870. Their method of working and torturous twisting is rapid, consisting of quick back and forth motions, which no one can hold back. It is even accompanied by sound; and they direct their quick binding and tightening motion upwards, above the forehead. Their operation appears like a cone coming to a point upwards, and anyone who comes within this cone, especially toward its apex, is pitiably squeezed together, and twisted in every least joint of the body; so that in the spirit being thus tortured, there is nothing but a twisting of all parts, back and forth.
The torture was visible to me, especially that of the joints of the arm, and that of the rest of the joints of the body below the head. This twisting back and forth appears cruel, and spirits told me that it is crueler than anyone could ever conceive. When one of them has thus been twisted, others follow, as many of those present as have accumulated such urinous elements. They have to be cast out, for they are fantasies engendered by falsities, to which urine in the material world corresponds.
But they do not twist the region of the head, because there are situated the calluses engendered by desires. By the joints of the arms and of the chest or thorax are portrayed fantasies resulting from reasoning, so they have to do with spiritual matters, and belong to the spiritual class, as do all those who assist [in this torture]. For there had been some who assisted from above, which displeased me, so they were indeed sent in, and they were those who composed the province of the kidneys, and thence of the ureters, because these insert into the bladder, and assist. Also they stood at the side like the ureters, which come in at the side, but, as said, from above, while those who had worked the sphincter and portray it, did so from below. They say that the torment is severe, and annoying.
870. Their mode of operating and twisting is quick, by swift movements to and fro which no one can check, and this is accompanied with a sound; and they direct their swift constrictory and restrictory motion upwards, above the forehead. Their operation appears like a cone pointed upwards. Whoever comes within this cone, especially about its apex, is miserably constricted. He is twisted in every joint of his body, so that in the spirit who is being tortured, there is nothing but a kind of reciprocal distortion of everything. This torture, especially that of the joints of the arms, and of the other joints of the body below the head, was seen by me. The reciprocal distortion appears cruel, and the spirits told me that it is more cruel than anyone can ever conceive. When one spirit has been distorted in this way, others, as many as are present and have similar urinous things gathered which must be cast out, undergo the same torture. It is the phantasies of falsities, to which urine in the material world corresponds. They do not, however, distort the region of the head, because the calluses of cupidities are there; whereas by the joints of the arms and of the breast or chest are represented phantasies from reasonings, which thus concern spiritual things and pertain to the spiritual class, as do all those who co-operate, for there were those who co-operated from above, at which I was indignant. Wherefore certain ones who constituted the province of the kidneys and of the ureters there were also sent in, because they are inserted into the bladder and co-operate. They also stood at the side, as do the ureters which are inserted at the side, but in the upper part, as was said, since those who operate and represent the sphincter are beneath. They saw that the torture together with the distress is great.
870. Eorum operandi et torquendi modus est citus, et quidem per reciprocationes citas, quas nemo potest inhibere quidem cum sono, et dirigunt suum motum citum constrictorium et restrictorium, versus superiora 1
, supra frontem; operatio eorum apparet sicut conus, qui sursum acuminatur, quicunque intra conum hunc venit, cumprimis circa apicem, is miserabiliter constringitur, torquetur quoad singulos artus sui corporis, sic ut nihil nisi sit 2
quaedam reciproca distorsio omnium in spiritu, qui torquetur-quae 3
tortura mihi apparuit cumprimis 4
artuum brachiorum, et artuum reliquorum corporis infra caput: apparet haec distorsio reciproca crudelis, et dixerunt mihi spiritus, quod crudelior sit, quam usquam percipi a quodam possit; quando unus ita distortus est, alii subeunt, et sic quotcunque praesentes sunt, et similia urinosa collecta habent quae ejicienda, sunt enim phantasiae falsitatum, quibus lotium in materiali mundo correspondet; non autem distorquent capitis regionem, quia ibi sunt calli cupiditatum; at vero per artus brachiorum et pectoris seu thoracis, repraesentantur phantasiae ex ratiociniis, sic haec spiritualia concernunt, et ad classem spiritualem pertinent, sicut 5
omnes qui cooperantur, fuerunt enim qui cooperati sunt superne, quod indignatus, quare immissi etiam quidam 6
sunt, fueruntque qui 7
provinciam renum, et hic ureterum constituerunt, quia ii inseruntur vesicae et cooperantur. A latere etiam stabant, sic ureteres qui a latere insertantur, sed ut dictum superne, cum ii qui operati sunt, et repraesentant sphincterem, inferne; dicunt quod magnus sit cruciatus, cum molestia.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has superia (in J.F.I. Tafel's edition superius sed vide Arcana Coelestia 958, 5389)
2. legerim sit nisi
3. The Manuscript has torquetur, quae
4. The Manuscript has apparuit, cumprimis
5. The Manuscript has pertinent; sicut
6. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has quidem
7. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has quae