Michael Psellus on the Operation of Daemons

describe the outlandish doctrines and doings of demon-worship; and though you cannot possibly derive any advantage from such a description—for if it be true what Simonides says, that the statement of facts is their delineation, and that therefore the statement of unprofitable facts must be unprofitable, and the statement of profitable facts the opposite—what possible benefit could you derive from my delineating their seductive statements?

TIMOTHY.—Nay, but I shall be greatly benefited, Thracian; surely it is not unserviceable for physicians to be acquainted with drugs of a deadly nature, so that no one may be endangered by their use. Besides, some of the particulars, at all events, will not be unprofitable. We have our choice, therefore, either to carry off from your disquisition what is profitable, or to be on our guard against it if it has anything pernicious.

THRACIAN.—Agreed, my friend; you shall hear (as the poet says) truths, certainly, but most unpleasant ones. But if my narrative adverts to certain unseemly proceedings, I require of you, in common justice, not to be angry with me who relates them, but with those who perform them. This execrable doctrine had its rise with Manes 6 Here there is a play on the word "Manes," which we have endeavored to preserve in some measure in the translation; the Greek reads "para Manentos tou manentos" (from Manes the madman). This type of punning is very ancient. The Jews, playing on the word Beelzebul, meaning "Lord of the Heavenly Dwelling," converted it into Beelzebub, "Lord of the Dunghill," as he was supposed to be the god of a fly that delights in filth. the Maniac; from him, their (the Euchitæ’s) multitudinous origins have flowed down as from a foul fountain. For, according to the accursed 7 The Greek reads "epiarato," which signifies "lovely"; we cannot but think this either a typographical error or an error of some transcriber, and that the word in the original manuscript was "eparato," which signifies "accursed." This view is supported by the Latin translators, who use "intestabilis" (abominable) as the synonym. Manes, there were two origins of all things. He, with senseless impiety, opposed a god—the author of evil—to God, the Creator of every good; a ruler of the wickedness of the terrestrials to the bounteous Ruler of the celestials.