Dante/Vergil!
And, yes, it's sort of unfinished, and needs work. But here it is.
"Ecce!"
Virgil was plainly excited over something. Socrates turned his head to see what the fuss was about.
"Virgil?"
"Yes, Socrates?"
‘Well, what is it this time?"
Virgil was always getting excited over one thing or another. Socrates didn’t doubt that it was this temperament that had led him to write about warfare. He was, however, surprised that Virgil could sit still long enough to actually compose his poems.
"Not what. Who."
Virgil had that faraway gleam in his eye again. Socrates sighed. He’d bet that Virgil had been looking at mortals again. But Virgil was continuing.
"His name is Dante, and he’s perfect."
"Dante? That nice young man in Florence?"
"Yes. Oh, Socrates…"
"And have you noticed he’s been obsessing over someone named…Beatrice?"
"Yes." Vergil looked petulant.
"Well that’s that" said Socrates.
"Unless…"
"Unless what?"
"What if I offered to give him a tour of Hell?"
"Oh do be serious, Vergil."
"No, I mean it. He’s a poet- he’d probably jump at the chance. He’d want to write about it. You may be the greatest philosopher of all time, Socrates, but I know poets. So, what do you think? I’d get to spend time with him- I’d be happy, he’d get great fuel for his work- he’d be happy, and he’ll write about it- the world will get a masterpiece."
"Very well. Do what you wish."
So Vergil arranged things and got to spend a bit of time with the beautiful Dante. Dante, understandably, was enthralled. The rest, as they say, is history.
"Ecce!"
Virgil was plainly excited over something. Socrates turned his head to see what the fuss was about.
"Virgil?"
"Yes, Socrates?"
‘Well, what is it this time?"
Virgil was always getting excited over one thing or another. Socrates didn’t doubt that it was this temperament that had led him to write about warfare. He was, however, surprised that Virgil could sit still long enough to actually compose his poems.
"Not what. Who."
Virgil had that faraway gleam in his eye again. Socrates sighed. He’d bet that Virgil had been looking at mortals again. But Virgil was continuing.
"His name is Dante, and he’s perfect."
"Dante? That nice young man in Florence?"
"Yes. Oh, Socrates…"
"And have you noticed he’s been obsessing over someone named…Beatrice?"
"Yes." Vergil looked petulant.
"Well that’s that" said Socrates.
"Unless…"
"Unless what?"
"What if I offered to give him a tour of Hell?"
"Oh do be serious, Vergil."
"No, I mean it. He’s a poet- he’d probably jump at the chance. He’d want to write about it. You may be the greatest philosopher of all time, Socrates, but I know poets. So, what do you think? I’d get to spend time with him- I’d be happy, he’d get great fuel for his work- he’d be happy, and he’ll write about it- the world will get a masterpiece."
"Very well. Do what you wish."
So Vergil arranged things and got to spend a bit of time with the beautiful Dante. Dante, understandably, was enthralled. The rest, as they say, is history.