3415. On being asked what they wanted to do with those they had thus drawn toward themselves and collected by fantasies, they said they would wrap them up in a net and would throw them forth into the sea or abyss. So some wanted themselves to symbolize a flood, that by such fantasies they would perish as by a flood. Whether there had been a like correspondence of a flood at the time then of the antediluvians seems probable, but that the flood did take place is evident from many things, about which I spoke with them. However, as for the ark of Noah, there were many things that lead one to believe that it symbolizes other things, as that there was room and food, as well as water, for so many animals that were there, and that it was so spacious.
But I leave these matters, because there are spirits who wish to confuse by means of things that actually took place, so that I may suppose that all and the very least things written by Moses in Genesis are facts, because [it speaks of] such a paradise, of Adam, as well as other things.
3415. It was asked what they wished to do with those whom they drew to themselves, and collected by phantasies; they said that they would wrap them in a net and cast them into a sea or abyss; wherefore some wished that they should mean a flood: that by such [phantasies] they perished as by a flood. Whether there was such a correspondence of a flood, then in the antediluvian times appears probable; but that the flood took place is evident from very many things whereof I spoke with them: but as to Noah's Ark, there were many things which induce me to believe that it signifies something else: for instance, that there must be place and food [pasana] also water for so many animals, which [were contained] therein, and that [the ark] must have been so capacious. But I drop these matters, because there are spirits who desire to confuse thereby, what facts have actually transpired: so that I think that each and everything written by Moses in Genesis, is of such a character, for example that [there was] such a paradise, and Adam and other things besides.
3415. Quaesitum quid vellent facere cum iis, quos ita ad se trahebant et colligebant phantasiis, dicebant, quod involverent eos reti, et projicerent eos in mare seu abyssum, quare quidam volebant quod significarent {a} diluvium, quod a talibus perirent sicut diluvio; num talis correspondentia diluvii fuerit, tempore antediluvianorum 1
tunc, verosimile apparet, sed quod diluvium exstiterit, ex permultis constat, de quibus cum iis loquutus, at quoad arcam Noae, erant plura, quae credere inducunt, quod significet alia, sicut quod locus et pascua essent, tum aquae, pro tot animalibus, quae ibi, et quod tam capax fuisset: sed haec relinquo, quia sunt spiritus, qui confundere volunt, per ea, quae exstiterunt 2
actualiter, ut putem quod omnia et singula scripta a Mose in Genesi, talia sint, ex eo quod talia paradisus, et Adamus, praeter alia.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has antediluviorum
2. The Manuscript has exstituerunt