before, turned a deaf ear to all they said. They then threw him on the ground, and tried to nail him down like the others ; but, when he invoked the name of Jesus Christ, they were unable to do him further injury in that place, and dragged him away into another open plain. Here he perceived this différence between them and the first, that whereas in the former place they had their bellies to the ground, all here were lying on their backs. Fiery dragons were sitting on some of them, and gnawing them with iron teeth, to their inexpressible anguish ; others were the victims of fiery serpents, which, coiling round their necks, arms, and bodies, fixed iron fangs into their hearts. Toads, also, of immense size and terrific to behold, sat upon the breasts of some, and tried to tear out their hearts with their ugly beaks : demons also coursed along over them, lashing them as they passed, and never let them rest a moment from their sufferings. Thence the demons dragged the knight into another plain of punishment, where there was so large a multitude that it seemed to surpass the population of the whole world. Some were suspended over fires of brimstone by iron chains fastened to their feet and legs, with their heads downward ; others hung by the hands and arms, and some by the hair of their heads. Some were hung over the flames by hot iron hooks passed through their eyes and nostrils, others by their ears and mouths, others by their breasts and secret members, and amid all their groans and lamentations the lash of the demons never for a moment ceased. Here also, as in the other place of punishment, the enemy sought to torment the knight, but he invoked the name of Jesus, and was safe. Of the red-hot wheel of iron. From this place of punishment the demons dragged the knight to a hot iron wheel, the spokes and tires of which were fixed with red-hot nails, to which were suspended men who were grievously burned by the flame of the brimstonefire which rose from the ground. The demons impelled this wheel with iron bars so rapidly, that it was impossible to distinguish one man from another; for on account of the rapidity of the motion, they all looked one mass of fire. Others endured equal torments, being fixed to spits, and basted by the demons with liquid metal ; whilst others were L L2