ed sharp like the points
of swords, at another, blunt like broken swords. The streaks sometimes
darted out forwards, at others they drew themselves in again, exactly
like combatants; thus those different colored lesser clouds appeared to
be at war together; but it was only their manner of sporting with each
other. And as this meteor appeared at no great distance from me, I
raised my eyes, and looking attentively, I saw boys, youths, and old
men, entering a house which was built of marble, on a foundation of
porphyry; and it was over this house that the phenomenon appeared. Then
addressing myself to one that was entering, I asked, "What house is
this?" He answered, "It is a gymnasium, where young persons are
initiated into various things relating to wisdom." On hearing this, I
went in with them, being then in the spirit, that is, in a similar state
with men of the spiritual world, who are called spirits and angels; and
lo! in the gymnasium there were in front a desk, in the middle, benches,
at the sides round about, chairs, and over the entrance, an orchestra.
The desk was for the young men that were to give answers to the problem
at that time to be proposed, the benches were for the audience, the
chairs at the sides were for those who on former occasions had given
wise answers, and the orchestra was for the seniors, who were
arbitrators and judges: in the middle of the orchestra was a pulpit,
where there sat a wise man, whom they called the head master, who
proposed the problems to which the young men gave their answers from the
desk. When all were assembled, this man arose from the pulpit and said,
"Give an answer now to this problem, and solve it if you can, WHAT IS
THE SOUL, AND WHAT IS ITS QUALITY?" On hearing this problem all were
amazed, and made a muttering noise; and some of the company on the
benches exclaimed, "What mortal man, from the age of Saturn to the
present time, has been able by any rational thought to see and ascertain
what the soul is, still less what is its quality? Is not this subject
above the sphere of all human understanding?" But it was replied from
the orchestra, "It is not above the understanding, but within it and in
its view; only let the problem be answered." Then the young men, who
were chosen on that day to ascend the desk, and give an answer to the
problem, arose. They were five in number, who had been examined by the
seniors, and found to excel in sagacity, and were then sitting on
cou