3594. I perceived that some of them had been received among the cunning spirits overhead - which I believe has been told before [3588] - and later some who were here perhaps from among those of the present day similar to the antediluvians, who constantly desired to be saved. Thus they were able to stir up deep compassion which, because it penetrated to those in between, therefore they were shown what kind those were whom they wanted to save and for whom they were praying.
[2] Then came those who regarded adulteries as nothing, so that when they see a home where there is a wife, they enter it without conscience and attempt by every ruse, by force and rape, to violate her. I was infested by these quite a while so that those who were inappropriately compassionate would realize what they are like - namely, that they were prone to every kind of criminal act. They would even incite, by persuasion similar to that of the people before the flood, almost all whom they encountered to committing such crimes. For they would most stubbornly persist, being invisible, nor did they want to be exposed or have it known that it was from them. They had been sought for a long time, and not found.
So the inappropriately compassionate were unable to find out the source from which this criminal insanity was gushing forth, for they operate incognito, all the while inspiring mercy. They arouse the evil and the upright at the same time, cunningly slipping into good feelings in order to deceive, looking out for themselves alone, not caring if the whole universe should perish.
3594. I perceived that some of these were received among the crafty spirits above the head, which I think was mentioned before, who were perhaps from among the moderns similar to the antediluvians, and who continually desired to be saved, and thus were able to excite deep compassion, which because it penetrated to the intermediate [spirits], it was shown of what quality they were whom they wished to save, and for whom they prayed. There came those who think so little of adulteries that when they see a house where there is a wife they enter it without conscience, and endeavor by every effort, by force and rapine, to ravish her. By the presence of such spirits I was for a long time infested, and those who were so unseasonably compassionate perceived of what quality they were, viz. that they were prone to every species of wickedness, nay, that by a persuasion similar to that of the antediluvians they would excite nearly all that came in their way to the perpetration of the same enormities, for they pressed on with the utmost contumacy [in their instigations]; they were invisible, and wished their agency to be concealed; though long sought for, they were not to be found; thus neither could others know whence such a wicked insanity poured itself forth, acting as they did in disguise, and at the same time inspiring compassion. Thus in order to excite an once both the evil and the upright, they craftily insinuate themselves into good affections, having deceit [continually] in view, and consulting their own interests solely, nor caring if the whole universe [beside] should perish.
3594. Percepi, quod aliqui eorum recepti essent apud spiritus dolosos supra caput, quod ut reor prius quoque dictum [3588], postea qui hic erant, forte ex hodiernis similibus antediluvianorum, qui continuo cupiebant ut salvarentur sic movere potuerunt multam misericordiam, quae quia penetravit intermedios, ideo iis ostensum est quales erant, quos salvare vellent pro quibus orarent: venerunt, qui adulteria pro nihilo aestimant, sic ut cum aliquam domum vident, ubi uxor, ibi absque conscientia intrant omni studio, vi rapina, conantur stuprare, quibus infestatus fui satis diu, ut apperciperent ii qui intempestivi misericordes, quales essent, quod nempe omnia scelera essent proni, imo quod excitarent persuasione simili antediluvianorum, omnes fere, quos offendunt, scelestissima talia patranda; nam contumacissime insistebant, invisibiles erant, nec voluerunt detegi quod ab iis, quaesiti diu nec inventi, sic ut unde talis scelesta insania scaturiverit, non scire potuerunt, [tum] qui agunt incognito simul inspirant misericordiam; sic ut simul malos probos excitent, ii dolose insinuant se in affectiones bonas, ut decipiant, sibi solis studentes, si vel universus mundus periret nihil curantes.