Dante V Canto XVI Scene III

 Canto XV

Third Terrace; the opposites of wrath

Scene III

“I told him to stay here while we are there.” Mary was in a state of anxiety about reaching home after the Passover feast. “We should have not left him to wander far too long. He may be hungry or left to search for us.”

“It’s not a day had passed, and he may not be far playing with his friends.” Joseph who is Mary’s husband placed the items they brought back. “He is a boy and needed companions.”

“He ---” Mary swallowed her wrath there. She knew in her heart, that Jesus was not any child although he was from her, the child was special. She knew he was protected but the anxiety of the mother was the same for her child.

“I will look for him. He can’t be far.” Joseph offered to look for the child, and it was painful trekking that last three days before they saw the boy in the temple talking to the elders. Mary went in and took the boy out.

“Why have you done this to us?” Mary was in anger when she confronted the boy.

“Unhand me, mother. How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" The boy spoke to Mary then. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_in_the_Temple).

The vision then shifted in Dante’s view. He was in the court of ancient Athens.

“My King, would you not grant my wish as your Queen?” The lady glared at the one who was the King of Athens. The one addressed was King Pisistratus.

“I will attend to it.” The King replied.

“She is your bloodline. How could you tolerate someone from outside to violate her?” The Queen was upset. “If you are lord of the city for whose name was so great strife among the gods, and whence all knowledge sparkles, avenge you of those daring arms which embraced our daughter, O Pisistratus!” (https://transitionalhousing.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/canto-15-a-juxtaposition-of-gentleness-and-wrath/).

King Pisistratus was known as a tyrant and known to be merciless but on that occasion, he relented.

“How do I measure a reaction to an enemy if they kill someone who loves them?” The King in a sudden proclamation made then. He appeared to then look at Dante. “Are you heartless to do so then?”

Dante shook his head and when he looked up again, he saw not the King but another. It was a figure he had read on but was unable to recall where and when.

“Kill! Kill! He brought blasphemy to the House.” A male figure seen dragged out by the feet to the outside of what appeared to be a temple. The figure was beaten and bloodied as the result and yet he will not retaliate or defend himself. He looked to above as if expecting to be defended.

“I believe in what I had said.” The beaten figure cried out but the ones ignored his call.

“Dante!’ Dante heard the call from Virgil. His sight was then replaced by the harsh environment they on. He almost tripped on his feet but found his balance. He looked towards Virgil was ahead.

“Where am I?” Dante asked.

“We have been walking as we did before and will be after.” Virgil was into his moods then. “At some stage, I overtook you but had looked back at you. I thought you may be having a sun stroke and were quiet.”

“Where am I?” Dante asked again. “Where is the Angel?”

Dante reached with his left hand and counted the ‘P’ there. It was as before.

“Are we still on the terrace? Wrathful it was.” Dante was confused.  Virgil had it then. He stepped back and took hold of the Poet’s shoulder. It would have been a firm hold if both were firm in the physical form.

“Are you mad?” Virgil looked hard at Dante.

“I had those visions again. The ones I used to ---” Dante tried to explain his moodiness.

“Tell me of it.” Virgil got his focus on the Poet. “I am here to listen.”

Dante hesitated then but he needed to talk. He looked away from Virgil as if he was to confess his sins.

“Dreamed of --- No, it was some visions I had. I saw uneventful scenes. I mean I saw anger --- that it was what wrath was to be but the ones in my vision subdue their anger. Maybe being wrathful may be one of our sins that needed to be purged but it may not be the works of God for he is -- If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. John 15.6.” (https://www.openbible.info/topics/wrath_of_god)

“And did God throw you into the fire? In your visions?” Virgil asked.

“No, I was not but there were scenes of wrath ----where it was to be but it did not occur like that. The wraths did not appear, but the opposite was what I saw. They showed me compassion. They acted as how the living should have done it. As God would have wanted it.”

“Or was it God’s way of showing that we can be redeemed?” Virgil displayed the unique part of his programming that he could work with his thoughts.

“Or maybe, I was shown that why we are here. Sins are ours to have but we could handle it if we only try. That was what my visions told me. Those in there showed me that they could handle it differently. We have emotions in us, dictated by it most times, but if we take a step back, we may be able to ---handle it.”

“You could have said we can be redeemed after all. You could have nodded to my understanding.” Virgil looked at Dante with agitation in his tone.

“You are displaying wrath towards me now. I was telling you how God wants us to see that our sin can be purged if we only accept it as our sins that we can let go. It will make us better. If we are to move on, we need to accept it here even though we are in a program. Just don’t act your wrath onto me.”

“Nope. I am not acting my wrath on you. I am just --- Poet, the reason you may survive this task is not that you are the learned one here. It’s because you are who are here. The missing link here is that you were able to change as part of being the living realm. I may not be and that made me ---upset.”

Dante was silent then. He was to speak when they found darkness was over them. It moved from their feet upwards to their head. Soon, it was over their head.

“Virgil, what is happening?” Dante was panicking.