1099. And so, when people die, heavenly beings are at once present, and seated near their head. And indeed, they are present constantly, guarding them so that evil demons may not be there; and this happens to everyone. The heavenly [angels] remain for quite a long time, and even longer than it takes for a person's soul to be released from the bodily elements.
It makes no difference whether the person dies in bed, or in battle, or some other way. For even if parts of the body were scattered over a distance of 1000 miles, the vital parts of the person are nevertheless gathered in an instant, and are all together, and the person's vital part becomes the same as before.
1099. Therefore when a man dies the celestial are immediately present, seated at his head, and they are indeed continually present; thus they protect him, lest any evil genii draw near. This is the case with every man. The celestial remain with him quite a considerable time, even some time after his soul has been released from corporeal things. It matters not whether the man dies in his bed, or in any other way; for whatever is vital in man, even if the parts of the body were to be scattered a thousand miles, is nevertheless gathered in a moment, and it is together, and becomes his likeness.
1099. Dum itaque homo moritur, statim tunc coelestes adsunt, et adsident capiti ejus, et quidem jugiter adsunt, ita tutantur eum, ne quidam genii mali adsint, quod fit unicuique homini; coelestes diu admodum manent, et quidem diutius, quam anima ejus soluta est a corporeis; nihil refert si homo [in] 1
lecto suo moritur, vel si in praelio, vel alio modo, nam quod hominis vitale est, sive corporis partes 2
per 1000 milliaria forent dissipatae, usque tamen 3
congregantur momento, et simul sunt; ac simile fit {a}.
Footnotes:
1. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition
2. imperfectum in the Manuscript
3. The Manuscript has tam ut apparet; in J.F.I. Tafel's edition tum