521、对此，我补充以下记事：
我的眼睛被打开后，我便看到一片幽暗的森林，一群萨梯（萨梯：希腊神话中半人半山羊的怪兽）在里面。他们胸毛浓密，双脚有的像牛犊的，有的像黑豹的，有的像豺狼的，他们脚上没有脚趾，取而代之的是野兽的脚爪。他们像野兽一样来回奔跑，喊叫着：“哪里有女人？”这时，只见一群妓女正在等着他们。这些妓女也是各种怪物的形式。萨梯们便跑过去抓住她们，把她们拖进一个洞穴。这个洞穴就在森林中间的地下深处，洞穴周围的地面上盘着一条大蛇，向洞内喷射毒液。大蛇上面的树枝上有不祥的夜鸟呱呱叫着。然而，这些萨梯和妓女看不到这些场景，因为它们是其淫行的对应，因而从远处看，是其淫行的寻常表象。
后来，他们从洞穴出来，进入一个低矮的棚屋，那是妓院。与妓女分别后，他们开始交谈起来。于是，我侧耳细听；在灵界，从远处就能听到人的说话声，仿佛这人就在面前，因为在那里，空间的延伸只是一个表象。他们正在谈论婚姻、大自然和宗教。脚如牛蹄的萨梯谈论的是婚姻，他们说：“婚姻是什么，不就是合法的奸淫吗？还有什么比以虚伪掩藏淫乱、欺骗丈夫更甜蜜的事呢？”其他人闻言哈哈大笑，鼓掌喝彩。脚如豹掌的萨梯谈论的是大自然。他们说：“除了大自然还有什么？人和动物有什么区别？不就是人能清晰说话，而动物只能发出声音吗？这二者不都是靠着大自然的活动，由于热而具有生命，由于光而具有理解力吗？”这话使得其他人惊呼：“说得好！”脚如狼爪的萨梯谈论的是宗教。他们说：“什么是神或神性，不就是大自然核心层的活动吗？宗教不就是用来迷惑并捆绑普通百姓的捏造吗？”闻听此言，其他人大叫：“听听，听听！”
过了一会儿，他们突然冲出来，正往外冲的时候发现我在远处观察他们。这使他们怒不可遏，他们跑出森林，带着威胁的表情冲到我面前，说：“你在干什么？站在这里听我们私下说了什么吗？”我回答说：“为什么不能？有什么能阻止我听见你们说的话？”于是，我把从他们那里听来的话复述了一遍。这让他们的头脑冷静下来，因为他们担心这些话被泄露出去。然后，他们开始言语温和、举止得体了。我由此判断他们并非出身平民，而是来自上层社会。然后，我告诉他们，我看到他们在森林里就像萨梯，其中二十个像牛犊，六个像黑豹，四个像豺狼，他们总共有三十人。
听到这话，他们大吃一惊，因为他们在那里只把自己当作人来看，就像他们在此与我同在时看自己那样。我告诉他们说，从远处看，由于他们的淫欲，他们看上去就是这个样子，这萨梯般的形式是他们放纵奸淫，而非他们人的形式。我给出的理由是：每种恶欲都以某种形式来表现自己的形像，只是他们本人看不到这个形像，但其他人从远处能看到它。我补充说：“为叫你们相信这一点，请打发你们中间的一些人到那森林里去，剩下的人留在这里观察他们。”他们照做了，并派出其中两个人。当这两人靠近妓院棚屋时，他们发现这二者看上去完全就像萨梯。两人回来后，他们将其当成萨梯来招呼，说：“哦，真是个笑话！”就在他们发笑时，我跟他们开了各种玩笑，并告诉他们，我还看见一些奸淫者像猪。这时，我想起了尤利西斯与喀耳刻的故事，喀耳刻如何向尤利西斯的同伴和仆人下毒，用魔杖触碰他们，把他们变成猪。或许，这意味着变成了奸淫者，因为她绝不可能把人变成猪。当他们对这些和类似故事捧腹大笑时，我问他们是否知道自己在世时来自哪个国家。他们说，他们来自不同国家，并提到意大利、波兰、德国、英国和瑞典。我问他们，在他们中间，他们有没有见过来自荷兰的人，他们说一个也没有。
然后，我把交谈转到严肃的话题上，问他们是否想过奸淫是一种罪。他们回答说：“什么是罪，我们不知道罪是什么。”我又问他们是否记得奸淫违反十诫中的第六诫。他们回答说：“十诫是什么？它不就是教义问答手册吗？这种孩子们的小书和我们这样的成年人有什么关系？”我再问他们是否思想过地狱。对此，他们回答说：“有谁从那里爬上来告诉我们？”我又问他们在世时是否思想过死后的生命。他们说：“这跟动物的情况差不多；这种生命有时像幽灵；来自尸体的这种发散物若存在，就会消散。”我继续问他们是否从牧师那里听到过关于这些话题的某种信息。他们回答说，他们只听到牧师的声音，没注意他们在说什么或所说的是什么东西。
听到这些回答，我十分震惊，就对他们说：“转过脸去，朝森林中间看，就是你们进入的洞穴所在之处。”他们照做了，于是看见盘在洞口的大蛇，正向里喷射毒液；还看到树枝上的不祥夜鸟。然后，我问他们：“你们看到什么了？”但他们都吓得说不出话来。我说：“很恐怖，是不是？要知道，这就是淫欲罪行中奸淫的代表。”突然，一位天使站在我们旁边，是一位牧师；他打开西部地区的地狱，这种男人最终会聚集在那里。“看那儿，”他说。他们就看见一个湖，仿佛是火湖，并认出那里有一些他们在世时的朋友，正邀其加入他们。看见并听见这些事后，他们转身离去，匆忙离开我的视线，离开那个森林。不过，我能观察到他们的路线，他们只是假装离开，绕了一圈后，又溜回了森林。
521、在此做以下陈述：
一次我在阴暗的森林中看到一群半人半兽的怪物。他们的胸部长着毛，他们有些的脚象是牛蹄，有些象是豹爪，有些象狼爪。
这些怪物在奔跑着并喊着“女人在哪里”？之后我看到一些正在等他们的妓女，同样长着魔鬼般的样子。
怪兽们抓住她们并将她们拖到地下面的洞中，在洞中有一个盘卷着的巨蟒向洞外探着头。在巨蟒上方飞着尖叫着的夜间活动的鸟。但是怪兽和妓女们却没有看到这些东西，因为这些东西是与他们的淫荡相对应的，只有在远处看才会显现出来。
他们之后来到洞中低处的一个棚子，那是一个妓院。与妓女分开后，怪兽们开始交谈起来。我听到了他们的谈话。
那些脚象牛蹄的人谈论的话题是婚姻。他们说：“婚姻不就是合法的通奸吗？有什么比淫荡和欺骗丈夫更美的呢？”
围观的人鼓掌称好。
那些脚象豹爪的人谈论的话题是宗教。他们说：“神与神性不就是自然在起作用吗？宗教不就是用来束缚大众的吗？”
众人欢呼：“英明”！
之后他们看到我在旁边，于是生气地向我冲过来。
“你为什么站在这偷听我们说话？”我回答说：“为什么不能呢？”
“没有人阻止我啊？我向他们讲了我所听到的内容。”
听到这，他们安静下来并表现得规矩起来。我发现他们从前曾经是些有地位的人。
这时我跟他们说我在远处看到他们中有二十个看上去象是牛一样的怪兽，有六个看上去是象豹一样的怪兽，有四个看上去象是狼一样的怪兽。
听到这些他们感到吃惊。因为在他们自己看来，他们都是人的模样。但我跟他们解释说之所以是这样，是因为他们的淫荡行为。每一种罪恶都有一种形式与它相对应，而人自身就是看不到的，别人在远处会看得到。我说让你们中的一些人到远处去，你们在这里看就会看到这点。
于是他们按我说的那样叫两个人到远处去。结果他们看到两个人是在妓院旁的半人半兽的怪物。那两个人回来后，他们称他们是冒名顶替者。
于是他们开始对此感到好笑。我告诉他们我曾看到一些通奸者看上去象是猪。我还想起了尤利塞斯和瑟茜的故事。瑟茜将尤利塞斯的同伴们变成了猪。
在笑过之后，我问他们是否记得他们自己从前是来自于什么国家。他们说他们来自意大利、波兰、德国、英国和瑞典。我又问他们中是否有荷兰来的，他们说没有。
之后我开始谈论更严肃的话题。我问他们是否认为通奸是一种罪。
他们回答说：“我们不知道罪恶是什么。”
我又问他们是否知道通奸是十诫中第六条所反对的。
他们说：“什么是十诫？”那些孩子们的书与我们这些男人有什么关系。”
我又问他们是否是想过地狱？
他们说：“谁来自那里就跟我们讲讲吧”
我又问他们在世间时是否想过死后的生命。
他们说：“它与我们对动物和对魔鬼的想法一样。”
我又问他们是否听牧师们讲过类似的内容。
他们说他们只听到牧师的声音，没有注意他所说的内容。
听到这些我很吃惊。我对他们说：“转向森林中你们从前所在的那个洞。”
于是他们看到了洞中的巨蟒和那些尘叫着的鸟。
我问：“你们看到了什么？”
惊吓之余，他们没有回答。
于是我说：“你们所看到的是不是很可怕啊？要知道那些东西就代表着你们所有的淫荡。”
突然间有个天使出现了。他在世间时曾是个牧师。他将西部这样的人所在的地狱打开并对那些人说：“看吧。”
于是他们看到火海，还有他们世间时的朋友招手请他们过以。
看到这些后，这些人急忙走开了。他们装着要离开森林，但走了一圈后又回到了森林中。
521. To this I shall add an account of an experience.
On my eyes being opened I saw a dark forest and a crowd of satyrs in it. They had hairy chests, and some had feet like calves', some like panthers' and some like wolves', with the claws of wild animals taking the place of toes on the foot. They were running to and fro like wild animals shouting 'Where are the women?' Then there were seen the whores who were waiting for them; they too had monstrous forms of various types. The satyrs ran up and took hold of them, pulling them down into a cave deep underground in the middle of the forest. Above ground around the cave lay coiled a great snake, breathing poison into the cave. On the branches of the trees above the snake ill-omened night birds croaked and hooted. However, the satyrs and the whores did not see these sights, since they were correspondences of their own wantonness, and thus the appearances which are usual when viewed from a distance.
[2] Afterwards they left the cave and went into a low hut, which was a brothel. Then when they were apart from the whores, they started talking, and I listened. For speech in the spiritual world can be heard at a distance, just as if one were present, since the extension of space is there only an appearance. They were talking about marriage, nature and religion.
Those whose feet looked like those of calves talked about marriage. 'What is marriage,' they said, 'but permitted adultery? Is there anything sweeter than promiscuity concealed by hypocrisy and cheating on husbands?' The rest of them roared with laughter at this and applauded by clapping.
The satyrs whose feet looked like those of panthers talked about nature. 'What else is there,' they said, 'but nature? Is there any difference between a human being and an animal, except that a human being has articulate speech and an animal only makes noises? Is it not a fact that both have life as a result of heat and understanding as a result of light through the workings of nature?' This was received by the rest with a shout of 'Judiciously put!'
Those whose feet looked like those of wolves talked about religion. 'What is God or the Divine,' they said, 'but the working of the inmost level of nature? What is religion but a fiction designed to ensnare the common people and hold them tightly?' To this there were cries from the rest of 'Hear, hear!'
[3] A few moments later they burst out, and as they rushed forth they saw me a long way off watching them intently. This made them angry and they ran out of the forest and hurried up to me with threatening looks. 'What are you doing,' they said, 'standing here and listening to what we are whispering?' 'Why shouldn't I?' I answered. 'Is there anything to stop me hearing what you said?' Then I repeated what I had heard them say. This calmed their minds, since they were anxious that these things should not be made public. Then they began to speak moderately and to act decently; I knew from this that they were not from the common people but the upper classes. Then I told them that I had seen them in the forest looking like satyrs, twenty of them as calf-satyrs, six as panther-satyrs, and four as wolf-satyrs. There were thirty of them in all.
[4] This surprised them, because when there they saw themselves only as human beings, just as they saw themselves then in my presence. I informed them that these appearances at a distance were due to promiscuous lust, and this satyr-like form was a representation not of a person, but of dissolute adultery. I gave as a reason the fact that each evil desire presents its likeness in some shape or other, which they could not see themselves, but which could be seen by those standing at a distance. 'To make you believe this,' I said, 'send some of your number out into the forest, while you stay here and watch.' They did so, and sent two of them; and when they were near the brothel hut they saw that they looked exactly like satyrs. When they came back, they greeted them as satyrs, and said 'What a joke!'
While they were laughing I made various jokes with them, telling them I had also seen some adulterers as pigs. Then I recalled the story of Ulysses and Circe 1, how she sprinkled noxious drugs on Ulysses' companions and servants, touched them with a magic wand and turned them into pigs. Perhaps this means into adulterers, because she could not by any means turn anyone into a pig. When they roared with laughter at this and similar tales, I asked whether they knew from which kingdoms in the world they had come. They gave various answers, naming Italy, Poland, Germany, Britain and Sweden. I asked if they had seen anyone among them from Holland. They said no to this.
[5] Then I switched our talk to serious subjects and asked whether they had ever reflected that adultery was a sin. 'What is a sin?' they replied. 'We don't know what it means.' I asked whether they ever remembered that adultery is against the sixth 2of the Ten Commandments. 'What are the Ten Commandments?' they replied. 'Isn't this in the Catechism? What have grown men like us to do with that childish little book?' I asked if they had ever any thoughts about hell. 'Has anyone,' they replied, 'come up from there to tell us?' I asked whether while they were in the world they had ever thought about life after death. 'Much the same,' they said, 'as in the case of animals; or sometimes like ghosts, which, if such emanations from corpses exist, fade away.' I went on to ask whether they had not heard something on both these subjects from priests. They replied that they had only listened to the sound of their voices and not to what they were saying; 'and what,' they said, 'is that?'
[6] I was astonished at these replies, and said to them, 'Turn your faces and gaze towards the middle of the forest, where the cave is in which you were.' They did so, and saw the great snake coiled around it, breathing poison into it, and the ill-omened birds in the branches overhead. 'What do you see?' I asked. But they were too frightened to answer. 'You saw that horrible sight, didn't you?' I said. 'You should know that this is a representation of adultery engaged in its lustful crime.'
Suddenly an angel stood by us. He was a priest, and he opened up the hell in the western quarter, where such people are finally assembled. 'Look there,' he said, and they saw a lake as if of fire. They recognised there some of their friends in the world, who were inviting them to join them. When they had heard and seen these things, they turned away and hurried from my sight, leaving the forest behind. But I was able to observe their course, and they only pretended to go away, but crept back through by-ways into the forest.
521. To this I will append the following narrative account:
My sight was opened to see a dark forest and in it a mob of satyrs. The satyrs' chests were hairy, and some had feet like those of calves, some feet like those of panthers, and some feet like those of wolves, with claws instead of toes.
These satyrs were running about, shouting, "Where are the women?" And I then saw some whores who were waiting for them. They, too, were monstrous in various ways.
The satyrs ran up to them and took hold of them, dragging them away into a cavern which was situated in the middle of the forest deep beneath the earth. On the ground around the cavern, moreover, lay a great serpent coiled in a spiral, which spewed its venom into the cavern. In the branches of the forest above the serpent, deadly birds of the night were cawing and shrieking. But the satyrs and whores did not see these things, because they were forms corresponding to their lascivious lusts and thus appearances visible usually only from a distance.
[2] They afterwards emerged from the cavern and went into a certain low shack, which was a brothel; and having parted from the whores the satyrs then talked together, to whose conversation I lent an ear (for speech in the spiritual world can be heard at a distance as though in one's presence, since an extent of space there is only an appearance). They were talking about marriage, nature and religion.
Marriage was the subject of those whose feet looked like those of calves, and they said, "What is marriage but legalized adultery? And what is sweeter than licentious charades and the deceiving of husbands?"
The rest responded to this with guffaws and clapped their hands in applause.
Nature was the subject of those whose feet looked like those of panthers, and they said, "What else is there but nature? Is there any difference between man and beast other than the fact that a man can articulate his thoughts in speech, while a beast can only make sounds? Do they not both have life from heat and understanding from light by the operation of nature?"
At this the rest exclaimed, "Oh, with what judgment you speak!"
Religion was the subject of those whose feet looked like those of wolves, and they spoke, saying, "What is God or the Divine but the inmost working of nature? What is religion but an invention to capture and bind the masses?"
In response to this the rest cried "Bravo!"
[3] Some moments later they burst forth, and as they did so they saw me in the distance looking at them with intent eyes. Angered at this, they rushed out of the forest and with a menacing expression hastened their way to me.
"Why are you standing here and attending to our whisperings?" they said. To which I replied, "Why not? What is there to stop me? They were audible utterances." And I recounted to them what I had heard them saying.
At that their dispositions became calmer, and this because they were afraid of having what they said divulged. They also began to speak with restraint then and to behave with propriety, by which I recognized that they did not come from the lower classes but from worthier stock.
At that point I then related to them that I had seen them in the forest as satyrs, twenty of them as calf-like satyrs, six as panther-like satyrs, and four as wolf-like satyrs (there being thirty of them altogether).
[4] They were astonished at this, as they themselves had seen each other there only as men, just as they were now seeing themselves here with me. But I told them that that was the way they appeared at a distance because of their licentious lust, and that that satyr form was the form of their dissolute adultery and not the form of their person. I gave as a reason the following, that every evil lust presents a likeness of itself in some particular form, which is not seen by the people themselves, but by others standing at a distance. I then said to them, "To convince yourselves, send some of your number into that forest while the rest of you remain here and watch."
So they did as I said and sent off two, and the rest saw them next to that shanty brothel altogether as satyrs; and when the two returned, they greeted them as satyrs and said, "Oh, what impostors!"
As they were laughing over this, I joked with them in various ways, and I reported to them that I had seen adulterers looking also like pigs. I also recalled then the story of Ulysses and Circe, how she had sprinkled Ulysses's companions and men with Hecatean herbs and touched them with a magic wand and so turned them into pigs - "into adulterers, perhaps," I said, "because by no art could she have turned anyone into a pig!"
After they finished laughing at these and similar remarks, I asked them whether they knew from what countries in the world they came. They said they came from various different countries and mentioned by name Italy, Poland, Germany, England, and Sweden. I then asked whether they saw anyone among them from Holland, and they said they did not.
[5] After that I turned the conversation to more serious matters, and I asked whether they ever considered that adultery is a sin.
"What is sin?" they replied. "We do not know what it is."
I asked whether they ever remembered that adultery is against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue.
They replied, "What is the Decalogue? Is it not the catechism? What does that children's booklet have to do with men like us?"
I asked whether they ever had any thought of hell.
They replied, "Who has come up from there and told us?"
I asked whether they had had any thought in the world regarding life after death.
They said, "The same thought as we did of animals, and sometimes the same as we did of ghosts, which, if they are exhaled from corpses, float away."
Again I asked whether they had heard anything concerning any of these matters from priests.
They replied that they attended only to the sound of their voices, and not to the subject and what that was.
[6] Stunned by these responses, I said to them, "Turn your face and eyes to the middle of the forest where the cavern is that you were in."
So they turned around, and they saw the great serpent coiled around it in a spiral and spewing in its venom, and also the baleful birds in the branches above it.
And I asked, "What do you see?"
But terror-stricken, they made no answer.
So I said, "Is it not a horrid sight that you see? You should know that it is a representation of adultery in the atrocity of its lust."
Suddenly then an angel appeared standing near. He was a priest, and he opened a hell in the western zone into which people of this character are finally gathered. And he said, "Look over there."
They then saw what appeared to be a lake of fire; and in it they recognized some of their friends in the world, who beckoned them to join them.
Having seen and heard these things, the men turned and hastened from my sight on a course away from the forest. But I observed their steps, seeing that they pretended to go on a course away from the forest, but that by roundabout ways they made their way back it.
521. The following story will be added to these remarks.
My eyes were opened, and I saw a dark forest and a crowd of satyrs in it. The satyrs had hairy chests, some had feet like calves, some like panthers, and some like wolves, and they had the claws of wild animals on their feet in place of toes. They were running around like wild beasts and shouting, "Where are the women?"
And then prostitutes appeared, who were waiting for them. They, too, were deformed in various ways. The satyrs ran up and grabbed them and dragged them into a cave deep under ground in the forest. On the ground around the cave lay a huge snake wound in a coil. It breathed its venom into the cave. In the branches of the trees above the snake eerie night birds were croaking and screeching.
But the satyrs and prostitutes did not see these creatures because they were the embodiments of their lascivious acts, so that was their normal appearance from a distance.
Afterwards they came out of the cave and went into a small shack that was a brothel, and then they talked among themselves apart from the prostitutes. I listened in - for you can hear conversation from a distance in the spiritual world, as if you were right there, for space there only seems to have extent. They were talking about marriages, nature, and religion.
The ones that seemed to have feet like calves talked about marriages and said, "What are marriages but licensed adulteries?
And what is sweeter than the hypocrisies of illicit sex and of deceiving husbands?" The others clapped their hands, laughing at these words.
The satyrs that seemed to have feet like panthers talked about nature and said, "What is there besides nature? What difference is there between man and beast except that a person can put words together and an animal puts sounds together? With nature at work, don't both have life from heat and intellect from light?" At this the others shouted, "Ah! You're talking sense!"
The ones that seemed to have feet like wolves talked about religion, saying, "What is God or Divinity but the most inner workings of nature? What is religion but an invention to capture and shackle the common people?" The others shouted "Bravo!" at this.
A few moments later they came spilling out, and as they did they saw me at a distance watching them. They ran out of the woods, provoked by this, and rushed up to me with threatening looks. They said, "Why do you stand there listening to what we're whispering?"
"Why not?" I answered. "What's to stop me? It was talk," and I repeated what I had heard from them. This settled their temper because they were afraid it might get around, and then they began to speak humbly and act virtuous. I could tell from this that they were not your common people but of more worthy birth. And then I told them how I saw them looking like satyrs in the woods - twenty like calf satyrs, six like panther satyrs, and four like wolf satyrs. There were thirty of them.
This surprised them, because to themselves they didn't look like anything but people there - the way they saw themselves here with me.
I explained that they looked that way from a distance due to lust for illicit sex and that this satyr form is the image of far - gone adultery and not the form of a person. "This is the reason," I said.
"Every evil desire produces its likeness in some form, not visible to the one himself but to those standing at a distance." I said, "So you'll believe this, send some of you into the woods while you stay here and watch."
They did it and sent two, and near the brothel shack they saw them just like satyrs. When the satyrs came back they greeted them and said, "Oh, did you look funny!"
While they were laughing I joked about different things with them and told how I had even seen adulterers look like pigs. Then I thought of the myth about Ulysses and Circe - how she sprinkled Ulysses' companions and servants with witch's herbs, touched them with a magic wand, and changed them into swine, or maybe into adulterers, because no art can turn anyone into a pig.
After they finished laughing at this and similar stories I asked if they knew what countries they came from in the world.
They said, "Several," and named Italy, Poland, Germany, England, and Sweden.
I asked if they had seen anyone from the Netherlands among them, and they said, "Not one."
After this I turned the conversation to serious matters again and asked, "Did you ever think that adultery is a sin?"
"What's a sin?" they said. "We don't know what it is."
I asked, "Do you ever recall that adultery is against the seventh commandment of the Decalogue?"
They answered, "What's the Decalogue? Isn't it a catechism?
What do we men have to do with that childish little tablet?"
I asked if they had ever thought about hell at all.
They answered, "Who has come up from there to tell about it?"
I asked if they had any idea about life after death while in the world.
"That it's no different than for animals," they said, "and maybe like the 'ghosts' that dissipate if dead bodies exhale them."
I went on to ask if they had heard anything from ministers about these questions.
They answered that they only paid attention to the ministers' tone of voice and not what they were discussing. "And what is it?"
Stunned by these answers I said to them, "Turn your faces and eyes to the middle of the woods, where the cave is that you were in."
They turned and saw the huge snake coiled around it, breathing venom into it and also the eerie birds in the branches over it, and I asked, "What do you see?"
But they were terrified and did not answer.
I said, "Didn't you see something horrible? Be advised that this is a representation of adultery in the shameful act of its lust."
Then, all at once, an angel was standing there. He was a minister, and he opened up a hell in a western region where people like that are finally gathered together. He said, "Look there." They saw a swamp like fire, and in it they recognized some of their friends from earth, who invited them to join them.
After seeing and hearing these things they turned away and rushed out of my sight, away from the woods. But I watched where they went. They pretended to go away, but in roundabout ways they were returning to the woods.
521. To the above shall be added the following Memorable Relation:
My sight being opened, I saw a dark forest and in it a crowd of satyrs. As to their breasts these satyrs were hairy; as to their feet, some were like calves, some like panthers, and some like wolves, and on their feet, instead of toes, were the claws of wild beasts. They were running about like wild beasts and calling out, "Where are there women?" And then were seen harlots who were awaiting them. These also were monstrous In divers ways. The satyrs ran up to them and, taking hold of them, dragged them into a cavern which was deep down under the earth in the middle of the forest. On the earth around the cavern lay a great serpent in a spiral coil, which breathed its venom into the cavern. Above the serpent, on the branches of the forest trees, funereal birds of night were croaking and screeching. But the satyrs and harlots did not see these things because they were correspondences of their own lasciviousness and thus were the usual appearances thereof at a distance.
[2] Later they came out of the cavern and went into a low cabin which was a brothel. Then, separating from the harlots, the satyrs engaged in talk among themselves. To this I bent my ear, for in the spiritual world speech can be heard at a distance just as in one's presence, extension of space there being merely an appearance. They were talking about marriage, nature, and religion.
Those spoke of MARRIAGE who as to their feet appeared like calves. They said: "What are marriages but lawful adulteries? and what is sweeter than scortatory hypocrisies and the deceiving of husbands?" At this the others, indulging in loud laughter, clapped their hands.
Those spoke of NATURE who as to their feet appeared like panthers. They said; "What else is there but nature? What distinction is there between man and beast except that man can speak articulately and a beast can only make sounds? Do they not both have their life from heat and their understanding from light, by the operation of nature?" At this the rest exclaimed, "Ha! you speak from judgment."
Those spoke of RELIGION who as to their feet appeared like wolves. They said: "What is God, or the Divine, but the inmost operation of nature? What is religion but an invention to captivate and bind the common people?" To this the others shouted, "Bravo!"
[3] Some moments later they rushed out, and in the rush they saw me looking at them from a distance with intent gaze. Exasperated at this, they ran out of the forest and with menacing looks hastened their course towards me and said, "Why are you standing here and intent on our whisperings?" I answered, "Why not? what is there to prevent me? they were speeches [not whisperings]"' and I repeated what I had heard from them. At this their minds were quieted, and this from fear lest their sayings be divulged. They then began to speak modestly and to act chastely, from which I recognized that they were not of the common herd but of honorable stock. I then told them that I had seen them in the wood as satyrs, twenty as calf-satyrs, six as panther-satyrs, and four as wolf-satyrs, they being thirty in number.
[4] They were astonished at this, for there they had seen themselves only as men, just as they saw themselves here with me.
I then instructed them that they had so appeared at a distance because of their scortatory lust, and that the satyr-like form was the form of their dissolute adultery and not of their person. I told them the reason, namely, that every evil concupiscence presents a likeness of itself in a form not seen by the men themselves but seen by others at a distance; and I added: "That you may believe this, send some of yourselves into that forest, while the rest remain here and watch them." They did this, and sent out two of their number. When these two were close by the brothel cabin, they saw them altogether as satyrs, and on their return they saluted them as satyrs and said, "Oh! what laughing-stocks!"
As they were laughing, I passed various pleasantries with them and told them I had also seen adulterers as swine. I then called to mind the fable of Ulysses and Circe, 1how that she sprinkled the companions and servants of Ulysses with enchanter's herbs, and touching them with her magic wand, turned them into swine--perhaps into adulterers, for by no art could she turn any one into a swine. When they had finished laughing at these and similar stories, I asked them if they knew from what kingdoms in the world they came. They said they were from different kingdoms and mentioned Italy, Poland, Germany, England, and Sweden. I then asked them whether they had seen any one from Holland among them; and they said, "Not one."
[5] After this I turned the conversation to serious matters and asked whether they had ever thought that adultery is a sin. They answered, "What is sin? we do not know what it is." I then asked them whether they ever remembered that adultery was against the seventh 2commandment of the Decalogue. They answered, "What is the Decalogue? is it not the Catechism? What have we men to do with that childish code?" I further asked them whether they had ever thought anything about hell, to which they answered, "Who has ever come up from there and told about it?" I then asked them whether in the world they had ever thought about the life after death. They said, "The same as about beasts and sometimes the same as about specters; if these exhale from dead bodies, they are dissipated." I asked them further whether they had heard about one or other of these things from priests. They answered that they gave attention only to the sound of their voices, not to the subject or what that subject was.
[6] Astonished at these answers, I said to them, "Turn your faces and your gaze towards the middle of the forest where is the cavern in which you were." They then turned around; and they saw that great serpent coiled in a spiral around the cavern and breathing into it its venom; also the funereal birds in the branches above it. I then asked them, "What do you see?" But they were terrified and made no answer; and I said, "Did you not see a horrible sight? Know, then, that it is a representative of adultery in the shameful deed of its lust."
Then suddenly an angel stood by, who was a priest, and he opened the hell in the western region into which such men are finally gathered and said, "Look thither!" And they saw a pool as though of fire, and recognized there some friends of theirs in the world, who invited them to join them.
After seeing and hearing these things, they turned away and hastily betaking themselves from my sight left the forest. But, observing their course, I saw that they were simulating departure for they were going back into the forest by roundabout ways.
Footnotes:
1. The original has Medea, but clearly by error.
2. In the Catechism referred to in the text, the commandment regarding the worship of God is divided into two, and the last two commandments regarding coveting are combined into one. Thus the commandment against adultery is the sixth commandment--as stated in the Latin text.
521. To this I shall append the following Memorabilia:
My sight was opened and I saw a dark forest and in it a crowd of satyrs. The satyrs had hairy chests; some had feet like calves, some like panthers, and some like wolves; and they had the claws of wild beasts on their feet instead of toes. They were running about like wild beasts, and shouting, "Where are there women?" Thereupon harlots appeared, who had been awaiting them. They, too, were monstrous in various ways. The satyrs ran up to them and seizing them, bore them into a cavern, which was deep down under the earth in the middle of the forest. On the ground around the cavern lay coiled a great serpent, breathing its venom into the cave. In the branches of the trees above the serpent, gloomy birds of night croaked and screeched.
[2] But the satyrs and harlots did not see these things, for these were correspondences of their lewdness and thus were the customary appearances at a distance. Later the satyrs abandoned the cavern and entered a sort of low hut, which was a brothel. There, away from the harlots, they engaged in talk, to which I gave ear, for in the spiritual world conversation can be heard at a distance as if it were occurring in one's presence, because spatial extension there is only an appearance. They were talking about marriages, nature, and religion.
Those who seemed to have feet like calves, were speaking of Marriages, and said, "What are marriages but legalized adulteries? And what is sweeter than scortatory hypocrisies and making game of husbands?" At this the others laughed aloud and clapped their hands.
The satyrs who seemed to have feet like panthers, spoke of Nature and said, "What is there besides nature? What difference is there between man and beast except that a man can speak articulately while a beast only utters sounds? Do they not both have life from heat and understanding from light by the operation of nature?" At this the rest exclaimed, "Ah! you speak with judgment."
Those who seemed to have feet like wolves, spoke of Religion, and said, "What is God or the Divine but the innermost activity of nature? What is religion but an invention to ensnare and bind the common people?" To this the others cried out, "Bravo!"
[3] Some moments afterwards they rushed out. As they did, they descried me in the distance, intently observing them. Angrily they came running out of the wood and with menacing looks raced up to me, and said:
"Why are you standing here, listening to our whisperings?"
"Why not?" I replied; "what was to hinder me? It was audible talk." And I repeated what I had heard. Their minds quieted, that is, quieted for fear lest what they had said might be divulged. They began to speak modestly and to act becomingly, from which I recognized that they were not of the common crowd but of good family. I then told them that I had seen them in the wood looking like satyrs, twenty like calf satyrs, six like panther satyrs, and four like wolf satyrs; there were thirty of them.
[4] They were astonished at this, for they had seemed to themselves like men there, just as they did here with me.
I informed them that they appeared so from a distance because of their scortatory lust, and this satyrlike semblance is the form of dissolute adultery, and not of the person. "The cause," I said, "is that every evil concupiscence presents its own likeness in a certain form, which is not visible to the person but to those standing at a distance." And I said, "That you may be assured, send some from among you into the forest, while you remain here and look at them."
They did so and sent two, and beheld them near the brothel-but looking exactly like satyrs. And when they returned they saluted them as satyrs and cried, "O what sights!"
While they laughed, I made a jest of various things with them, telling them I had seen adulterers as swine; and recalled the myth of Ulysses and Circe, how she sprinkled the companions and servants of Ulysses with enchanter's herbs and touched them with her magic wand and turned them into swine, probably into adulterers, for by no art could she turn a man into a hog.
When they had stopped laughing at this and other like things, I asked them if they knew to what kingdoms of the world they had belonged. They said they had belonged to different kingdoms, and named Italy, Poland, Germany, England and Sweden. I asked whether they had seen any one from Holland among them. "Not one," they said.
[5] After this I turned the conversation to serious things and asked whether they had ever thought that adultery is a sin.
They replied, "What is sin? We do not know what that is."
I asked whether they ever remembered that adultery is against the sixth 1commandment of the Decalogue.
They replied, "What is the Decalogue? The Catechism, is it not? What have we men to do with that childish document?"
I inquired whether they ever thought at all about hell. They answered, "Who has ever come up thence and told anything?"
I asked whether in the world they had given any thought to a life after death.
"As we did to that of beasts," they replied. "Or sometimes as we did to specters, which if they are exhaled from dead bodies, drift off."
Again I asked whether they had heard anything about one or another of these things from priests.
They answered that they gave attention only to the sound of their voices and not to the subject. "And what is that?"
[6] Astounded at these answers, I said to them, "Turn your faces and eyes toward the middle of the forest, where the cavern is in which you were."
They turned around and saw that huge reptile in a spiral coil around the cavern, breathing its venom into it, and also, the dismal birds in the branches above the serpent.
I asked, "What do you see?"
But they were terror-stricken, and made no answer. And I said, "You saw the monster, did you not? Know that it is a representation of adultery in the enormity of its lust."
Suddenly a certain angel stood by, who was a priest. He opened the hell in the western region where such men are finally gathered together, and said, "Look!" They beheld a lake as it were of fire, and recognized some friends there whom they had known in the world, who invited them to join them.
On seeing and hearing these things they turned away, rushed from my sight and went farther from the forest; but I watched for them; they only feigned to make off, and returned to the forest by a roundabout way.
521. To this shall be added the following Relation:
My eye was opened and I saw a shady wood and a crowd of satyrs there. As to their breasts the satyrs were hairy; and as to the feet some like calves, some like panthers, and some like wolves; and they had the claws of wild beasts on their feet in place of toes. They were running about like wild beasts, and calling out, 'Where are the women?' And then strumpets appeared, who were waiting for them. They also were monstrous in divers ways. The satyrs ran up to and seized them and bore them into a cavern, which was deep down beneath the earth in the middle of the wood. And on the earth round about the cavern there lay a great serpent, in spiral coil, which breathed its venom into the cave. And upon the branches of the trees above the serpent, dismal birds of night were croaking and screeching among the branches. But the satyrs and strumpets did not see these things, because they were correspondences of their lewdness and thus were the usual appearances at a distance. They afterwards came out of the cavern and went into a sort of low cabin, which was a brothel; and then apart from the strumpets they had a conversation together, to which I bent my ear, for in the spiritual world conversation can be heard at a distance as if present, because extension of space is only an appearance. They were talking about marriages, about nature, and about religion.
Those who as to the feet appeared like calves, were speaking of Marriages, and said; 'What are marriages but licensed adulteries? And what is sweeter than scortatory hypocrisies, and making sport of husbands?' At this the others in loud laughter clapped their hands.
The satyrs who as to the feet appeared like panthers, spoke of Nature and said; 'What else is there but nature? What difference is there between man and beast, except that a man has articulate speech and a beast only that of sound? Have they not both life from heat and understanding from light, by the operation of nature?' At this the rest exclaimed, 'Ha! you speak from judgment.'
Those who as to the feet appeared like wolves, spoke of Religion, and said, 'What is God, or the Divine, but the inmost of nature operating? What is religion but an invention to captivate and bind the common people?' To this the others cried out, 'Bravo!'
Some moments afterwards they rushed out, and in the rush descried me at a distance, with eyes intent, observing them. Exasperated at this they ran out of the wood and with menacing looks hastened their course towards me, and said:
'Why do you stand here and listen to our whisperings?' I answered, 'Why not? What hinders? It was talk.' And I repeated what I had heard from them. Their minds were quieted by this, that is, quieted from fear that their sayings should be divulged. And then they began to speak modestly and to act becomingly, from which I recognized that they were not of the common crowd, but of more honorable birth. I then told them that I had seen them in the wood as satyrs, twenty as calf satyrs, six as panther satyrs, and four as wolf satyrs, for they were thirty in number.
They were astonished at this, for to themselves they had appeared no otherwise than as men, just as they saw themselves here with me.
And I informed them that they appeared so from a distance because of their scortatory lust, and this satyrlike form is the form of dissolute adultery, and not of the person. 'The cause,' I said, 'is that every evil concupiscence presents its own likeness in a certain form, which is not visible to themselves but to those standing at a distance.' And I said, 'That you may believe, send out some of you into the wood, while you remain here and look at them.'
And they did so, and sent two, and saw them near the brothel-cabin exactly like satyrs. And when they returned they saluted them as satyrs and said, 'O what laughing stocks!'
As they were laughing I said various things to them in jest, and told them I had seen adulterers as swine; and then recalled the fable of Ulysses and Circe, how that she sprinkled the companions and servants of Ulysses with enchanter's herbs and touched them with her magic wand and turned them into swine, perhaps into adulterers, 'for by no art could she turn any man into a hog.'
When they were through with their loud laughter at this and other like things, I asked them if they knew from what kingdoms of the world they came. They said they were from different kingdoms, and mentioned Italy, Poland, Germany, England, and Sweden. And I asked whether they had seen anyone from Holland among them? And they said 'Not one.'
After this I turned the conversation to serious things, and asked whether they had ever thought that adultery was a sin?
They answered, 'What is sin? We do not know what it is.' I asked whether they ever remembered that adultery was against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue?
They replied, 'What is the Decalogue? Is it the Catechism? What have we men to do with that childish little book?' I asked them whether they ever thought anything about hell?
They answered, 'Who has ever come up from there and told about it?' I asked whether in the world they had ever thought about a life after death?
They said, 'As about that of beasts. And sometimes as that of ghosts, which if they exhale from dead bodies are dissipated.' I asked again whether they had heard about one or the other of these things from the priests?
They answered, 'That they gave attention only to the sound of their voices, and not to the subject. And what is this?'
Astounded at these answers, I said to them, 'Turn your faces and your eyes toward the middle of the wood, where the cavern is in which you were.'
And they turned and saw that great serpent in spiral coil around it, breathing its venom into it, and also the dismal birds in the branches above it.
And I asked, 'What do you see?'
But they were terrified, and made no answer. And I said, 'Did you not see the horrible thing? Know, that this is a representative of adultery in the atrociousness of its lust.'
Then suddenly a certain angel stood by. He was a priest; and he opened the hell in the western region where such are finally gathered together, and said, 'Look there!' And they saw a lake as it were of fire, and recognized some friends there whom they had known in the world who invited them to come to them.
On seeing and hearing these things they turned away, rushed from my sight and left the wood; but I observed their steps, that they seemed to withdraw, but by a roundabout way returned into the wood.
521. His adjicietur hoc Memorabile. Aperiebatur mihi oculus, et vidi Sylvam opacam, et ibi turbam Satyrorum; Satyri erant quoad pectora hirsuti, et quoad pedes quidam sicut Vituli, quidam sicut Pantherae, et quidam sicut Lupi, ac ferini ungues loco digitorum in plantis. Hi sicut ferae discurrebant vociferantes, "ubi foeminae;" et tunc visa sunt Scorta quae exspectabant illos; haec quoque diversimode monstrosa erant: Satyri accurrebant, et illas prehendebant, detrahentes in Cavernam, quae in medio sylvae alte sub terra erat; et supra terram circum circa Cavernam jacebat magnus Serpens flexus in spiram, qui in Cavernam inflabat venenum; in ramis sylvae supra serpentem crocitabant et ululabant aves noctis ferales. Sed haec non viderunt Satyri et Scorta, quia erant correspondentiae lasciviarum illorum, et sic apparentiae solitae e longinquo.
[2] Postea exibant e Caverna, et intrabant in quandam humilem casam, quae erat lupanar; et tunc separati a scortis inter se loquebantur, ad quae intendi aurem; loquela enim in Mundo spirituali audiri potest e distanti sicut in praesenti, quoniam extensum spatii ibi est modo apparentia; loquebantur de Conjugiis, de Natura et de Religione: de Conjugiis loquebantur illi, qui quoad pedes apparebant sicut Vituli, et dixerunt, "quid Conjugia nisi Adulteria licita; et quid dulcius quam hypocrises scortatoriae, ac elusiones maritorum;" ad haec reliqui in cachinnis applaudebant 1manibus. De Natura loquebantur Satyri, qui quoad pedes apparebant ut Pantherae, et dicebant, "quid aliud est quam natura; quodnam discrimen est inter hominem et bestiam, quam quod homo possit articulate loqui, et bestia sonore; estne utrique vita ex calore, ac intellectus ex luce, operante natura;" ad haec reliqui clamabant, "heu loquimini ex judicio." De Religione loquebantur, qui quoad pedes apparebant sicut Lupi; dicentes, "quid Deus aut Divinum nisi intimum naturae operans; quid Religio nisi inventum ad captandum et ligandum vulgus;" ad haec reliqui vociferabantur, "Bravo."
[3] Aliquibus momentis post, eruperunt, et in eruptione viderunt me e longinquo intentis oculis ad illos spectantem; ex quo exacerbati e Sylva excurrerunt, et minaci vultu accelerabant cursum ad me; ajebant, "cur hic consistis et attendis ad nostros susurros;" et respondi, "cur non; quid prohibet; erant loquelae;" et retuli quae ab illis audivi; ex hoc sedabantur animi illorum, quod erat ex timore ne divulgarentur; et tunc incipiebant modeste loqui, et pudice agere; ex quo cognovi quod non ex vili plebe, sed ex prosapia digniore fuerint; et tunc narravi illis, quod viderim illos in Sylva ut Satyros, viginti ut Satyros vitulinos, sex ut Satyros pantherinos, 2et quatuor ut Satyros lupinos; erant numero triginta:
[4] hoc mirati sunt quia ipsi se ibi non viderunt nisi ut homines, similiter ut se videbant hic apud me; et instruxi, quod ita apparuerint e longinquo ex libidine scortatoria, et quod Satyriaca haec forma esset forma adulterii dissoluti, et non forma personae: causam dixi hanc, quod unaquaevis concupiscentia mala sistat similitudinem sui in quadam forma, quae non conspicitur ab ipsis, sed a stantibus ad distantiam; et dixi, "ut credatis, emittite aliquos e vobis in Sylvam illam, ac vos permanete hic, et aspectate;" ac fecerunt ita, et emiserunt duos, et juxta Casam lupanarem illam viderunt illos prorsus ut Satyros, et cum redibant, salutabant illos Satyros, et dixerunt, "o qualia ludibria:" cum in risu erant, jocatus sum cum illis varia, et narravi, quod Adulteros etiam viderim ut porcos; et tunc recordatus sum Fabulae de Ulysse et Circe, 3quod haec Ulyssis comites et famulos consperserit herbis hecateis, et contigerit virga magica, et converterit in porcos, forte in Adulteros, quia non potuit ulla arte convertere aliquem in porcum; postquam ad haec et similia solverunt cachinnos, quaesivi, num sciant ex quibus Regnis in Mundo fuerant; dixerunt, quod ex variis, et nominabant Italiam, Poloniam, Germaniam, Angliam, Sueciam; et quaesivi num aliquem inter se viderint ex Hollandia, et dixerunt, non aliquem.
[5] Post haec converti sermonem ad seria, et interrogavi, num usquam cogitaverint quod Adulterium sit peccatum; responderunt, "quid peccatum; non scimus quid hoc:" interrogavi, num usquam meminerint quod Adulterium esset contra sextum praeceptum Decalogi; responderunt, "quid Decalogus; estne Catechesis; quid nobis viris cum puerili illo codicillo:" interrogavi, num usquam cogitaverint aliquid de Inferno; responderunt, "quis inde ascendit et narravit:" interrogavi, num aliquid in Mundo cogitaverint de vita post mortem; dixerunt, "simile quod de bestiis, et quandoque simile quod de larvis, quae si ex cadaveribus exhalantur, diffluunt:" porro interrogavi, numne de his et illis aliquod audiverint a Sacerdotibus; responderunt quod modo attenderint ad sonum loquelae illorum, et non ad rem, et quid haec.
[6] Ex his stupefactus dixi ad illos, "convertite faciem et aciem ad medium sylvae, ubi Caverna, in qua fuistis;" et converterunt se, ac viderunt magnum illum Serpentem circum illam flexum in spiram, ac insufflantem venenum, et quoque funestas aves in ramis supra illum; et quaesivi, "quid videtis;" sed territi facti nihil responderunt; et dixi, "vidistisne horrendum; scitote, quod hoc sit repraesentativum adulterii in libidinis suae flagitio." Subito tunc quidam Angelus adstitit; erat Sacerdos, et aperuit Infernum in Plaga occidentali, in quod tandem colliguntur tales; et dixit, "conspicite illuc;" et viderunt Stagnum sicut igneum; et cognoverunt ibi aliquos in Mundo amicos, qui invitabant illos ad se. His visis et auditis averterunt se, et proripuerunt se e conspectu meo, et recesserunt a Sylva, sed observabam gressus illorum, quod simularent recessum, sed quod per ambages in Sylvam reverterentur.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: applaudebent
2. Prima editio: parthetinos,
3. Prima editio: Medea,