4420. CONCERNING THE SIRENS WHEN THEY LAY SNARES BY NIGHT AND SEEK TO OBSESS MAN; AND CONCERNING THEIR PUNISHMENTS. There were [male] sirens about me for several weeks, to the left above; and sometimes entirely above the head, but for the most part to the left above; these harassed me by their magic arts and profane adulteries, and at length went so far as to speak just as if in the body. I perceived from their speech that they thought themselves to be altogether in the world, which they also said [they were]; this I heard and mentioned to others. This is an inclination that they wish actually to return into the world, thus wholly to obsess man, which they also attempted with me by night while I was asleep. They labored by various arts to enter into me, and thus to obsess me and, as was said, to cast out my spirit and to substitute their own. The fact of their having this desire was perfectly evident; they, as it were, cast themselves into me, from their station above the head in front. I touched their hands in that state, besides other things which might be mentioned. But they were punished very severely, by a peculiar punishment of laceration as to the head and bones, which were in fact completely broken, with excessive pain - a punishment continued for a long time, even for hours. They wished to escape by arts like those which they practiced in the world, by lying and urging various pretexts; but it was told them that this was in vain in the other life, for that all thoughts and actions were known there.