DÆMON

DÆMON, (δαίμων) a name given by the ancients to certain spirits or genii, which they say appeared to men, either to do them service or to hurt them. The Greek word δαίμων, is derived (according to Plato, in his Cratylus, p. 398. ed. Serrani, vol. i. (from δαίω, "knowing or intelligent;" but according to others from δαίω, "to distribute," (see the Scholiast on Homer, II. i. ver. 222.)) Either of these derivations agrees with the office ascribed to demons by the ancient heathens, as the spirit intrusted with the inspection and government of mankind. For, according to the philosophers, demons held a middle rank between the celestial gods and men on earth, and carried on all intercourse between them; conveying the addresses of men to the gods, and the divine benefits to men. It was the opinion of many, that the celestial divinities did not themselves interpose in human affairs, but committed the entire administration of the government of this lower world to these subaltern deities: Negue enim pro maiestate deum caelestium fuerit, hec curare; (Apuleius de deo Socratis, p. 677.) Canella caelestium voluntate, numine, et auctoritate, sed demonum obsequio, et opera et ministerio fieri arbitrandum est; (Id. p. 675.) Hence they became the objects of divine worship. "If idols are nothing," says Celsus (apud Origen. cont. Cels. lib. viii. p. 393.) "what harm can there be to join in the public festivals? If they are demons, then it is certain that they are gods, in whom we are to confide, and to whom we should offer sacrifices and prayers to render them propitious." Several of the heathen philosophers held that there were different kinds of demons; that some of them were spiritual substances of a more noble origin than the human race, and that others had once been men. But those demons who were the more immediate objects of the established worship among the ancient nations nations were human spirits, such as were believed to become demons or deities after their departure from their bodies. Plutarch teaches (Vit. Romul. p. 36. ed. Paris), "that according to a divine nature and justice, the souls of virtuous men are advanced to the rank of demons; and that from demons, if they are properly purified, they are exalted into gods, not by any political institution, but according to right reason." The same author says in another place (de Is. et Osir. p. 361.), "that Isis and Osiris were, for their virtue, changed from good demons into gods, as were Hercules and Bacchus afterwards, receiving the united honours both of gods and demons." Hesiod and other poets, who have recorded the ancient history or traditions on which the public faith and worship were founded, assert, that the men of the golden age, who were supposed to be very good, became demons after death, and dispensers of good things to mankind. Though dæmon is often used in a general sense as equivalent to a deity, and is accordingly applied to fate or fortune, or whatever else was regarded as a god; yet those demons who were the more immediate objects of divine worship amongst the heathens, were human spirits; as is shown in Farmer on Miracles, chap. iii. sect. 2. The word dæmon is used indifferently in a good and a bad sense. In the former sense, it was very commonly used among the ancient heathens. "We must not (says Menander) think any dæmon to be evil, hurtful to a good life, but every god to be good." Nevertheless, those are certainly mistaken who affirm, that dæmon never signifies an evil being till after the times of Christ. Pythagoras held dæmons who sent diseases to men and cattle (Diog. Laert. Vit. Pythagor. p. 514. ed. Amstel.) Zaleucus, in his preface to his Laws (apud Stobaeum, Sermon. 42.) supposes that an evil dæmon might be present with a man, to influence him to injustice. The dæmons of Empedocles were evil spirits, and exiles from heaven; (Plutarch Itaq. vi. p. 20. de div. Zoroast.) And in his life of Dion (p. 958.), he says, "It was the opinion of the ancients that evil and mischievous dæmons, out of envy and hatred to good men, oppose whatever they do." Scarce did any opinion more generally prevail in ancient times than this, viz. that as the departed souls of good men became good dæmons, so the departed souls of bad men became evil dæmons. It has been generally thought, that by dæmons we are to understand devils, in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. Others think the word is in that version certainly applied to the ghosts of such dead men as the heathens deified, in Deut. xxxii. 17. Ps. cvi. 37. That dæmon often bears the same meaning in the New Testament, and particularly in Acts xvii. 18. 1 Cor. x. 21. 1 Tim. iv. 1. Rev. ix. 13. is shown at large by Mr. Joseph Mede (Works, p. 623. et seq.) That the word is applied always to human spirits in the New Testament, Mr. Farmer has attempted to show in his Essay on dæmoniacs, p. 208. et seq. As to the meaning of the word dæmon in the fathers of the Christian church, it is used by them in the same sense as it was by the heathen philosophers, especially the latter Platonists; that is, sometimes for departed human spirits, and at other times for such spirits as had never inhabited human bodies. In the fathers, indeed, the word is more commonly taken in an evil sense, than in the Dæmon, ancient philosophers. Besides the two forementioned Dæmoniac kinds of dæmons, the fathers, as well as the ancient philosophers, held a third, viz. such as sprang from the congreſſes of superior beings with the daughters of men. In the theology of the fathers, these were the worst kind of dæmons. Different orders of dæmons had different stations and employments assigned them by the ancients. Good dæmons were considered as the authors of good to mankind; evil dæmons brought innumerable evils both upon men and beasts. Amongst evil dæmons there was a great distinction with respect to the offices assigned them; some compelled men to wickedness, others stimulated them to madness. See Dæmoniac. Much has been said concerning the dæmon of Socrates. He pretended to his friends and disciples, and even declared to the world, that a friendly spirit, whom he called his dæmon, directed him how to act on every important occasion in his life, and restrained him from imprudence of conduct. In contemplating the character of this great philosopher, while we admire him as the noblest patron of virtue and moral wisdom that appeared in the heathen world, we are naturally led to inquire, whether what he gave out concerning his dæmon were a trick of imposture, or the reverie of a heated imagination, or a sober and true account of a favour which heaven designed to confer on so extraordinary a man. To ascertain in this case the object of our inquiries, is by no means so easy as the superficial thinker may be apt to imagine. When we consider the dignity of sentiment and simplicity of manners which Socrates displayed through the general tenor of his life, we cannot readily bring ourselves to think that he could be capable of such a trick of imposture. Nothing of the wildness of an enthusiast appears in his character; the modesty of his pretensions, and the respect which in his conversation and conduct he uniformly testified for the ordinary duties of social life, sufficiently prove that he was free from the influence of blind enthusiasm: we cannot infer, therefore, that, like the astronomer in Raselas, he was deceived with respect to his dæmon by an overheated imagination. It is no less difficult to believe, that God would distinguish a heathen in so eminent a manner, and yet leave him uninstructed in the principles of true religion. Surely, if ever scepticism be reasonable, it must be in such matters as the present. Yet, if it be still insisted, that some one of these three notions concerning the dæmon of Socrates must be more probable than the others; we would rather esteem Socrates an enthusiast in this instance, than degrade him to the base character of an impostor, or suppose that a spiritual being actually revealed himself to the philosopher, and condescended to become his constant attendant and counsellor. People are often under the influence of an over-heated imagination with regard to some one thing, and cool and sober as to every thing else.