登陆注册
5214200000141

第141章

But now, as regards loftiness of place, it is altogether ridiculous to be so influenced by the fact that the demons inhabit the air, and we the earth, as to think that on that account they are to be put before us; for in this way we put all the birds before ourselves.But the birds, when they are weary with flying, or require to repair their bodies with food, come back to the earth to rest or to feed, which the demons, they say, do not.Are they, therefore, inclined to say that the birds are superior to us, and the demons superior to the birds? But if it be madness to think so, there is no reason why we should think that, on account of their inhabiting a loftier element, the demons have a claim to our religious submission.But as it is really the case that the birds of the air are not only not put before us who dwell on the earth; but are even subjected to us on account of the dignity of the rational soul which is in us, so also it is the case that the demons, though they are aerial, are not better than we who are terrestrial because the air is higher than the earth, but, on the contrary, men are to be put before demons because their despair is not to be compared to the hope of pious men.Even that law of Plato's, according to which he mutually orders and arranges the four elements, inserting between the two extreme elements-namely, fire, which is in the highest degree mobile, and the immoveable earth--the two middle ones, air and water, that by how much the air is higher up than the water, and the fire than the air, by so much also are the waters higher than the earth,--this law, I say, sufficiently admonishes us not to estimate the merits of animated creatures according to the grades of the elements.

And Apuleius himself says that man is a terrestrial animal in common with the rest, who is nevertheless to be put far before aquatic animals, though Plato puts the waters themselves before the land.By this he would have us understand that the same order is not to be observed when the question concerns the merits of animals, though it seems to be the true one in the gradation of bodies; for it appears to be possible that a soul of a higher order may inhabit a body of a lower, and a soul of a lower Order a body of a higher.

CHAP.16.--WHAT APULEIUS THE PLATONIST THOUGHT CONCERNING THE MANNERSAND

ACTIONS OF DEMONS.

The same Apuleius, when speaking concerning the manners of demons, said that they are agitated with the same perturbations of mind as men; that they are provoked by injuries, propitiated by services and by gifts, rejoice in honors, are delighted with a variety of sacred rites, and are annoyed if any of them be neglected.

Among other things, he also says that on them depend the divinations of augurs, soothsayers, and prophets, and the revelations of dreams, and that from them also are the miracles of the magicians.But, when giving a brief definition of them, he says, "Demons are of an animal nature, passive in soul, rational in mind, aerial in body, eternal in time." "Of which five things, the three first are common to them and us, the fourth peculiar to themselves, and the fifth common to therewith the gods."(1) But I see that they have in common with the gods two of the first things, which they have in common with us.For he says that the gods also are animals; and when he is assigning to every order of beings its own element, he places us among the other terrestrial animals which live and feel upon the earth.Wherefore, if the demons are animals as to genus, this is common to them, not only with men, but also with the gods and with beasts; if they are rational as to their mind, this is common to them with the gods and with men; if they are eternal in time, this is common to them with the gods only; if they are passive as to their soul, this is common to them with men only; if they are aerial in body, in this they are alone.Therefore it is no great thing for them to be of an animal nature, for so also are the beasts; in being rational as to mind, they are not above ourselves, for so are we also; and as to their being eternal as to time, what is the advantage of that if they are not blessed? for better is temporal happiness than eternal misery.Again, as to their being passive in soul, how are they in this respect above us, since we also are so, but would not have been so had we not been miserable? Also, as to their being aerial in body, how much value is to be set on that, since a soul of any kind whatsoever is to be set above every body? and therefore religious worship, which ought to be rendered from the soul, is by no means due to that thing which is inferior to the soul.Moreover, if he had, among those things which he says belong to demons, enumerated virtue, wisdom, happiness, and affirmed that they have those things in common with the gods, and, like them, eternally, he would assuredly have attributed to them something greatly to be desired, and much to be prized.And even in that case it would not have been our duty to worship them like God on account of these things, but rather to worship Him from whom we know they had received them.But how much less are they really worthy of divine honor,--those aerial animals who are only rational that they may be capable of misery, passive that they may be actually miserable, and eternal that it may be impossible for them to end their misery !

CHAP.17.--WHETHER IT IS PROPER THAT MEN SHOULD WORSHIP THOSE SPIRITSFROM WHOSE

VICES IT IS NECESSARY THAT THEY BE FREED.

同类推荐
  • Legends and Tales

    Legends and Tales

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说大乘菩萨藏正法经

    佛说大乘菩萨藏正法经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 雪交亭正气录

    雪交亭正气录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 相宗八要

    相宗八要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Ebb-Tide

    The Ebb-Tide

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 职场“蜗居”术

    职场“蜗居”术

    《职场蜗居术》讲的,是别人从未说过的职场如何“蜗居”,相信大多数职场人都处于“蜗居”状态。
  • Hi初恋君请滚蛋

    Hi初恋君请滚蛋

    十年前,女孩:“哎!听外面一直有谣言说你喜欢我?但是我等不及了,所以我要向你告白,我喜欢你。”男孩:“我澄清一下,这不是谣言,我是真的喜欢你”十年后,男人:“满满,我一直都没忘记你,我们结婚吧”女人:“滚”
  • 世说人语

    世说人语

    精选了郑逸梅写人物、谈掌故、品艺事、话图书的文章上百余篇,撷英采华,变成这部郑逸梅美文类编。共分人物编、书话编、掌故编、艺事编四辑。所选皆为郑文精粹,而又以类相从,可以和而观之,也可性有偏嗜,各取所好,一编在手,尽享快乐阅读的陶然之感。
  • 豫林儒家

    豫林儒家

    明嘉庆年间,有一名少年孤身一人前往嵩山少林。冥冥之中是天意还是命运。注定一生孤独终老,还是另有内情?世间安得两全法,不负如来不负卿?
  • 校草心尖宠:丫头,抱一抱

    校草心尖宠:丫头,抱一抱

    一次意外,她成了国民校草的心尖宠,宠她第一招:关门有用吗?恶魔都是翻窗强势入住,顺便夺个初吻,“嘿嘿,吻了就要以身相许,本少以后就是你的人了。”谁欺负她,他帮她掘谁家祖坟,她生气想打人,他去给她雇个出气筒,她喜欢美食,他带她吃遍天下,纳尼?有人追求她这还了得,来人呀,把她绑回家,“混蛋,你想干什么?”他邪恶一笑把她圈入怀中说:不干嘛,宠你呀!“不行,你滚!”“遵命!亲爱的老婆大人!”
  • 研堂见闻杂记

    研堂见闻杂记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 崇陵传信录

    崇陵传信录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 西子湖拾翠余谈

    西子湖拾翠余谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无忘修罗

    无忘修罗

    沉睡已久的圣王――黎天苏醒,世界再次进入疯狂,他不断前进,不断挥洒,不断拼命,重朔自我,创造一花一世界,一树一宇宙,将一代枭雄呈现的漓淋尽至。
  • 大神,别抢我人头!

    大神,别抢我人头!

    [甜宠无虐小清新,温馨蜜汁小甜饼]我的意中人是个盖世大狗比,打我的野、偷我的buff、拿我的人头、抢我的MVP、还朝我笑嘻嘻。顾漓曾经是个王者,后来翻船翻进了苏白这条阴沟沟里,从此衰出天际。“小姐姐,给个红好吗?”“小姐姐,让个蓝好吗?”“小姐姐,我想要人头~”顾漓一忍再忍,直到忍无可忍,顺着网线爬过去打苏白的时候,却发现对方是个披着羊皮的西伯利亚大尾巴狼!从此撩,撩,撩不停。