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One easy answer could be that V(ergil) does not want Dante to see him in such a weakened state. After all, the initial split of V and Urizen was partially to facilitate that Dante wouldn’t meet Vergil while he's half-dying, which means that V’s silence could once more be something related to pride.

But V does swallow a lot of his pride when necessary during his time out and about, he even tells Trish about his origins, so why doesn’t he get clean with Dante as well? Even when he comes close to his end, why does V keep silent when being open would make their dealings so much easier? Dante would then know that V has to land the last blow, he would also know to maybe keep a bit more of an eye on V, as well as to not dismiss him as easily… And it wouldn’t be the first time that Vergil tells Dante stuff, if anything, he has always seemed the most open towards Dante when it comes to answering what’s going on. At least during dmc3 that is...

But that’s dmc3. And a lot has happened in the interim. A whole lot, that in my mind has drastically shifted Vergil’s approach in regards to Dante, which we really need to take into account as to answer the question posed above.

So let’s take a look at things from Vergil’s side for once, why don’t we? Starting with the very beginning, namely the attack on the twins’ home.

Here, Vergil’s attitude regarding Dante is pretty easily summarized. Before the attack he’s Vergil’s annoying (endearing) little brother, who he’s supposed to be responsible for, and after... Dante is dead. There’s not much to say here next to Vergil grieving his twin, as well as probably swearing revenge on their family's nemesis.

But oh, what have we here? A decade later Dante turns out to still be alive! Alive and somewhat thriving, hidden among the humans, while also being so very human himself. Even vulnerable to boot, as his demonic side hasn't awakened yet (meaning he hasn't been sufficiently in danger for it to happen ‘naturally’ as it did for Vergil). During their first real meeting in the dmc3 manga Vergil offers Dante to join him in breaking the seal of Temen-ni-gru, which Dante clearly rejects. In general, there isn’t much warmth during this encounter, but also no immediate hostility from Vergil's side. Vergil has no intention of harming Dante, at most he wants to grab the amulet, though even that he gives back afterwards, with a provocation that's probably meant to give Dante the motivation to grow stronger. Not that Dante really takes that piece of advice… but while on the surface this encounter may seem fruitless, it does shift a few things around.

Again, this is my speculation (on which you can read a more detailed post here), but I interpret Vergil’s objectives from then on to include protecting and ensuring the survival of his weaker twin, after all, he’s supposed to be the responsible one of the two and Dante clearly hasn’t grown much in the missing years in that regard.

Which isn’t all bad, since indulging Dante allows Vergil to also relive the brawls he’s missed from his youth. The first time after that initial meeting at the beginning of dmc3 he (again) goes to test Dante’s might, only to find what he sees lacking and forcefully unlocking Dante’s trigger. The second encounter he needs Dante’s blood which comes with the advantage of Vergil also getting the fun of another match and to maybe release some of his frustrations. After that stuff kinda goes a bit to shit for Vergil’s plans, but that isn’t as important here. What is important is that even with Arkham’s interference, Vergil is having a great time with his brother overall (despite Dante being his usual aggravating self). If you don’t believe me just watch how he only ever really banters with Dante or look at how in the iconic “Jackpot” scene Vergil even goes so far as to smile!

But then we come to the waterfall fight and oh boy… Yeah, stuff goes really really wrong from here on out. Before this, Dante has already rejected Vergil and his plans several times, and it comes to a head when Dante finally finds the purpose he’s been lacking for most of the game. Only, the timing is poorly chosen, and his determination way too set.

Which ends with Vergil being bisected (a killing blow to anyone who isn’t a son of Sparda) as Dante’s conviction proves iron, while Vergil is grasping at straws in a situation that’s out of his control and only further pivoting into a direction he can’t allow. And while Vergil till the very end acts on an intent to protect Dante, Dante from his point of view does not seem to harbour any goodwill towards Vergil anymore (seeing as he was prepared to kill him).

So, looking at it from Vergil’s side, he was also clearly rejected. Found unwanted, unneeded… Unloved.

For if Dante had held any love for Vergil (like Vergil had for Dante), he would've also stayed his blade. Would have also been resolved to not go so far as to kill his twin.

But that was just one moment, one high tension scenario where Dante was maybe a bit too determined, maybe a bit too set on what he thought he had to do. Vergil could recognize that, right?

Well, if he has any capacity to think so over the following years, while being tortured and corrupted until he is only a shell of his former self, it is clearly disproven with what happens in dmc1. While during the first two battles Nelo Angelo could have been unrecognizable, ergo, seem nothing more than an enemy combatant, the last battle involves Vergil managing to get his helmet off beforehand. That, together with all the other clues, the summoned swords, the reaction to the amulet after the first fight… surely Dante knows who he’s dealing with?

Only, that does not discourage Dante at all from attempting to kill Nelo Angelo – from attempting to kill Vergil! He does not stay his blade and Vergil is brought to the brink of death. Again!

And while the saying goes ‘once is chance, twice a coincidence, and three times a pattern’… Vergil can’t take that bet in dmc5. Or better said, V can’t take that bet, being a crumbling shadow of his former self. He has to act with the thought in mind that Dante might very well be set on killing him as soon as he appears, as soon as he reveals who he is. He's kinda been burned in regards to honesty in those last few encounters. 

Thinking about it like that, V hiding who he really is only makes sense. Makes it all really the most logical way forward for him, since V does not have the power or constitution to take another intended deathblow, and he does not have the strength to assert himself should Dante prove unreliable. But, at the same time it also makes calling on Dante a good choice (or the only choice, since V doesn't have the power needed and it's a major risk towards him) on how to deal with Urizen since Dante will surely attack.

V just has to be quick enough to make the last strike himself, since Dante surely won't hesitate to do it. Add on here that Dante’s reaction to hearing Vergil’s name could have confirmed this entire notion to V, since he gets immediate threats and hostility. And he is relieved by that!

All of this, this idea that Vergil is sure that he has absolutely no love to receive from Dante also makes V’s confession of “I wanted to be protected and loved…” so much more painful. After Eva’s death, Dante should have been an evident provider of both, seeing as to how he was all Vergil had left in terms of family. Only Dante never does so, not after their reunion and not in any of their following encounters. Instead Dante becomes a threat to Vergil’s continued survival, a fact that V(ergil) actively has to take into account with their every interaction. A fact that even goes so far as to haunt his dreams…

And this continued train of thought also allows this scene here to be interpreted as something different. A warning. An omen of death.

V's face here doesn't really seem to spark with relief or hope or anything. It seems more like... fear to me. It seems almost like this vision says, “Be careful, Dante is going to come for you. He will easily kill you...”

Vergil doesn't have the benefit of seeing how much Dante mourns him, how heavy every seeming demise hits Dante. He does not see the alcoholism, the degradation, as anything caused by him, since all he has to go on are encounters that brought him mercilessly close to death every time, and if they didn’t, they were drenched in hostility.

All of this makes Vergil’s decision at the very end of Visions of V, makes his remembering the one moment Dante clearly reached out for him, even more important!

Cause despite everything, despite having been tortured, brainwashed and decades having passed, Vergil remembers the one moment in his past where Dante showed his hand, their one instance of almost - painfully - proper communication. Where Dante attempted to grasp for him without the intent of doing any harm. And Vergil finally finds hope! He draws new strength from it, from his experiences stumbling around as a human, from the very idea of regaining his brother, even if he’s still uncertain about if Dante wants him.

He really wants to be Dante’s twin again!

… only for Dante to immediately attack Vergil after his rebirth, shattering that fragile wish...

Once is chance. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a pattern.

And with the avenue of ever being Dante’s brother again seemingly burned to nothing, Vergil decides to take what he can from the encounter. One last good fight. One last moment where he crosses blades with his brother like they’re back in their prematurely stolen childhood. One last duel, which has been all Vergil’s been looking forward to since the very beginning of dmc5 and then… he would have to be satisfied.

… because Dante so clearly isn’t willing to ever give him more.

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So yeah. Hope this interpretation of Vergil’s pov was to your taste, it’s been haunting me ever since I got the idea during a conversation with the ever-lovely @prototypelq. She also once more helped me streamline this post.

All in all this interpretation fits quite solidly to me, since it shows how not only Dante was firm in his belief of having been rejected by his twin, but Vergil sharing that same view as well. Their miscommunication running so very deep as always until it drowns everything in blood and pain.

I will always be thankful for Nero bursting in and busting their heads to make them finally see clarity.

Humans can hear sound frequencies ranging from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Many animal species can hear frequencies outside this range, so either below 20 Hz or above 20 kHz. 

A well-known example is dogs, who can hear higher frequencies than humans can- hence why we have dog whistles. The same applies to house cats, which actually have the broadest hearing range among mammals. Rodents produce high-frequency squeaks that cats can hear, allowing them to locate and catch their prey. 

Elephants and whales can produce infrasounds, or sounds with frequencies below the range humans can detect, to communicate over long distances. Bats, dolphins, some insects (like katydids), and whales (again) can produce ultrasounds, or sounds with frequencies above the range of human hearing. 

The main point is that many animals can hear and produce a wider range of sound frequencies to communicate with one another. 

So, what am I trying to suggest about demons (and the Sparda twins)? 

Going back to the question above: what if demons can also produce sounds of frequencies outside of the range humans can hear? Hypothetically, demons could create a network of information amongst each other to share general information that everyone in the Demon World needs to know, like who fought who and won, who's the leader, etc. Or for demons that are a part of packs, they can formulate plans to attack others or humans while also avoiding detection. 

Also, imagine being a demon sneaking into the Human World and putting on a perfect disguise to avoid attention and make hunting humans easier. But you decide to send a message- like the location of the portal for others to find, or a warning to other demons you're around and to avoid you (because it'll mean death for them). 

Then, a few hours later, a man in red appears and foils all of your plans. 

The ability to hear across a broad spectrum of frequencies would allow Dante (and likely Vergil) to find other demons easily and make them even more effective demon hunters. 

In addition, the twins being able to produce sounds of higher or lower frequencies due to their demonic heritage could allow them to have secret "conversations" in front of many humans. Trish, being a demon herself, would most likely hear those, though. 

(Just imagine Dante and Vergil secretly "arguing" in front of Lady and Morrison while Trish is in the background trying not to laugh out loud. Or the twins being miles apart and "sharing" their locations with each other. )

There's also a comedic aspect to this possibility with Nero-

What if Nero has no clue that demons, including his dad and uncle, can hear frequencies that humans can't?

He also has no idea he can hear those sounds, too. 

As his demonic abilities develop further, Nero starts hearing these sounds that Kyrie, the kids, and Nico can't hear. It drives him insane because: 1) Where are these sounds coming from? 2) Why is he the only one who can hear them? 

Out of desperation, he tells the twins and is nonchalantly told that he's probably been hearing a group of a particular type of demon conversing amongst themselves... which does NOT calm him down at ALL. 

The conversation then leads to an impromptu family demon-hunting trip. Plus, Dante and Vergil have to teach Nero how to control his hearing and block out certain sounds. And (to his horror) also how to produce specific sounds. 

Later on, he asks Nico to make special headphones to block out sounds of specific frequencies (with the intention of avoiding hearing the twins' "messages" to him, lol) 

Other random thoughts I had were: Dante and Vergil (plus Trish) getting annoyed whenever someone blows a dog whistle near them (which Lady takes advantage of). Or when they are near construction or machinery that produces infrasonic or ultrasonic noise.