4265. About Babel and profanation, the dragon
There was a certain spirit, extremely malicious, a profaner, whose presence was noticed, and because he was more malicious than the rest, he could not be driven off by the angels except by means of a certain kind of fiery something, like an evil demon. Having been thus cast down, he appeared thin, hanging in midair. But the Sirens wanted to have him as their medium, and then he began gradually to become thicker, and thicker, so that he was growing. And finally he became very large, which was because he was summoning by fantasies many spirits to himself, and crowds of spirits, as it were. Thus he had become thick; and began to appear as a huge dragon, and poured the sirens into his belly - at which they complained, for now they could employ none of their tricks without his overcoming them and subjecting them to himself.
Meanwhile I spoke with them, and with him, and they said that they wanted to be released from him, being unable to do anything. He had jaws with which he reached out and caught them, and then threw his jaws backward and thus gulped them down which were symbolic portrayals. In this way I realized what is symbolized by the dragon, and by his becoming great, and swallowing so many, thus what by Babel [Jer. 51:34, 44], for multitudes are enticed to such spirits, because they are of a versatile and persuasive nature, 1749, 7 May.
4265. CONCERNING BABEL AND PROFANATION; THE DRAGON.
There was a certain spirit pre-eminently malicious, a profaner, who was apperceived, and because he was so much more malicious than others he could not be driven away by the angels except by the appearance of a certain fiery something, just as if had been an evil genius. Having been thus cast down he appeared as a slender form suspended midway; but the sirens wished to have him as a subject of their own, when he began by degrees to become larger and larger, and grew at length to the great size that belonged to him; and as then by means of phantasies he drew a multitude, troops, as it were, of spirits around him, he became proportionally gross, and appeared finally as a huge dragon, and enclosed the sirens in his belly, of which they complained, for all their artifices were then unavailing, as he had bound and held them subject to his will. In the meantime I conversed with them and with him, and they said that they wished to be released from him, being now powerless. He had cords which he extended to catch and draw his victims into his mouth, and he projected his jaws backwards and thus [seized and] swallowed them; all which were representations. It was thus apperceived what is signified by the dragon, and by his becoming great and swallowing so many, and thus what is signified by Babel; for multitudes are allured to such a power because of his versatile nature, and his potent persuasions. - 1749, May 7.
4265. De Babele et prophanatione, dracone
Erat quidam summe malitiosus, qui profanator, is apperceptus, et quia malitiosior reliquis non abigi potuit ab angelis nisi per quandam speciem ignei cujusdam, sicut genius malus, inde dejectus apparuit pendulus in medio exilis; sed Sirenes volebant eum ut suum subjectum habere, incepit tunc per gradus major fieri, et major, sic ut cresceret, et tandem in magnum, quod fuit, quia tunc arcessebat per phantasias ad se plures, et quasi turmas spirituum, ita crassus factus, et apparebat dein sicut magnus draco, et sirenes ventri suo infundebat, quae conquestae, nam tunc nullis artificiis uti potuerunt, quin eas vinciebat, tanquam sibi subditas, cum iis et cum eo interea loquutus, et dicebant illae, quod vellent solvi ab eo, nihil potentes facere, habebat fauces, quas exporrigebat, et inglutiebat, et projiciebat fauces in tergum, et sic [eas] absorbebat, quae repraesentationes erant; ita apperceptum quid per draconem significetur, et quod potens fiat, et multos absorbeat, ita quid per Babel [cf. Jer. LI: 34, 44, 44], nam ad tales pelliciantur multi, quia multiplicis naturae est, et omnibus talibus persuadeat. 1749, 7 Maj.