Chapter XX. How Apollo Enjoins Sacrifice to the Evil Daemon

[PORPHYRY] ‘So when the prophet was eager to see the deity with his own eyes, and was urgent, Apollo said that such a thing was impossible before giving ransom to the wicked daemon. And these are his words:

“To the dread genius of thy fatherland Bring thou, for ransom meet, libations first, Then fragrant incense, and dark blood of grapes, With rich milk from the mothers of thy flock.” [1]

‘Again, he spake more plainly on the same subject:

“Bring wine and milk, and water crystal-clear, Holm boughs and acorns, and in order lay The entrails, and the rich libations pour.”

‘But when asked what prayer should be used he began, but, did not finish, speaking thus:

“O daemon, crowned king of erring souls Beneath daik caves, and on the earth above----”’

So spake the wonderful god, or rather the most wily daemon: but the dictates of natural reason are the very contrary, exhorting us ‘to purify the soul,’ but not to draw the wicked daemons to our side by sacrifices, ‘for they do not assail a pure soul, because it is unlike them.’ But then if he who was cautious, and did no sacrifice to daemons, was rightly judged to be a wise and prudent man, I leave it to you to consider, who and what kind of being he could reasonably be esteemed who, by his oracle, advised men to sacrifice to the wicked daemons.

Now if from this point you review what has been said, it will be evident what sort of beings in natural disposition those were who delighted in human sacrifices, or those who had long before enslaved the whole human race to such beings. But should any one say that the custom of human sacrifice is not wicked, but was most rightly practised by the men of old, he must at once condemn all of the present day, because none worship after the manner of their fathers.