Scene 3
The walk came towards a stream. It was like
many other streams crossed by Dante in his lifetime; foul of contents due to
pollution. The living world had caused many paths of the planet to be filled
with its excrements, and to find a pristine stream was to go deep into the
forests or up the mountains.
“The water there is dark like the ones we have
in the living world. Its water dark from the source yonder.” Virgil looked at
the dark river. “Its river flowed from there.”
“We will follow it.” Dante led the way without
waiting for Virgil’s decision. They walked along the stream banks and soon find
it reached the stony surfaces. Then they saw beyond it was the marsh.
“Unusual to see marsh here,” Virgil muttered.
“Unusual may not be peculiar here. You saw them
wade in the mire and what is a marsh next?” Dante was still in his mood. He saw
there were souls in the marsh screaming. He looked to the marsh surface and saw
it was boiling with vents of steam seen.
“I guess that is one mud bath the ladies will
not attempt to relax in,” Virgil recalled the ladies he knew had told him of
the many splendors of the mud bath.
“I wonder where are we? Another circle of Hell
perhaps?”
“Another one escaping!’ The call was heard and
Dante looked to his left. He saw a soul with boils on the frame partially
covered by the marsh contents had climbed out of the marsh. He saw the soul was
pushed back by others who were standing at the side. The soul was flung back.
“Rot in Hell as we did in the Living.” The one
who pushed the soul back was another covered in the marsh contents. Dante
approached the soul there.
“Where are we?” Dante asked. The soul he
addressed looked at him and sneered.
“I do apologize. I was to say please tell us of
this place?” Virgil stepped forth. “Why are they immersed in the hot …”
“Wrathful souls they were, and now their own
here? We were once oppressed and now they feel our oppression.” The souk there
replied. “You don’t look like one who is like them. You should pass onto the
next level. You are not welcome here.”
“And this level is …” Virgil pressed on.
“The level for those who were evil and have no
regards for the living. Now they will suffer for an eternity.”
“No wonder, some of the vicious leaders of the
living chose to stay in Limbo where they are safer,” Virgil whispered to Dante.
He then asked of the soul the name of the Marsh.
“It's Styx. Or here we called it the river of
hate. We too hated the place here. It's hot and uncomfortable but compared to what
we had endured before, this is Heaven.”
“Styx? I thought Styx was a river. Charon sails
on it.” Virgil was baffled.
“Styx is also called the River of Hate. It may
have ended up here in the marsh area here, accumulated the vibes of the souk
sent to Hell, and it ends here.” Dante explained. “There are souls in anger
here including the ones who sent them back. They all hold anger in their souls.
See those bubbles, they are from the ones submerged calling out in their
cries.”
“Can we move on? I am feeling sick.” Virgil
took the walk on. Dante laughed at the other.
“Virgil, your soul is not cleansed of the
senses. You are still a living soul like a part of me.” Dante then caught up
with the other.
“Virgil, you asked me earlier about my …
behavior? I did not reply to you. Perhaps I should.” Dante said.
“I took on this task to find Beatrice whom I still harbor a love
for. Here as we progressed through the Circles from Limbo to Wrath here, I was
given a vision of …sinners. We are all in the living world, but to what depth
have we sinned, or rather could sink into, may be seen the retribution here. I
was initially inquisitive but the last two Circles drew on my theology
learnings that I shall not shed any tears on them. They are getting what they
deserve here. Sinners have to pay their dues not in the living world but here
upon death.”
“You are getting…” Virgil looked at Dante.
“Heartless? No, it’s more like being objective or in the
words of your profession, precise. I am still a poet by soul. We are not
precise in our words but our delivery of the words is at the end of the words.
What you have seen are the levels of sins and the weight of the sins are
reciprocated in kind by the level of punishment. It's just …justice, I guess.”
“Let us move. Perhaps I may change your mind later on.” Dante
told Virgil. Their walk was short before they had the marsh left behind.
“Behold, a tower.” There was a narrow stream by
the tower and it flowed from the marsh and from there back to the marsh. It was
like a moat around the tower.
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