arts, and ulcers; some
seem to have no face, but in its stead something hairy or bony; and
with some only the teeth are seen; their bodies also are monstrous;
and their speech is like the speech of anger or of hatred or of
revenge; for what everyone speaks is from his falsity, while his tone
is from his evil. In a word, they are all images of their own hell.
[3] I have not been permitted to see what the form of hell itself in
general is; I have only been told that as the entire heaven in one
complex reflects a single man (n. 59-67), so the entire hell in one
complex reflects a single devil, and might be exhibited in an image
of a single devil (see above, n. 544). But the forms of particular
hells or infernal societies I have often been permitted to see; for
at their entrances, which are called the gates of hell, a monster
commonly appears that represents in a general way the form of those
within. The fierce passions of those who dwell there are represented
at the same time in horrible and hideous ways that I forbear to
describe. [4] But it must be understood that this is the way infernal
spirits appear in the light of heaven, while among themselves they
appear as men. This is of the Lord's mercy, that they may not appear
as loathsome to one another as they appear before the angels. But
this appearance is a fallacy, for as soon as any ray of light from
heaven is let in, their human forms appear changed into monstrous
forms, such as they are in themselves (as has been described above).
For in the light of heaven everything appears as it is in itself. For
this reason they shun the light of heaven and cast themselves down
into their own light, which is like that from lighted coals, and in
some cases like that from burning sulphur; but this light also is
turned into mere thick darkness when any light from heaven flows in
upon it. This is why the hells are said to be in thick darkness and
in darkness; and why "thick darkness" and "darkness" signify
falsities derived from evil, such as are in hell.

554. From an inspection of these monstrous forms of spirits in the
hells (which, as I have said, are all forms of contempt of others and
of menaces against those who do not pay them honor and respect, also
forms of hatred and revenge against those who do not favor them), it
became evident that in general they were all forms of the love of
self and the love of the world; and that the evils of which these are
the specific forms ha