991. Afterwards, the spirits who constitute the province of the kidneys [367, 959-966, 968-972] wanted to explore and examine him, beginning in their usual way to suspect those spirits of evils. But he remained unruffled, saying that he did nothing of himself, but from others. Thus he did not seem to have provoked or attacked them in any way, so that even I rebuked them; but they still kept on.
Then he began to swell up and to become so large, like a giant Atlas, that his body almost reached to heaven. In his hand was a spear, but he did no harm with it. Moreover, he had a bearing such as to strike one with terror, as the arms do [that were shown to me, see 881-882]. At this, those spirits, very frightened, took flight, admitting their fear and terror, because they had never seen anyone so big. This is caused by such people becoming swollen with their own knowledge and magnifying themselves before others.
991. Afterwards, spirits who constitute the province of the kidneys wanted to examine and explore that spirit, and they began in their own manner to suspect evil things about those [whom he represented]. But yet, he was modest, saying that he did nothing from himself, but from others. Thus he did not seem in any way to have worried or infested them, for which reason I rebuked them; but they still persisted. That spirit then began to swell and to become so great, that like a giant or Atlas, his body reached, as it were, to heaven. In his hand was a spear, but he did no harm with it. Moreover, he had the power to smite with terror, as arms are wont to do, [see n. 881. These spirits of the kidney, therefore, were terrified and fled away, confessing their fear and terror, because they had never seen anyone so big. The cause of this is that such men become swollen by their knowledges, and magnify themselves before others.
991. Postea spiritus, qui renum provinciam constituunt [367, 959-966, 968-972], eum explorare et examinare volebant, ac incipiebant suo modo suspicari mala de iis [990], sed usque modestus erat, dicens quod nihil agat ex se, sed ex aliis, sic ut non visus in aliquo modo eos lacessisse seu infestasse, quare etiam a me increpati sunt, sed usque perstiterunt, tunc coepit is tumescere ita magnus fieri, ut attingeret corpore suo, sicut gigas seu atlas, quasi coelum, cum hasta in manu, qua tamen non nocuit, praeterea etiam secum habuit, quod terrorem posset incutere, sicut 1
solent brachia [cf. 881], ideo perterrefacti spiritus aufugerunt, confitentes timorem et terrorem, quia tam magnum nusquam viderunt, ex causa, quod tales homines ex cognitionibus suis tumescant, seque coram aliis faciunt magnos.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has incutere; sicut ut apparet