3220. He, the murderer, because he was not a woman was driven toward the right side of Gehenna to be submerged there. I do not remember whether he was submerged there, but still at some distance away from it he penetrated under the earth, and then toward the left where those are who are deep under the earth. Then it was seen how he turned in snake-like bendings around to the left and right, higher, and now lower, always portrayed as various snake-like bendings and twistings, whose spiral twistings, being so many [in kind], cannot be remembered.
From there he could also flow in, and could speak from there, as I heard. There he was also put back into the state he was in when he had killed an innocent person with poison. This state was communicated to me by those who are able to communicate such things. It is now imparted that it was a wicked deed, and a deed of wicked spirits to lead anyone into such a state.
3220. He or [that is] the assassin, inasmuch as he was not a woman, was driven to the right side of Gehenna, that he might there be submerged. I do not remember whether he was there submerged, but still to some distance thence the sun penetrated the earth, and thence towards the left where [are those] who are [deep] under the earth. It was then seen how [he flowed] into serpentine bendings around to left and right, above, and now [into] bends below. There were continually represented, as it were, serpentine bendings and various twistings; these spiral twistings [I will not attempt to describe], because some cannot be described. Hence he could also inflow, and hence speak, as I heard. He was there also reduced into such a state as he was in when he killed an infant with poison, which state was communicated to me by those who could communicate such things. It is now insinuated that it was a detestable deed, and the [a] deed of detestable [spirits], to lead anyone into such a state.
3220. Is seu homocida quia non faemina ad latus dextrum Gehennae actus, ut ibi submergeretur; non memini an ibi submersus, sed usque ad aliquam inde distantiam, sub 1
terram penetravit, et inde versus sinistrum, ubi ii qui profunde sub terra; tunc visum quomodo in serpentinos flexus circum ad sinistrum et dextrum superius, et jam inferius flexus [est], jugiter repraesentatum sicut serpentini flexus et tortus varii, quorum tortus spirales quia aliqui {a} non possunt memorari; inde quoque influere potuit, et inde loqui, sicut auditum; ibi erat quoque in statum redactus qualis fuit cum insontem 2
veneno interfecit, qui status mecum communicatus est, ab iis qui potuerunt talia communicare, quod nunc insinuatur quod factum esset nefandum, et factum nefandorum, inducere aliquem in talem statum.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition sol
2. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition infantem (vide indicem ad Dolus)