Demons

who, having become evil in their choice, and, instead of the good, following the apostasy of their ruler, were named demons, as deceivers and impostors.

See, then, that he has poured out his rich mercy upon you also, and has called you—you who in your mind were far from him and were serving gods that are not your own, but rather destructive demons and idols deaf and senseless.

if you sleep, you will sleep sweetly, and you will not fear any sudden terror, nor the assaults of the impious demons coming upon you;

But how, out of certain angels corrupted of their own will, a yet more corrupt race of demons came forth, condemned by God along with the authors of the race and with him whom we have called their prince — the order of it is learned in the holy writings.

So utterly is that divinity which you hold nothing, since, if it were, it would neither be claimed by demons in confession nor denied by gods.

Will it not then be more worthily presumed that these are the very ones who make themselves gods, since they do the same things that make gods to be believed, than that gods are the equals of angels and demons?

Strike away the demons, strike away evil thought — O Lords of Welfare, having gone from here on this bridal journey;

He who gives it to a discerning brahmin — he indeed smites the demons of the marriage-bed.

The scorching, spotted she-demon — I release her onto this post.

"For thrice ten thousand," in truth, "are upon the bountiful earth" demons — not immortal, nor yet mortal (for they have not even shared in sensation, that they might share in death), but stony and wooden masters of men, outraging and breaking faith with life through custom.

But he who worships the visible gods and the promiscuous rabble of these created things, and makes them his companions, is far more wretched than those very demons.

and the violence of demons is shattered, convicted by strenuous commands.

How these demons, the offspring of evil angels, long since sent forth from faith through unbelief, have striven to turn men aside by similar fables, we need not here treat more at length.

" This too the demons thereafter confess:

So too in magic — that is, in the second idolatry, in which the demons feign themselves dead in the same way as in the former they feign themselves gods (why not, since the gods too are dead?

For we ought to be certain, in case it escapes any through ignorance of secular literature, that even the gods of doors among the Romans—Cardea, named from hinges, and Forculus from doors, and Limentinus from the threshold, and Janus himself from the door—and surely we know that, although the names be empty and feigned, yet, when they are brought into superstition, they snatch to themselves the de …

as David, when he had named "gods," where he says, "But the gods of the nations are demons.

For the demons are the magistrates of this world;

O testimony of truth, which among the very demons makes a witness for the Christians!

Why, when she marks out spirits to be cursed, does she pronounce them demons?

But indeed, when we affirm that demons exist — to be sure, as though we did not also prove it, who alone drive them out from bodies — some flatterer of Chrysippus mocks at us.

He who eats with his head covered, he who eats facing south, or he who rests his hand on his left foot—it is the demons (*rakṣasas*) who eat that food.

The woman who undertakes a vow without having asked her husband—all of that goes to the demons (*rākṣasas*);