1259. Afterwards this same spirit prayed imploringly to be freed from that hellish prison. This he did quite earnestly, at the same time setting forth several reasons, such as that if he had thought evil thoughts, this could not condemn a person, since he had committed no evil in his life, because he can be reproached by no one, besides other like reasonings. And so he prayed to be admitted into different societies, those of upright spirits.
This was also permitted him, for he thought because he had been able to be in circles of good people in the world, that he could do likewise in that life, and could thus pretend to be a good person as he had in the life of the body, mixing with them and being loved by them.
So he was permitted to enter into a circle of good spirits above the forehead, in whose company he wanted to stay. And he forced himself to be like them, but was not able to do so for long. In every detail, feelings of reluctance were noticeable, so he complained, even begged, that the kind of spirits be joined to him that would make him better able to compel himself to harmonize with them. This too was permitted, yet again he became aware of feelings of reluctance, so he begged to be sent away and to come into different societies, or into some room where he could be alone, and thus be safe.
So he was sent into a long arched room, and there, sitting in a chair, he was swung around. This symbolized that he was changeable, and could not join in any such society. Finally, he returned to me, and because someone wanted to thrust him down again into the hellish chamber, and he insisted that he was innocent, therefore, when he was being sent there, he was whirled around here and there, to the right hand and to the left, and into opposite gyres turning this way and then that. This had the same meaning, namely, that he could stay nowhere, because he considered himself blameless.
Then he was finally sent back into the hellish chamber, and in fact, into the same company as before, but now they did not want to let him in, complaining that he was just the same now as he was before. For he tried to devise tricks with them as before, so they threw him out because he had prayed imploringly and considered himself blameless.
1259. The same spirit afterwards prayed imploringly that he might be liberated from that infernal prison-house, and this with considerable earnestness, setting forth at the time many reasons, as this, that if a man had thought evil, this could not condemn him when he had not committed evil in his life, for no one can reprove him, besides like arguments. He therefore prayed that he might be sent into other societies, that is, into societies of upright spirits. This was also permitted him, for he supposed that because he could be in the company of the upright in the world, he could also do likewise in that life, and that he could thus simulate good as he had done in the life of the body, and be among the upright and be loved. He was therefore permitted to enter into a company of good spirits above the forehead, in whose company he wanted to maintain himself; and he did compel himself to be like them, but yet he could not do so for long, resistance being observed in each single thing, on which account he complained. He further begged that these spirits should be adjoined to him so that he might more readily be forced into agreement with them, which was also permitted; but a similar resistance was still observed, so that he begged to be sent away to go into other societies, or into some chamber where he might be alone, and thus be safe. So he was sent into a long vaulted chamber and sitting there upon a stool, he was circumrotated, which signified that he was inconstant, and could not be in any such society. At length he returned to me; and because they still wanted to thrust him down into the infernal chamber, and he insisted that he was innocent, therefore when he was sent there he was rotated in gyres, hither and thither, being rotated to the right and to the left, and also into opposing gyres, being turned to this side and that. This signified like things, namely, that he could remain nowhere, because he supposed that he was blameless. He was at length sent back into the infernal chamber, and indeed to his former associates, but they were then unwilling to admit him. They complained about him that he was then the same as before, for he wanted as formerly to devise deceits with them; and they cast him out for the reason that he prayed as a supplicant, and supposed himself to be blameless.
1259. Postea idem spiritus suppliciter oravit, ut liberaretur a carcere isto infernali, et quidem satis ex animo, tunc plures rationes allegans, ut si mala cogitaverit, hoc non posset hominem condemnare, cum nihil in vita mali patraverit, quia a nemine potest reprehendi, praeter similia; orans itaque ut in alias societates, seu proborum spirituum mitteretur. Hoc quoque ei permissum erat, putabat enim, quia in proborum consortiis in mundo potuisset quoque esse, quod similiter 1
in illa vita, sic quod simulare posset bonum, sicut in vita corporis, et inter eos esse, et amari; permissum itaque erat, ut intraret in consortium bonorum spirituum, supra frontispicium, in quorum consortio se tenere voluit, et coegit se, ut similis iis esset, sed usque non diu potuit, renuentiae in singulis animadvertebantur; quare conquestus, etiam petiit, ut ei adjungerentur ii spiritus, ut potuisset melius cogi ad consentiendum iis, quod etiam permissum; sed usque similiter renuentiae in singulis animadvertebantur, sic ut dimitti peteret, et in alias societates venire, vel 2
in conclave quoddam, ut solus esse 3
posset, et sic tutus, ita missus est in conclave arcuatum longum, ac ibi in sella sedens, circumrotabatur, quod significabat, quod versabilis 4
esset, nec in aliqua societate tali interesse posset; tandem rediit ad me, et quia eum in cameram infernalem adhuc detrudere vellet 5
, et is insisteret, quod innocens esset, ideo cum eo mitteretur, in gyros huc illuc, ad dextram et sinistram rotatus [est], et in gyros repugnantes, hac et illac versos, quod significabat similia, quod nullibi morari posset, quia inculpatum se putabat.
Praeterea tamen remissus est in cameram infernalem, et quidem in priorum consortium, sed ii non eum tunc admittere volebant, conquesti de eo, quod tunc sicut prius, nam dolos nectere ut prius, cum iis vellet, quare ejecerunt eum, ex causa, quia supplex oravit, et se inculpatum putavit.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has simililiter
2. The Manuscript has venire; vel
3. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has esset
4. versatilis in J.F.I. Tafel's edition
5. sic manuscript