2551. Therefore I spoke with them, as I had also done on other occasions, so as to learn what it was all about, and they said that it was they who had been within the mental image of birds, and that they had suddenly thrown themselves down on me, believing that they would break their head and neck in this fall, as was also portrayed to me. They thought nothing else than that they would surely perish, just like a person falling off a high house onto the ground. I sensed this too from the trembling caused by their fear, for during some time after the fall they shook with great fear, which had been communicated to me. So I recognized the truth of what they were saying.
2551. Wherefore I spoke with them, as also at other times, to know what the matter was. They said that it was they who were in the idea concerning the birds, and that they were suddenly cast down on me. They imagined that in the fall they would break [their] head and neck as they also represented to me; they knew nothing else [than] that they would certainly perish like a man when he falls from a lofty [high] house to the earth. I also perceived this from the trembling of their fear, which was communicated to me, so that I thence acknowledged the truth of their words.
2551. [vide 2550]