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A Plea for the Christians

Athenagoras of Athens

Chapter 27

About this work

A polished petition to Roman emperors rebutting charges of atheism, incest, and cannibalism while explaining Christian monotheism, moral discipline, and belief in Father, Son, and Spirit.

Author: Athenagoras of Athens
Date: c. AD 176–177
Origin: Athens (traditional)
Genre: Apology

Chapter XXVII.—Artifices of the Demons.

What then? In the first place,

‹ Chapter 26 Chapter 28 ›

the

irrational

and

fantastic

movements

of

the

soul

about

opinions

produce

a

diversity

of

images

(

εἴδωλα

)

from

time

to

time

:

some

they

derive

from

matter

,

and

some

they

fashion

and

bring

forth

for

themselves

;

and

this

happens

to

a

soul

especially

when

it

partakes

of

the

material

spirit

and

becomes

mingled

with

it

,

looking

not

at

heavenly

things

and

their

Maker

,

but

downwards

to

earthly

things

,

wholly

at

the

earth

,

as

being

now

mere

flesh

and

blood

,

and

no

longer

pure

spirit

.

These

irrational

and

fantastic

movements

of

the

soul

,

then

,

give

birth

to

empty

visions

in

the

mind

,

by

which

it

becomes

madly

set

on

idols

.

When

,

too

,

a

tender

and

susceptible

soul

,

which

has

no

knowledge

or

experience

of

sounder

doctrines

,

and

is

unaccustomed

to

contemplate

truth

,

and

to

consider

thoughtfully

the

Father

and

Maker

of

all

things

,

gets

impressed

with

false

opinions

respecting

itself

,

then

the

demons

who

hover

about

matter

,

greedy

of

sacrificial

odours

and

the

blood

of

victims

,

and

ever

ready

to

lead

men

into

error

,

avail

themselves

of

these

delusive

movements

of

the

souls

of

the

multitude

;

and

,

taking

possession

of

their

thoughts

,

cause

to

flow

into

the

mind

empty

visions

as

if

coming

from

the

idols

and

the

statues

;

and

when

,

too

,

a

soul

of

itself

,

as

being

immortal

,

moves

comformably

to

reason

,

either

predicting

the

future

or

healing

the

present

,

the

demons

claim

the

glory

for

themselves

.

Notes

101
[Kaye, p. 191; and comp. cap. xxiv., supra, p. 142.]
102
[Comp. On the Resurrection, cap. xiii., infra., p. 439 of ed. Edinburgh. Also Kaye, p. 199.]
103
[Kaye, p. 190.]