My name is Legion (Notes)

Saint Mark - Chapter 5

Valley of Hinnom. J-J Tissot

[1] Et venerunt trans fretum maris in regionem Gerasenorum.
And they came over the strait of the sea into the country of the Gerasens.

[2] Et exeunti ei de navi, statim occurrit de monumentis homo in spiritu immundo,
And as he went out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the monuments a man with an unclean spirit,

[3] qui domicilium habebat in monumentis, et neque catenis jam quisquam poterat eum ligare :
Who had his dwelling in the tombs, and no man now could bind him, not even with chains.

My name is Legion. J-J Tissot

[4] quoniam saepe compedibus et catenis vinctus, dirupisset catenas, et compedes comminuisset, et nemo poterat eum domare :
For having been often bound with fetters and chains, he had burst the chains, and broken the fetters in pieces, and no one could tame him.

[5] et semper die ac nocte in monumentis, et in montibus erat, clamans, et concidens se lapidibus.
And he was always day and night in the monuments and in the mountains, crying and cutting himself with stones.

[6] Videns autem Jesum a longe, cucurrit, et adoravit eum :
And seeing Jesus afar off, he ran and adored him.

[7] et clamans voce magna dixit : Quid mihi et tibi, Jesu Fili Dei altissimi? adjuro te per Deum, ne me torqueas.
And crying with a loud voice, he said: What have I to do with thee, Jesus the Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not.

I adjure thee by God. Because the devil knew that Christ would grant nothing to his prayers or deserts, he interposes the name of God, to which he knew Christ gave the highest reverence. It was as though he said, “I entreat Thee, by the authority of the Divine name, and as far as I can, I constrain Thee, that Thou wilt not cast me out of this body, and banish me to hell.” For this was the greatest torment to a demon.

[8] Dicebat enim illi : Exi spiritus immunde ab homine.
For he said unto him: Go out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

[9] Et interrogabat eum : Quod tibi nomen est? Et dicit ei : Legio mihi nomen est, quia multi sumus.
And he asked him: What is thy name? And he saith to him: My name is Legion, for we are many.

My name is Legion; Syriac, our name, &c., adding, by way of explanation, for we are many. A legion contained properly 6,666 soldiers. See what is said in Matt. 26:53. In this place a certain number is put for an uncertain. Observe, the devil is God’s ape. Hence he imitates God, who is “the Lord of hosts,” that is, of angels. In a like way the devil calls himself legion, because he leads out many companions into line of battle to fight against God and His faithful people. Wherefore men have a right to dread that battle, knowing that their warfare is not with men, but devils, and those many in number, who conspire for their destruction. Therefore they ought to implore the help of God and the holy angels, as Elisha did:

[17] Cumque orasset Eliseus, ait : Domine, aperi oculos hujus, ut videat. Et aperuit Dominus oculos pueri, et vidit : et ecce mons plenus equorum, et curruum igneorum, in circuitu Elisei.

And Eliseus prayed, and said: Lord, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw: and behold the mountain was full of horses, and chariots of fire round about Eliseus.
(2 Kings 6:17)

[10] Et deprecabatur eum multum, ne se expelleret extra regionem.
And he besought him much, that he would not drive him away out of the country.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam