Dante Book 1 Canto III Scene 3

 

Scene 3

 

“I will be darned. Your name ain’t listed. Are you sure you are dead?” The Administrator glared at Dante. “I am telling you if you are before your time to die, you are considered a stowaway.”

“I … I am …” Dante tried to explain his way.

“C’mon, love. You may have his name spelled wrong.” The Corporal cut in. “Let me see the name list.”

“Barry Matthews put your hands on my table once more, and I will stomp your sorry arse back to …”

“We have done that, love. You did a good stomp then. I could hardly feel my jewels for weeks. Bloody drained me like a gutter pipe.” The Corporal laughed and then turned onto Dante. “She was an Administrator in a Museum before she took the late train here. She is good at the wax and I will be darned, she could dig out your boner to the marrow.”

“Barry Matthew, leave us or I am dragging you to the next ferry that lands here.” That made the Corporal took to his heels and left Dante alone.

“Now, Mr. Dante Alighieri. Please advise your time of death.” The lady asked. “Be quick. It’s not like waiting for Hell to freeze over.”

“I…” Dante was saved by the arrival of the ferry which docked there and the rower approached the Administrator.

“Administrator, I am done. Tell Charon to take the next row. I am going to rest now.” The rower declared to the Administrator.

“Hold on there, Phelgyas.” The Administrator stood upheaving the grand two orbs to drop with a shattering noise onto the tabletop. It even caused a couple of jaws to strike there to chatter off.

“This ain’t the ‘do as I may’ ferry. And the Union never said you can rest until I said so.”

“Well, Administrator. I am up to my aches with the rows. I have done my share and if I was not Greek, I would have a complaint that you prefer Charon to me.” Phelgyas spoke out.

“Come here, you imbecile soulless. Charon is the rower appointed by Zeus and if he held the privileges to stop whenever he wants. Or row when he feels like it. You are different. You are assigned to it and do your task or be tasked.

“Okay one more trip and I am done.” Phelygas surrender to the argument. He then looked at Dante. “You paid your dead fare?”

“Phelgyas, he is not going anywhere in Hell or Heaven, for he is not dead.” The Administrator cut in. “I am calling in the Enforcers to take him away.”

“Hold on there, Administrator. There is the Union rule that says the ferryman determines who he will row. I am going to check on this poor soul if he deserved to ride with me.” Phelygas then looked back at Dante. “We will discuss over there.”

“Hey, Phelygas. Don’t you take too long? The jetty is already bursting at its seams.” The Administrator told the ferryman.

“I saw that, and it won’t need gravity to tell me much.” The ferryman took Dante aside to talk.

“Now, tell me what is the right mind will go to Hell? I am assuming you ain’t a living being so the what instead of who. Am I not right, Virgil?”

Virgil hovered out and then lit up.

“Hello, Phelygas. I thought I could evade you.” Virgil then turned to focus on Dante. “Phelygas had sighted me with Aeneas then when we arrived. Like Aeneas was alive but while here, waiting for the opportunity to explore further, he died from natural causes. To be exact, he died of a lingering illness that stopped his heart. I was sent back by Aeneas to initiate the backup plan which involves yourself.”

“Tell me, Virgil. Are they more things hidden from me? I am beginning to doubt my journey here was what I had been told.” Dante was furious. “Above all, is Beatrice dead?”

“Tell him, Phelygas.” Virgil motioned back to the other. “Dante had lost his faith with me.”

“Yes, the one mentioned has passed here. It was Charon to ferry her. I was away then.” The ferryman told Dante. “Soon after, Aeneas appeared in desperation to see her but he died. I was to take him. He was dead and paid his fare.”

“Where did you go to?” Dante wanted to know.

“Fifth Level of Hell.” The ferryman replied. “He was assigned there”

“Was Beatrice there too?” Dante had to know.

“I won’t know. It was Charon who tools Beatrice. I knew of her for she was different from the others. She arrived here and yet she was different as if above them all here. No one was to take her except for Charon.” The ferryman smiled. “The rare occasions when this happened.”

“What is Level Five? What is there in Hell?” Dante asked. “I need to know.”

“Hell.” The ferryman replied. “It’s the way to the Underworld but the first place is through Hell. Everyone goes through Hell, as I was told but maybe I am wrong.” The ferryman replied.

“I want to go. To where she went?” Dante asked.

“Not unless you are dead.” The ferryman told Dante. “The living cannot step onto the other side. Its madness. Try another river. Ask for a passage back to the living world. I will give you coins.”

“I can’t…I won’t…I need to see Beatrice.” Dante sighed. It was then Virgil spoke out.

"Thus, it is willed there, where what is willed can be done," Virgil focuses on Phelygas. The other knew what it meant.

“Do not mock me, unliving creature. There is no will here. Its ….It's pure madness.” Phelygas hit back. “He is not to proceed. Hell is not his destination.”

“And yet he must go there to get to where he belongs,” Virgil remarked back. “For one to reach Heaven, Hell will lay judgment. Is that not what you told him to go when you mentioned a different passage. Did she looked like he deserved Heaven? Where he came from was worse than Hell. Tormented by the love of his heart while his mind jilted by his faith…he is a person looking for salvation. Give him his passage, and his life journey.”

“Please I need to go there.” It was Dante who was to intervene when he was zapped by Virgil with the sonar blast in the chest. He collapsed there on the ground.

“What did you do?” Phelygas looked at Virgil. He felt for the vit al signs of the other and found nothing. “He is dead. He was not condemned.”

“I know. I made him die. It’s a controlled blast into his senses and they are now …dead. So, technically, he is dead, and can be ferried across now.” Virgil said. “Let’s go to Inner Hell now.”