268、此后，两位天使和我都渴望见识一下那些由于尘世之爱而遭受占有全部财富的幻想或幻觉折磨的人。我们发觉，这种渴望临到我们，是为了叫我们了解这些人。他们的家就在我们所站的地面之下，但在地狱之上。于是，我们彼此相视，说：“走吧。”我们发现一个开口，里面有一个梯子。我们顺着梯子下来，被告知，必须从东边靠近他们，以免误入他们的幻觉迷雾，因为这迷雾会使我们的理解力变得模糊，而这同时也会模糊我们的视线。
忽然间，我们看见一个茅屋，由芦苇建成，因此到处是裂缝，就笼罩在这迷雾当中，而这雾像烟一样不断从三堵墙的裂缝中冒出来。我们进去后，发现五十个人在这边，五十个人在那边，都坐在凳子上。他们背对东南方，面朝西北方。每个人面前都有一张桌子，桌子上全是鼓鼓的钱袋，钱袋周围是成堆的金币。我们问各人：“这些是全世界所有人的财富吗？”他们说：“不是全世界所有人的财富，而是我们王国所有人的财富。”他们说起话来就像吹口哨，本人脸圆圆的，泛着蜗牛壳似的红光。眼睛的瞳仁因着幻光仿佛在绿色背景下闪闪发光。我们站在他们中间说：
“你们以为自己拥有这王国的全部财富吗？”
“是的。”
“你们当中谁拥有这一切？”
“我们每个人。”
“怎么可能每个人都拥有？你们有那么多人。”
“我们每个人都知道‘别人的一切都是我们的’。我们不可以思想、更不能说‘我的不是你的’，但我们可以思想并说‘你的就是我的。’甚至在我们眼里，桌子上的硬币仿佛由纯金制成。不过，当我们允许东方之光进入时，它们就变成小金颗粒，我们通过一起幻想将这些小金颗料放大成硬币。”
他们说，凡进来的人都得带一些金子来，他们把这些金子切成小块，再制成小颗粒；然后集中他们的幻想力，将这些颗粒放大成更大的硬币。
然后，我们说：“你们生来不是有理性的人吗？你们从哪里获得这种愚蠢的幻觉？”对此，他们回答说：“我们知道这是无聊的幻想，但它取悦了我们心智的内层，所以我们到这里来以思想拥有所有人的财富来娱乐自己。不过，我们只在此逗留几个小时，过了这段时间就出去。每次一离开，我们头脑就恢复清醒。然而，白日梦的诱惑时不时地临到我们，使得我们进进出出，时而理智，时而疯狂。我们也知道等待那些狡猾窃取他人财物者的悲惨命运。”“什么命运？”我们问。他们说：“他们被吞没，被赤裸裸地扔到某个地狱监牢，在那里被迫为衣食，然后为几枚小硬币工作。他们将这些硬币积攒起来，以满足内心的渴望。但他们若伤害自己的同伴，就不得不缴纳部分硬币作为罚金。”
268、之后，天使与我一样想看一看那些幻想拥有一切财富的人的状况。
这些人处于我们脚下，但在地狱之上。于是我们去了，只见一段台阶出现了，我们走下去，我们被告知要从东边走以便不进入他们幻想的迷雾中。
突然间，我们看到一个草房，到处都裂着缝，墙上的缝中喷出烟，走进去后看到一边坐着五十个人，另一边坐着五十个人。他们背向东和南，面对西和北，每人前面有张桌子，桌上放着钱袋和一些金币。
我们问：“这是全世界人的财富吗？”
他们说：“不是全世界人的财富，而是我们这里的人的财富。”
他们讲话时带着一种嘶嘶声。他们的脸形是圆的，象蜗牛的壳的一样发着光。他的眼睛的瞳孔发着绿光，这是他们幻想的结果。
置身于他们中，我问：“你们认为你们拥有这个国度里所有的财富吗？”
他们说：“是的。”
我问：“你们谁拥有这些财富呢？”
他们说：“我们每一个人。”
我们问：“你们有这么多人，怎么会每个人都拥有所有的财富呢？”
他们说：“每个人都知道别人的就是自己的的。但是我们可以说，你的东西就是我的东西。”
桌子上的钱币在我们看来象是完全用金子做的，但当我们在来自东方的光中看它们时，那些钱币只不过是一粒金子。他们说，每个到这里的人都带着些金子，我们将它们切成粒，我们一起幻想，这种幻想的力量使金粒变成大金币。
我们说：“你们难道生来没有理性吗？你们为什么会如此愚蠢呢？”
“我们知道这只是无稽的幻想。”他们说：“但是这种想法会使我们感到高兴，所以我在此想着我们拥有一切。我们并不总在这里，当我们离开时，我们的头脑恢复正常，但是，那种幻想的快乐会使我们不能控制。我们会又回到那种状态中，所以，我们有时明智有时疯狂。”
“我们知道偷窃别人财富的人有怎样的下场。”
“怎样的下场”我们问？
“他们会被吞掉，会被剥光衣服而扔到地狱中的牢中。在那里他们为衣食而辛劳，他们会攒钱币，并从中得到快乐。他们若对别人做手脚，就会失去一些作为惩罚。”
268. After this the two angels and I felt a desire to see those who as the result of love of the world suffer from this imaginary longing or delusion that they possess the wealth of all. We perceived that this desire came upon us in order that we should get to know these people. Their homes were under the ground on which we stood, but above hell. So we looked at one another and said, 'Let us go.' We saw an opening and some steps, so we went down. We were told to approach them from the east, to avoid entering the cloud of their delusion and putting our intellects in shadow, which would at the same time obscure our sight.
[2] Suddenly we caught sight of a building made of reeds, and therefore full of chinks, standing in the cloud, which continually seeped out like smoke from the chinks in three of the walls. We went in and saw fifty people on one side and fifty on the other, sitting on benches. They had their backs to the east and south and faced the west and north. Each had a table in front of him with bulging money-bags on it, and around the bags piles of gold coins.
'Are those,' we asked each, 'the wealth of all in the world?' 'Not all in the world,' they said, 'but all in the kingdom.' Their speech sounded like a whistle, and they themselves had round faces which had a ruddy look like the shell of a snail. The pupils of their eyes seemed to sparkle against a green background; this was caused by the light of their delusion.
We took up a position among them and said, 'Do you believe that you possess all the wealth of the kingdom?' 'Yes,' they replied. Then we asked, 'Which one of you possesses this?' 'Each of us,' they said. 'How can you each possess this?' we asked. 'There are many of you.' 'We each of us,' they said, 'know that everything that belongs to another is ours. We are not allowed to think, much less say, "What is mine is not yours," but we are allowed to think and say, "What is yours is mine."'
Even to our eyes the coins on the tables looked as if made of pure gold. But when we let in light from the east, they turned out to be small particles of gold which they had magnified to such an extent by means of shared joint delusion. They said that anyone who comes in has to bring with him some gold, which they cut up into pieces, and these into small particles, and these they then magnify by concentrating their delusive powers with one intention, to make them look like coins of the larger sort.
[3] Then we said, 'Were you not born rational human beings? Where have you acquired that foolish fancy?' 'We know,' they said, 'that our vanity is fanciful, but because it pleases the interiors of our minds, we come in here and are delighted by seeming to possess everyone's wealth. But we do not stay here for more than a few hours, and having spent this time here we go out, and each time sanity returns to our minds. But still the attraction of our day-dreams from time to time comes upon us, and makes us alternate between coming in and going out, so that by turns we are wise and crazy. We know too that a harsh fate awaits those who cunningly filch other people's property.' 'What fate is that?' we asked. 'They are swallowed up,' they said, 'and thrown naked into some prison in hell, where they are obliged to work for clothing and for food, and then for a few pennies which they hoard and make their hearts' desire. But if they do harm to their companions, they have to give up some of their pennies as a fine.'
268. After that the two angels were affected with a desire, as was I, to see some of those people who from a love of the world are caught up in a delusionary lust or fantasy that they possess all riches. And we perceived that this desire was inspired in us in order that we might learn something about them.
Their abodes lay beneath the ground under our feet, but above hell. Consequently we looked at each other and said, "Let's go." Seeing then an opening with a stairway in it, we descended by it; and we were told to approach them from the east, in order not to enter into the mist of their fantasy, which would cloud our understanding and with it our vision.
[2] Suddenly, then, we saw a house built of reeds, being thus full of cracks, standing in a cloud of mist, which continually poured out like smoke through the crevices in three of the walls. Going in, we saw a group of fifty people on one side and fifty on another, sitting on benches, with their backs to the east and south so that they faced toward the west and north. Each had a table in front of him, and on the table some bulging moneybags, surrounded by a quantity of gold coins.
We inquired, "Is that the wealth of all the inhabitants of the world?"
To which they replied, "Not of all the inhabitants of the world, but of all the inhabitants in our kingdom."
Their speech had a hissing sound; and they themselves had what appeared to be roundish faces, which glistened like snail shells. The pupils of their eyes also seemed to glitter in fields of green, an effect arising from the light of their fantasy.
Standing now in the midst of them, we said, "You believe, then, that you possess all the wealth in your kingdom."
"Yes," they said, "we do."
"Which of you does?" we asked then.
"Each of us," they said.
So we asked, "How can each of you possess it when there are so many of you?"
They replied, "We each know that all that is his is mine, nor is anyone permitted to think, still less say, 'What is mine is not yours.' However, we may think and say, 'What is yours is mine.'"
The coins on the tables looked as though they were made entirely of gold, even to us. But when we let in some light from the east, they turned out to be specks of gold which the people had magnified into coins by a united effort of their common fantasy. They said that everyone who entered had to bring with him some gold, which they would cut into bits, and the bits into specks; and by the combined force of their fantasy they would then enlarge these into grander-looking coins.
[3] At that we then said, "Were you not born human beings capable of reason? What is the reason for this delusionary foolishness of yours?"
"We know it is only imaginary nonsense," they said, "but because it pleases the inner longings of our minds, we come in here and entertain ourselves with thinking as though everything were ours. We do not stay here, however, more than a few hours. After that we leave, and every time we do our minds recover their sanity. Nevertheless, from time to time our delusionary pleasure overcomes us, causing us periodically to return, and periodically to leave. Thus we are sometimes wise and sometimes mad.
"Besides, we know that a hard fate awaits those who craftily steal the property of others."
"What fate is that?" we asked.
"They are swallowed up," they said, "and thrust naked into some prison in hell, where they are made to toil for food and clothing, and afterwards for a few pennies. They accumulate these pennies and set their heart's delight in them. But if they do any mischief to their companions, they have to give them part of their pennies as a fine."
268. Next, the two angels wanted to see the people who get from their worldly love a hallucinating greed or fantasy of owning all riches. I wanted to, also. We could tell that we were inspired to want this so that we would know about them, so we looked at each other and said, "Let's go."
The people lived under the earth below our feet, but above hell, and we noticed an opening and stairs there. We went down, and someone told us to approach the people from the east to keep from entering the dark cloud of their fantasy, which would cloud our understanding and our vision at the same time.
And what did we see but a house, made of reeds so it was full of chinks. It stood in a thick cloud, which wafted continually, like smoke, through the chinks in three of the sides. We went in and saw fifty people here and fifty there, sitting on benches, but turned away from the east and south so that they looked toward the west and north. In front of each was a table with fat purses on it, and lots of gold coins around the purses.
We asked, "Are these the riches of everyone in the world?"
"Not of everyone in the world," they said, ''but of everyone in the kingdom." They hissed when they spoke and had round faces with a reddish glow like a snail shell. The pupils of their eyes seemed to glitter in clear green, which was from the light of fantasy.
Standing among them we asked, "Do you believe that you possess all the riches of the kingdom?"
They said, "We do possess them."
"Who does?" we asked.
They said, "Each of us."
"What do you mean, 'each'?" we asked. "There are many of you."
"Each of us knows that his are all mine," they said. "No one is allowed to even think, let alone say, 'Mine are not yours,' but we can think and say, 'Yours are mine.'"
The coins on the table appeared to be of pure gold, even to us. But when we let in the light from the east, the "coins" were little grains of gold that they magnified by common united fantasy.
They said that everyone who entered there had to bring some gold with him, which they divide into small bits and then into little grains, which they enlarge into bigger coins by the unanimous power of fantasy.
Then we said, "Weren't you born men of reason? Where do you get this hallucinating foolishness?"
"We know that it is a flight of fancy, but it is deeply pleasing to our minds, so we come in here and are as delighted as if we did own everything," they said. "But we only stay a few hours.
After that we go out, and our sanity returns every time. And still," they said, "time and again the pleasant hallucination comes over us, and we come in and go out by turns, so we are alternately wise and foolish. We also know that a hard lot awaits those who take other people's goods."
"What is their lot?" we asked.
"They are swallowed up and thrown naked into some infernal prison where they have to work first for clothing and food, and then for a few small coins, which they collect and put their heart's delight into," they said. "But if they do evil to their companions, they have to give up part of their little coins as a fine."
268. After this, the two angels and also I myself were seized with the desire to see those who from love of the world are in the visionary concupiscence or fantasy of possessing the wealth of all men; and we perceived that this desire was inspired in us to the end that they might be made known. Their places of abode were under the earth beneath our feet, but above hell. We therefore looked at each other and said, "Let us go."
There was then seen an opening, and in it a ladder. After descending this ladder, we were told that they must be approached from the east lest we enter into the mist of their fantasy and be obscured as to our understanding and then at the same time as to our sight.
[2] And lo, there was seen a house, constructed of reeds, being thus full of chinks. It stood surrounded by a mist which poured continually through the chinks of three of the walls like smoke. Entering, we saw men, fifty here and fifty there, sitting upon benches. They had their backs to the east and south, and were directing their gaze to the west and north. In front of each man was a table, and on the table bulging purses, and around the purses an abundance of gold coins. To our question, "Are these the riches of all the men in the world?" they said, "Not of all in the world but of all in the kingdom."
Their speech had a hissing sound, and they themselves were seen to have round faces which had a reddish glow like a snail-shell. Moreover, from the light of fantasy, the pupils of their eyes were as though glittering in a background of green.
Standing in their midst, we asked, "Do you believe that you possess all the riches of the kingdom?" to which they replied, "We do possess them."
We then asked them, "Which of you?" and they answered, "Each one of us." "How each one?" we asked, "you are many." They said, "Each one of us knows that all his are mine. No one is allowed to think, still less to say, "Mine are not yours" but it is allowed us to think and say, "Yours are mine.""
The coins on the tables seemed as though they were coins of pure gold, and this even to us. But when we let in light from the east, they were granules of gold which these men, by their common united fantasy, had magnified into coins. They said that it behooves every one who comes in, to bring some gold with him. This they cut up into little pieces, and these into granules; then, by the united power of their fantasy they enlarge these into coins of the larger sort.
[3] We then said, "Were you not born men of reason? Whence do you have this visionary foolishness?" to which they answered, "We know that it is an imaginary vanity, but because it delights the interiors of our minds, we come in here and are delighted as from the possession of all things. But we remain here only a few hours. When these have passed we go out, and each time we leave, a sound mind returns to us. Yet, every now and then our visionary delight comes over us and makes us again come in, and [we come in and] go out by turns. Thus we are alternately wise and insane. We know also that a hard lot awaits those who by craft deprive others of their goods."
We asked, "What lot?" and they said: "They are swallowed up and thrust naked into some infernal prison where they are made to work for clothing and food, and afterwards for a few small coins. These they hoard up and in them they set the joy of their heart; but if they do evil to their companions, they must give up a part of their small coins as a fine."
268. After this a desire overtook the two angels and myself, to see those who from love of the world are in the visionary lust or phantasy of the possession of all riches. We perceived that the desire was inspired to the end that the nature of such persons might be divulged. We looked at one another and said, "Let us go."
Their dwelling-place was under the earth beneath our feet, yet above hell. An opening appeared, and a ladder, by which we descended. We were told that these people would have to be approached from the east, if we were not to enter into the dark cloud of their phantasy and find our own understanding and vision darkened.
[2] We saw a house built of reeds, and full of chinks, standing in a thick cloud which continually drifted like smoke from the chinks on three sides. Entering, we saw fifty here and fifty there sitting on benches.; turned away from the east and south, they faced the west and north. Before each stood a table, on each table were bulging. purses, and around the purses heaps of gold coins.
We asked, "Are these the riches of all in the world?" They replied, "Not of all in the world, but of all in the kingdom."
Their speech was sibilant; they appeared of a rotund face, which had a reddish glow like a snail-shell; and the
Pupil of the eye seemed to glitter from the light of phantasy against a ground of green.
We took our stand in the midst of them and asked, "Do you believe that you possess all the riches of the kingdom?"
They responded, "We do possess them."
Then we asked, "Which of you?" They answered:
"Each of us." And we asked, "How so? You are many."
They said, "Each of us knows that all he has is the other's. No one is permitted to think, still less to say
Mine is not yours,' but he may think and say 'Yours is mine."
The coins on the table looked like pure gold even to us.
But when we let in light from the east, they proved to be tiny grains of gold which in their joint phantasy these spirits magnified. They said that every one who enters has to bring some gold with him, which they divide into small bits, and these into little grains which by dint of their common phantasy they enlarge into coins of higher denomination.
[3] Then we said, "Were you not born reasonable men? Whence have you this visionary foolishness?"
They said, "We know that it is an imagined vanity, but it delights the interiors of our minds; so we come here and delight in the possession seemingly of all things. We remain only a few hours and then leave, and each time a sound mind returns to us. Still, our visionary pleasure overtakes us at intervals and makes us come in and go out by turns, so that we are alternately wise and insane. We also know that a hard lot awaits those who by craft deprive others of their goods."
We asked, "What is their lot?"
They said, "They are engulfed and thrust naked into an infernal prison where they are forced to work for clothing and food, and afterwards for a few small coins, which they hoard and on which they set their heart's joy. If they do evil to their companions they pay a part of their tiny coins as a fine."
268. After this a desire came upon the two angels, and also upon me, to see those who from love of the world are in the visionary lust or fantasy of the possession of all riches. And we perceived that this desire was inspired to the end that they might be known. We therefore, looked at each other and said 'Let us go.'
Their places of abode were under the earth beneath our feet, yet above hell; and an opening appeared and a ladder there. By this we descended, and were told that they must be approached from the east, lest we should enter into the dark cloud of their fantasy, and our understanding and at the same time our vision, be overshadowed. And lo! there appeared a dwelling constructed of reeds, and thus full of chinks, standing in the thick cloud which flowed continually, like smoke, through the chinks of three of the sides. We entered and saw fifty here and fifty there sitting upon the benches, and turned away from the east and south, they looked towards the west and north. Before each one was a table, and on the table purses, distended, and around the purses abundance of gold coin.
We asked them, 'Are these the riches of all in the world?'
They said, 'Not of all in the world but of all in the kingdom.'
Their speech had a hissing sound; and they appeared of rotund face, which had a reddish glow like a snail-shell; and the pupil of the eye glittered as it were on a plane of green which was from the light of fantasy.
We stood in their midst and asked, 'Do you believe that you possess all the riches of the kingdom?'
They responded, 'We do possess them.'
Then we asked, 'Which of you?' They answered:
'Each one.' And we asked, 'How each one? You are many.'
They said, 'Each one of us knows that all his are mine. It is not permitted anyone to think, still less to say 'Mine are not yours,' but he may think and say 'Yours are mine.'
The coins on the table appeared as of pure gold, even to us. But when we let in light from the east, they were little grains of gold which by common united fantasy they thus magnified. They said that everyone who entered there had to bring some gold with him, which they divide into small bits, and these into little grains which by the unanimous power of fantasy they enlarge into coins of larger form.
Then we said, 'Were you not born men of reason? Whence have you this visionary foolishness?'
They said, 'We know that it is an imaginary vanity, but as it delights the interiors of our minds we come in here and are delighted as if from the possession of all things. But we do not remain here, except for a few hours, and when these are passed we go out and just as often a sound mind returns to us. But yet, at alternate periods our visionary pleasure comes over us and makes us by turns come in again, and by turns go out, so that we are alternately wise and insane. We know also that a hard lot awaits those who craftily deprive others of their goods.'
We asked, 'What lot?'
They said, 'They are swallowed up and cast naked into some infernal prison where they are made to work for clothing and for food, and after that, for a few small coins, which they collect, and on which they set their heart's joy. But if they do evil to their companions they are made to give up a part of their little coins as a fine.'
268. Post haec supervenit binos Angelos et quoque me desiderium videndi illos, qui in concupiscentia visionaria seu phantasia possessionis omnium opum ex amore mundi sunt; et percepimus quod desiderium 1illud inspiraretur ob finem ut cognoscerentur: Domicilia illorum erant sub terra pedum nostrorum, at supra infernum; quare aspeximus nos mutuo, et diximus, "eamus;" ac visa est apertura, et ibi scala; per hanc descendimus, et dictum est, quod adeundi sint ab oriente, ne intremus in nimbum phantasiae illorum, ac inumbremur quoad intellectum, et tunc simul quoad visum;
[2] et ecce visa est domus structa ex calamis, sic rimosa, stans in nimbo, qui sicut fumus continue effluxit per rimas trium parietum; intravimus, et visi sunt quinquaginta hic et quinquaginta ibi sedentes super scamnis, et aversi ab Oriente et Meridie prospiciebant ad occidentem et septentrionem; ante quemlibet erat mensa, et super mensa crumenae distentae, et circum crumenas copia nummorum aureorum; et quaerebamus, "sunt illa opes omnium Mundi;" dicebant, "non omnium Mundi, sed omnium Regni;" sonus loquelae illorum erat sibilaris, et ipsi apparebant facie rotunda, quae rutilabat sicut squama cochleae, ac pupilla oculi in plano viridi quasi fulgurabat, quod erat ex luce phantasiae: stetimus in medio illorum, et diximus, "creditis quod omnes opes Regni possideatis;" et responderunt, "possidemus;" dein quaesivimus, "quis vestrum;" dicebant, "quisque;" et quaesivimus, "quomodo quisque; estis multi;" dicebant, "quisque ex nobis scit, quod omnia ejus mea sint, non licet alicui cogitare, minus dicere, mea non sunt tua, sed licet cogitare et dicere, tua sunt mea:" nummi super Mensis apparebant sicut ex auro puro, etiam coram nobis; sed cum immisimus lucem ab oriente, erant granula auri, quae per communem unitam phantasiam ita magnifecerunt; dicebant quod oporteat quemcunque qui intrat, secum ferre aliquid auri, quod in frustula, et haec in granula secant, et per vim phantasiae unanimam in nummos grandioris formae amplificant:
[3] et tunc diximus, "fuistisne nati homines rationis; unde ista fatuitas visionaria vobis est;" dixerunt, "scimus quod vanitas imaginaria sit, sed quia jucundat interiora mentis nostrae, intramus huc, et delitiamur sicut ex possessione omnium; at hic non moramur nisi per aliquot horas, quibus exactis egredimur, et toties mens sana nobis redit; sed usque oblectamentum visionarium nostrum alternis supervenit, ac facit ut per vices reintremus, et per vices egrediamur; sic alternis sapimus et insanimus. Scimus etiam 2quod dura sors maneat illos, qui astu surripiunt aliis sua bona;" quaesivimus quae sors; dicebant, "absorbentur, ac nudi intruduntur in aliquem infernalem carcerem, ubi tenentur laborare pro veste et pro cibo, ac postea pro aliquibus obulis, quos colligunt, in quibus ponunt gaudium cordis sui; sed si malum faciunt sodalibus, dabunt partem obulorum suorum in mulctam."
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: desiderum
2. Prima editio: etam