Canto X
First Terrace; Pride
Scene II
“Pride is often considered a negative force in
human existence—the opposite of humility and a source of social friction. It’s
even been called the “deadliest sin.” (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_pride_really_a_sin) Those were the words of one among the group that declined
Dante’s offer to lower their load and remained standing.
“Pride, like other human emotions, is part of our
evolutionary heritage, helping us to survive and thrive in cooperative
societies by inspiring us to be the best humans we can be.” Dante offered his
view. “I held my pride to have a better understanding of the poems than the
others.”
“Pride makes us care about how others see us
and—just as important—how we see ourselves,” Dante replied. “It was the words
of one who wrote then in the earlier works on the human behavior.”
“It makes us want to feel good about ourselves
and make sure others look up to us, admire us, and see us as competent and
powerful,” Dante spoke on. (psychologist Jessica Tracy, author of the book Take Pride: Why
the Deadliest Sin Holds the Secret to Human Success.)
“There
is a fine line there, Son. I will quote you; Proverbs 8:13, to fear God is to
hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. And
yet not all that is pride is bad. Galatians 6:4, Each one should test their actions. Then they can take pride
in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.” The one who
spoke to Dante voiced out the issue of pride. “I was consumed by mine and
ignored the humble thoughts to share with others.”
“I am an avid follower of Adam Smith who wrote
‘The Theory of Moral Sentiments’ in 1789. It shows
that our moral ideas and actions are a product of our very nature as social
creatures.” Dante read that too. (https://www.adamsmith.org/the-theory-of-moral-sentiments).
“However,
in the real world and within the confines of a real society, there are many
sources of distraction that can morally mislead people and stand in the way of
properly developing their capacity for moral feeling, understanding, and
acting.” The one who spoke concurred with Dante. (https://www.cairn.info/revue-internationale-de-philosophie-2014-3-page-343.htm).
“We are the creatures of God, and unlike the
others, we were endowed with a more inclined thinking mind, that we will do
good but the mind was tarnished by Lucifer from the day when Adam and Eve were
banished. We are their descendants and held the flaw in our mind.” The soul
there sighed.
“It may be the cause of our misgivings in the
eyes of God, but our gift was to make us more alive than merely being his
servants,” Dante explained his view. “My idol, Dante Alighieri used his
thoughts to pen the poems which I am to undergo here---”
Dante bit his lips there. He wanted to speak
but recognized his promise not to reveal that the Purgatory there was a
creation of a learned doctor with a demented mind, and took pride in that
creation.
“Dante’s
biases inform much about how we shall see Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. And he
mixes Christian theology and pagan Greco-Roman myth.” Dante continued. (https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180604-dante-and-the-divine-comedy-he-took-us-on-a-tour-of-hell). “But was Dante’s way to invoke the mind to the man’s
events to their journey and the destiny that awaits them at the end of their
living dimension. It contained the world that he lived in and since then, we
have not flourished in it. We are still the same beings that were then and will
be.”
“Maybe
--- the doctor was not demented to ---” Dante was reflecting that perhaps the
doctor was right to create that imprisonment to get those there to amend their
thoughts.
“What
Doctor?” The one who had listened to Dante asked.
“Pardon
me, I was ---diverted in my thoughts. I meant to say that we need to find the
cure to your laments soon. I will pray to God to offer you a speedier passage
to Heaven.”
“Son,
I am indebted to you for your prayers but I will serve my penance here for it
was the way to purge my sin.” The living soul smiled at Dante. “There is no
heavier burden than that of mind and if it's not cleared, then the mind is not
free. Let me move on with the others. Thy’s deed will be remembered.”
The
one then joined the others to move on with their burden of pride. Dante looked
at them walking past him with a heavy heart. Virgil stood by him then.
“If
the good is asked for us there, what can be said and done here for them by
those who have a good root to their will? Truly we ought to aid them to wash
the marks which they bore hence so that pure and light they may issue forth
unto the starry wheels.” Dante spoke to Virgil.
The
latter was not of any faith in which was why his soul supposedly resided in
Limbo for that what he told Dante then in Hell. It was upon the exit of Hell
that Dante knew that he was not in any biblical location but a construct of
another who choose to demean the imprisoned there by manipulating their minds.
“Ah!
So may justice and pity disburden you speedily.” Virgil rushed to the soul
trailing the others. The one trailing there had carried his burden with the
bulk on his back, and his neck stooped forcing the view of the feet ahead.
“Show
on which hand is the shortest path toward the stairway, and there is more than
one passage, point out to us which least steeply slopes.” Virgil then motioned
to Dante. “For this one who comes with me, because of the burden of the flesh
of Adam wherewith he is clothed, is chary, against his will, of mounting up.”
Virgil
motioned with both his hands, waving them from side to side.
“Come
with us to the right hand along the bank, and ye will find the pass possible
for a living person to ascend.” The soul trailing the others told Virgil. “Were
I not hindered by the stone which tames my proud neck, so I need must carry my
face low, I would look at that one who is still alive, and has not been named,
to see if I know him, and to make him pitiful of this burden.”
“He
who is my companion? He’s named Dante. A poet like his idol, Dante Alighieri.”
Virgil introduced Dante.
“I
am Omberto, a medical learned person, but birthed to the family with pride; I
may not hear of your companion or his idol. The blood with the gallant deeds of
my ancestors made me arrogant, that not thinking of my medical oath, I held
every other person not of rank with disdain, that I was to face my true self in
the reflection. I was not one alone for my other kinsfolk has it dragged with
them into calamity. I must bear this load till God is satisfied and my soul
purged.”
“Brother,
you are not alone. I am Oderisi once the master of the brush on the oil
paints.” That was one of the others who had heard Omberto’s words. “I knew
Dante but had no desire to know then. I was the pride of the flock and yield to
no other’s but they are to me. Of such pride the fee is paid here; I should not
yet be here, were it not that still have the power to sin, I turned me unto God
for my penance. I knew late but not too late.”
“Worldly
renown is naught but a breath of wind, which now comes this way, and now comes
that and changes name because it changes on its will.” Another soul took to
speak; unnamed then but wanted to offer the comments.
“What
more repute shall thou have if thou strippest thy flesh from thee when it’s old
than if thou hadst died before left thy sins in repentance; here a thousand
years will come to pass.” The soul who last spoke added on. “Thy speech of
justice and pity disburden us fills my heart with good humility but who is he
of whom may listen in.”
“We
move on, brothers. Our time to be relieved remains not there yet.” Omberto
encourage all those who had spoken to move on. He then turned to Virgil. “We
could only offer guidance but the true path lies ahead and it will be your
journey and not yet ours.”
“Be
humble and not prideful,” Omberto told Dante.
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