1497. 1And so they are cast into that place, where they appear to themselves to be the kind of snakes that are called dragons, and there they live on in their dreadful fantasies. They do not harm each other, of course, but they are as if without rationality, like those wild animals, remaining so for centuries, until their former life has been changed. For because their life's delight had been revenge, which cannot be blotted out except together with their life, therefore they remain that way until they no longer know they had been human beings.
So their former life perishes, even though it remains, and the ability to lead a different life is added over and above it. While they are sustained in that ability they can be kept among certain kinds of spirits; but what they are then like, I have not yet been permitted to ascertain. 1748, 18 March.
Footnotes:
1. 1496 is lacking in the original.
1497. They are, therefore, cast into such a place where they appear to each other like those serpents which are called dragons, and they there live in dreadful phantasies; they do not indeed injure each other, but like such beasts they are as if devoid of rationality. Thus do they remain for ages, until at length their former life is changed, for since the delights of their life consisted in revengefulness, and cannot be extinguished except with their life, they therefore remain such, until they no longer know that they had been men. Thus their former life perishes, although it remains, the faculty of leading another life being superimposed thereon. So long as they are held in this faculty they can be kept among certain types of spirits, but of what quality they then are has not yet been permitted me to know. 1748, Mar. 18.
1497. 1
Ii itaque in talem locum conjiciuntur, ubi sibi apparent tales serpentes, qui dracones vocantur, et ibi vivunt in diris phantasiis, non quidem sibi nocent, sed sunt quasi nulla rationalitate; sed sicut tales bestiae, ita per saecula manent, usque dum vida eorum prior mutata sit, nam quia vitae eorum delitiae in vindictis fuerunt, nec possunt exstingui nisi vita, ideo tales manent, dum non amplius sciant, quod homines fuerint; ita perit prior vita, tametsi manet, et superadditur facultas aliam vitam agendi, in qua facultate dum tenentur, inter spirituum quorundam genera, teneri possunt, sed quales sic sunt, nondum licuit mihi scire. 1748, 18 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. 1496 deest