At
last
the
soul
is
reduced
to
a
state
of
nothing-ness,
and
has
become
like
a
person
who
does
not
exist,
and
never
will
exist
;
it
does
nothing,
either
good
or
ill.
Formerly
it
thought
of
itself
now
it
thinks
no
longer.
All
that
is
of
grace
is
done
as
if
it
were
of
nature,
and
there
is
no
longer
either
pain
or
pleasure.
All
that
there
is,
is
that
its
ashes
remain
as
ashes,
without
the
hope
of
ever
being
anything
but
ashes
:
it
is
utterly
dead,
and
nothing
affects
it
either
from
without
or
within
—
that
is,
it
is
no
longer
troubled
by
any
sensible
impressions.
At
last,
reduced
to
nonentity,
there
is
found
in
the
ashes
a
germ
of
immortality^
which
lives
beneath
these
ashes,
and
in
due
time
will
manifest
its
life.
But
the
soul
is
in
ignorance
of
it,
and
never
expects
to
be
revived
or
raised
from
the
dead.
The
faithfulness
of
the
soul
in
this
condition
con-sists
in
letting
itself
be
buried,
crushed,
trampled
on,
without
making
any
more
movement
than
a
corpse,
without
seeking
in
any
way
to
prevent
its
putrefaction.
There
are
those
who
wish
to
apply
balm
to
themselves.
No,
no;
leave
yourselves
as
you
are.
You
must
know
your
corruption,
and
see
