Iamblichus on the Mysteries; Psellus on Demons

MARSILIO FICINO
of Florence, humbly commends himself to the Most Reverend Father in Christ, Lord Giovanni de' Medici, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church.

When I had decided to write a letter to you to congratulate you on the Cardinal dignity recently conferred upon you, and was considering to whom I might entrust it for delivery so as to make our congratulation all the more welcome, I suddenly betook myself to the Academy, hoping that, within its halls at least, I would not lack a messenger most acceptable to you. There, by a certain divine lot, I was first met by Iamblichus, called "The Divine" among the Academics, and a great priest in that place. I said to him, "Greetings, Iamblichus, great priest. I am about to congratulate Giovanni de' Medici, the new prelate of the Christian religion; pray, if I ask what is just, make our congratulation—otherwise barren—fuller with your divine words and mysteries." He nodded to my prayers, and with this sentiment to you: "Great priest Giovanni, that great priest comes." Therefore, receive the messenger joyfully, and after the first greeting, after the letter is read, listen attentively, if you please, to what that divine man speaks. For he promised that, in a manner worthy of both his person and yours, he would briefly express to you what the priests of the Egyptians and Assyrians thought about religion and divine matters.