5229. Continuation about the destruction of Babel
In the Chamber on the right, where the southern quarter is, they sat at a table, as spoken about several times above [5221]. This consistory resembled the papal consistory, because they were not permitted to have a consistory actually like the one in the world, but those who ruled the ones in the Chamber were further away toward the south. They had been cardinals. The popes were still further away but did not dare show themselves because as often as they did, and wished to exercise command, they were punishingly thrown down, and actually into some sort of quagmire. Those who were in the Chamber had their eyes on things round about all the way to the distant mountains. They were given the ability to communicate throughout the whole region where this religion was, and the cardinals constantly gave them commands about what they were to do. I was amazed that their dominion extended so far. They made [the whole region] obedient to that [religion], just as was done from the papal consistory. Those in that chamber were changed daily, and others followed in their place. This was managed from behind by cardinals.
Once they said in the Chamber that they could still live and do this without inflow from the Divine. At the time there was the kind of spirits there who denied the Divine entirely. But the inflow from heaven was then taken away from them, and immediately they all fell as if dead, face yellow as cadavers. The cardinals and others there came in and looked, but they were soon cast out of the place into something like a northern quagmire, and others succeeded in their place.
5229. CONTINUATION CONCERNING THE DESTRUCTION OF BABEL.
In that chamber which is at the right, where the southern quarter is, several sat at a table, as above said. That referred to the papal consistory; for it is not allowed these to have a consistory, as is done in the world. But, further removed towards the south, were those who had been cardinals, who ruled those who were in the chamber. The popes were still further off; but they did not dare to show themselves; for, as often as they showed themselves and wished to govern, they were cast down, and at the same time subjected to punishment, and, in fact, were cast into a certain abyss. Those who were in that chamber, directed their gaze all round about, as far as the distant mountains. They were granted communication throughout the whole tract where that religion prevailed; and they continually gave them their commands, what should be done.
I wondered that they extended their dominion to such a remote distance. Those directed behaved obsequiously, as if [the commands had proceeded] from the papal consistory. Those who were in that chamber were changed daily, and others succeeded in their place. The cardinals at the back effected this. Those in the chamber once said, that they are continually able to live and accomplish this, without Divine influx. At that time, there were such characters there as altogether denied the Divine; but influx from heaven was then taken away from them, and they all speedily fell down as if dead, with faces ghastly, like corpses. The cardinals and others there, entered and saw it; but they were immediately cast out of the place, as it were into the northern gulf, and others succeeded instead of them.
5229. Continuatio de destructione Babelis
In Camera illa quae a dextra, ubi plaga meridionalis, sedebant ad mensam, ut supra dictum plures [5221], referebat illa consistorium papale, nam non licuit illis consistorium sicut in mundo habere, sed erant versus meridiem remotius qui regebant illos qui in Camera, qui fuerant cardinales, papae erant adhuc remotius, sed non audebant se ostendere, nam quoties se ostenderant voluerant imperare, cum punitione dejecti sunt quidem in voraginem aliquam: qui in Camera illa erant, oculos suos habebant circumcirca usque montes dissitos, data est illis communicatio per totum tractum ubi religio illa illis mandata continue dabant quid agerent; quod tam remotum extenderent dominium suum miratus sum, illi [religioni] obsequiosum faciebant [totum tractum], sicut ex consistorio papali; qui in camera illa mutabantur indies, alii loco illorum succedebant, hoc cardinales a tergo faciebant; quondam etiam dicebant in Cameram, quod possint usque vivere agere hoc absque Divino influxu, tunc fuerant tales ibi qui prorsus negabant Divinum, sed illis tunc influxus e coelo adimebatur confestim ceciderunt omnes sicut mortui, facie lurida sicut cadavera, intrabant cardinales alii ibi videbant, sed mox e loco illi conjecti sicut in voraginem septentrionalem alii loco eorum successerunt.