Though confined within his home, he would tell when a priest
BOOK TWELVE 201 body that the spirit has not previously fashioned in thought, first seeing within itself the likenesses of all visible operations and in some way ordering them?
CHAPTER 17
Three extraordinary cases: a man possessed, a man in delirium, and a boy in great physical pain.
34. It is difficult to determine and explain how even evil spirits know these spiritual likenesses of bodies in our minds®! or how this earthly body of ours impedes our soul and hinders it from seeing the images that are in the spirit of our fellow man. But we have abundant proof that thoughts arise in men at the suggestion of demons. And yet, if these spirits could discern the virtues within men, they would not try them. Surely if the Devil could see the remarkable and heroic patience of Job, he would not wish to suffer defeat in his efforts to tempt him. Besides, the power of evil spirits to declare from a considerable distance the occurrence of an event which some days later will be confirmed by the fact should not cause surprise. This they can do by their keenness of perception, which even with regard to corporeal objects is more perfect in them than it is in us, as well as by the remarkable speed of their bodies, which are far more subtle than ours.®?
35. I once discovered a man possessed by an unclean spirit.*3 Though confined within his home, he would tell when a priest twelve miles away had started out to visit him. He would also declare where the priest was at each stage of his journey, how near he was, when he was entering the grounds, the house, and the bedroom, until finally he stood before him. Although the possessed man did not see all this with his eyes, still, unless he saw it some way or other, he could not declare it all so accurately. tl the man had a fever and spoke as if in delirium. And perhaps he really was delirious, but he was considered possessed because of what he said. He would accept no food from his family,