Dialogue on the Threshold

Schwellendialog

05 March 2020

The odours in hell

καὶ καλῶς Ἡράκλειτος εἶπεν ὅτι αἱ ψυχαὶ ὀσμῶνται καθ᾽ ῞Αιδην.

and Heraclitus was right in saying that souls employ smell in Hades.

Plutarch, De Facie in Orbe Lunae 943e


[The odours in hell] are like those of the various wild beasts, of mice, cats, dogs, foxes, wolves, panthers, bears, tigers, or swine. Further, like the stench of the excrements of these beasts, and also of man; like the bad odour of stagnant waters, and marshes; like that of various dead bodies; like that of various putrid substances; like that of privies, urinals, and snakes; like the bad smell of dregs, and of vomit; like the smell of various he-goats. These they sniff in with their noses and by their eyes are led to the places whence they emanate. […] The infernals shun heavenly perfumes, and the inhabitants of heaven the stenches of hell. On this account all domiciles in hell are closed. For this reason the children of Israel were commanded to carry their excrements outside of their camp, and to bury them there. When the dwellings in hell are opened they excite nausea and a desire to vomit; which has been several times experienced by myself. […] All those who are in hell turn their backs towards heaven and cannot endure the least odour thence.

Documents concerning the Life and Character of Emanuel Swedenborg,
 
ed. trans. R. L. Tafel, Vol. 2, Part 2, London, 1877, pp. 768-9

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