4479. Moreover, it is the character of sirens that no one who had once deemed adulteries and such to be of no account, and had then sunk his or her thought into the company of such spirits in the other life, can ever avoid being held captive by them even to the end of life. For the very least elements of thoughts, they twist in countless ways, making them pleasing, and causing the person to perish. And in this time it is even more the case, since that gang has increased, and because spirits are being tolerated for a time in the world of spirits. Therefore let mankind beware of bringing evil into act, in this way at last one can abstain from evils. Evils in act become habitual and put on a kind of nature, as with those who have practiced thefts, and then evils are augmented together with their delights, and then they are carried off by multiplying gangs of sirens, like a piece of wood in a torrential stream. For such a gang of sirens is multiplying at this day beyond their numbers in former times.
4479. The sirens, moreover, are such that no man who has once esteemed adulteries and such things as nothing, and has thus involved himself as to the thought in the companionship of those who are such in the other life, can ever escape being held captive by them to the end of his life; for they bend the least things of the thoughts in innumerable ways, and make them delightful, and thus operate for the destruction of the man. This is yet more the case at the present time, when this crew is greatly increased, and also because evil spirits are tolerated in the world of spirits. Wherefore let men beware of actual evils; in this way only can anyone at last abstain from them; for actualities bring on habits, and put on a kind of nature, as happens with those who have exercised themselves in thefts, and thus evils are increased, together with their delights, and men are carried away by an increasing number of sirens, like a piece of wood in a rapid stream. Such a wandering crowd of sirens is multiplied at the present day far beyond their numbers in former times.
4479. Praeterea sirenes tales sunt, ut nusquam aliquis homo, qui semel pro nihil existimavit adulteria, et talia, et sic se quoad cogitationem immiserit talium consortio in altera vita, possit evitare quin usque ad finem vitae captivatus sit, nam minima cogitationum flectunt innumeris, et jucundant, et faciunt ut homo pereat; et hoc tempore adhuc magis, cum talis turba aucta sit, et quia spiritus tolerantur in mundo spirituum quoad tempus: quare caveant sibi homines ab actualibus, sic denique potest abstinere malis, actualitates trahunt habitum, et induunt speciem naturae, sicut qui furtis se exercuerunt, et sic augentur mala cum eorum jucundis, et sic auferuntur a sirenibus multiplicatis, sicut quoddam lignum in torrente. Talis turba nempe sirenum prae prioribus temporibus hodie valde multiplicatur.