’ to advance you
to the next stage.” The Angel told Dante.
“Virgil, I am lifted.” Dante turned to look at
Virgil who had remained apart from the interaction with the Angel.
“Poet, you are blessed with one of it but the
rest remained. When the ‘P’ still on your forehead is removed one by one on
achievement of the tasks, thy progress will be swifter or lighter to the next
terrace.” Virgil told Dante. “It’s the lock mechanism there.”
“It’s a programming routine.” Virgil smiled.
“Since you are cleared, let us move on.”
“You are a ---miscreant. Do you not have any
concern ---” Dante was upset by Virgil's unappreciative of the plight of those
there.
“I am and above all, I am unattached to any of
their needs for I know that they can be freed once you completed the task here.
The longer we dwell here, we will be absorbed into the program. Make haste,
Poet. We are to move or be consumed.” Virgil hit back.
“In
Hell like the writings of my idol, Dante the Poet, I have also encountered individuals
guilty of pride in the very lowest circle, encased in ice, unable to move.
Their punishment is an apt illustration of the coldness of heart that
characterized their dealings on earth, in which they turned more and more upon
themselves, shunning God and finding increasingly less solace in the company of
others.” Dante grew in confidence. (Adapted from https://www.rosarycenter.org/the-capital-sins-pride/).
“Sin
lays siege to that community, and pride is our community’s special foe because
it seduces us into imagining we have no need for anyone, or anything, beyond
ourselves. It was the words of St. Gregory the Great written very poetically,
but seriously, when he observed. Pride, the queen of vices, when it has
vanquished the heart, forthwith delivers it into the hands of its lieutenants,
the seven principal vices, that they may despoil it and produce vices of all
kinds.” Dante continued.
“I will not be consumed in Purgatory. We move on
for the journey here has only begun.” Dante resolved then to move on for the
souls he saw there. He had conquered the sin of his pride.
“I am truly in the quest with a mad poet. Or
rather that of a renegade program’s construct.” Virgil muttered with a tone of
sarcasm.
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