549# “他们的折磨就像蝎子螫人的折磨一样”表示昏暗和引离对真理的看见是由心智所迷惑的说服造成的。这从“折磨”和“蝎子”的含义清楚可知：“折磨”是指心智的昏暗，并把它引离对真理的看见(参看AE 548节)；“蝎子”是指令人迷恋和窒息的说服(对此，也可参看AE 544节)。因此，“他们的折磨就像蝎子螫人的折磨一样”表示昏暗和引离对真理的看见是由心智所迷恋的说服造成的。关于令人迷恋，可以说令人窒息的说服力的性质和起源，可参看前文(AE 544节)。之所以说这种说服力令人迷恋，是因为它夺走对理智的使用，甚至到了除了一个拥有这种说服力的人所说的话外，理智或理性心智什么也看不见的地步；事实上，它立刻唤起一切同意的东西，模糊或掩盖一切不同意的东西；因此，心智因昏暗并被引离对真理的看见而迷恋。之所以说这种说服力令人窒息，是因为它剥夺理解力如每个理性人那样自由思考，并将它的视觉延伸到各个方向的能力，当情况是这样时，呼吸就变得困难了；因为自主呼吸从理解力获得自己的一切，因此它也适应理解力的思维，正如心脏运动从意愿获得自己的一切，并适应意愿的情感那样。肺呼吸对应于理解力及其思维，心脏运动对应于意愿及其情感(可参看《属天的奥秘》，1119, 3883–3896, 9281节)。我通过真实的经历得以获知，一种强烈的说服不仅具有令人迷恋的能力，还具有令人窒息的能力。
549. And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man.- That this signifies darkening, and hindering from seeing truth, is the result of the persuasion with which the mind is infatuated, is evident from the signification of torment, as denoting the darkening of the mind, and the hindering of it from seeing truth; see above (n. 548); and from the signification of a scorpion, as denoting the persuasive [power] infatuating and suffocating; see also above (n. 544). Therefore by their torment being as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man, is signified that the darkening and hindering of the mind from seeing the truth, is the result of the persuasion with which it is infatuated; concerning the nature and origin of the persuasive [power] which infatuates, and as it were suffocates, see above (n. 544). That persuasive [power] is said to be infatuating, because it takes away the use of reason, to such a degree that reason, or the rational mind, sees nothing but that which is spoken by him who possesses that persuasive faculty; for it excites in a moment every thing that consents, and covers over every thing that dissents, and therefore the mind becomes infatuated, because darkened, and drawn away from seeing the truth. That persuasive [power] is also said to be suffocating, because it deprives the understanding of the power of thinking freely, and of extending its view in every direction, as is the case with every rational man, and when this is the case the respiration labours; for the voluntary respiration derives its all from the understanding, therefore it also accommodates itself to the thought thereof, just as the motion of the heart derives its all from the will, and accommodates itself to the affection thereof. That the respiration of the lungs corresponds to the understanding and its thought, and the motion of the heart to the will and its affection, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1119, 3883-3896, 9281). That a strong persuasive [influence] has not only the power of infatuating, but also of suffocating, I have been permitted to learn by real experience.
549. And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man, signifies that the darkening and drawing away from seeing the truth is caused by the persuasion with which the mind is infatuated. This is evident from the signification of "torment," as being the darkening of the mind and drawing it away from seeing truth (See just above, n. 548; also from the signification of a "scorpion," as being persuasiveness infatuating and suffocating (concerning which see also above, n. 544. "Their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man" signifies, therefore, that the darkening and drawing away from seeing truth is caused by the persuasion with which the mind is infatuated. Of the persuasiveness that infatuates and as it were suffocates, of what quality it is and whence it is, has been told above n. 544. This persuasiveness is said to be infatuating, because it takes away the use of reason, even to the extent that the reason or the rational mind sees nothing except that which is said by the one who has this persuasiveness; for it at once calls up everything that agrees, and obscures everything that disagrees; and in consequence the mind is infatuated by being darkened and drawn away from seeing the truth. This persuasiveness is said to be suffocating because it deprives the understanding of the faculty to think freely and to extend its sight in every direction, as every rational man does, and when this is the case breathing becomes difficult; for everything of voluntary breathing is derived from the understanding, and consequently it adapts itself to the thought of the understanding, just as everything of the motion of the heart is derived from the will, and adapts itself to the affection of the will. That the breathing of the lungs corresponds to the understanding and its thought, and the motion of the heart to the will and its affection, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1119, 3883-3896, 9281). That a strong persuasiveness has not only the power of infatuating but also of suffocating has been given me to know by real experience.
549. "Et cruciatus illarum sicut cruciatus scorpii cum percutit hominem." - Quod significet quod caligatio et abstractio a videndo verum sit a persuasione qua mens infatuatur, constat ex significatione "cruciatus", quod sit mentis caligatio et abstractio a videndo verum (de qua mox supra, n. 548); et ex significatione "scorpii", quod sit persuasivum infatuans et suffocans (de qua etiam supra, n. 544): quare per quod "cruciatus 1
illarum sicut cruciatus scorpii cum percutit hominem significatur quod caligatio et abstractio a videndo verum sit a persuasione qua mens infatuatur. De persuasivo quod infatuat et quasi suffocat, quale illud et unde, supra (n. 544 2
) dictum est. Quod persuasivum illud dicatur infatuans, est quia aufert rationis usum, usque ut ratio seu mens rationalis nihil videat quam id quod ille qui in eo persuasivo est, loquitur; excitat enim momento omne quod consentit, et obvelat omne quod dissentit; unde mens infatuatur per id quod in caligine sit et in abstractione a videndo verum. Quod persuasivum illud dicatur suffocans, est quia deprivat intellectum facultate cogitandi libere, et extendendi visum undequaque, ut fit ab omni rationali homine, et cum hoc fit respiratio laborat: nam respiratio voluntaria trahit omne suum ab intellectu; quare etiam illa se cogitationi ejus accommodat; sicut motus cordis omne suum trahit a voluntate, et ejus affectioni se accommodat. Quod respiratio pulmonum correspondeat intellectui et ejus cogitationi, ac motus cordis voluntati et ejus affectioni, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, (n. 1119, 3883-3896, 9281). Quod forte persuasivum non modo vim infatuandi sed etiam suffocandi habeat, ab ipsa experientia scire datum est.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.