4174. About the people before the flood
I was guided under guard toward a mountain where there were people from before the flood. On the way toward the mountain it became cold, a coldness that I felt occupying the lower region of my back, which in that location symbolized the most extreme perversity. That mountain is shaped by their fantasies into a kind of curve bent around them, within which they abide.
Then I spoke with them, and they declared that they had thought much about God, but that they had convinced themselves that there is no God, but that human beings were gods, thus that they themselves were gods. This notion they had confirmed because of dreams, as they declared in a loud voice; moreover, they imagine that they are dwelling in forests. 1749, 13 Mar. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of the sun, meaning Sunday.
4174. CONCERNING THE ANTEDILUVIANS.
Being [duly] guarded, I was led towards a mountain where are the antediluvians. When approaching the mountain I encountered a sensation of cold, which invaded the lower region of the back. The cold of that place signifies the extremest perversity. The mountain itself was formed from their phantasies into a hollow-curve surrounding them, and within which they abide. Upon speaking with them, they said that they thought much respecting [the being of] a God, but had persuaded themselves that no God existed, but that men were gods and thus that they themselves were gods, an idea in which they confirmed themselves by dreams. All this they declared with the living voice. They moreover suppose themselves to dwell in forests. - 1749, March 13.
4174. De antediluvianis
Perductus sum, et custoditus, versus montem ubi antediluviani, cum versus montem, obviam fiebat frigus, quod inferiorem tergi regionem occupabat, frigus istius loci significat perversitatem maximam; mons iste, ex phantasiis eorum [formatus] est in curvam quandam circum eos convexam, intra quam sunt: loquutus tunc cum iis, dicebant quod cogitaverint multum de Deo, sed quod sibi persuaserint non dari Deum, sed homines esse deos, sic se esse deos, in hoc se confirmarunt ex somniis, hoc dicebant viva voce; praeterea putant se in sylvis degere. 1749, 13 Mart.