vens, that dasmons are in the incessantly mutable 1 elements. For they are naturally full of stupid as¬ tonishment and audacity, and in consequence of being separated by so great an interval from the heavens, have no perception of the elegant arrange» ment of divine natures. Since, therefore, the dregs of beings is not sufficient to its own preservation ; for it is in a flowing condition, and does not stop for exis¬ tence, but imitates it by becoming to be ; and since dasmons as being allied to this nature, have a de¬ structive essence ; hence it is necessary that divi¬ nity should direct his attention to these lower re¬ gions and impart certain principles, which the sub¬ lunary world follows for a time in a becoming man¬ ner, viz. for as long a time as that which is imparted is sufficient. But as instruments which are drawn by strings are moved indeed, even when the prin¬ ciple which imparted motion to the machine ceases to act, yet are not moved ad infinitum ; for they have not inwardly the fountain of motion ; but are moved as long as the power imparted to them pre¬ vails, and is not by being separated from its proper origin, dissolved in its progression ; after the same
1 For πολνκ\ονητοι$ here, I read πολυκινητοίς.
manner my dear Osiris conceive that it is well for
a divine nature to exist, and at the same time not
exist in this terrestrial abode,1 but to be sent into it
from another region. On this account, souls are
rarely good in these realms, though they may be
seen in them. And the Gods who are the inspec-
tive guardians of generation when they direct their
attention to it, perform indeed that which is ap¬
propriate to them, yet not according to their pri¬
mary life ; for their blessedness consists in some¬
thing d iiferent from this, because it is more blessed
primarily to enjoy the participations of beauty and
order from that which is first, than to adorn things
of an inferior nature. For the latter is a turning
away from, but the former a conversion to [pri¬
mary good.] You also have been initiated in those
mysteries in which there are two pair of eyes , and
it is requisite that the pair which are beneath
should be closed when the pair that are above them
perceive , and that when the pair above are closed ,
those which are beiieath should be opened. Think,
therefore, that this is an enigma indicative of con¬
templation and action, the intermediate natures
* i. e. A divine nature is not present locally in the earth, but is present by its energies and illuminations.
alternately energizing according to each of these ;
but so as to energize more perfectly in the better of
these, and to associate with the inferior from neces¬
sity alone. Hence these are the works of the
Gods, effecting, indeed, things necessary to the
world* yet not imparting precedaneous goods, be¬
cause men also at one time apply themselves to
the management of domestic 1 concerns, in a greater
and less degree ; but at another time philosophize,
and in this latter energy are more divine than in
the former. From these things, therefore, under¬
stand what I say. Do not request the Gods to be
your associates, since their precedaneous employ¬
ment consists in contemplation and the government
of the first parts of the world. They also dwell in
the heavens, and are at a great distance from the
earth. Yet you must not think that they are with¬
out employment, or that their descent hither is per¬
petual. For they descend according to orderly pe¬
riods of time,* for the purpose of imparting the
1 Instead of οικονρουσι in this place, I read οικονομονσι.
* By the descent of the Gods to the earth, nothing more is meant than the aptitude of terrestrial natures to receive their illuminations. For the Gods always contemplate, and always energize providentially, but earthly natures are not always adapted to receive their beneficent energies in a becoming manner.
principle of a beneficent motion in the republics of
mankind, after the example of the framers of ma¬
chines* But this happens when they harmonize a
kingdom, and send hither for this purpose souls
allied to themselves. For this providence is divine
and most ample, which frequently through one
man pays attention to a countless multitude of men.
These, therefore, in providentially inspecting hu¬
man affairs must also necessarily at the same time
be attentive to their own. It is requisite, however,
that you who are engaged in foreign concerns,
should remember whence you are derived, and that
you engage in this superintendance of the affairs of
others, as in a certain servitude to the world.
But you should endeavour to elevate yourself, and
not to draw down the Gods. You should likewise
pay every possible attention to yourself, as if living
in a camp among foreigners, and as a divine soul
among [evil] dasmons, whom it is reasonable to
suppose, as they are earth-begotten, will be hostile
to and indignant with any one who within their
boundaries observes laws that belong to another
tribe of beings. You must be satisfied, therefore,
in being vigilant both by night and by day, and in
making this the only object of your care, that you
being but one may not be vanquished by many, a
stranger by natives. For there is indeed in this
terrestrial abode, the sacred tribe of heroes who
pay attention to mankind, and who are able to give
them assistance, even in the smallest concerns, and
there is also a more ancient good.* This heroic
tribe is as it were a colony, established here, in or¬
der that this terrene abode may not be left desti¬
tute of a better nature. These heroes also extend
their hands in those things in which they are able
to give assistance. But when Matter excites her
own proper blossoms, (i. e. progeny) to war against
the soul, the resistance made by the heroic tribe is
but small when the Gods are absent. For every
thing is strong in its appropriate place.
These daemons, however, who are the progeny
1 i. e. The good arising'from the super-mundane providential inspection of divinity. Hence Plato in the pth book of his Republic most divinely says, “ Whatever comes from the Gods to the man who is beloved by the Gods, will all be the best possible, unless he has some necessary ill from former miscarriage. Hence, if the just man happens to be in poverty or disease, or in any other of those seeming evils, these things issue to him in something good either whilst alive or dead. For never at any time is he neglected by the Gods who inclines earnestly to endeavour to become just , and practises virtue as far as it is possible for man to resemble God.”
of matter wish to make souls their own, and the
manner in which they attack them is as follows :
It is not possible in the earth that there should
be some one who has not a portion of the irrational
soul. And this, indeed, the multitude hurl forth
as their defence, but the w7ise man suspends from
his essence. All souls, however, necessarily have
this part. Evil daemons through this, as through
that which is allied to them, invade and betray the
animal. For in reality that which then takes place
resembles a siege. But as coals are swiftly en¬
kindled by torches, through their adaptation to
iire, so the nature of these daemons being passive,
or rather being a living and moveable passion, when
it approaches to the soul, excites the passion
which is in it, and produces it from capacity into
energy. For each thing operates by juxtaposition.
But every thing which suffers is co-assimilated to
that which acts upon it. Thus daemons inflame
desire, thus they inflame anger, and all such evils
as are the sisters of these ; associating with souls
through the parts that are adapted to themselves,
which naturally perceive the presence of these dae¬
mons, and are excited and corroborated by them,
rising against intellect, till they either vanquish the
whole soul, or despair of its caption* This then
is the greatest of contests* For there is neither
any time, nor any mode, nor any place, in which
they cease to attack, and thence invade the soul
from whence no one would expect an assault.
Their snares are every where, their machines every
where, and on all sides they excite an intestine
•war, till they either vanquish or abandon the at¬
tempt/ But the Gods from on high are specta¬
tors of these beautiful contests, in which you will
be crowned, as I also wish you may in those of the
second rank. I am, however, afraid, that though
1 Proclus, in his very elegant hymn to the Sun, alludes to these daemons and their attacks, in the following lines:
δειμαινουσι be σειο θοης μάστιγος απειλήν
δαίμονες, ανθρώπων δηλημονες^ αγριοθνμομ
ψνχαις ημετεραις δνεραις κακα πορσυνοντες ,
οφρ ’ a tet κατα λαιτμα βαρνσμαραγου βιοτοιο
σώματος οτλευωσιν υπο έενγοδεσμα π οθουντες,
υφιτενονς be λαθοιντο πατρος πολνψεγγεος αυλής ,
*( Ferocious daemons, noxious to mankind.
Dread the dire anger of thy rapid scourge ;
Daemons who machinate a thousand ills Pregnant with ruin to our wretched souls.
That, merg’d beneath life’s dreadful-sounding sea.
In body’s chains they willingly may toil.
Nor e’er remember in the dark abyss The splendid palace of their sire sublime/'
you will vanquish in the former, you will he van¬
quished in the latter contests. For when the di¬
vine part of the soul does not follow the inferior
part, but frequently restrains it, and is converted to
itself, then in process of time it becomes so corro¬
borated as to sustain all attacks, and so resplendent
as it were, that it no longer receives the influxes of
daemons. Thus, therefore, the whole animal then
becomes truly divine and one. And this is a celes¬
tial plant in the earth, which does not receive a
foreign ingraftment, so as to produce fruits from 'it,
but changes that which is foreign into its own na¬
ture. Evil daemons, therefore, despairing of ob¬
taining the victory over it, then entirely contend in
the second contest, which consists in endeavouring
to extirpate this plant from the earth, and destroy
it, as in no respect adapted to themselves. For
they are ashamed of being vanquished, if some one
of a nature foreign to themselves subdues them, and
is resident in the places which belong to them ;
this being in reality, and appearing to be a trophy
of victory. For a man of this kind is not only a
detriment to them in himself, but causes others also
to revolt from their dominion. For when virtue is
the object of emulation, vice must necessarily perish.
On this account, therefore, these daemons endea¬
vour by stratagems to destroy every one, whether
he be a private person or a potentate, who refuses
obedience to the laws of matter. As you, how¬
ever, are a king, it will be easier for you than for
a private person to guard against their attacks.
For they assault externally, if they do not make
any progress in their internal attempts, by war, se¬
dition, and by such things as injure the body, by
which, however, that king will not be in the least
subdued who pays attention to himself. For that
is not to be conquered in which strength and wis¬
dom are conjoined. But when these are separated
from each other, strength being without skill, and
wisdom being imbecile, they are easily subdued.
The conception, indeed, my son, of your fore¬
fathers in the formation of sacred images, is per¬
fectly admirable. For the Egyptians make a two¬
fold representation of the daemon Hermes, placing
a young by the side of an elderly man, intending to
signify by this, that he who rightly inspects [sacred
concerns] ought to be both intelligent and strong,
one of these being imperfect in affording utility
without the other. On this account, also, a sphinx
is established by us in the vestibules of our temples,
as a sacred symbol of the conjunction of these two
goods ; the beast in this figure signifying strength,
but the man wisdom.1 For strength when desti-