5635. I also saw many from that mountain descend into the uninhabited region. First these began to be virtually insane, losing their malicious ingenuity, and after this they were sent down. And it was said that those who cross this swamp can never return, and if they try to return, they fall into a swoon from the anguish it causes, on which account they turn back. They were asked how they feel about those there in the uninhabited region, whether they fear for themselves. They said that they are not afraid. They believe that they were more cunning and ingenious, so they harden their heart. They were let down above that swamp. They were hardened in heart and did not want to desist from their terribly wicked cruelty against all who do not acknowledge them to have all power over heaven and on earth. A certain one of them wanted to turn back by employing cunning magic. He was thrown into a swoon near that swamp and fell, but through magical thought about God the Father from the Word, he did an about-face above the swamp and then said that he wished to cease from his earlier cruelty. He was among the prefects there. But as soon as he went there, he returned to similar cruelty, and into yet greater cruelty, to the point that he himself wanted to be in the place of the executioner, on account of which he was sent [back] among those [in the uninhabited place] and perished there like the others.
5635. Then, also, I saw many descending from that mountain into the desert. These, at first, began to be as it were insane: thus they lost their ingenuity of wickedness; and, afterwards, they were let down; and it was said that they who go across that swampy space can never return, and that, if they try to return, they fall into a swoon from the anguish produced: wherefore, they turn back. They were asked what they felt about those there in the desert whether, or not, they fear them. They said that they do not fear them. They believe that they were themselves still more crafty and skillful; therefore, they cover up their heart. Those were let down over the swampy space who were obdurate in heart, and would not desist from their heinous cruelty against everyone who does not acknowledge that they have power over heaven and on earth. A certain one of them wanted, through crafty magical devices, to go backwards: he was thrown into a swoon near that swamp, and fell, on account of magical thought from the Word about God the Father, and rolled himself over the swamp; and then he said that he wanted to cease from his former cruelty. He was among the governors there. But, as soon as he came thither, he returned into similar, and into yet greater, cruelty; to such a degree that he wanted to be in place of the executioner. Wherefore, he was dispatched thence among the former ones, and perished like the others.
5635. Vidi etiam tunc plures ex monte illo in desertum descendere, hi primum coeperunt quasi insanire, sic perdebant suum ingeniosum malitiae, et postea demissi sunt, et dicebatur quod qui trans paludinosum illud vadunt, nusquam redire possint, et si tentant redire, quod in deliquium cadant, ex dolorifico, quapropter revertuntur. Quaerebantur quid sentiant de illis ibi in deserto, annon sibi timeant, dicebant quod non timeant. Credunt quod amplius astuti et ingeniosi fuerint, ita obdurant corda sua. Demissi sunt illi supra paludinosum illud, qui obfirmati corde erant, et non desistere volebant a sua nefanda crudelitate contra omnes qui non profitentur potestatem illis esse super coelum, et in terra; quidam eorum per astuosa magica volebat retro ire, is in deliquium actus prope illud paludinosum, et cadebat, sed per magicam cogitationem de Deo Patre ex Verbo, revolvebat se super paludinosum, et tunc dicebat quod desistere vellet a crudelitate priore, erat inter praefectos ibi, sed ut primum illuc venit, in similem crudelitatem, et in adhuc majorem rediit, usque adeo ut ipse vellet carnificis loco esse, quapropter inde missus est inter illos, ac periit sicut alii.