— 16 —

...having earned no [good] fixed home, it is punished with an uncertain wandering as if in a kind of exile. It is a hollow terror to good people, but harmful to the wicked; most people call this type Larvae original: "Larvas"; these were malevolent or restless spirits of the dead in Roman folk belief. However, when it is uncertain which lot has fallen to each of them—whether they are a Lar a benevolent protective spirit of the household or a Larva—they are addressed by the name of the Manes gods original: "Manium deum"; a collective, respectful term for the spirits of the deceased; clearly, the word "god" is added out of respect. Indeed, they only call those "gods" who, from this number of daemons 5, having governed the course 154 of their lives justly and prudently, are afterwards regarded by people as divine powers original: "numine", endowed with temples and ceremonies. This is seen with Amphiaraus in Boeotia, Mopsus in Africa, Osiris in Egypt, and others elsewhere among the various nations, while Aesculapius The god of healing is honored everywhere.

48 XVI But all this classification concerned those daemons who were once in our bodies. However, there is another 10 more venerable class of daemons, not inferior in number but far superior in dignity, who are always free from the shackles and bonds of the body and preside over 155 49 specific powers. From this number, Sleep and Love possess powers opposite to one another: Love for waking, Sleep for slumber. From this more sublime abundance of daemons, Plato asserts that for every individual, throughout the conduct of their life, witnesses and guardians are assigned. Though visible to no one, they are always present as judges of all things—not only of actions, but even of 15 thoughts. But when life is finished and one must return [to the afterlife], that very same daemon who was assigned to us immediately seizes and drags us—as if their own ward—to judgment. There, they assist in the pleading of the case: if the person lies, the daemon refutes it; if they speak the truth, the daemon confirms it. In short, the verdict 50 is delivered based on that daemon's testimony. Therefore, all of you who listen to this divine opinion of Plato with me as your interpreter, shape your minds for whatever must be done or meditated upon so that you know 20 nothing is secret to a person [from those guardians], whether within the soul or outside it. Instead, the daemon takes part in everything with curiosity, sees everything, understands everything, and dwells in the very innermost parts of the mind 156 in the place of conscience.

This one whom I describe is a total guardian, a unique overseer, a household scout, a personal curator, an intimate witness, a constant observer, an indivisible judge, an inseparable witness, a disapprover of bad things, and an approver of good ones. If he is properly acknowledged, 25 diligently known, and religiously honored—just as he was honored by Socrates with justice and innocence—then in uncertain matters he is a foreseer; in doubtful ones, a premonisher; in dangerous ones, a protector; and for those in need, a helper. He is the one who can—whether through dreams, signs, or perhaps even in person when the need arises—turn away The Latin text breaks here at "averrun-", likely the start of "averruncare," meaning to avert or turn away evil. evils...

14 Citations from Plato: Timaeus 90 A; Phaedo 107 D; Republic Book X, 617 E and 620 E.

1 [The word] bonis (good) was excluded by Markland in his critical letter, page 103. sedibus (seats/homes) was corrected from sedis by the second scribe of manuscript M. vagatione (wandering) appears as vacatione in manuscript F. poenitur (is punished) is suggested by Wilamowitz; manuscript M has ponitur, F has punitur. 3 sortio (lot/fate) in F. 4 Manium (of the Manes) suggested by Colvius; the original manuscript O has Manem. "And" (et) appears before "clearly" (scilicet) in M. The word vocabulum (name/term) was corrected in M. 5 "from this number of daemons" (hoc daemonum numero) written by me [the editor]; manuscript O has the same. Manuscript M has prudente (prudently) as prudentes. 6 pro numine (as a divine power) from the Colvius edition; O has praenomine. Manuscript F has "by people" (ab hominibus). 7 Spelling variations: boetia in O, amfiaraus in M, anfiareus in F, affrica in M, osyris in F. 9 nostro (our) written by me; manuscript O has numero (number). Goldbacher excluded this. 10 praestantiore (more excellent) in M. super his (above these) suggested by Wilamowitz; O has superius. 11 cupedibus in M. 12 curant (they care for) suggested by Scioppius; O has curantur. possident (they possess) is the common reading; O has possideant. 14 I excluded the second instance of singulis (for individuals); the Roman edition uses singulos. 18 pro illius suggested by Scaliger. 19 proinde (therefore) from early editions; O has deinde (then). 21 Manuscript F has nichil omnino (nothing at all). I excluded the phrase "from those guardians" (prae istis custodibus). The common reading is nec intra (nor within); M has ni intra, F has non intra. 22 visat (visits/views) is common; O has viset, Goldbacher suggests visitet. 24 assiduus in F. 28 I excluded the word in following the Colvius edition. somniis (dreams) from Vatican MS 3385; O has somnis. averruncare (to turn away) suggested by Pithoeus; M has aut truncare, F has autruncare with a gloss added by the second scribe.