XXVI.
For he will appoint princes over them from among the
demons. And he will no longer seem to be pious, but altogether
and in all things he will be harsh, severe, passionate, wrathful,
terrible, inconstant, dread, morose, hateful, abominable, savage,
vengeful, iniquitous. And, bent on casting the whole race of men
into the pit of perdition, he will multiply false signs. For when
all the people greet him with their acclamations at his displays, he
will shout with a strong voice, so that the place shall be shaken in
which the multitudes stand by him: “Ye peoples, and tribes,
and nations, acquaint yourselves with my mighty authority and power,
and the strength of my kingdom. What prince is there so great as
I am? What great God is there but I? Who will stand up
against my authority?” Under the eye of the spectators he
will remove mountains from their places, he will walk on the sea with
dry feet, he will bring down fire from heaven, he will turn the day
into darkness and the night into day, he will turn the sun about
wheresoever he pleases; and, in short, in presence of those who behold
him, he will show all the elements of earth and sea to be subject to
him in the power of his specious manifestation. For if, while as
yet he does not exhibit himself as the son of perdition, he raises and
excites against us open war even to battles and slaughters, at that
time when he shall come in his own proper person, and men shall see him
as he is in reality, what machinations and deceits and delusions will
he not bring into play, with the purpose of seducing all men, and
leading them off from the way of truth, and from the gate of the
kingdom?