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is fattened. For it lives on vapors and exhalations, in various ways through various things, and is strengthened by the sacrifices of blood and flesh.” 4.22.13 Through these things, then, we have heard them confessing that not only did the poets among the Greeks further inflame people’s opinions about the vile demons as though they were about gods and good beings, but also those engaged in philosophy who seem to be serious about the gods, who, while themselves attending not to gods but to wicked demons, have violently thrust the multitudes and the peoples into the same 4.22.14 error. At any rate, the account has clearly confessed that the multitudes, by hearing from those who seem to be wise about the gods, were strengthened in accordance with their own opinions to think all the more about the wicked demons as though they were gods. And these things have not been alleged by us, but by those who know their own affairs more accurately 4.22.15 than we do. For indeed, the same author, having spoken not cursorily about the superstition that escapes the notice of the many, says that the wicked demons wish to be gods and to have the reputation of being good among men; and what power presides over them, the same author will again make clear, saying that the rulers of the wicked demons are Serapis and Hecate, but the divine scripture says Beelzeboul. But listen to how he also writes about this in his work "On the Philosophy from Oracles." 4.23.1 24.

CONCERNING THE WICKED DEMONS AND WHO THEIR RULERS ARE

“We do not idly suspect that the wicked demons are under Serapis, nor are we persuaded only by the symbols, but because the propitiations and the averting rites for these are directed to Pluto, as we showed in the first book. The god is the same as Pluto and for this reason is preeminently ruler of demons and 4.23.2 gives symbols for their expulsion. At any rate, he has revealed to his suppliants that they approach humans resembling all sorts of animals; whence also among the Egyptians and Phoenicians and generally among those wise in divine matters, straps are cracked in the temples and animals are dashed on the ground before the worship of the gods, as the priests drive them out by giving them the breath or blood of animals and by striking the air, so that when these have departed, the presence of the god 4.23.3 may occur. And every house is full, and for this reason they perform preliminary purifications and cast them out when they invoke a god; our bodies, then, are also full of them; for they especially delight in certain kinds of food. For as we eat, they approach and settle upon the body, and for this reason there are purifications, not primarily for the sake of the gods, but so that these may depart. They especially delight in blood and impurities and enjoy them by entering those who partake of 4.23.4 them. For in general, the intensification of desire for something and the impulse of the spirit of appetite is not made vehement from any other source than from their presence; who also compel men to fall into meaningless sounds and gaspings through the shared enjoyment that occurs with 4.23.5 them. For wherever there is a drawing in of more breath, either with the belly swollen from luxurious living or with eagerness panting from the intensification of pleasure and drawing in much from without, there let the presence of such spirits be manifest to you. Up to this point the nature of man dares to discover the snares set around itself; for when the god enters, the spirit is multiplied.” 4.23.6 These things, then, are about the wicked demons, whose ruler he says is Serapis. And the same author teaches that Hecate also rules them, speaking thus: “Perhaps these are the ones whom Serapis rules, and their symbol is the three-headed dog, that is, the wicked demon in the three elements, water, earth, air? whom the god who has under

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πιαίνεται. ζῇ γὰρ τοῦτο ἀτμοῖς καὶ ἀναθυμιάσεσιν, ποικίλως διὰ τῶν ποικίλων, καὶ δυναμοῦται ταῖς ἐκ τῶν αἱμάτων καὶ σαρκῶν θυσίαις.» 4.22.13 ∆ιὰ δὴ τούτων ἀκηκόαμεν ὁμολογούντων ὅτι μὴ μόνον οἱ παρ' Ἕλλησι ποιηταὶ προσεξέκαυσαν τὰς ὑπολήψεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰς περὶ τῶν φαύλων δαιμόνων ὡς περὶ θεῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ διατριβόντων οἱ περὶ θεοὺς δοκοῦντες σπουδαίως ἔχειν, οἳ καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐ θεούς, ἀλλὰ πονηροὺς δαίμονας περιέποντες τὰ πλήθη καὶ τοὺς δήμους εἰς τὴν ὁμοίαν 4.22.14 πλάνην ἐξετραχήλισαν. ὡμολόγησε γοῦν σαφῶς ὁ λόγος ὡς ἄρα παρὰ τῶν δοκούντων σοφῶν ἀκούοντα περὶ θεῶν τὰ πλήθη σύμφωνα ταῖς αὑτῶν δόξαις ἐπερρώσθη φρονεῖν ἐπὶ μᾶλλον ὡς περὶ θεῶν περὶ τῶν μοχθηρῶν δαιμόνων. καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐξ ἡμῶν κατηγόρηται, ἀλλ' ὑπ' αὐτῶν τῶν ἀκρι4.22.15 βέστατα τὰ οἰκεῖα μᾶλλον ἢ ἡμεῖς εἰδότων. ὁ γέ τοι αὐτὸς συγγραφεὺς οὐ παρέργως ὁμιλήσας τῇ τοὺς πολλοὺς λανθανούσῃ δεισιδαιμονίᾳ φησὶ τοὺς πονηροὺς δαίμονας βούλεσθαι εἶναι θεοὺς καὶ ἀγαθῶν δόξαν ἔχειν παρ' ἀνθρώποις· τίς τε ἡ προεστῶσα αὐτῶν δύναμις τυγχάνει, ὁ αὐτὸς πάλιν διασαφήσει, τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων λέγων εἶναι τὸν Σάραπιν καὶ τὴν Ἑκάτην ἡ δὲ θεία γραφὴ τὸν Βεελζεβούλ. ἄκουε δὲ ὅπως καὶ περὶ τούτου γράφει ἐν τοῖς «Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας.» 4.23.1 κδʹ.

ΠΕΡΙ ΤΩΝ ΠΟΝΗΡΩΝ ∆ΑΙΜΟΝΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΙΝΕΣ ΕΙΣΙΝ ΑΥΤΩΝ ΟΙ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΕΣ

«Τοὺς δὲ πονηροὺς δαίμονας οὐκ εἰκῆ ὑπὸ τὸν Σάραπιν ὑποπτεύομεν οὐδ' ἐκ τῶν συμβόλων μόνον ἀναπεισθέντες, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὰ μειλίγματα καὶ τὰ τού των ἀποτρόπαια πρὸς τὸν Πλούτωνα γίνεται, ὡς ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ἐδείκνυμεν. ὁ αὐτὸς δὲ τῷ Πλούτωνι ὁ θεὸς καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα δαιμόνων ἄρχων καὶ 4.23.2 σύμβολα διδοὺς πρὸς τὴν τούτων ἔλασιν. οὗτος γοῦν καὶ τοῖς ἱκέταις ἐδήλωσεν ὡς πᾶσι ζῴοις ὁμοιούμενοι προσίασιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις· ὅθεν καὶ παρ' Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ παρὰ Φοίνιξι καὶ ὅλως παρὰ τοῖς τὰ θεῖα σοφοῖς ἱμάντες ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἐπιρρήσσονται καὶ ζῷα προσουδίζεται πρὸ τῆς θρησκείας τῶν θεῶν, ἐξελαυνόντων τῶν ἱερέων τούτους διὰ τοῦ δοῦναι πνεῦμα ἢ αἷμα ζῴων καὶ διὰ τῆς τοῦ ἀέρος πληγῆς, ἵνα τούτων ἀπελθόντων παρουσία τοῦ θεοῦ 4.23.3 γένηται. καὶ οἶκος δὲ πᾶς μεστὸς καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προκαθαίρουσιν καὶ ἐκβάλλουσι τούτους, ὅταν θεὸν κατακαλῶσιν· καὶ τὰ σώματα τοίνυν μεστὰ ἀπὸ τούτων· καὶ γὰρ μάλιστα ταῖς ποιαῖς τροφαῖς χαίρουσιν. σιτουμένων γὰρ ἡμῶν προσίασι καὶ προσιζάνουσι τῷ σώματι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αἱ ἁγνεῖαι, οὐ διὰ τοὺς θεοὺς προηγουμένως, ἀλλ' ἵν' οὗτοι ἀποστῶσιν. μάλιστα δὲ αἵματι χαίρουσι καὶ ταῖς ἀκαθαρσίαις καὶ ἀπολαύουσι τούτων εἰσδύνοντες τοῖς χρωμέ4.23.4 νοις. ὅλως γὰρ ἡ ἐπίτασις τῆς πρός τι ἐπιθυμίας καὶ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ὀρέξεως ὁρμὴ ἀλλαχόθεν οὐ σφοδρύνεται ἢ ἐκ τῆς τούτων παρουσίας· οἳ καὶ εἰς ἀσήμους φθόγγους καὶ φύσας ἀναγκάζουσι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐμπί4.23.5 πτειν διὰ τῆς συναπολαύσεως τῆς μετ' αὐτῶν γιγνομένης. ὅπου γὰρ πνεύματος πλείονος ὁλκή, ἢ τῆς γαστρὸς ἐξ ἡδυπαθείας πεπρησμένης ἢ τῆς προθυμίας δι' ἡδονῆς ἐπίτασιν ἐκφυσώσης καὶ πολὺ τὸ ἔξωθεν σπώσης, ἐκεῖ παρουσία τῶν τοιούτων πνευμάτων σοι δηλούσθω. ἄχρι τούτων τολμᾷ φύσις ἀνθρώπου εὑρίσκειν τὰς περὶ αὑτῆς συνεστώσας παγίδας· καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ὅταν εἰσκριθῇ, πολυπλασιάζεται τὸ πνεῦμα.» 4.23.6 Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων, ὧν φησιν ἄρχοντα εἶναι τὸν Σάραπιν. καὶ τὴν Ἑκάτην δὲ τούτων ἄρχειν ὁ αὐτὸς διδάσκει λέγων οὕτως· «Μήποτε οὗτοί εἰσιν ὧν ἄρχει ὁ Σάραπις καὶ τούτων σύμβολον ὁ τρίκρανος κύων, τουτέστιν ὁ ἐν τοῖς τρισὶ στοιχείοις, ὕδατι, γῇ, ἀέρι, πονηρὸς δαίμων; οὓς καταπαύσει ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἔχων ὑπὸ