Chapter VIII. That They Are Drawn Down by Incantations, and Compelled Against Their Will to Serve the Designs of Men

[PORPHYRY] ‘THIS also was rightly declared by Pythagoras of Rhodes, that the gods who are invoked over the sacrifices have no pleasure therein, but come because they are dragged by a certain necessity of following, and some of them more, and some less.

‘Some however, having made as it were a custom of being present, attend more readily, and especially if they happen to be of a good nature: but others, even if they are accustomed to be present, are eager to do some harm, and especially if any one seems to behave rather carelessly in the performances.

‘For as Pythagoras had made these statements, I learned, by close observation of the oracles, how true his words are. For all the gods say that they have come by compulsion, yet not simply so, but as it were, if I may so speak, by compulsion under the guise of persuasion.

‘In what goes before we have mentioned those statements of Hecate, as to the means by which she says she is made to appear:

“The lightsome air and boundless realm of stars, Unsullied home of deity, I leave, To tread the fruitful earth at thy command: Thou know’st the secret spell, which mortal man Has learn’d, to charm immortal spirits down.”

‘And again:

“I come at sound of thy persuasive prayer, Which man inspir’d by heavenly counsels learn’d.”

‘And still more plainly:

“What need of thine, by spells that bind the gods, Calls Hecate from swiftest ether down?”

‘And then:

“Some from the sky thy wheel with mystic charm Draws swiftly, though unwilling, down to earth. And others floating midway on the winds, From the bright empyrean far remov’d, As ominous dreams thou dost to mortals send, Service unseemly laid on powers divine.”

‘And again:

“Some from their lofty home above the sky Down through mid air with Harpies swift descending Bow to the mystic spells that bind the gods, And rushing swiftly down to Deo’s earth Bring messages to man of things to come.”

‘And again another is compelled to say:

“Hear the unwilling voice thy power constrains.”’

After this again the author says:

‘For they give out answers for their own compulsion, as will be shown by Apollo’s answer as to means of compelling him. It is expressed thus:

“Strong to compel and weighty is this name.”

‘Then he added:

“Then come thou swiftly at these words, Drawn from my heart in mystic chant, The while I quench the sacred fire. Thus nature dares thy birth divine, Immortal Paean, to declare.”

‘And again Apollo himself speaks:

“A stream of heavenly light from Phoebus flowing, Veil’d in the clear breath of the purest air, By soothing song and mystic spell allur’d Falls like a glory round the prophet’s head, Pierces the delicate membrane of the brain, Fills the soft coating of the inward frame, Thence surging upward in hot stream returns, And through the living pipe gains welcome voice.”’

To this the writer adds the remark:

‘Nothing could be plainer than this, nothing more godlike and more natural; for that which comes down is a spirit; and an emanation from the heavenly power having entered into an organized and living body, uses the soul as a basis, and through the body, as its organ, utters speech.’

But this is sufficient to prove that they suffer compulsion; and that they also request to be set free, as if it were not in their own power to withdraw, you may learn from what follows.