Conjugial Love (Rogers) n. 514

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514. The fate of these seducers after death is an unhappy one, since the seduction they practice is not only impious but malignant as well. After they have passed through the first period of time, which is spent in outward appearances, in which they are more elegant in their manners and more sweet-spoken in their conversations than many others, they are impelled into the second period of their life, which is devoted to inner realities, in which their lust is set free and begins its sport. At that point they are then taken first to women who had taken a vow of chastity. In their company they are examined to see how malignant their lust is, in order to prevent their being judged until proven guilty. When the men sense the women's chastity, their guile begins to operate and to work its deceits; but on meeting with no success, they depart from them. [2] Next they are introduced to women of genuine innocence. When they attempt to deceive these in the same way, by a power given the women they are severely punished; for the women inflict on their hands and feet a heavy numbness, and on their necks as well, and finally cause to them to feel as though they are about to faint. Then, when the men are thus afflicted, the women tear themselves away from them. After that a path is opened for them to a particular band of harlots who have learned to skillfully feign innocence; and these harlots first make them objects of laughter in their company, until, after receiving various promises, they finally allow themselves to be violated. [3] Following several such scenes, a third period ensues which is one of judgment. At that time those who have been proven guilty then sink down and are gathered to their like, in a hell which is situated in the northern zone, where they appear at a distance as weasels. However, if they have been consumed with guile, they are taken from there to a hell of the guileful which is situated deep in the hinder part of the western zone. In that hell they appear at a distance as serpents of various kinds, and the most guileful as vipers. Still, in the hell itself, which I was granted to see into, they looked to me as though sickly pale and chalk-faced. Moreover, because they are filled with nothing but lust, they do not like to speak; and if they speak, they only mutter and mumble various things which are not intelligible to any but their companions next to them. But as soon as they sit or stand they make themselves invisible and flit about in the cavern like ghosts; for they are then in a state of fantasy, and the imagination seems to fly. After flying around they come to rest; and then, surprisingly, they do not recognize one another. The reason for this is that they are engrossed in guile, and guile does acknowledge another's existence and so holds itself aloof. When these spirits sense anything of conjugial love, they flee into underground chambers and hide. They are also without any love for the opposite sex, and are figures of utter impotence. They are called infernal genii.


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