2240. The character and punishments of those highly gifted with cleverness, who pursue only things that serve to corrupt mankind
In my sleep I seemed to be in a ship with others, and when I disembarked, to be in a higher and higher place on a mountain facing the sea. I saw that ship beneath me being driven about by the helmsman at will, as if horses were hitched to it, and he was driving the ship in whirling spirals, eager that those who were in the ship might perish. After several such circular movements, he finally steered the horses under water, so as to submerge himself together with those aboard. There was a man, a maiden and a little child in the boat, whom I then took thought of, and felt rather sorry for.
2240. OF WHAT QUALITY ARE THEY, AND WHAT THEIR PUNISHMENT, WHO ARE WELL ENDOWED WITH GENIUS, AND ONLY STUDY WHAT SERVES TO PERVERT MAN.
In my sleep I seemed to myself to be in a ship, with others, from which, when I came out [ascendi] upon the land, I stood in a higher and higher place upon a mountain facing [spectantem] the sea, and I saw that the ship beneath was steered about [circumagi] by a pilot at pleasure [voluntario]; and then, as if there were horses put before him, he directed the ship in gyres and vortices, with the purpose that they should perish who were in the ship. After such gyres he at last directed the horses under the waters, so that it was submerged with those who were therein. There was a man [vir], a virgin and infant in the ship, concerning whom I then thought and pitied them, awhile.
2240. Quales sunt, et quae poenae eorum, qui dote innenii multa pollent, et solum iis student, quae 1
inserviunt perversioni hominis 2
In somno visus mihi eram esse in navi, cum aliis, e qua cum {a} in terram ascendi, in altiori et altiori loco, super montem spectantem ad mare, stare, et vidi infra navem istam a gubernatore, voluntario circumagi, et quasi tunc essent ei equi praemissi, in gyros et vortices dirigebat navem, studio ut perirent, qui in navi, post tales gyros tandem infra aquas direxit equos, sic ut submergeretur is, cum iis qui intus, erat vir, virgo et infans in navi, de quibus tunc cogitavi, et aliquantisper misertus.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has qui
2. The Manuscript has homini