On the Mysteries

...a certain part of the soul; and he is therefore happy who has a wise intellect.

Nor does it follow that the worship of the personal daemon is twofold; and one is performed as if toward two, and another as if three were believed in; but he is invoked by a common calling by all.

Finally, I ask whether there might not be some other way to happiness that remains hidden from us, beyond divine prophecy and Theurgy? I doubt whether it is right to look toward human praise in divine prophecy and sacred operations; furthermore, whether the entire business of Theurgy might not be a mere fantasy of a religious soul, imagining great things for itself out of nothing. Moreover, there are other methods for knowing future things (and thus finding happiness) besides divine prophecy, and those who possess this are not necessarily happy; for they can have knowledge of future things and yet not know how to use it. I desire, therefore, to be taught by you what is the path to happiness. Indeed, among us Greeks there is an endless debate about this matter, since we conjecture what is the highest good from purely human reasoning. But those with whom intimacy with the Gods has intervened, if they have behaved too negligently in investigating this matter, they have labored in vain for the discovery of a runaway slave, or for the purchase of land, or for weddings, or trade. If, however, they have not been negligent, and yet, while they hold certainty and truth about other things, they have brought back nothing certain or trustworthy about happiness (meditating only on things difficult and, in the end, useless to humans), then they are not Gods or good daemons with whom they have dealt; but that one who is commonly called the impostor daemon, or this whole thing will be a human invention and a fabrication of mortal nature.

...is a certain part of the soul; and he is happy who possesses a wise mind.

Nor is it the case that the worship of the personal daemon should be twofold; and one is performed as if toward two, another as if toward three; but he is called by all with a common invocation.

I ask whether there might be some other hidden path to happiness, apart from the gods. And whether it is necessary to look toward human reputation in divine divination and theurgy, and whether the soul might not be inventing great things for itself. But there are other methods for those who care about the future. And perhaps those who possess divine divination are carried away, but they are not happy; they bear news of future events, but did not know how to use them well. I wish, therefore, for you to show me the path to happiness, and by what means it is acquired. But for us, there is much debate, since it is a matter of guessing the good from human reasoning. For those for whom wisdom concerning the higher powers has been devised, if this part is passed over in examination, wisdom is not yet needed—concerning the finding of a runaway, or the purchase of a field, or a marriage, if it should happen, or trade, about which they disturb the divine mind. But if it is not passed over, and those who know the truest things about other matters have nothing certain or reliable about happiness (meditating on things difficult but useless to men), then they were not Gods or good daemons, but it is not. The one called the deceiver, or the whole thing is a human invention, and a fabrication of mortal nature.