751. The second city lies between Gehenna and the swamp, almost equidistant from them. There, the better ones of them seem to themselves to dwell. This city sometimes appears magnificent to them, with palaces and quite beautiful houses. But sometimes the same city is suddenly turned into countryside, or small towns, sometimes even into stinking swamp, practically nothing but mire, in which they are being buried. So the illusion varies for each individual who is there, and is not the same with everyone - for they are dominated by illusions. Therefore, depending on their various passions, and punishments, as well as refreshing enjoyments at intervals, they experience these fantasies as if they were entirely actual, quite unable to tell but that they are real. In this city, it is a common expression that the city is theirs, but the land the Lord's [cf. 728].
751. 1/2. I inquired who was the governor of the city. This they did not know, and told me that no one was, but that they were nevertheless together, for fear of the robbers wandering in the deserts. Thus they are held together because of fear. It is clear that the Lord controls their illusions in this way, through fear, so that one does not attack the other, as in the deserts, which would happen if they were not under the Lord's auspices.
751. The other city is almost midway between Gehenna and the lake. The better of them seem to themselves to dwell there. At times this city appears to them magnificent, with palaces and quite beautiful houses. But sometimes it appears to them that the city is suddenly turned into towns or lesser cities, sometimes also into a stinking lake, as if into mere filth, in which they may be overwhelmed. Thus it is varied with them; not with all at the same time, but with the individuals who are there, for they are governed by phantasies. It is, therefore, according to the varieties of their cupidities and punishments, and also according to the varieties of their delights through changes of recreations, that they experience such representations. To them these are as if altogether living, so that they can by no means know otherwise than that they are so. It is a common saying in this city of theirs, that the city belongs to them, but the land to the Lord.
751 1/2. I inquired who was the governor of the city. They did not know and I was told that there was no one, but yet they were together on account of their fear of the robbers wandering about in the deserts. Thus they are held together from fear. It was manifest that the Lord governs their phantasies in this way by means of their fears, lest one should infest another there, as they do in the desert places, which would happen unless they were under the auspices of the Lord.
751. Altera urbs est inter Gehennam et stagnum, sic paene in media distantia, ab illis, ibi eorum meliores habitare sibi videntur, haec urbs iis aliquando apparet magnifica, cum palatiis et domibus admodum pulchris, sed quandoque iis eadem urbs vertitur subito in pagos, seu minores urbes, quandoque etiam in stagnum putidum, quasi in merum coenum, ut eo obruantur, ita variatur iis, non omnibus simul, sed iis in particulari, qui ibi sunt, nam phantasiis reguntur, quare secundum varietates cupiditatum 1
, et suppliciorum, tum delectationum per vices recreantium, subeunt iis 2
tales repraesentationes sicut prorsus vivae, sic ut nequaquam aliud scire possint, quam quod ita sint; in hac urbe eorum communis sermo est, quod urbs sit eorum, terra Domini.
751a. Quaerebam quis esset urbis praefectus, hoc nesciebant, et mihi narrabatur, quod nullus esset, sed usque quod simul essent, propter timorem latronum vagantium in desertis; sic ut ex timore, conjuncti teneantur: manifestum est quod Dominus ita regat eorum phantasias, et per timores, ne unus alterum ibi infestet, sicut in desertis, quod fieret, nisi essent sub auspicio Domini.
Footnotes:
1. imperfectum in the Manuscript
2. hoc est iis [phantasiis]