408.“就有烧着的大星好像火把从天上落下来”表他们自己的聪明的表象，这种表象源自地狱之爱所产生的骄傲。“从天上落下来的大星”之所以表示源自地狱之爱所产生骄傲的他们自己聪明的表象，是因为它看上去“烧着好像火把”，并且它的名字是“苦艾”，如下文所述；“星”与“火把”表示聪明，在此表示人自己的聪明，因为它看似燃烧，一切自我聪明都因骄傲而燃烧；其骄傲是由地狱之爱产生的，地狱之爱由“火烧着的大山”来表示（403节）。“苦艾”表示地狱的虚假，聪明因这地狱的虚假而存在并燃起。“星”表示聪明（151，954节）；“火把”或“灯”也是（796节）。
408. And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch. This symbolizes the appearance of their personal intelligence owing to a conceit arising from a hellish love.
A great star falling from heaven symbolizes the appearance of their personal intelligence owing to a conceit arising from a hellish love, because it appeared to burn like a torch, and because its name was Wormwood, as we are told in the next verse. Both a star and a torch symbolize intelligence, here the people's personal intelligence, because it appeared to burn, and everyone's personal intelligence burns with conceit, a conceit that arises from a hellish love, a love symbolized by the mountain burning with fire (no. 403). Wormwood symbolizes hellish falsity, which gives rise to and composes that intelligence.
To be shown that a star symbolizes intelligence, see nos. 151, 954, and that a torch or lamp does also, no. 796.
408. 'And there fell out of heaven a great star burning as if it were a torch' signifies the appearance of their self-intelligence derived from pride arising from infernal love. By 'there fell out of heaven a great star' is signified the appearance of self-intelligence derived from pride arising from infernal love. This is because it was seen to 'burn as a torch' and because its name was 'Wormwood,' as it follows on; and by 'star' and also by 'torch' is signified intelligence, here self-intelligence, because it was seen to burn, and all self-intelligence burns on account of pride, and its pride arises from the infernal love that is signified by 'a mountain burning with fire' (403). By 'wormwood' is signified the infernal untruth out of which that intelligence comes into existence and is kindled. That a 'star' signifies intelligence may be seen (151, 954); so too a 'torch' (lampas) or 'lamp' (lucerna) (796).
408. And there fell from heaven a great star burning as it were a lamp, signifies the appearance of their own intelligence from pride arising from infernal love. The appearance of their own intelligence from pride arising from infernal love is signified by "the great star falling from heaven," because it was seen "to burn as a lamp," and because its name was "wormwood," as it follows; and by "a star" and also by "a lamp" intelligence is signified, here one's own intelligence, because it seemed to burn, and all self-intelligence burns from pride; and the pride of it arises from infernal love, which is signified by "the mountain burning with fire" (403). By "wormwood" infernal falsity is signified, from which that intelligence exists and is enkindled. That "a star" signifies intelligence may be seen, (151[1-3], 954); so too "a lamp" or "a lantern" (796).
408. "Et cecidit ex caelo stella magna ardens quasi lampas," significat apparentiam propriae intelligentiae ex fastu oriundo ex amore infernali. - Quod per "cadentem e caelo stellam magnam" significetur apparentia propriae intelligentiae ex fastu oriundo ex amore infernali, est quia visa est "ardere sicut lampas," et quia nomen ejus erat "Absinthium" ut sequitur; et per "stellam" et quoque per "lampadem" significatur intelligentia, hic propria intelligentia, quia visa est ardere, et omnis propria intelligentia ardet ex fastu, ac fastus ejus oritur ex amore infernali, qui per "montem igne ardentem (403) significatur; per "absinthium" significatur falsum infernale, ex quo intelligentia illa existit et conflatur. Quod "stella" significet intelligentiam videatur (151, 954); pariter "lampas" seu "lucerna (796).