4672. About Hell
I was led above to a magical hell, and when I was there over it, the large head of a snake appeared. It was foul because of its black scales, and its body was like a scaly fish. It was said that this magical hell appears this way in the light of heaven, the reason being that snakes are the earthly matters and false reasoning arising from these. The scaly fish is sensual knowledge by which they were led into magic. From this it was plain what is symbolized in the prophet by the large winding snake, and the whale, where Egypt is treated of where there is magic.
4672. CONCERNING HELL.
I was led above the magical hell; and when I was above it, there appeared a great head of a serpent, hideous by reason of its black scales. The body was like a scaly fish. It was said that this magical hell appears thus in the light of heaven. The reason is, because serpents are naturals, and ratiocinations thence: the scaly fish are sensual scientifics, whereby they are led into magical things. Hence it was apparent what was signified, in the prophet, [by] the great crooked serpent and leviathan, where [he treats] concerning Egypt, where magical arts [were practiced]. 1
Footnotes:
1. The allusion is, plainly, to Isaiah 27:1. Egypt is mentioned in the twelfth and thirteenth verses.
4672. De Inferno
Ductus sum super infernum magicum, et cum ibi supra essem, apparebat caput serpentis magnum ex nigris, lamellis, tetrum, corpus sicut piscis squamosus, dicebatur quod ita appareat infernum hoc magicum in luce coeli, causa est, quia serpentes sunt naturales et inde ratiocinia, piscis squamosus scientifica sensualia, per quae ducti sunt in magica; inde patuit quid [per] serpentem magnum tortuosum, et balaenam, significatur apud prophetam, ubi de Aegypto, ubi magica.