729. Afterwards I talked with a robber who spoke with a deep voice, like a giant, and I asked him who he was. He said he was looking for plunder to carry off. I asked where he stored his loot, and whether he realized that it would be taken away from him, since it was nothing but an illusion.
When I asked him where he was, he said that he was in a desert, or in deserted places, seeking opportunities to plunder, and that those whom he comes upon, he torments in the manner described. Thus the robbers were together [with the others]. He finally acknowledged that he was a spirit; yet still, because he is with me, he does not realize it, thinking he is still living on earth.
729. I later spoke with a certain robber, asking him who he was. He spoke with a deep voice like a giant, and said that he was seeking plunder that he might carry it away. I asked where he would store his plunder, and whether he knew that those things would be taken away from him, because they are nothing but phantasies. I also asked where he was. He said that he was in a desert, or desert places, seeking booty, and those he met he tortured in this manner so that they might be robbers together. At length he acknowledged that he was a spirit; but, because he is with me, he does not as yet know it, for he supposes that he is still living on the earth.
729. Postea loquutus sum cum quodam latrone, qui loquutus voce bassa, sicut gigas, quaerens eum, quisnam esse dixit, quod quaereret, ut spolia auferret; dixi, ubi congerit spolia sua, et num sciat, quod ea ei auferri 1
, quia non sunt nisi phantasiae, tum ubinam esset, dicebat se esse in deserto, seu desertis locis, quaerens rapinas, et quos offendit, cruciat-sic 2
ut latrones essent simul; agnovit tandem quod spiritus esset, sed adhuc, quia penes me est, id non scit, quia putat se adhuc in terra vivere.
Footnotes:
1. sic manuscript; vide praefationem hujus editionis sub capite "Idiosyncrasies"; in J.F.I. Tafel's edition auferantur substituit"
2. The Manuscript has cruciat, sic