3. Those we call the Septuagint do render it thus: Ἥτις οὐκ εἰσκούσεται φωνὴν επᾳδόντων, φαρμάκου τε φαρμακευομένου παρὰ σοφοῦ. And that which is ascribed to Hierome in the eight Tome of his works printed at Basil 1525, gives two Latine versions to this, the one answering to the Septuagint which is this: Quæ non exaudiet vocem incantantium & venefici incantantis sapienter. The other according to the Hebrew thus, Ut non audiat vocem murmurantium, nec incantatoris incantationes callidas. So that this maketh the meaning to be, that the deaf Asp is so cunning in stopping of her ear, that she doth not hear the voice of those that murmur, and mutter charms, though it be a Charmer that uttereth the most cunning and powerful charms: So that here is no regard had to conjoyning or associating either of Serpents together, or of the society of the Charmer and the Devil.
4. Luthers Translation of this place is remarkable, which is this, Dass sie nicht hoere die stimme dess Zauberers, dess Beschwerers der wol besch weren kan. Which in English runs thus, That doth not hear the voice of the Magicians or Charmers, the Conjurors or Exorcists, that well conjure can. And agreeable to this is the translation of the Low-Dutch. So that the sense is, that the deaf Asp stoppeth her ear against the voice of the Charmers, those that have sworn together (it may be that common error and opinion had prevailed so far with learned Luther, as doth appear by his exposition upon the third Chapter to the Galathians, that he believed that the Witch, and the Devil were in compact, and sworn together) and that were most cunning in that art. But this doth but in a manner beg the question, not prove it, for all will but amount to this, that the Asp cannot be charmed, no not by those that have the greatest skill in the matter of incantation.
5. The French Translators render it thus: Lequel n’écoute point la voix des enchanteurs, ni du charmeur fort expert en charmes, Which will in no point hear the voice of the inchanter, nor of the Charmer that is expert in charms. And this proveth nothing at all of joyning societies, nor of compacts. The Italian version giveth it thus, Accioche non oda la voce de glivoce incantatori, del venefico incantante incantationi di dotto. In English thus, Which doth not hear the voice of the inchanter, of the Witch (if that be the signification of the word venefico, a poysoner) inchanting with the incantation of the learned: And this is most near the Hebrew of all the rest, and beareth thus much, That the Asp doth not hearken to the voice of the inchanter, of the Charmer which useth the charms that were framed and conjoyned by a learned Clerk: so that if associating be comprised, it must be understood of the framing and joyning of the charms, which doubtless was the composure of those that were very learned, especially if they work by a natural operation, of which we shall discourse hereafter.
6. But now we come to the Hebrew itself, which Arias Montanus renders thus, Quæ non audiet ad vocem mussitantium: jungentis conjunctiones docti. And in the margent thus, Quæ non obtemperabit voce incantantium, incantantis incantationes sapienter. Which we may thus English, Which hearkeneth not to the voice of the mutterers, of the learned joyner of conjunctions. And the other thus; Which obeyeth not the voice of the Charmers, of the person charming charms wisely. So that it may mean, that the Asp hearkeneth not to the voice of those that mutter or mussitate the charms of the Charmer that doth wisely use them, or of him that is a wise Charmer. But it is needless and improper to make an half period at mussitantium, for then there will be no coherence in Grammatical construction betwixt the former and latter part of the verse: and therefore according to the order of Grammar, it should be rendered thus: Quæ non audiet ad vocem mussitantium incantationes, docti incantantis. And so the meaning is plainly this, that the Asp doth not hearken to the voice of those that mutter the charms of a learned Charmer. And so there is no intimation of association or compact either one way or another, but it doth meerly imply that the Asp doth resist and frustrate the charms of the mutterers that use them, though they be wise in the using of them, which doubtless is the most genuine rendring, and the true meaning of the place: or else it may be thus aptly translated: Quæ non audiet ad vocem mussitantium conjunctiones jungentis docti; That is thus, Which hearkeneth not to the voice of those that mutter the Conjunctions of a learned Joyner. So this way the sense will be, that she resisteth the Charms, or Conjunctions of the learned Joyner or Framer of them, and consequently that it hath not respect, either to the associating or gathering of the Asps into one place, or an association or compact betwixt the Charmer and the Devil, which are both beg’d, and too far fetcht, and cannot be intended properly in this Metaphor. But it (if thus Translated according to Arias Montanus) referreth punctually and properly to the cunning and wise composure of the letters and words used in the Charm, that if they had been never so cunningly contrived, or joyned together by those that had the greatest skill of all others in framing and composing of charms; yet were they utterly inefficacious against this kind of Serpent. And so we conclude this, having as yet found no such Hebrew word as signifieth a Witch in the vulgar sense and common acceptation.
7. Another word that followeth in this place of Deuteronomy is וְשֹׁאֵל אוֹב requirens Pythonem, which what it meaneth is more obscured, and erroneously translated, than any of the rest. And this our English Translators have ignorantly or wilfully, but however erroneously rendered in all the places where it is used, to be one that hath a familiar spirit. From whence note these things.
Job 32.19.
1. This word, as Buxtorsius, Schindlerus, and Avenarius observe, hath two significations, the one is, uter vel lagena, the other Python, and so saith learned Masius, significat vero vox Ob utrem vel lagenam; “From whence the Jewish Nation did call those Devils which did give answers forth of the parts of Men and Womens Bodies, Ob, and in the plural number Oboth; As it is only once for bottles used in that of Job, Behold, my belly is as wine that hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles.” And to the same purpose speaketh Schindlerus in these words: “From thence it seemeth to be called אוב Pytho, because those that had it, or were possessed with it, being puft up with wind, did swell like blown bladders, and the unclean spirit being interrogated did forth of their bellies give answers of things past, present, and to come, from whence also they were called ἐγγαστρίμυθος, ventriloqui, speakers in the belly, or out of the belly.” So that in the sense of these men, it was a Devil or Spirit that spoke in them, as though they had been essentially and substantially possest with a Demon; so prone were they to ascribe all things (almost) unto the Devils power, not considering that they had no other Devil, but that of Imposture and Delusion, as we shall shew anon with unanswerable arguments.
Ovid. Metam. lib. 1.
Mytholog. l. 4. c. 10. p. 36. 362.
2. The most or all the translations in the Polyglott do render it Pythonem, vel spiritum Pythonis in this place of Deuteronomy, and other places: But what is to be understood by Python, or the Spirit of Python is as difficult to find out, as the meaning of the Hebrew word Ob, because it must be digged forth of the rubbish of Grecian lies: For some will have it to be derived from the word απὸ τοῦ πυνθάνεσθαι, à consulendi & interrogandi usu. But that they were called so rather from the Epithete given to Apollo, who (as the Poets fabled) did soon after Deucalions flood slay the Dragon Python, πύθων, so called a πύθεσθαι quod est putrescere, because he was said to be bred of the putrefaction of the Earth; and so he was called Apollo Pythius, and those that kept the Oracle at Delphos, and gave answers, were called Pythii vates, and the Oracles Oracula Pythia: as may be seen in Plutarch, Thucydides, and Lucian: and Suidas and Hesychius say, Πύθων dicebatur etiam Dæmonium cujus afflatu futura prædicebant, & ὁι πύθωνες, è ventre hariolantes: From whence Pythius Apollo came because of slaying the Dragon, nam πύθεσθαι putrescere significat, ut est in his carminibus.