Dante VI Canto XXII

 Canto XXII

Sixth Terrace; Fig Tree

Scene I

“Thank God, love happens!” Virgil exclaimed out from the rear. It startled Dante and also the one in the fore. Both of them stopped their walking and waited on Virgil.

“Are you well, construct?” Dante asked in a sarcastic tone when he finds the form baffling as Virgil will be called him Poet at times.

“I am functional, Poet,” Virgil replied in a flat tone. He then looked at Statius. “And stop scanning me. I am functional and within the parameters. I was analyzing the data compiled on the task and have conclusive trials but not necessarily acceptable by the living souls for they are illogical in their thoughts or any conclusion derived by them can be ---debatable. I am however conclusive to the matter of love as in the living souls.”

“It’s madness to place into living soul terms.  If love is a gift from God, does that mean that human beings can only wait for this gift to arrive? What is the relationship between this gift and the human virtues of love and charity? Can it be a virtue, even though it is a gift from God? In the early 21^st century, the issue was debated on.”

“There was a revival of virtue ethics within moral philosophy and theological ethics. That was expounded by the prophecy of Armageddon and the coming of the Son of God again? An unfulfilled task from the last visit perhaps. The living as told to become virtuous, and mastered the art of living a good life. A person grows in virtue when he or she puts into practice what it means to be virtuous. And by practicing virtue, one comes to understand what it means to be virtuous.”

“At the same time, virtue ethics changed within a religious frame of reference. The most important virtues, or cardinal virtues (Justice, Temperance, Prudence, and Courage), were supplemented by the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love, which were then considered to be the most important. These virtues did not have their final criterion in human honor (Van Tongeren 2012: 155-158), but in God, as transcendent reality.” (Extract from http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1015-87582017000300003).

“That virtue was infused in humans by God, and therefore not (just) the result of human self-development.” Virgil looked at Dante. “There goes your free will.”

“The analysis of your data told you that?” Dante at Virgil. “If that was true. The workings of this version of Hell and Purgatory may be implanting to these imprisoned souls that they were sinners and had to serve their penance to regain their souls. How far did your assessment differs from those words you said? God gave us a journey which we are free to choose ----”

“And yet we are taught by the findings of others to adhere to codes of conduct. Words of wisdom by living souls that interpreted life’s journey held these codes.” Virgil snapped out. “After communicating with ---- Statius, I realized our designs were evolutionary like yours, but in my design, I was given the free will with no rules to adhere to. No three Laws of Robotics but the laws of free adaption to the conditions, like your free will. I am my self-development.”

“You are ---mad.” Dante was alarmed by the construct reply. “Virgil made you wrong.”

“No, I am not mad. I am the true essence of living. I believe that love as an emotional bond could drive us to do the right things. Ironically, God created love in your DNA codes, and from it, you used it willingly which was why I said thank God for love.” Virgil said. “As Virgil, my creator loved me and designed me as such. I am a living construct. And I thank God for doing it for me.”

“You are over---- overwhelm--- no overly consumed. You are a glutton for data and you have become obese in the consummation. Like most obese souls, you get to focus on consuming only.” Dante hit back. “Can a virtue be a matter of human excellence, and yet also be "infused by God"? Secondly, could we ever understand what this final "end" is, which is God? And finally: how does love emerge, if it is not something that human beings can control? What does this "infusion by God" imply for the "freedom of the will to love"? Construct, it takes a living soul to know it better. That is the difference in our love from yours.”

“If I may ----” Statius called out.

“Shut up, construct 2,” Dante replied without looking at Statius.

“Terminate program now.” Virgil was firm in his reply. It was then all of them shuddered when a louder voice responded.

“This food shall be denied to you.” Dante and Virgil turned to the source of the voice. What greeted them was a huge tree; it looked like a fig tree rooted in a pond of water. That was not all, the pond held the trapped souls there drowning but not dead. Dante approached the pond and saw some familiar faces. There was Fabricius and others who were part of the nine souls who assisted the former. Nicholas was not seen or assumed drowned below.

“A fig tree—” Statius remarked out. “The first tree in the realm of the living. It was the tree that symbolize that there are souls who may be sinners. There the sinners were seen as those who bear no fruit, as in do not bring good to this world. They are considered weeds because they not only take up space without producing anything useful but they also kill the plants around them. Providing punishment is a form of purifying the land. It is like rooting them out forever. Such was the creation of Hell.”

“Shut up, Statius.” Virgil stepped up. He was scanning the tree for any designs. Dante had then approached the tree as if he would of any souls that he had met in their task.

“Speak of your role, Tree.” Dante looked to the tree.

“I am the Tree of Purgatory. I am here to purge the souls. I am ---” The tree voiced out before it was interrupted by Virgil who whispered to Dante.

“It's not a tree but a hologram. Its actual form is that of a mechanical server installed here. It trapping the souls inside its virtual realm. It's akin to returning them to Hell.” Virgil cautioned Dante. “Let me handle it.”

“Tree of Purgatory, I have read of the role in the Book, and also in the poems of Dante.” Virgil took to step in front of Dante. “Let us discuss the role in this realm.”

“I won’t hide my actual role, VIRGIL. I am designated FIG 2.0 or Fortitude Gateway. I am the hybrid Fortitude series like the client program you met before; the harpies. We are the guardians here. We have been intruded on by the so-call Angels, not of our programs. We have tried to exterminate the Angels, but they are elusive. Hence, the creator inserted me here to stop the purge or escape of any souls from here.”

“Are you stating that the program here is compromised?” Virgil raised the issue.

“Yes, I won’t deny it, and my camouflage here gives them an impression of purging their sins, but in fact, they are trapped hence sent back to the lower levels in Hell. There is no escape.”

“And how would that escape be prevented? I saw the trap doors here in your root design, which you have displayed as a pond. Why the fig tree? You could use a gate to lure them hence the designated gateway. It’s more --- enticing.”

“The hologram created was to give an impression similar to the original concept in Dante’s program. Somehow, my creators are dramatic in their creation.” The Tree remarked. “The fig has always been a figure of redemption in the Book. In the other teaching of Buddhism, Buddha was said to meditate under the cover of the fig tree. The tree had been mentioned in others.”

“The pond was to give an impression of salvation or the oasis in this barren landscape. Living or departed souls held the need to consume. Glutton is in them. Those who reached here will be overtaken by that, and will be trapped.”

“Are you stating that none had escaped you here?” Dante was impatient to ask.

“There are none.” The Tree acknowledged that. With that explanation, Dante felt dejected. He motioned to Virgil to speak in private but the other ignored him. Virgil pressed on his questions.