PREFACE

...enigmatic. In this way, that diabolical apparition which appeared to Brutus was a liar, inciting him to battle with false persuasions and promising victory; by obeying its warnings, he was ultimately killed in the line of battle original: acies. This refers to the "evil spirit" that allegedly appeared to Marcus Junius Brutus before the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE, famously dramatized by Plutarch and later Shakespeare.. In the same way, that uncertain and enigmatic spirit of Apollo directed that oracle of the Pagans and governed the tongue of the frenzied Pythia The Pythia was the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, who delivered oracles in a state of trance or "frenzy" induced by vapors from the earth.. Sometimes this malignant spirit will mix truth with falsehood—specifically by occasionally announcing the truth to men so that he may afterwards? more easily deceive those who entrust their faith to him with his absurd and monstrous lies, leading them to inevitable ruin. By this means, he also very often plots the sudden destruction of men, which he brings to effect either in his own person—through thunder, lightning, earthquakes, the disturbance of waters, the overturning of buildings, the stirring up of violent winds, and similar things—or accomplishes through his ministers, such as Poisoners Venefici (historically, those who used drugs, potions, or poisons for harmful magic), Evil Magicians Cacomagi (from the Greek 'kakos' for bad/evil, denoting those who practice harmful sorcery), Necromancers Necromantici (those who claim to conjure the spirits of the dead for divination), and others of this kind. Therefore, having considered these things rightly and with a good mind, we shall find that all the operations of the Devil are malignant and pernicious; they have produced no true knowledge and nothing of profit for the world, but on the contrary, a multitude of immense inconvenience, terror, constant danger, and wretched distress. The reason for this is clear, since he is the punisher original: vindex. While often translated as 'avenger,' in this theological context, the Devil is seen as the instrument that executes punishment on those who have turned away from God. of the living God and a monstrous devastator of things abandoned by God.