Dante Book 1 Canto 1 Scene 2

 

Scene 2

 

Day was departing, and the embrowned air
Released the animals that are on earth
From their fatigues; and I the only one

Made myself ready to sustain the war,
Both of the way and likewise of the woe,
Which memory that errs not shall retrace.

O Muses, O high genius, now assist me!
O memory, that didst write down what I saw,
Here thy nobility shall be manifest!

And I began: “Poet, who guidest me,
Regard my manhood, if it be sufficient,
Ere to the arduous pass thou dost confide me.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1001/1001-h/1001-h.htm#CantoI.I Opening lines of Canto II (Translated works of Dante’s Inferno to English)

Dante stopped to look at his surroundings. All he could make out was the trees and the thick leaves which covered the sunlight to the ground.

“The giver of life stopped from giving the means to nurture growth, and darkness prevail here. Am in Hell or another forsaken part of the land I dwelled in?” Dante asked himself. “Yet, I recite poetry instead of prayers for my salvation.”

“I am in a war which I wished no part yet I partake in it against my belief. Have I been made a fool here?” Dante then thought of the others in the squad, huddling in fright or made haste of their farewell, leaving perhaps only he alone there.  I have friends which I have valued but in their moments of needs, I may had been deserted for they also fear of death.”

“Am I a sinner, God?” Dante looked to his hands. “Spare me your reckoning, I am here to confess. I am a sinner. I knew that I am one, a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith, I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Saviour.”

Dante’s prayer was interrupted by the buzzing noise in his vest. He reached in withdrew the metallic orb named VIRGIL.

The unit had on a red light that was moving in random directions on the surface of the shell. It then voiced out towards Dante.

“Good day, Dante. I am VIRGIL, your companion and guide. I am not God, but may I assist you?”

“What in… tarnation is you?” Dante tossed the unit to the ground, but it did not reach the ground. It floated up and then the red light was shining at Dante.

“I am VIRGIL, and you activated me when you fell. I am here to assist you.” The unit replied to Dante. “I have done a sweep of the area and we are relatively safe unless you have an uncanny fear of reptiles.”

“I had heard your words. It was taken from the Book. You are a man of the Faith and now your vital signs are displaying anxiety, and your inner mind reaction to it was to seek for the divine blessings.”  Virgil gave out their view of the observations.

“You are automation and within…” Dante snapped back.

“I am VIRGIL or rather VIRGIL 3.0 and was created by Professor Martin Damari or he was better known as Aeneid by his fewer colleagues, who held seven doctorates in science and industries but he also kept hidden from public scrutiny was his doctorates in theology and psychology. He was called Aeneid for his favourite read was the book Aeneas, the tale of the Trojan Prince. He loved the Trojan War epic as his reading. I knew all this as he had his thoughts programmed in my unit to allow me to interact with him issues including the ‘moral’ issues. I am told the difference between a sin and blessing, but that line is difficult to mark the boundary. I …”

“Shut up, Virgil. I just need to get back to my squad and then leave this place.” Dante interrupted the mechanical orb.

“I could initiate a shutdown but that will be a hindrance for you require my assistance. Since I am activated not by the request of yourself, I presumably assumed I was by an intervening act of the divine.” Virgil released off what be term as a snigger. “Pardon my programs for sarcasm was one of the illogical downloads my creator placed into, how may I place it, a sense of humour or perhaps making me sounding more alive.”

“Do not intrude me with your … programs. All I want to do is get back to my squad …. alive.” Dante was agitated by the unit assessment of the situation.

“Intrusion? I bear no such malice. I am here to assist and to be direct, you need me to get stay alive. I can sense the presence of an approaching predator. We have a hundred parsecs to leave here now.” Virgil cautioned Dante. It then looked at him and told him to toss the headcover of his.

“At six percent probability deviation, it may go for that scent. I am not programmed in the art of hunting but I am sure your perspiration may be a strong scent to give us time to leave…now.” Virgil called out to Dante. The latter did as request and soon was on the trail with the mechanical orb to a safer location.

“You lied to me, Virgil.” It was Dante’s first time addressing the mechanical orb by its name when they took a rest some distance away.

“It was an obvious ruse but I needed you to move on your legs or the constant idling will give you cramps. It was in my nursing…”

“Who are you, Virgil?” Dante cut the other off. “I doubt you were handed to me without a reason.”

“I am VIRGIL 3.0; VIRGIL (Vigilance Remote Guard Intelligence); an automation unit used for intelligence gathering and communications. I can project holographic projection in communications.” Virgil replied and then it added on the other definition.

“I am VIRGIL 3.0 an upgraded prototype with added programs to be placed for field tests. And you were selected to be in this test.” Virgil smiled.

“Why me? I am just a …”

“A learned person with wide knowledge in theology but your poetry published displayed in the circle as a --- non-conformist and do question the Book in a rather intriguing manner.”

“You mean I was to be tested…” Dante was furious then. “I am no disciple to be…”

“Not that sense but my creator has found your questioning intriguing and your current task challenging ---”

“Your creator as in God. That’s blasphemy. Only God is the creator.”

“Yes, and the creation of God created me.” Virgil replied. “It’s a simple conclusion.”

“What do you know of my tasks?” Dante questioned.

“A part of it was in my programs but the task was you are to complete will conclude my diagnosis,” Virgil replied. “There is an interesting aspect of it when I can learn from the task.”

“I did not volunteer to be …” Dante was cut off.

“You did volunteer to battle in a war which you have no interest in.”

“Yes, I did volunteer for I admired the Queen as ---”

“Admired? I think you are in love with your Empress. There were forums where you have publicly recorded your affection for her. You volunteered to battle for you do not want to see her lose the war. You went against your own belief that life was to be preserved and not sacrificed needlessly.”

“Yes, I did but if I can end the war …” Dante was again cut off.

“Heroism perhaps was your desire. You wanted to be seen as the hero for her, but do you see what others may see in you? We all assumed that the other will see us for that. It’s like you may see a lady when you are eighteen of age, and her view of you will be shall I say, virile, but at twice your current age, your stare on a young lady of eighteen, maybe scorned as perverted. Dante, our view of the sight is our gateway to the world but our mind does not evolve in the same thoughts. Let me show you the real sights of life not seen by others. Ironically, my creator did say that life is a comedy of events…except we hardly laugh at it.”

“Virgil, I want to get out but taken into a ---” Dante protested.

“At ease, volunteer. I am taking you out of your misery of life with a new insight but to do that, we have to walk through this misery. It may as I mentioned give an insight into your real purpose in the journey of life.”

“Don’t be philosophical with me, machine. I am a living being with a mind. I know my journey.” Dante's anger was surfacing. “Nothing that you will ---”

“Unfortunately, everything I am to show you are manmade. God only provided the stage for it. We are the actors, or rather the living beings.” Virgil sounded. “Have you wondered what is life after death?”

“I…” Dante was speechless. Despite the evolution of mankind, that was an unanswered query.

“Inter-dimensional? Another realm? Waking from a slumber? Only three options? Aha, yet in this journey, we are allowed to have a living mind to learn and create, and yet when we die, where did it all go?” Virgil let off another snigger then. “It’s comical when someone attempts to give an insight into it.”

“Hence, when I quoted my creator, life is a comedy of events. He believes that we need not die to see what the journey ahead in life would have been.”

“You are mad, Virgil.” Dante hit back.

“Am I or was it, my creator? After all, I am his creation as God was yours. We are created in his image and his thoughts. Or did any of us who attempt to look at it… in a real sense? Perhaps we never tried but was it our divine right to explore and not leave it only to God?” Virgil spoke. “Logically, I find it comical we leave it to God when we hold the living mind. Have a good laugh, Dante. Life is more than a journey; it's a learning journey.”

“And how do I do that?” Dante looked at Virgil. “When I am lost here and soon to be dead soon?”

“Have faith, Dante. Just as you have with God, do with your life. I will take you to your second task.”

“You knew of my second task?” Dante asked.

“We knew of the task; my creator among them but not the extent of the place. It’s could be the method where God reveals knowledge of himself, his will, and his divine providence to the world of human beings. We want you to explore it for us.”

“God willing, we will accomplish it,” Dante added on. 

“With the new resolve to look at the life, yes, and do smile. You may be the first to do it.” Virgil let off a snigger.

“So, where do we begin?” Dante asked with a tone of sarcasm.

“From below.”