On the Illusions of Demons

[...unhappily], without any pity in many places, I saw them being thrust quite thoughtlessly into dark and squalid prisons—those dreadful lodgings of shadows and dwellings of demons—and from there, being dragged more ferociously to the place of execution, and finally being rashly cast out to be devoured by flames. I saw that the confessions of mindless old women alone were being relied upon, and that no sufficient distinction was being made between Lamiae (lamias): Deluded women the author believes are victims of mental illness and poisoners (ueneficas): Those who use physical substances to cause harm. Furthermore, I saw that sacrilegious magicians, who were heavily punished under the Old Law, now move about with impunity—indeed, even with praise among many. For these reasons, and driven by the impulse of my conscience, I could not fail to add my own opinion, such as it is, to these [previous] four books:

THE SIXTH [BOOK].

And in the sixth book, as a sort of appendix, I declare what I feel—and supported by what reasons—concerning the punishment of infamous magicians, who turn the state away from the truth of Christ Acts 13. along with original: "Simon & Elima" Simon and Elymas Simon Magus and Elymas are biblical sorcerers who opposed the Apostles, and who disturb the peace of the commonwealth. Similarly, I have added my thoughts on the manner of punishing the Lamiae who have been seduced by the devil, driven as if by melancholy (melancholia): An imbalance of "black bile" thought to cause hallucinations and depression, Heretics. but who are hardly heretics (for heretics persist with an unharmed but stubborn mind). Finally, I have added what I believe should be decided regarding the punishment of poisoners. The edict of Moses against poisoners. In this section, the edict of Moses, promulgated by the will of God, has its place. It was rendered in Greek by the seventy elders The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible and explained, as it were, through the varied meanings of the Hebrew words: original Greek: "φαρμάκους οὐ περιβιώσετε" “You shall not allow sorcerers to live.” Exodus 22. “Poisoners (or as the Hebrew text has it, female poisoners) you shall not allow to survive.”

Nor should the magistrates or those skilled in the law complain that laws are being too arrogantly prescribed by me here. For I call God to witness that this was by no means my intention; rather, I offer this meditation out of compassion...