5858. After this the Babylonians who made one with them were thrown down. They were in a dark corner between the mountains more forward in the west, where the woman on the purple beast is [Rev. 17:3], and a little in front of the mountains where the Neapolitans and the Sicilians were, and also where the mountain was on which the foremost persons had their own dwellings.
[2] They had invented that trick so that they could render themselves entirely unnoticeable to everyone, even to someone close by, this was a unique trick; and also, those on the mountain were able to jump up and stay in the air, making themselves aerial beings and thus they escape all destruction. But destruction came upon them: this ability was taken away from them for several moments, and they were hurled into swamps and hells around about.
Soon after this those who stood forward and brought aid to the former were visited, and they too were hurled into the hells. The judgment proceeded further to those who were more in the interior, and it proceeded in a long stretch first toward the north, and then in a line further to the west where the Sicilians were, who all who practiced this trick, and they likewise were deprived of this ability and were hurled into hells nearby where it appeared fiery and very dark. Among them were also those
5858. Afterwards were discovered the Babylonians who made one with these: they were in a dark corner among the anterior mountains in the west, where is the woman upon the scarlet beast, and a little to the front of those mountains where the Neapolitans and Sicilians are; 1and, likewise, the mountain upon which the chief ones had their dwellings was there. They invented that art, in order that they might render themselves altogether invisible to everybody, even to one beside them, and this with eminent skill; and those who were upon the mountain were able likewise to hurl themselves upwards, and also to remain in the air; so that they could make themselves aerial beings in order to escape all destruction. But destruction came upon them; and, for several minutes of time, that faculty was taken away from them and they were cast into gulfs and hells roundabout.
In the next place, visitation came upon those who were stationed in front and rendered the former ones assistance; and they, also, were cast into hells. The judgment advanced beyond, to those who were farther inwards, and this for a great distance; first, towards the north, and afterwards in a straight line farther into the west, where the Sicilians were, who were all skilled in that art; and they, in like manner, were deprived of that faculty, and were cast into hells near there, in which it appeared fiery and exceedingly dark.
Footnotes:
1. See nos. 5648 and 5652. -TR.
5858. Postea dejecti sunt Babylonici, qui unum fecerunt cum illis, erant in angulo obscuro inter anteriores montes in occidente, ubi mulier super bestia coccinea [Apoc. XVII: 3], et paulo ante illos montes ubi Neapolitani et Siciliani, et quoque ibi erat mons super quo primores domicilia sua habebant; invenerunt illam artem ut se prorsus inconspicuos reddere possent cuicunque, etiam vicino, et hoc peculiari arte, et quoque potuerunt illi qui super monte se ejicere sursum et morari in aere, ut facerent se aereos, ut sic effugerent omnem destructionem, sed super illos venit destructio, et per aliquot minuta temporis adimebatur illis ea facultas, et conjecti circumcirca in voragines et inferna. Mox visitati illi qui anterius stabant, et illis opem ferebant, et illi quoque conjecti in inferna; ulterius judicium pergebat ad illos qui interius et hoc longo tractu primum versus septentrionem, et dein linea ulterius in occidentem ubi Siciliani, qui omnes illam artem callebant, et illi similiter deprivati facultate illa, et conjecti sunt in inferna prope ibi, ubi igneum apparuit, et obscurissimum; inter illos etiam erant