Dante Book II Canto XXII Scene I

 Canto XXII

The Eighth Circle: Fraud

Bolgia V: Grafters

Scene I

 

“Reconnaissance is needed in the battlefront.” Dante was into his third week of training at the Volunteer Camp. It was a fast-track training from a six months program to the shortened one-month offered. It was a necessity for Volunteers are required at the front lines urgently.

“Dante, you are slow in the reaction.” The instructor had looked at him. “You need to improve if you are to be Point Man in the squad.”

“Dante, Point Man is the first to be terminated. See you in Hell.” It was Marcello who had joined in with Dante then. He was a butcher before he was ‘volunteered’ into the squad.

“Volunteer Marcello, hold your tone or I will have you in the brig.” The instructor cautioned the other. “All of you will once or more be a Point Man. Be prepared for that role, for your vigilance will be required and if you fail, the others in your squad will pay for your mistake.”

“Hear that, a man of words. You will be dragged to Hell then.” Marcello had to add in the final words. Dante heard it all, and in his mind, even words wrongly placed may cause the reader to interpret it differently. 

“Are you hearing me, poet?” Dante had his day thoughts whacked by Virgil then. “I was talking to you.”

“I was distracted,” Dante replied. “How is our journey?”

“We are not sent into the pit if you are a concern. Our escorts have absconded. Perhaps we are into a territory of the bolgia.” l looked to the ten demons that were moving ahead of them as if maintaining protective custody or escorting the prisoners were gone.

Dante and Virgil had taken the path passing more of the boiling pits, where the sinners were seen; immersed, or be struck by the demons who guard the pit.

Dante had looked at the scene in which the sinners were tormented; immersed in the boiling pit to surface occasionally like the huge fish he once saw when he was on the ship across the sea. There were the smaller ones that leap from the sea beside the huge fishes.

“Those are whales; big sodden creatures but gentle like your mama. The smaller ones are the dolphins; gentle they are, and lovable with their antics in the sea.” Dante was told.

Dante saw then some of the sinners surfacing as if to get some air, but it was their back that was seen. Others will float close to the edges of the pit like frogs at the edge of the pond, and popped their head up when the back of the demons was turned. Some at the edge of the pit may then climb out and try to escape but to where remains the question. These other sinners in the pit rushed to submerge themselves when the demon approach, but one unlucky soul ran out looking for the way home.

Or perhaps, they like the prod for the sinners seem to have their back turned up most times, as observed by Dante.

“Peculiarity indeed. I had thought for them, it was to be with Ser Latini.” Dante commented.

“An overflow perhaps.” Virgil saw the look of annoyance on Dante. Ser Latini was his mentor. “A manner of speech but don’t take it to heart.”

Dante wanted to snap back but his attention was diverted towards a demon who hauled up a sinner.

“We have a runner!’ The call went out when the one on the run was seen and the other demons will converge to capture the escapee.

“My bad! I was---” The sinner jumped back into the pit. The demon prodded with their pitchfork into the pit looking to fish the sinner there. It was a game of seeking and be caught act between the two parties.

“Got you again.” The demon called out while fishing out the sinner with the pitchfork like an otter out of the stream.  “We have a sinner to torment.”

“Good one there, Graffiacane. That one is elusive.” Another demon by the call of Rubicante demons praised the capture. “We know him well. Remove his skin and then boil him to the bones.”

“Can you find out the name of this poor sinner who is being tormented by the demons?” Dante asked Virgil.

“Why me? Do I look like I am related to them?” Virgil himself was afraid to with the demons put on the resistance there. He was not to ask for the sinner to introduce himself.

“Hold your torments, my good wardens.” The sinner had dislodged itself from the pitchfork and landed on his feet. “Ciampolo is the name, my good wardens.”

The sinner bowed to the demon who caught him. If there was a word to describe the sinner was that he had bathed in tar or a featherless chicken dipped in the dark sauce. When it was said featherless, the sinner was without a stitch on him. Not even a strand of hair.

“Ciampolo, we knew you well.” Rubicante laughed at the sinner. “You are our favorite roasted sinner.”

“Ah, the infallible Rubicante. How do fare?” The sinner smiled and then he saw Dante and the Virgil. “Ah, innocents to the pit. Please allow me to introduce myself herewith.”