3392. Another one from those who had lived in my time, whom I had known in life, abandoned by his companions, was at the back as if dead. But he was alive, as I felt from his animation, as if in a deep sleep. Being afterwards in like manner seized by such spirits so as to be likewise forced, his gyres were at first crude, so that crude gyres were set apart by stops - six, if I am not mistaken - but so crude that I could hardly hope that he could be driven into quicker gyres. There was likewise torment, but not as to the whole body, as in the other's case - mostly, as I was allowed to feel, around the gums, and less as to the body, which was nevertheless being brought into harmony, as I was later given to see.
After several hours, and for the most part when I was asleep, he was brought back into such swift gyres that when I awoke, I marveled that within several hours he had been able to be brought into almost smooth gyres, seeming to me almost like angelic ones. I also observed this within myself, so that the other spirits marveled,
3392. Another, also, of those who lived in my time, with whom I was acquainted in life, was left by his companions; he was at my back, as it were, dead; yet alive, which I perceived [sentiebam] from his animation, as if [he were] in a deep lethargy. He was afterwards similarly occupied by such spirits, so that he likewise was led [into gyres]: his gyres at first were gross; so that, if I mistake not, there were six gross gyres, distinguished by boundaries [limits]; but so gross that I could hardly have hoped that he could have been exercised in swifter gyres; he was similarly tormented, but not as to the whole body as the other, [but] chiefly; as was granted to perceive, about the gums; thus less about the body, which still was reduced to concord, as was afterwards granted to see. After some hours, principally [mainly] while I was asleep, he was introduced into such rapid gyres that when I awoke I wondered that within a few [aliquot] hours he could have been reduced into gyres, almost continuous: as I [thought] almost similar to the angelic [gyres]: I also observed interiorly: thus that other spirits wondered and complained that he should thus escape from them,
3392. Alius quoque ex iis qui vixerunt 1
meo tempore, quem in vita cognovi, relictus a sociis, a tergo erat sicut mortuus, sed vivus, quod sentiebam ex animatione ejus, sicut in sopore alto, is postea similiter occupatus a talibus spiritibus 2
, ut pariter adigeretur, ejus gyri primum erant crassi, sic ut crassi distincti in terminos, si non fallor, sex, sed ita crassi, ut vix potuissem sperare, quod in citiores gyros potuisset agi; similiter erat cruciatus, sed non quoad totum corpus, ut alter, maxime, ut percipere dabatur, circa gingivas, ut etiam minus circa corpus, quod usque in concordiam redigebatur, quod postea videre datum. Is post aliquot horas, tum maxime cum essem in somno, redactus est in tam citos gyros, ut cum vigil factus, mirarer quod intra aliquot horas, reduci potuerit in gyros fere continuos, mihi similes paene angelicis 3
, (3393.) etiam interius observabam, sic ut alii spiritus mirati, et conquesti, quod sic iis elaberetur, nam perceptum quod sic posset esse in consortiis spirituum angelicorum, cum alioquin non potuisset: sed hoc solum est planum primum, in quod sic inaugurantur, nam usque manent cogitationes et cupiditates sicut prius; sed absque hoc plano dato, ut sic corporea accommodentur 4
proxime interioribus, non datur a Domino, etiam quoad cogitationes et affectiones interesse angelicis. Quod etiam nunc posset esse exemtus a spiritibus inferioribus, quoad totum corpus, etiam ostensum mihi per circumvolutiones et simul plicationes corporis ejus parvi, humano similis quoad colorem etiam, quod ita plicabile ostensum, ut non a spiritibus inferioribus, ita a malis, laedi sic posset, quia ut perceptum non possent influere, et aliquem dolorem corpori ejus per phantasias inducere, ut solent iis, qui nondum ita praeparati sunt, ut talibus eximi queant.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has viverunt
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has spiritus
3. The Manuscript has angelicos
4. The Manuscript has accomodentur