950. There was a formation of spirits rising from the side of Gehenna up to an elevated position towards the front. I perceived from the sphere emanating from them (for the moment spirits start to approach their characters are perceptible merely from their sphere) that they regarded the Lord as worthless and despised all Divine worship. Their speech was undulatory. One of their number spoke against the Lord in a scandalous way and was instantly cast down towards one side of Gehenna. They were being carried along from a more forward region overhead, their intention being to meet those with whom they could join forces and bring others under their control. But they were stopped en route and were told to refrain from what they intended as this would be turned against them to their own harm. They accordingly came to a halt, at which point they could be seen. They had black faces and a white band around the head, which meant that they looked upon Divine worship, and thus the Word of the Lord too, as something black, useful only for restraining the common people by the bond of conscience. Their dwelling-place is near Gehenna where there are non-poisonous flying dragons, for which reason it is called 'the dwelling-place of dragons'. But because they are not given to deceit their hell is not so grim. Such spirits also attribute everything to themselves and their own prudence, and boast that they stand in fear of none. They were shown however that just a hissing sound would frighten them and put them to flight. On hearing the hissing they thought in their fright that the whole of hell was rising up to carry them away, and from being heroes they suddenly became as women.