| Tobit 6:14
| Then Tobias answered, and said: I hear that she hath been given to seven husbands, and they all died: moreover, I have heard, that a devil killed them.
| Died. Greek, "were destroyed in the nuptial chamber, (numphe). And as I am my father’s only son, I fear lest, approaching to her, I should die like the former; because a demon is in love with her, which hurts no one but such as approach to her. Now, therefore, I fear lest I should die, and bring down the life of my father and mother upon me to their grave." (Haydock) --- If this text may be styled Scripture, it only records the opinion of Toby[Tobias]. (Calmet) or what he had "heard." (Haydock) --- Many grave authors have been of the same persuasion that devils could be enamoured with mortal beauties: (Calmet) talesque asseverant ut hoc negare impudentiae esse videatur. (St. Augustine, de C.[City of God?] 15:23; Delrio, Magic. 2.) --- But this opinion is now almost entirely abandoned. Many who have testified such things, may have experienced only some diabolical illusions. The devil could not love the beauty, nor the virtue of Sara. But he was permitted by God to exercise his malice against those who would have gratified their impure desires. (Calmet) --- We may perhaps decide too peremptorily on the nature of devils, with which we are little acquainted. As they are susceptible of pride, anger, etc., why may they not also give way to some subtle kind of mental impurity? (Houbigant)
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