Dante Book 1 Canto VIII Scene II

 Scene 2

 

They have sailed the stream to go round the iron walled City of Dis looking for the entrance to the place. During the voyage, Dante saw what was to him imprisonment there, for, above the walls, he caught sights of its wardens perched above and looking at him. Phelygas then stop the ferry and told them to disembark.

“This is as far I can go. The rest of the journey, you need to walk on foot.” Phelygas told Dante.

Dante and Virgil stepped off the ferry and then he hea4rd the voice addressing them.

“Come alone, and let him go, who enters this kingdom with such audacity. Let him return, alone, on his foolish road; see if he can: and you remain, who escorted him, through so dark a land.”

Dante looked up to see the source of the voice but he saw no one. He looked then to Virgil.

“They meant you can go on while I am to return to where I came from,” Dante said to Virgil. “I can’t…”

“Dante, don’t give up. You have come this far.”

“Virgil, if I try --- and I doubt if I try, I may not make it. The ferry has gone and we alone here.” Dante sighed. “Virgil, we have journeyed through the Circles till here. You were my guide and many a time, a companion, and had saved me from dangers. Do not leave me, so helpless: and if we are to go back, let us quickly retrace our steps.”

Virgil looked at the other who had shown confidence in their journey had then become distraught. He could not place the state of Dante’s mind then. He looked to the high walls and thought maybe it was that which intimidated the other. He then turned to Dante.

“I lied when I told you had not been here. I did not stop at Limbo. I was up to here, and I stopped here. I was afraid to go ahead, and I remembered you. I had Virgil 3.0 to return for you. It was easy for the mechanical unit and without a soul. I then retract my steps. It was not easy but I made it back. I had Phelygas to assist me. We had an arrangement.”

“Arrangement?” Dante was surprised.

“I was to take him off the task as Ferryman. He was tired of the task; watching the many he took here and saw the punishment. Hell is not a great place at all.”

“How much have you lied to me?” Dante asked.

“Practically that was it. I am on the level with you. I need you to go with me to Dis.” Virgil admitted.

“I will be a fool to go on with you. You lied to me. You may have sinned there and even here in Hell, it's still a sin.” Dante was upset. “And…”

“Beatrice was real. She did die and before she did, she asked me to tell you that she wanted to see you one more time. She died before I could do the task. I brought you here to see her. Even near death, she loved you.”

“There is no way I can see her. I have not seen her in the last Circles and not that I believed she will be there but she was not. She may be …” Dante looked to the walls.

“She may in the deeper part of Hell. Would you know if you would not go on?” Virgil looked at the wall. “There may be a way in. Or out of Hell.”

“There was then during the Harrowing of Hell. The souls were rescued then.” Dante mumbled. “We do…”

“I have seen the Harrowing of Hell. Or rather I was there when it happened. I may have an idea.” Virgil looked to Dante. “Have no fear; since no one can deny us passage; it was given to by so great an authority. But if you wait for me, and comfort and nourish your spirit with fresh hope, for I will not abandon you in the lower world.”

With that, Virgil stepped to the wall and called out the ones perched on the top.

“I am Aeneas. I was here before but I did not go in.” Virgil used his real name to address the wall. “I deserve my right to go to the City of Dis.”

The door appeared and one resembled those Dante saw when he arrived at the entrance to Hell. It had wings on its back and stood tall over Virgil.

“The ones who took no sides; neither of God or Lucifer. They are here too but how I know not.”

The winged man leaned down to speak to Virgil; words that cannot be heard by Dante but he saw the exchange of words was intense.

“You are deserving yet you are not deserving anymore. If you return alone, you would have passed but now…” The winged one looked at Dante. “You are unwanted. You are a living soul and you will corrupt the realm here.”

The winged one soar to the top of the wall and the opened doorway closed in front of Virgil.

“I will get in!” Virgil was upset. He walked back towards Dante.

“Who are they to deny me passage to the City of Dis?” Virgil looked and saw the dismayed look on Dante. “Though I am angered, do not be dismayed. I will win the right whatever obstacle those inside contrive. The insolence of theirs is nothing new.”

“We are defeated and lost.” Dante sighed.

“Defeated we are not. I spent a lifetime defying the logic of many and invented more. I was here as a soul and yet I traversed back to meet you. I won’t lose just yet.”

“Just what did you speak to the winged one?” Dante had to ask.

“Logic as I was trained in but that devil, as I had named it is dark as black and harder than diamond to listen to my reasoning. I will need to call on a harrowing experience for now. What will that remain to be seen yet but it will come.”