Dante Book 1 Canto X Scene I

 Canto X

The Sixth Circle: Heretics

Scene 1

 

Virgil hesitated for his last journey ended there. He does not know what was ahead. A part of him told to return, but in his scientific approach, there are no infinite to any discovery.

“We move on,” Virgil called on his creative mind.

“Hold on. I saw someone I once knew.” Dante stopped Virgil.

“Farinata degli Uberti! Hear my call. Come forth here.” Dante called out to the soul that was trying to put out the flame from the tomb. He knew the one named Farinata V, or rather his real was Manente Degli Uberti V. Like his namesake, he was a descendant of the original Farinata and held the same view.

Farinata was an Italian aristocrat and military leader of the Ghibelline faction in Florence. He was considered to be a heretic by some of his contemporaries, including the original Dante Alighieri. was an Italian aristocrat and military leader of the Ghibelline faction in Florence. He was considered to be a heretic by some of his contemporaries, including Dante Alighieri.

Farinata belonged to one of the most ancient and prominent noble families of Florence, his native city. He was the leader of the Ghibelline faction in his city during the power struggles of the time. Farinata led the Ghibelline forces to victory over the rival Guelphs at the Battle of Montaperti. As a result, he was able to capture Florence. The leading Guelph families were banished and the government of Florence was radically restructured to ensure Ghibelline dominance. Farinata's allies wanted to ensure that Florence would never again rise to threaten them.

Only Farinata stood out against them, declaring himself to be a Florentine first and a Ghibelline second, and vowing that he would defend his native city with his sword. The Ghibellines thereupon took the lesser course of destroying the city's defenses and the homes of the leading Guelphs. When the Guelphs regained control of the city later, they repeated in reverse the demolitions, by destroying every building belonging to the Uberti clan.

As said by Marcello in the earlier part of the journey, its politics and power go in circles, and never-ending till the end of time, it may.

“Farinata ---.” Dante thought he may be wrong. The soul stopped its digging and looked over. It was normally difficult to make out one’s recognition when the other was covered with dirt but it was him, Farinata who was waist-high in the dugout.

“See there Farinata who has risen erect.” Dante was elated. “From the middle up thou shall see his full height. Already I had my eyes fixed on him. He is lifting his breast and brow as if he had great scorn of Hell.” Dante told Virgil of his friend.

(Adapted from https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/LD/numbers/01/parker.html).

“I met you before at Florence. We were on opposing sides but you protected the City of Florence as our ancestors did before.” Dante told Farinata. “I am honored to meet you.”

“Guelph! I know your kind. As your ancestors did, you destroyed my career. The Guelph cannot be trusted.”

“We are to be trusted. In Florence, we did not destroy all there was but only the ones that repulse us. As did our fathers before us.” Dante defended his friends. “You for all have done what your own had done many generations before. You returned from every quarter both the first time and the second, but yours did not rightly learn that art.” (Adapted from https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/LD/numbers/01/parker.html )

“Your ancestor was denounced as a heretic for his beliefs.” Farinata lineage had denied life after death and was branded heretics. They thought that the soul dies with the body, and maintained that human happiness consisted in temporal pleasures. (Extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farinata_degli_Uberti).

“This is why your torments recurred even here.” Dante’s words were harsh on Farinata. Their argument was stopped when another soul stood in.

“I hear a familiar voice. Who are you?” The soul had appeared before Dante. “I am Cavalcante de ---”

“Cavalante, it’s me. Dante Alighieri. I am here.” Dante greeted the other. “Cavalcante is the father of a fellow poet with Dante during the early years. “How do you fare?”

“I am fine but I ache for my son. Is Guido with you?” The old soul asked. “He left me to join the Volunteers. The young ones wield a pen and not a rifle.”

“I have not seen him. He may ---” Dante was cut off by the older soul. “I looked around for someone to see. I thought he was here. With you.”

“An old man’s foolish thoughts. I am a blind man asking to see my son yet I know he may not be with you.” Cavalante sighed. “Then again he may be dead like me.”

“Cavalente, I know ----” Dante was to explain.

“Hush, my son. I have nothing to ask of you”: The older soul left Dante to face Farinata.

“How could ---- he is a Guelph and you---” Dante looked at Farinata as if to accuse him of some misdeeds.

“He may be but in here, we are the souls left here for eternity. We are all Heretics in the realm of Hell. We adhered to no faith but our soul.” Farinata explained. “Why are you here? You were a preacher before as I was to know?”

“Yes, I was. I held the congregation for both. All who wanted to hear me. I spoke of the faith in us. The hatred we had and why it will soon make us sinners. I gave them blessing regardless of what they may have in them.” Dante looked at Farinata. “The feud of our forefathers was driven by the belief of their faith, and we carry it on our heart and not our mind. If we were to see beyond that, it's a worthless feud after all. We shall love all as we do with our bloodline for the shade of blood in us is the same.”

“I am a defender of my --- city, Florence as they were before me.” Farinata paused to find the word. “I held no battle with anyone if they do not harm Florence and ---”

“Its inhabitants too.” Dante cut in. “Tell me, Farinata, protector of Florence, how do you fare here?”

“I am doing my best but why are we here. I know not.” Farinata looked around the parcel of the land he was on. “We hold no more space for another tomb. “There may be others who may give you that ---- space. Don’t make malice of my call. I did not do it because you are Guelph. We are all alike here; sinners.”

Dante was to tell Farinata that he was traveling through but words will not form on his lips.

“Why must we suffer for the loss of our loved ones?” Farinata looked to the old soul who was digging through the more. He then spoke up. “The old soul stayed on to wait for his son but will the other pass here?”

“In the family, we stay to see the others are with us.” Dante reminded Farinata. “Like when are back at Florence. We are a huge family.”