On the Mysteries

...the mind being in ecstasy, or madness arising from diseases, or alienation of this kind, or excessive vigils, or bodily suffusions, or phantasms excited by diseases, or ambiguous states (of mind), such as when one stands midway between the sobriety of the soul and ecstasy, or finally those phantasms which magic can produce.

What if nature, and art, and the consensus of all parts of this universe among themselves (as if it were some one animal) can communicate mutual presignifications. Certainly, bodies themselves seem to be made in such a way that premonitions are transferred from some to others, and this is easily proven in reality; for this reason, some bring stones and herbs for invoking the Gods, some bind sacred knots and untie them; they open closed doors, so that they may change the wills of those with whom they are dealing for the better. Nor in this matter are those to be scorned who manufacture idols and powers suitable for executing various effects. For although they do not lead down any God or Demon, these people observe the motion of the heavens; and they say whether the predictions of the celestial bodies with which they are running will be true or false, and whether the things being done are empty, or whether they are significant or effective.

There are those who think there is a certain kind of spirit, whose nature it is to listen, which is by nature deceitful, omniform, multiform, simulating Gods and Demons and the souls of the dead; and that all things, indeed, which seem to be good or evil are performed by these; but that regarding those things which are truly good (which pertain to the soul), they assist in nothing, nor do they know them, but they act maliciously, mock, and often hinder those who strive for virtue, and are full of pride, and delight in vapors and sacrifices.

That the Deceiver sets traps for us in many ways, relying on our desires.

It moves me vehemently when I consider with myself how it can be that those whose help we implore as if they were more august and divine, they nevertheless...

...not blameless, and the collapse in diseases is madness, or dreaming, or sobriety, or suffusions of the body, or phantasms stirred up from diseases, or from an ambiguous state, or phantasms skillfully constructed by sorcery goeteia black magic.

That both nature and art, through sympathy original: "συμπάθεια"—as if the whole were one living being—have prior manifestations of certain things toward each other; but bodies are also so constructed that a pre-signification is ordered from one to another, and the evidence for this from deeds is clear: that some bring the so-called stones and herbs, and priests bind certain knots or untie them, and open things that are closed, and change the choices of those receiving them, so that they might make them either compulsory or restrictive of the wicked original: "ἀναγκαστικὰς ἢ ἀναγκληπτικὰς", which is not to be rejected for the efficacy of the idols, but they speak of the celestial course as deceptive, or they say... whether the future things are true or false, or whether the things done are idle, or ineffective, or effective, while no God or Demon is brought down by them.

There are those who set aside from without a subject spirit of a deceitful nature, omniform and multiform, pretending to be Gods or Demons, and souls of the dead; and that all things which seem to be good or evil are done through these. But as for things that are truly good, which pertain to the soul, they are not able to contribute anything at all, nor do they know these things, but they act evilly, or mock, or often hinder those who are arriving at virtue; and they are full of pride typhos arrogance/vanity, and they delight in vapors and sacrifices.

That the impostor attacks us by means of our desire and expectation.

It grips me entirely, how those who are called superior are compelled, as if they were slaves or servants, to do unjust things, when commanded by those who suffer...