Death of Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri lies on his deathbed, surrounded by his son Pietro, a priest, and a housekeeper. He is weak and nearing the end of his life, reflecting on his exile from Florence and the unfinished Di
Setting
A modest bedroom in a stone house in Ravenna, with a small window overlooking the quiet streets. The room is sparsely furnished, reflecting Dante's exile status.
Characters
Dante Alighieri
primary
A gaunt man in his mid-50s, with deep-set eyes and prominent cheekbones, his once-dark hair now streaked with gray and thinning. His skin is pallid from illness, with dark circles under his eyes. His hands, resting atop the rough woolen blanket, are thin and veined, clutching a small crucifix.
Priest
secondary
A middle-aged man with a gaunt face and deep-set eyes, his thinning brown hair forming a monk's tonsure. His hands are rough from years of manual labor and prayer beads, with prominent veins visible beneath his pale skin.
Pietro Alighieri
secondary
A man in his late twenties with a lean, wiry build inherited from his father. His dark brown hair is cropped short in the practical style of Florentine men, and his deep-set eyes mirror Dante's penetrating gaze. His hands are calloused from years of copying manuscripts, with ink stains lingering around his fingernails.
Housekeeper
background
An elderly woman with deep-set wrinkles framing her weary eyes, her silver hair pulled back tightly under a linen cap. Her hands are rough from years of labor, moving with practiced efficiency despite their slight tremor.
Dialog
Priest
Per istam sanctan unctionem et suam piissimam misericordiam, indulgeat tibi Dominus quidquid deliquisti...
Dante
Lucevan le stelle... ma non quelle di Firenze...
Priest
Miserere nobis, Domine... Miserere nobis... Shall I continue the Commedia's Purgatorio, poet? The verses give you comfort.
Dante
No... Paradiso remains unwritten. Like my return to Florence - both journeys unfinished.
Priest
In manus tuas, Domine... The greatest journey nears its blessed end. Florence's gates cannot bar Paradise.
Dante
I see three lights... Beatrice's smile... but the third eludes me still...
Priest
Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine...