n their raiment; for all the angels are affections of
love in a human form. The ruling affection itself shines forth from
their faces; and from the affection, and according to it, the kind and
quality of their raiment is derived and determined: therefore it is said
in heaven, that every one is clothed by his own affection. The husband
appeared of a middle age, between manhood and youth: from his eyes
darted forth sparkling light derived from the wisdom of love; by virtue
of which light his face was radiant from its inmost ground; and in
consequence of such radiance the surface of his skin had a kind of
refulgence, whereby his whole face was one resplendent comeliness. He
was dressed in an upper robe which reached down to his feet and
underneath it was a vesture of hyacinthine blue, girded about with a
golden band, upon which were three precious stones, two sapphires on the
sides, and a carbuncle in the middle; his stockings were of bright
shining linen, with threads of silver interwoven, and his shoes were of
velvet: such was the representative form of conjugial love with the
husband. With the wife it was this; I saw her face, and I did not see
it; I saw it as essential beauty, and I did not see it because this
beauty was inexpressible; for in her face there was a splendor of
flaming light, such as the angels in the third heaven enjoy, and this
light made my sight dim; so that I was lost in astonishment: she
observing this addressed me, saying, "What do you see?" I replied, "I
see nothing but conjugial love and the form thereof; but I see, and I do
not see." Hereupon she turned herself sideways from her husband; and
then I was enabled to view her more attentively. Her eyes were bright
and sparkling from the light of her own heaven, which light, as was
said, is of a flaming quality, which it derives from the love of wisdom;
for in that heaven wives love their husbands from their wisdom, and in
it, and husbands love their wives from that love of wisdom and in it, as
directed towards themselves; and thus they are united. This was the
origin of her beauty; which was such that it would be impossible for any
painter to imitate and exhibit it in its form, for he has no colors
bright and vivid enough to express its lustre; nor is it in the power of
his art to depict such beauty: her hair was arranged in becoming order
so as to correspond with her beauty; and in it were inserted diadems of
flowers; she had a necklace of carbuncles