3486. But he later came nearer, at first looking black in the face, then coming closer in some light he took hold of an earthen carafe of a greyish white color on the outside and approached me with the carafe in hand to give it to me to drink, commenting to me that it was wine of an excellent vintage, whereupon I almost began to be persuaded, for I did not know it was he. [The text has a drawing of a carafe.] But presently it was said that it was Dippel, and that he also displayed this carafe of wine because he once used to practice this trick when angered at someone for contradicting him, to serve the person wine containing a kind of poisoned potion that destroyed the understanding; and then the victim would know no more what to say than a little child. Moreover, this is the effect he had had upon those whom he deceived, whom he deprived, so to speak, of all understanding of truth and goodness, and who sympathized with him without knowing what his opinion was.
[2] I had been with those who sympathized with him, and I had heard collected notes he had written, but I could not retain anything in my memory, so I could not know what his views were, but supposed that they were absurdities. For this reason also the man was against those who sympathized with him, whom he deprived of all understanding of truth and goodness just like those who are delirious, not knowing anything but still sticking with him.
Therefore, whether he had actually given anyone a poisoned potion, or whether the carafe and its wine were symbolic of what he had given to others who sympathized with him, I do not know - perhaps both.
3486. He afterwards approached nearer, and appeared at first black in the face. At length advancing still nearer, and being in a certain light, he took an earthen flask, of a grayish white appearance, and came up to me with the flask in his hand, that he might offer it to me to drink from, at the same time insinuating that it [contained] excellent wine, so that I begun to be almost persuaded to comply, for I knew not who he was; but I was presently informed that it was Dippel, and that he displayed this flask of wine because he formerly practiced the same stratagem, when in consequence of his becoming angry with anyone for contradicting him, he would give him wine containing some poisonous mixture, that he might destroy his understanding, and cause him to know no more what he said than if he had been an infant. He was moreover of such a character in respect to those whom he deceived, from whom he took away, as it were, all understanding of truth and good; and even those who adhered to him [seemed to know nothing] except his own opinion. I had myself been among those who adhered to him, and had heard the various things collected from his writings, but could not retain in memory the least item, nor know what I thought, nor even help thinking things absurd. Such was his contrariety even to those who adhered to him, as to take away all their intelligence of truth and good, and leaving them in a kind of delirium, not knowing what they were about: yet still they adhered to him. Whether therefore he gave such a poisonous draught to anyone, or whether by the flask and the wine was signified such a quality in himself which he imparted to others who adhered to him, I know not; it might be both.
3486. Sed is propius postea venit, et primum visus facie niger dein propius in quadam luce, ubi sumsit lagenam fictilem - - - - extra griseam candentem et accedens ad me, cum lagena in manu, ut daret mihi bibere, mihi inferens quod vinum esset optimum, sic ut paene persuaderi inciperem, nam nesciebam quod is esset, at mox dictum quod esset Dippel, et quod etiam hanc lagenam vini manifestaret, quia usus quondam ea arte, cui iratus ob causam, quod ei contradiceret, ut dederit ei vinum in quo talis potio venenata, ut intellectum ejus destruxerit, et sic non noverit quid diceret magis quam infans; praeterea quoque talis fuit respectu eorum quos decepit, quibus quasi demsit omnem intellectum veri et boni, et qui ei adhaeserunt, praeter quod scirent, quid ejus opinio; fueram cum iis qui ei adhaeserunt, et audiveram ea collecta quae scripserat, sed ne hilum potui retinere memoria, sic non scire quid opinatus, autumans quod absurda, quare etiam talis fuit contra eos, qui ei adhaeserunt, quibus sic demsit omnem intellectum veri et boni, sicut delirantes, non sciebant quicquam, sed usque adhaerebant: num itaque talem potionem venenatam alicui dederit, vel an significetur per lagenam et vinum ejus, tale, quod dedit aliis, qui ei adhaeserunt, non scio, utrumque potest esse.