4745. The infernal marriage
There was a certain man who had been more stubborn and more obstinate than anyone in the world, to the point of never being willing to desist from his determined course of action, even if it would cost him his life. And it was first when he was checkmated that he would yield (Charles XII). In the other life he was married [to] a woman of a similar nature and more stubborn than he was. First the murderous hatred he had for her was shown two or three times by a knife that he seized in her presence and that he plunged into her back and ripped out her heart and gnawed on it for some time, frothing heavily around the mouth. She saw this, and then she too, possessed by devils, exercised her stubbornness, and was more stubborn than he was. She had no concern whatever for life or pain, and finally she carried her stubbornness to the point that he began to obey, and in the end carried it so far that he was cujon 2and kissed her lower, unclean parts, out of obedience. Then she praised him, because it was [done at] her command. They were taken up for a long time with confrontations involving murderous hatreds. They kept on, suffering. Finally he dared not do anything against her, because by her greater stubbornness she had put him under her control. From this could be seen what marriage in hell is like when those immersed in such hatred are joined together by domination. Such are the marriages of all who, by acting stubbornly, put their married partner under their control, living in outer respects as it were in friendship but at the same time in inner respects in murderous hatred.
[2] It was said that she had been obsessed by female devils, chiefly Dutch, who put their husbands under their control in this way. It was shown that although they have such a mutual hatred for each other, they still feel such delight in this marriage relationship that they can almost be united as one; for both feel the delight of control in the other. And because each one contributes to this with the other, it is this delight that is felt. 4704.
Footnotes:
2. Swedish word meaning "slothful" or "worthless"
4745. CONCERNING THE INFERNAL MARRIAGE.
There was a certain one, who, in the world, was the most stubborn and obstinate of all men, so that he was never willing to recede from his purpose, even if he should be deprived of life; and it was only when reduced to extremities, that he was willing to yield (Charles XII). He had for a wife, in the other life, one who was of a similar disposition, but more stubborn than he.
It was shown, at first by means of a knife which he twice or thrice swallowed in her presence, that he held her in deadly hatred, and then by his inserting the knife in her back, plucking out her heart and gnawing it for a long time, frothing very much about the mouth. She saw this; and, then, she, also, being filled with devils, exercised her stubbornness, and was more stubborn than he, and regarded not life, or any torture; and, finally, she brought the matter to such a pass that he began to obey, till at length he was subdued (Coion), and kissed her unclean lower parts, out of obedience, and then praised her, because she was his ruler. They were disturbed, a long time, by the collisions they kept up in their deadly hatreds. At length, he dares not do anything against her, because she reduced him to subjection by her greater stubbornness. Hence it may be evident of what character is the infernal marriage, when they who are in such hatred are conjoined through the control [of one over the other]. Such are the marriages of all who reduce their married partner to subjection by stubbornness; and then, at the same time, they live in externals as if in friendship, but in internals they are in deadly hatred. It was said that she was obsessed by female devils who have thus subjugated their husbands - principally by Dutch women. It was shown that it is permitted to such to hold each other in deadly hatred, until they feel such delight in that marriage, that they can almost be united as one; for each feels the delight of dominion in the other; and, since one has contributed thereto with the other, it is that delight which is felt.
4745. De conjugio infernali
Erat quidam qui in mundo omnium contumacissimus et obstinatissimus fuit, adeo ut nusquam vellet recedere a proposito, si vel privaretur vita, et quod cum ad incitas redactus est, quod tunc vellet primum cedere (C: XII), is uxoratus in altera vita, [cum una] quae simili natura fuit et contumacior quam ille, primum ostensum quod ille internecino odio haberet illam, per cultrum bis et ter, quem devorabat in praesentia ejus, tum quod cultrum in tergum ejus immitteret, et eriperet cor ejus, et morderet diu, cum maxima spuma circum os, hoc illa videbat, et tunc quoque illa obsita diabolis contumacitatem suam exercebat, et erat contumacior quam ille, nec curabat vitam aut ullum cruciatum, et tandem eo rem perduxit, ut ille inciperet obedire, tandem usque ut esset cujon 1
, et quod oscularetur inferiora spurca ejus, ex obsequio, tunc laudabat illum, quia esset sui imperans; exercebantur diu per collisiones, in odiis internecinis, sustinebant, tandem non audet contra illam, quia per contumaciam majorem subjugavit illum; inde constare potuit quale est conjugium infernale, cum illi qui in tali odio sunt per imperium conjunguntur; talia conjugia sunt omnium qui per contumaciam subjugant suum conjugem, et dein simul in externis vivunt quasi in amicitia, sed in internis in odio internecino. Dictum quod illa obsessa fuerit a diabolicis faeminis, quae ita subjugarunt maritos suos, imprimis ab Hollandicis. Ostensum quod tales licet internecino odio se mutuo habeant, usque illi tale jucundum in conjugio illo sentiant, ut possint paene uniri ut unum; ambo enim sentiunt jucundum dominii in altero, et quia unus contribuit ad id cum altero, est id jucundum quod sentitur.
Footnotes:
1. h.e. kujon = homo ignavus vel nebulo (vox suecica)