737. 17:10 "The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings." This symbolizes the Divine goods and truths in the Word on which the Roman Catholic religion was founded, in time destroyed and finally profaned.

Since the scarlet beast symbolizes the Word, and therefore its heads symbolize the goods of love and truths of wisdom in it, it follows that Word is here described such as it is in these two respects in people meant by Babylon - mountains symbolizing the Divine goodness of love in it, and kings the Divine truth in it. That mountains symbolize goods of love may be seen in nos. 336, 339, 713[1]; that kings symbolize truths of wisdom, in nos. 20, 664, 704. A head in reference to the Lord symbolizes the Divine love of the Lord's Divine wisdom and the Divine wisdom of His Divine love (nos. 47, 538, 568). The number seven symbolizes all and completeness, and is predicated of holy things (nos. 10, 391, 657). And the woman symbolizes the Roman Catholic religion (no. 723).

So, then, the seven heads being seven mountains, on which the woman sits, symbolizes the Divine goods and truths in the Word on which the Roman Catholic religion was founded. That is because the whole Word has been profaned and adulterated by that religion, as said in nos. 717, 719-721, 723, 728-730 above.

[2] We say in time profaned, since to begin with they regarded the Word as holy; but as they saw they could use the sanctities of the church to gain dominion, they turned away from the Word and regarded their own edicts, commandments and rules as having equal, but really greater, holiness. And at last they transferred all of the Lord's authority to themselves, leaving nothing behind.

It is because of their first state, when they regarded the Word as holy, that Lucifer, meaning Babel (no. 717), is called the son of the morning, and because of their later state that he was brought down to hell (Isaiah 14). But on this subject more may be seen in Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Providence 257.

It may seem as though the seven mountains on which the woman sits means Rome, because Rome was built on seven mountains, for which it is also famous. But although Rome is meant, since the papal Throne and Curia of the Roman Catholic religion is located there, still the seven mountains here nevertheless symbolize the Divine goods in the Word and so in the church profaned, for the number seven adds only that something is holy, here that something has been profaned, as is the case with the same number elsewhere. So we find reported seven spirits before the throne of God (Revelation 1:4); seven lampstands with the Son of Man in their midst (Revelation 1:13; 2:1); seven stars (Revelation 2:1; 3:1). So, too, the scarlet beast here had seven heads, and the seven heads were seven mountains and also seven kings.

568. Having seven heads. This symbolizes the irrationality resulting from their absolute falsities, like the seven heads of the dragon (no. 538).