5479. At the corner near its extension between west and north, mn, live those who knew utterly nothing in the world, and as a result were now blind as regards spiritual and moral matters, utterly dimwitted, and some virtual idiots, since in the world they had not wanted to know anything about the doctrine of the Church or about the Word. There also are two [other] chasms: the forward one for men, the other for women, and into it those were sent those who are virtual idiots, one after another. There are many who in the world were called wise, or rather, clever, but nonetheless in their heart denied the Divine and cherished feelings of hatred and revenge, those who were adulterers, and similar types, however well-mannered they were. Lest those who were like this injure others by using their gift of cleverness in matters of this world, they are sent there, and there become foolish. Spirits like this, too, within a short time are also purged. And when they come there, they become weak- minded and behave as if they were idiots. This was done because unless this happened, they would do evil to many by means of the gift of their cleverness and its abuse. Lagerberg 1was sent there on account of his haughty pride because of his position in the world as a powerful person; on account of his justification of the adulteries he had artfully committed before he was a husband and of having afterwards justified himself [by maintaining] that there was nothing evil in them; on account of the revenge he cherished in his heart against all those who opposed him; on account of his denial of the Divine, believing that religion was tolerated because of the common people; and because he did not care about any doctrine of the Church, was delighted solely in reading about the activities of the Senate and Court of Appeals and other such things, on account of a delight in this acquired in his early years, which was renewed and increased on account of the control he acquired by this. He was not a sociable man, but austere, and as a consequence was taken up with such things. He was examined and as a result of this learned why he had been purged over a period of two days and sent into the forward chasm and made a simpleton like the others. He breathed revenge right up to the end, and he did this specifically because it was put before him that he should not seduce another's wife. In this chasm the light was clearly coming from coal; there was no other.
Footnotes:
1. See footnoted information regarding him in paragraph 4683.
5479. At the angle between the west and north, beside its extension, mn, 1dwelt those, who, in the world, have known nothing, and were thence in blindness as to spiritual and moral things - of an utterly gross nature; some, also, were as it were idiotic, inasmuch as, in the world, they have wished to know nothing about the doctrine of the Church, nor about the Word . . . . 2There, also, are the two chasms, the forward one for the men, the hinder for the women; and those who are, in turn, sent thither, are as it were idiots, many of whom are such as have been called wise, or clever, in the world, but who yet have denied the Divine, have cherished hatred and revenges in their heart, have been adulterers and the like, whatever [they may have been] in moral life: those who are such, lest by means of the gift of natural ingenuity they should hurt others, are sent thither, and there they grow idiotic. Such, too, within a short time, were also vastated for two days together; and, when they arrive at that place, they become stupid and go as it were silly, just as though they knew nothing at all; for, except this happened, they would do evil to many by means of the gift of their ingenuity and its abuse. Lagerberg 3was sent thither because of his haughtiness, arising from dominion in the world; on account of his confirming himself in adulteries by intrigues before his marriage (he also afterwards confirmed in himself that there is nothing of evil in them); on account of the revenges which he cherished in heart against all who opposed themselves to him; on account of denial of the Divine, believing that religion is only to be countenanced for the sake of the masses; and because he did not care for any of the doctrinals of the Church, but only delighted in reading and re-reading the transactions of the senate, and the like - on account of the delight he took therein from his youth, stimulated and enhanced by reason of the influence he possessed thereby. He was not a man of society, because he was stern: hence it was that he was given to such [pursuits]. He was explored, and so exposed; wherefore, he was vastated within two days and sent into that anterior chasm, and became foolish like the others. He breathed revenge right up to the last, and this for [slight] cause, because, namely, he was hindered from carrying off another man's wife. The light [lux] in that chasm, was altogether coaly - nothing else.
Footnotes:
1. Figure 10 is a drawing of a square, each side of which is labeled with a direction - with east being on the top. From the four corners proceed straight dashed lines leading to various areas. Above the drawing are some mountains.
2. This hiatus occurs in the Latin. -ED.
3. See above, no. 5461a. -ED.
5479. Ad angulum juxta extensionem ejus inter occidentem et septentrionem mn, habitabant qui prorsus nihil sciverunt in mundo, et inde in coecitate quoad spiritualia et moralia essent, prorsus obesi ingenio, et quidam quasi fatui, quoniam in mundo nihil scire voluerunt de Ecclesiae doctrina nec de Verbo. Ibi etiam sunt hiatus bini, anterior pro viris, posterior pro faeminis, et illuc mittuntur per vices illi qui quasi fatui sunt; qui sunt plures qui in mundo sapientes dicti sunt seu ingeniosi, sed qui usque negaverunt Divinum, odia et vindictas corde foverunt, qui adulteri fuerunt, et similes, qualescunque in morali vita. Qui tales sunt, ne per ingenii naturalis dotem laedant alios, illuc mittuntur, ac ibi stultescunt; tales quoque intra breve tempus etiam per biduum vastantur, et cum illuc veniunt fiunt hebetes, et eunt quasi fatui, tanquam prorsus nihil sciverint; nam nisi hoc fieret, facerent malum pluribus per dotem sui ingenii et ejus abusum. Lagerberg illuc missus quia fastuosus ob dominatum in mundo, ob confirmationem de adulteriis per artes antequam maritatus et postea [quod] confirmaverit in se [quod] in illis nihil mali; ob vindictas quas fovit corde contra omnes qui se ei opposuerunt; ob negationem Divini, credens quod religio toleraretur propter vulgus; et quia non aliqua doctrinalia Ecclesiae curavit, solum delectatus in legendis actis senatus et revisionis, et talibus, propter jucundum captum inde ex juventute, recretum et auctum propter dominium per id; non fuit vir conversationis, quin austerus, inde deditus talibus. Exploratus et sic compertus, quapropter vastatus intra biduum, et in hiatum anteriorem missus, et fatuus sicut alii factus vindictam spiravit usque ad ultimum, et hoc ob causam, quod nempe [ei] opponebatur quod non abduceret alterius uxorem. In hiatu illo erat lux plane carbonaria, non alia.