[2] When he said this, a throne appeared next to each column, and on the throne a robe of silk, and on the robe a sceptre and a crown; and next to each pyramid appeared a chair raised three cubits above the ground, and on the chair a chain with gold links, and sashes of knighthood with diamond-studded globes at their ends. Then the cry went up, 'Come now and dress yourselves, take your seats and wait.' At once the elders hurried to the thrones and the younger men to the chairs, put on their robes and sat down. Then what looked like a mist appeared coming up from below; and as a result of breathing this those who sat on the thrones and chairs had their faces begin to swell up, and their chests were puffed up, and they were filled with a confident belief that they were now kings and princes. The mist was the aura of delusion which inspired them. Then suddenly young men flew in as if from heaven and stood, two behind each throne and one behind each chair, to wait on them. Then it was repeatedly proclaimed by a herald: 'You kings and princes are to wait here a little longer. Your courts are now being made ready in heaven, and your courtiers and attendants will shortly be here to take you to them.' They kept on waiting and waiting, until their spirits began to gasp and tire through longing.

[3] After three hours heaven was opened above their heads, and the angels looked down and pitied them. 'Why,' they said, 'do you sit like this looking foolish and playing at acting? They have made fools of you and changed you from human beings into dummies, because you believed in your hearts that you would reign with Christ as kings and princes, and that then angels would wait upon you. Have you forgotten the Lord's words, that he who would be great in heaven must become a servant? You must learn therefore what is meant by kings and princes and by reigning with Christ. This means being wise and performing services. For Christ's kingdom, which is heaven, is a kingdom of services. For the Lord loves all and so wishes to do good to all, and good is service. Since the Lord does good or performs services indirectly through angels, and in the world through people, He gives those who faithfully perform services a love of service and its reward, which is inward blessedness, and this is everlasting happiness.

[4] 'There are in the heavens, as on earth, surpassing dominions and the richest treasures. For there are governments and forms of government, and therefore major and minor authorities and ranks. Those who hold the highest offices have palaces and council-chambers, the magnificence and splendour of which surpass those of the palaces and council-chambers of emperors and kings on earth; and the number of their courtiers, ministers and attendants, and the magnificent uniforms they wear, form for them an ambience of honour and glory. But these highest rulers are chosen from those whose heart is in the welfare of society, and only their bodily senses are concerned with the greatness of magnificence, in order to inspire obedience. Since the public weal demands that everyone should serve some purpose in the community as being the common body, and since all service comes from the Lord, and is performed by angels and by men as if of themselves, it is obvious that this is reigning with the Lord.' On hearing this from heaven the people dressed up as kings and princes came down from their thrones and chairs, and threw away their sceptres, crowns and robes. The mist which brought the aura of delusion went away, and they were covered by a shining cloud containing an aura of wisdom, and this brought sanity back to their minds.

* Supplied from CL 7.1.