4705. CONCERNING THOSE WHO ARE TURNED INTO ANIMALS, AND CONCERNING A CITY. In the other life, there appear animals of various kinds, for instance, sheep, horses, serpents; also camels and elephants. These were seen, and appeared like living ones in the earths; and some wondered whence this was, whether there was life in them, or whether they were so created, there. It was afterwards manifested that they were societies of spirits, to which such animals correspond - as, for instance, those who are in general knowledge, to elephants and camels - which appeared thus. A dog was, as it were, dragged down from top to bottom, and then those societies which returned thence to their own place, appeared. In order that I might know of what quality their state is, there was then seen a certain one who was an acquaintance of mine in the world, who was evil (Cederholm). At first, he was seen as an infant; after this as a venomous serpent, which twisted itself around in various ways; and the next moment he appeared in his own form; again, a second time as a serpent; and he was then asked how he at that time appeared to himself. He said that he was in thought how he might rule others, by saying such things concerning others as were to their prejudice, in order that he might thus arrive, by craftiness, at the rule whereto he aspired. Hence it was evident, that, when they are put into states of their ruling life, they then appear to themselves, indeed, as men, but in the light of heaven, as serpents: others, as other animals. I saw, also, certain ones as birds. Thus they do not appear such to themselves, but to others. Their progressions and movements are changes of state, because these appear in this manner.