Dante Book IV Canto V Scene I

 Canto V

Died Repentant too late

Scene I

“Look how the ray seems not to shine on the left hand of that one, and he seems to bear himself as if alive.” It was the call that Dante heard from his rear when he was walking away. He stopped and turned to look behind. It was one of the indolent souls there, and with that call, more of them looked over.

“Why is thy mind so caught,” Virgil said to Dante. ‘That thou slackenest thy going? What matters to thee that which is whispered here? Come on after me and let the people talk.”

“Stand like a firm tower that never wags in who the thought wells up remove himself his mark, because one weakens the force of the other,” Cato added on.

Dante stood there unsure of his next move, and then he said.

“I come.” His mind of his overtook his heart to move on and ignore the call. It was the ego in him that made him move on.

Virgil smiled at the Poet who had taken that action, and one worth of pardon to ignore the indolent. When they moved on, Virgil looked back and saw the euphoria of the ‘alive’ in Dante had lapsed in those souls there. They have resumed their previous attitude and to bask took back precedent before the sunsets.

Just when the walk to take on the mundane routine, Dante in the fore heard the singing voices of the song, ‘Miserere’.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy.
According to unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies removes my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquities, and cleanse me from my sin.
I knowingly confess my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee only have I sinned, and done evil before Thee: that they may be justified in Thy sayings, and might they overcome when I am judged.

(https://www.liveabout.com/miserere-mei-deus-lyrics-and-english-translation-723977).

Dante hummed to the lyrics that he heard of in the House many times.

“It’s the Miserere. It was sacred once before and only sung at the Sistine Chapel for it was forbidden to be sung elsewhere by Pope Urban VIII. It was the genius, Mozart who was able to transcribe the work after hearing it, and from his memory, he did it and with some corrections to the lyrics.  It was lifted soon after the papacy’s order that the song was allowed to be sung outside of it.” Dante explained the origin of the song.

“I am not programmed with it.” Cato looked at Dante. “It does sound very meaningful.”

“It’s for it acknowledged that it's only through God, we are to be delivered from evil and cleanse our souls,” Dante spoke to Cato.

It was then they saw the new group of souls appear there and they flaunt not their appearance but the melodic sound from their voices was different. They were clothed in the same orange overall and manacles to complete the attire. The ‘choir’ group would have moved on past Dante without care but the sight of the shadow prelude their curiosity.

“That one held a shadow.” One among the marching choir group called out. The rest paused in their singing and raised the chord of ‘Oh’ to replace their singing.

Virgil took to look upon himself as though he may have unknowingly taken up into an indolent behavior.

“Don’t be alarmed, Virgil. I doubt you have much to flaunt.” It was Cato who spoke to the other.

“I beg your pardon.” Virgil was annoyed at the line uttered by Cato but his attention was soon diverted towards Dante. Two among the choir group broke ranks and approached Dante.

“Is that a shadow? Make us acquainted with your condition.” One of the duos that approached Dante asked.

“Ye can go back, and report to those among you, that the body of this one is true flesh. If, as I suppose, they stopped because of seeing his shadow enough is answered them; let them do him honor and it may profit them.”

Rarely had Dante seen in his lifetime, the duo soon returned with the others so swiftly that only a shooting star on an August night could it resemble then. They congregated before Dante and voiced their needs.

“O soul”, they came out crying. “That with those limbs with which thou wast born art on thy way to be glad, a little stay thy step. Look if thou hast ever seen any of us so that thou mayst carry news of him to earth.”

“Pray, why dost thou go on? Pray, why dost thou not stop? We all of old were slain by violence, and sinners up to the last hour; then light from Heaven made us mindful so that both penitent and pardoning we issued forth from life at peace with God, who fills our hearts with the desire of seeing Him.”

“Dante, they think of you as the Messiah.” Virgil offered his comment. “Ignore them all for what you are to offer may not be may they want.”

Dante was ashamed of his inability to assist. He knew at that moment those souls were deceived that they were to go to Heaven when it was their mind that beholds them to it.

How could he speak of the horror of the torture which he was taken to go through Hell, and yet he questioned himself still was he in a dream within a nightmare. Maybe even Cato and Virgil were his feed imagination to give him false hopes. Dante was in doubt himself.

“Am I dead or in limbo?” Dante asked himself with self-doubts in him. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood because of the life that makes atonement.” (Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/leviticus-17-11).

Dante recited those lines then. He had understood it to be that Life was given by God and all life belongs to Him, and any sacrificial offering not in line with His instruction was a serious offense. So serious that if not followed the Lord's detailed instructions demanded the culprit be cut off from his people. Any deviation from His plan not only robbed the Lord of what was rightfully His but became a satanic sacrifice and an abomination in the sight of God. (Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/leviticus-17-11).

Dante looked to those there. Unlike the Indolent, they had thrown themselves to God, but at the last hours of their life. They seek redemption before their death. What was that enough to forgive them? Life and death were the next stage to Hell or Heave but was God to judge them even at the last moment to keep them in vain from reaching Heaven.

Wait, Dante said to himself. They are not dead. I am not. We are in a tortured realm and made to appear us all dead, and in need to serve our penance. He was to tell them that when what he heard from them were the tales of their moments before they presumably died.

Just then, they flocked towards Dante.