4756. How certain evil men are terrified on account of the evils they have committed in the life of the body
Those who have entirely confirmed themselves against the Divine and consequently regarded evil as nothing are let down into a hell among those like themselves. They mutually torment each other to the point that the evil activity begins to be lessened by the terrors. Those, however, who have actually thought about the Divine, and nevertheless committed evil acts without conscience, are sent to cities where there are judges, examiners, and punishers. For example: those who have regarded whoredom as insignificant and in the life of the body have harmed virgins without restraint are sent into such cities, and the judges and examiners there immediately see what evil these are involved in, give them a place to live, and sternly warn them, with threats, not to do such things. Immodest women who pretend to be virgins are also sent to them. If they harm them, the examiners report it to the judges, and they are punished. They are then sent back a second time. And they continue on in the same way; if they do not abstain, they are punished yet more sternly. After a long time they are admitted in a way [that the men] think no one sees, and they also take away such a belief. Then if they sin, they are brought back to the judges, who immediately see whether they are guilty. And they are heavily punished, and this continues a long, long time, to the point where they finally do not dare to [sin] anymore, not from conscience but from fear. Those who are still greater evildoers are released from a city across the Jordan, as it is called, and there they are very sternly interrogated, and punished.
4756. IN WHAT MANNER CERTAIN EVIL ONES ARE REDUCED TO TERROR, ON ACCOUNT OF EVILS WHICH THEY PERPETRATED IN THE LIFE OF THE BODY.
Those who have altogether confirmed themselves against the Divine, and so have regarded evil as of no moment, are dismissed to hell amongst their like, who torment each other until their evil begins to be lessened, by means of terrors. But they who have also thought about the Divine, and yet committed evils without conscience, are sent to cities, where are judges, examiners and chastisers - for instance, they who esteemed whoredom a matter of no moment, and, in the life of the body, have violated virgins indiscriminately, are sent to such cities; and the judges and explorers there perceive immediately in what evil they are. They furnish them with lodgings and severely admonish them with threats, not to do such things. Shameless women also are admitted to them, who pretend to be virgins; if they violate these, the examiners report it to the judges, and they are chastised. They are again remitted, and proceed in a similar manner. If they do not as yet abstain, they are punished more severely: at length, they [the women] are so admitted that [the men] suppose no one sees; they [the women] also remove such a belief [the belief, that is, that they are seen]: if they sin then, they are brought before the judges, who at once see whether they are guilty, and grievously punish them; and this is continued for a long, long time, until at length, they dare not do so any more from conscience, but from fear. Those who have been still greater evil-doers, are sent from the city across the Jordan, as it is called, and there are most severely examined and chastised.
4756. Quomodo redigantur quidam mali in terrorem pro malis quae patrarunt in vita corporis
Qui se prorsus confirmarunt contra Divinum, et sic malum pro nihilo reputaverunt, illi in infernum dimittuntur inter similes, qui se mutuo cruciant, usque dum malum incipit per terrores diminui. Qui autem etiam cogitaverunt de Divino, et tamen mala absque conscientia fecerunt, illi mittuntur in urbes, ubi sunt judices, inquisitores, castigatores, sicut qui meretricatum pro nihilo aestimaverunt, et in vita corporis laeserunt virgines absque discretione, illi mittuntur in tales urbes, et judices ac exploratores ibi percipiunt statim, in quo malo sunt, dant illis domicilium, et admonent severe ne talia faciant, cum minis, admittuntur etiam faeminae impudicae ad illos, quae mentiuntur virgines, si laedunt illas, inquisitores referunt ad judices, et castigantur, iterum remittuntur, et simili modo procedunt, si non abstinent adhuc severius puniuntur, tandem admittuntur ita ut putent neminem videre, auferunt etiam fidem talem, tunc si peccant, deducuntur ad judices, qui illico vident num rei, et graviter puniuntur, et hoc continuatur diu diu, usque dum tandem non ausint amplius, non ex conscientia, sed ex timore. Qui adhuc modo malefici sunt, illi emittuntur urbe trans Jordanem, ut dicitur, et ibi severissime inquiruntur, et castigantur.