3409. Then when I was thinking about the dragon being such that he is thinking one thing when he is saying another [505, 2364, 3042], he replied to me that he knows there are such people, but that he is not taken in by them. But when that wicked spirit began to operate, then the dragon was let into the ancient Jerusalem and hidden in the darkest part there together with Jews. It was said that the Jews are thus hidden away when such spirits come and operate - that is, they are wrapped around by darkness, and thus covered over so that the fantasies of the wicked spirit would not catch up to them. I was given to realize that in this way the Jews are held far away from the faith so that they may entirely deny the Lord, for the sake of being hidden away in thickest darkness, and that they would otherwise be drawn away and cast forth by such spirits.
The dragon as well as the Jews imagine that they hide themselves away in the darkness with which they claim they wrap themselves, but now the dragon has been shown, as he also admitted, that [the spirit] could draw him away together with the Jews and then throw him into his net - the dragon imagining he could resist by wrapping himself in darkness, so he was allowed to try, and he confessed that he could not resist unless the Lord watched over him. So he is now submissive.
3409. When I thought concerning the dragon, the he is of such a character, to wit: that he thinks one thing when he speaks another; he replied to me that he knows [those who are] of such a character, but that he is not apprehended [capiatur] by them; but when that abominable spirit began to operate, then the dragon was let into the Ancient Jerusalem, and there hid in a most obscure [place] with Jews; it was said that the Jews are thus hidden when such spirits come and operate, to wit: are wrapped up [involved] in a darksome [principle] and are thus covered up [from view], that the phantasies of [that] abominable spirit may not reach them. It was granted me to perceive that the Jews are thus kept far from faith, so that they wholly deny the Lord, for the reason that they can be hidden in [that] most darksome [principle], and that otherwise they would be drawn forth and projected [cast out] by such [evil spirits]. The dragon with the Jews, thus thinks that they hide themselves in darksome [places] wherein they say they involve themselves; but it is now shown to the dragon, and he also confessed it, that he could draw him forth together with the Jews, and so cast him into his own net. The dragon supposed that he could resist by involving himself in darkness; wherefore it was granted him to contend against [the evil spirit]; and he confessed that he could not resist, unless the Lord should guard him, wherefore he is now suppliant.
3409. Cum tunc cogitarem de dracone, quod talis, nempe quod aliud cogitet, cum aliud loquitur, is mihi respondebat, quod sciat tales, sed quod is non capiatur ab iis, sed cum incipiebat operari nefandus iste spiritus, tunc draco in antiquam Hierosolymam immissus, et ibi in obscurissimo reconditus cum Judaeis, dicebatur, quod sic recondantur Judaei, cum tales veniunt et operantur, nempe circumvolvantur tenebroso, et sic operiantur, ne phantasiae spiritus nefandi eos assequantur 1
. Dabatur mihi percipere, quod Judaei teneantur ita procul a fide, ut abnegent prorsus Dominum, ob causam, ut possint in tenebrosissimo abscondi, et quod alioquin a talibus abstraherentur, et projicerentur. Draco cum Judaeis putant se semet abscondere tenebrosis, quibus dicunt semet involvere, sed nunc ostensum est draconi, quod etiam fassus, quod posset eum cum Judaeis abstrahere, et sic conjicere in rete suum: putans draco quod resistere 2
posset semet involvendo tenebris, quare datum ei certare, et fassus quod non posset resistere, nisi Dominus eum tutaretur, quare nunc supplex est.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition: "assequantur pro assequatur"
2. imperfectum in the Manuscript