Discourse on the Angels or Spirits of Empires

...by the wisdom of God, we feel that it is indicated that it operated less in more ancient and old [times]; but was more fully and clearly revealed through Christ. Truly, we shall investigate the wisdom of God in its proper places. But now, since the treatise on the opposing powers virtutibus contrariis In Origen's theology, these are spiritual forces—demons or fallen angels—that influence the world and human thought. is at hand—specifically how they provoke those struggles by which false knowledge is introduced into human minds, and souls are seduced while they think they have found wisdom—I think it necessary to speak and to distinguish what the wisdom of this world is, and what the wisdom of the princes of this world is. Through this, we may also perceive who the fathers of this wisdom are, so that we may observe the true difference between these types of wisdom.

I think, therefore, as we said above, that the wisdom of this world is something different from those wisdoms belonging to the princes of this world. Through this [worldly] wisdom, those things which belong to this world seem to be understood and grasped. However, it contains nothing within itself that allows it to perceive anything concerning divinity, or the reason of the world, or any higher matters, or the institution of a good and blessed life. Instead, it is such (for example) as is every poetic art, or grammar, or rhetoric, or geometry, or music, with which perhaps even medicine should be counted. In all these, one should perceive that the "wisdom of the world" is present.

By the wisdom of the princes of this world, however, we understand what they call the secret and hidden philosophy of the Egyptians, the astrology of the Chaldeans, and the promises of the Jews regarding the "knowledge of the Most High"; but also the multifaceted and varied opinions of the Greeks concerning Divinity. Therefore, we find in the holy scriptures that there are "princes" over individual nations, as we read in Daniel: that there is a certain "prince of the kingdom of the Persians," and another "prince of the kingdom of the Greeks." That these are not human beings, but certain powers virtutes In this context, "powers" refers to celestial or angelic beings rather than human strengths., is clearly shown from the sequence of the reading itself. Furthermore, in the Prophet Ezekiel, the Prince of Tyre is shown to be a certain power...