Cassian, John, Conlationes Patrum (Collationibus)

Tot autem esse in inmundis spiritibus quot in hominibus studia non dubie conprobatur. nam nonnullos eorum, quos etiam Planos uulgus appellat, ita seductores et ioculares esse manifestum est, ut certa quaeque loca seu uias iugiter obsidentes nequaquam tormentis eorum quos praetereuntes potuerint decipere delectentur, sed derisu tantummodo et inlusione contenti fatigare eos potius studeant quam nocere: quosdam solummodo innocuis incubationibus hominum pernoctare, alios ita esse furori ac truculentiae deditos, ut non sint contenti illorum tantummodo corpora quos subpleuerint atroci dilaceratione uexare, sed etiam inruere super eminus transeuntes atque adficere illos saeuissima caede festinent: quales illi in euangelio describuntur, ob quorum metum per illam uiam transire iam nullus audebat. quos eorumque consimiles bellis quoque et sanguinis effusione pro insatiabili ferocitate gaudere non dubium est.

That there are as many pursuits among unclean spirits as among men is proved beyond doubt. For it is clear that some of them, whom the common people also call Plani [impostors], are such seducers and jokers that, continually haunting certain places or roads, they take no delight at all in the torments of those they have been able to deceive as they pass by, but, content merely with mockery and illusion, aim rather to tire them out than to harm them; that some only spend the night with people in harmless incubations; that others are so given over to fury and savagery that they are not content merely to vex with cruel mangling the bodies of those whom they have filled, but are also eager to rush upon those passing at a distance and to inflict on them the most savage slaughter — such as those described in the Gospel, for fear of whom no one any longer dared to pass along that road. There is no doubt that these and their like also rejoice, in their insatiable ferocity, in wars and the shedding of blood.

alios ita eorum corda quos ceperant inani quodam tumore uidemus infecisse, quos etiam Bacuceos uulgus appellat, ut semet ipsos ultra proceritatem sui corporis erigentes nunc quidem se in quosdam fastus gestusque sustollerent, nunc uero uelut adclines ad quendam se tranquillitatis et adfabilitatis statum communes blandosque submitterent, seseque uelut inlustres et circumspectabiles omnibus aestimantes nunc quidem adorare se potestates sublimiores corporis inflexione monstrarent, nunc uero ab aliis se crederent adorari et omnes motus, quibus uera officia aut superbe aut humiliter peraguntur, explerent.

We see that others — whom the common people also call Bacucei — have so infected with a certain empty swelling the hearts of those they had seized that these, drawing themselves up beyond the height of their own bodies, would now raise themselves in certain haughty airs and gestures, and now, as if inclined to a certain state of calm and affability, would lower themselves, sociable and ingratiating; and, regarding themselves as illustrious and admired by all, would now show by bowing the body that they were worshipping higher powers, and now believe that they themselves were being worshipped by others, and would go through all the movements by which real acts of courtesy are performed, whether proudly or humbly.

alios repperimus non solum studere mendaciis, sed etiam blasphemias hominibus inspirare. cuius rei etiam nos testes sumus, qui audiuimus apertissime daemonem confitentem per Arrium et Eunomium se impietatem sacrilegi dogmatis edidisse. quod etiam in quarto Regnorum libro unum ex isdem ipsis manifeste legimus praedicantem: egrediar, inquit, et ero spiritus mendax in ore omnium prophetarum eius. de quibus apostolus, arguens illos qui ab ipsis decipiuntur, ita infert: adteudentes spiritibus seductoribus et doctrinis daemoniorum, in hypocrisi loquentium mendacium.

We have found others not only devoted to lies but also breathing blasphemies into men. Of this we ourselves are witnesses, for we have heard a demon confessing most openly that it was he who, through Arius and Eunomius, had brought forth the impiety of a sacrilegious doctrine. We also read plainly in the fourth book of Kingdoms one of these same spirits declaring: I will go out, he says, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. Concerning them the apostle, rebuking those who are deceived by them, adds this: giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, of those speaking lies in hypocrisy.

esse autem et alia daemonum genera, id est mutorum atque surdorum, euangelia testantur. incentores etiam libidinis atque luxuriae quosdam spiritus esse propheta conmemorat spiritus, inquiens, fornicationis decepit eos, et fornicati sunt a deo suo. nocturnos quoque siue diurnos ac meridianos daemonas similiter scripturarum auctoritas docet. de quorum diuersitate perlongum est si uolumus omnia scripturarum uolumina perscrutantes singillatim percurrere, qui per prophetam onocentauri, qui pilosi, quae sirenae, quae lamiae, quae ululae, qui strathiones, qui hericii designentur, qui aspis, qui basiliscus in psalmo, qui leo, qui draco, quiue scorpios in euangelio nuncupetur, qui princeps mundi huius, qui rectores harum tenebrarum quaeue spiritalia nequitiae ab apostolo nominentur.

That there are also other kinds of demons, namely dumb and deaf ones, the Gospels testify. The prophet also records that certain spirits are instigators of lust and wantonness, saying: The spirit of fornication deceived them, and they went whoring away from their God. The authority of Scripture likewise teaches that there are demons of the night and of the day and of noon. To go through their diversity one by one would take very long, if we wished to search all the volumes of Scripture: who are meant by the prophet's onocentaurs, who by the hairy ones, which by the sirens, which by the lamias, which by the screech owls, who by the ostriches, who by the hedgehogs; who is called the asp and who the basilisk in the psalm, who the lion, who the dragon, or who the scorpion in the Gospel; who the prince of this world, who the rulers of this darkness, or what are the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness named by the apostle.

Tanta uero spirituum densitate constipatur aår iste qui inter caelum terramque diffunditur, in quo non quieti otiosique peruolitant, ut satis utiliter humanis aspectibus eos prouidentia diuina subtraxerit. aut enim terrore concursus eorum uel horrore uultuum, in quos se pro uoluntate sua cum libitum fuerit transformant atque conuertunt, intolerabili formidine homines consternarentur atque deficerent, nequaquam ualentes haec carnalibus oculis intueri, aut certe nequiores cotidie redderentur exemplis eorum iugibus et imitatione uitiati, et per hoc inter homines et inmundas atque aerias potestates fieret noxia quaedam familiaritas ac perniciosa coniunctio, quia haec flagitia quae nunc inter homines admittuntur uel parietum saeptis uel locorum interuallo et quadam uerecundiae confusione I celantur.

So dense is the throng of spirits that crowds this air, which is spread between heaven and earth and in which they fly about neither quiet nor idle, that divine providence has very usefully withdrawn them from human sight. For either, through terror at their onrush or horror at the faces into which they transform and change themselves at will whenever they please, people would be overwhelmed with unbearable fear and would collapse, being in no way able to look upon these things with fleshly eyes; or else they would become worse every day, corrupted by their constant examples and by imitation, and through this a harmful familiarity and a destructive association would arise between men and the unclean powers of the air; for those shameful deeds which are now committed among men are hidden either by the barriers of walls, or by distance of place, and by a certain confusion of shame.

Has namque inpugnationes quibus homines inpetunt etiam contra se inuicem eos adfectare certissimum est. nam discordias atque conflictus super nonnullis gentibus pro quadam sibi nequitiae uernacula familiaritate susceptis indefesso certamine similiter exercere non desinunt. quod etiam in uisione Danihelis prophetae manifestissime legimus figuratum, angelo Gabrihele ita narrante: noli timere Danihel: quia ex die primo, quo posuisti cor tuum intellegendum ut te adfligeres in conspectu dei tui, exaudita sunt uerba tua et ego ueni propter sermones tuos. princeps autem regni Persarum restitit mihi uiginti et uno diebus: et ecce Michael unus de principibus primis uenit in adiutorium meum, et ego remansi ibi iuxta regem Persarum. ueni autem ut docerem te quae uentura sunt populo tuo in nouissimis diebus.

For it is most certain that they also direct against one another the attacks with which they assail men. For they never cease likewise to wage, in unwearied struggle, discords and conflicts on behalf of certain nations, which they have taken up because of a kind of native familiarity of wickedness with themselves. We read this most plainly prefigured in the vision of the prophet Daniel, the angel Gabriel narrating thus: Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day on which you set your heart to understand, to afflict yourself in the sight of your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of the Persians withstood me for twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to my help, and I remained there beside the king of the Persians. But I have come to teach you what will befall your people in the last days.

quem principem regni Persarum aduerunam potestatem esse, quae fauebat genti Persarum inimicae populo dei, minime dubitandum est, quique ad inpediendam utilitatem, quam uidebat per absolutionem quaestionis pro qua propheta dominum exorauerat ab archangelo ministrandam, linens semet ipsum, ne ocius ad Danihelem salutaris angeli consolatio perueniret deique populum cui Gabrihel archangelus praeerat confortaret, obiecit. qui tamen ait ne tmic quidem ob inpugnationis illius uehementiam se ad eum peruenire potuisse, nisi in adiutorium sibi Michael archangelus aduenisset et occurrens principi regni Persarum seseque conflictui eius interserens et obponens eumque ab ipsius inpugnatione defendens ad instructionem prophetae post uicensimum et unum diem peruenire fecisset.

There should be no doubt at all that this prince of the kingdom of the Persians is a hostile power which favoured the nation of the Persians, enemy of the people of God; and that, to hinder the benefit which it saw was to be ministered by the archangel through the solution of the question for which the prophet had entreated the Lord, it threw itself in the way out of envy, so that the consolation of the saving angel should not reach Daniel quickly and strengthen the people of God, over whom the archangel Gabriel presided. Yet he says that even then, because of the violence of that attack, he could not have come to him, had not the archangel Michael come to his help and, meeting the prince of the kingdom of the Persians, putting himself between them and setting himself against him in the conflict, and defending him [Gabriel] from his attack, brought it about that he arrived to instruct the prophet after the twenty-first day.

SERENVS: Duas quaestiones non mediocres pariter protulistis, de quibus quantum possum eodem quo proposuistis ordine respondebo. nullo modo credendum est spiritales naturas coire cum feminis carnaliter posse.- quodsi aliquando hoc secundum litteram fieri potuisset, quomodo nunc quoque id ipsum non uel raro contingeret et absque semine uel coitu uiri aliquos nasci similiter de mulieribus conceptu daemonum cerneremus? cum praesertim constet eos libidinum sordibus admodum delectari, quas procul dubio per semet ipsos exercere quam per homines mallent, si id ullo modo posset inpleri, Ecclesiaste quoque id ipsum pronuntiante: quid est quod fuit? ipsum quod est: et quid est quod factum est ? ipsum quod fiet: et non est omne recens sub sole quod loquatur et dicat: ecce hoc nouum est, iam fuit in saeculis quae fuerunt ante nos.

SERENUS: You have put forward two questions together, neither of them slight, and I will answer them as far as I can in the same order in which you proposed them. In no way is it to be believed that spiritual natures can have carnal intercourse with women. For if this could ever have happened literally, how would the very same thing not also happen now, at least rarely, and how would we not likewise see some people born of women, without the seed or intercourse of a man, by the conception of demons? — especially since it is established that they take great delight in the filth of lusts, which they would doubtless rather practise by themselves than through human beings, if this could in any way be accomplished; Ecclesiastes too declaring this very thing: What is it that has been? The very thing that is. And what is it that has been done? The very thing that will be done. And there is nothing new under the sun of which anyone may speak and say: Behold, this is new; it has already been in the ages that were before us.

sed ita quaestio huius propositionis absoluitur. post necem Abel iusti, ne a fratricida et impio omne hominum genus exordium sumeret, in locum fratris extincti nascitur Seth, qui non solum posteritati sed etiam fraternae iustitiae pietatique succederet. cuius progenies patris secuta iustitiam a societate et coniunctione cognationis illius quae ex Cain sacrilego descendebat semper diuisa permansit, sicut etiam genealogiae discretio manifeste declarat ita dicens: Adam genuit Seth, Seth genuit Enos, Enos genuit Cainam, Cainam autem genuit Maleleel, Maleleel autem genuit Iaret, laret genuit Enoc, Enoc genuit Mathusalam, Mathusalam genuit Lamec, Lamee genuit Noe. item genealogia Cain ita diuisa describitur: Cain genuit Enoc, Enoc genuit Cainam, Cainam genuit Maleleel, Maleleel genuit Mathusalam, Mathusalam genuit Lamec, Lamec genuit lobel et Iubal.

But the question raised by this proposition is resolved in this way. After the murder of righteous Abel, so that the whole human race should not take its beginning from a fratricide and an impious man, Seth is born in the place of the slain brother, to succeed not only to his brother's posterity but also to his righteousness and piety. His progeny, following the righteousness of their father, always remained separate from fellowship and union with that kindred which descended from the sacrilegious Cain, as the separation of the genealogy also plainly declares, saying thus: Adam begot Seth, Seth begot Enos, Enos begot Cainan, and Cainan begot Mahalaleel, and Mahalaleel begot Jared, Jared begot Enoch, Enoch begot Methuselah, Methuselah begot Lamech, Lamech begot Noah. Likewise the genealogy of Cain is set down separately thus: Cain begot Enoch, Enoch begot Cainan, Cainan begot Mahalaleel, Mahalaleel begot Methuselah, Methuselah begot Lamech, Lamech begot Jabal and Jubal.

itaque illa generatio quae de Seth iusti propagine descendebat suae lineae iugiter agnationique permixta in patrum atque ataui sanctitate longa aetate durauit, nequaquam scilicet sacrilegiis. ao malitia nequissimae prolis infecta, quae in semet inpietatis germen uelut auita traditione retinebat insertum. donec ergo perseuerauit inter illos generationis eorum ista discretio, semen illud Seth, utpote de optima radice procedens, pro merito sanctitatis angeli dei siue ut diuersa exemplaria continent . filii dei uocati sunt, et e contrario illi propter inpietatem uel suam uel patrum suorum et opera terrena filii hominum i nuncupantur.

And so that generation which descended from the stock of righteous Seth, always intermarrying within its own line and kindred, endured for a long age in the holiness of its fathers and forefathers, in no way, of course, infected by the sacrileges and wickedness of the most worthless offspring, which kept the seed of impiety implanted in itself as if by ancestral tradition. As long, then, as this separation of their generations persisted between them, that seed of Seth, as proceeding from the best root, was called, for the merit of its holiness, 'angels of God', or, as various copies have it, 'sons of God'; and those others, on the contrary, because of their own impiety or that of their fathers, and because of their earthly works, are named 'sons of men'.

cum esset ergo inter ipsos usque ad illud tempus haec utilis sanctaque diuisio, uidentes post haec filii Seth qui dei filii erant filias eorum qui de Cain progenie nascebantur desiderio pulchritudinis earum succensi acceperunt de ipsis sibimet uxores, quae uiris suis parentum suorum nequitias infundentes ab illa eos ingenita sanctitate ac simplicitate paterna protinus conruperunt. ad quos satis congrue directum est illud eloquium: ego dixi: dii estis, et filii excelsis omnes. uos autem sicut homines moriemini: et sicut unus de principibus cadetis, quique ab illa uera physicae philosophiae disciplina tradita sibi a maioribus exciderunt, quam primus homo ille, qui uniuersarum naturarum institutionem e uestigio subsecutus est, potuit euidenter ad tingere suisque posteris certa ratione transmittere.

Since there was, then, up to that time this useful and holy division between them, afterwards the sons of Seth, who were the sons of God, seeing the daughters of those who were born of Cain's progeny, and inflamed with desire for their beauty, took wives for themselves from among them; and these, pouring into their husbands the wickedness of their own parents, at once corrupted them, away from that inborn holiness and the simplicity of their fathers. To them that saying is quite fittingly addressed: I said: You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes — they who fell away from that true discipline of natural philosophy handed down to them by their forebears, which that first man, who came immediately after the founding of all natures, was able to grasp clearly and to pass on to his descendants by sure reasoning.

quippe qui mundi ipsius infantiam adhuc teneram et quodammodo palpitantem rudemque conspexerat et in quem tanta fuit non solum sapientiae plenitudo, sed etiam gratia prophetiae diuina illa insuffiatione transfusa, ut uniuersis animantibus nomina rudis adhuc mundi huius habitator inponeret ac non solum omnigenum bestiarum atque serpentum furores uirusque discerneret, sed etiam uirtutes herbarum et arborum lapidumque naturas ac temporum necdum expertorum uicissitudines partiretur, ita ut efficaciter potuerit dicere: dominus dedit mihi eorum, quae sunt, scientiam ueram: ut sciam dispositionem orbis terrarum et uirtutes elementorum, initium et consummationem et medietatem temporum, uicissitudinum inmutationes et diuisiones temporum, annorum cursus et stellarum dispositiones, naturas animalium iras bestiarum, uim spiritnum et cogitationes hominum, differentias arborum et uirtutes radicum, et quaecumque sunt abscondita et in promptu cognoui.

For he had seen the infancy of the world itself, still tender and, as it were, quivering and unformed; and there was in him not only such a fullness of wisdom, but also the grace of prophecy, poured in by that divine inbreathing, that, as an inhabitant of this still unformed world, he gave names to all living creatures, and not only discerned the fury and venom of every kind of beast and serpent, but also distinguished the powers of herbs and trees and the natures of stones, and the alternations of seasons not yet experienced, so that he could effectively say: The Lord gave me true knowledge of the things that are: to know the order of the world and the powers of the elements, the beginning and end and middle of times, the changes of the alternations and the divisions of seasons, the courses of years and the positions of the stars, the natures of animals, the rages of beasts, the force of spirits and the thoughts of men, the differences of trees and the virtues of roots; and whatever things are hidden and in plain view, I have come to know.

hanc ergo scientiam omnium naturarum per successiones generationum semen Seth paterna traditione suscipiens, donec diuisum a sacrilega propagine perdurauit, quemadmodum sancte perceperat, ita etiam uel ad dei cultum uel ad utilitatem uitae communis exercuit. eam uero impiae generationi fuisset admixtum, ad res profanas ac noxias quae pie didicerat instinctu quoque daemonum deriuauit curiosasque ex ea maleficiorum artes atque praestigias ac magicas superstitiones audaciter instituit, docens posteros suos, ut sacro illo cultu diuini numinis derelicto uel elementa haec uel ignem uel aerios daemonas uenerarentur et colerent.

This knowledge of all natures, then, the seed of Seth received by paternal tradition through the successions of generations; and as long as it remained separate from the sacrilegious stock, it used it, just as it had received it, in holiness, either for the worship of God or for the benefit of common life. But when it had become mixed with the impious generation, it diverted what it had piously learned to profane and harmful ends, at the prompting of demons too, and from it boldly instituted curious arts of sorcery, and conjuring tricks, and magical superstitions, teaching its descendants to abandon that sacred worship of the divine Godhead and to venerate and worship either these elements, or fire, or the demons of the air.

haec igitur quam diximus curiosarum rerum notitia quomodo in diluuio non perierit ac superuenientibus saeculis innotuerit, licet hoc minime absolutio propositae quaestionis exposcat, tamen, quia nos occasio huius expositionis admonuit, praestringendum breuiter puto. quantum itaque antiquae traditiones ferunt, Cham filius Noê, qui superstitionibus istis et sacrilegis ac profanis erat artibus institutus, sciens nullum se posse super his memorialem librum in aream prorsus inferre, in qua erat una cum patre iusto ac sanctis frairi- (bus ingressorus, scelestas artes ac profana conmenta diuersorum metallorum lamminis, quae scilicet aquarum conrampi inundatione non possent, et durissimis lapidibus insculpsit.

How this knowledge of curious matters that we have spoken of did not perish in the Flood and became known to the ages that followed — although the resolution of the question set before us hardly requires it — I nevertheless think should be touched on briefly, since the occasion of this explanation has reminded us of it. As far, then, as ancient traditions report, Ham the son of Noah, who had been instructed in these superstitions and in sacrilegious and profane arts, knowing that he could by no means bring any book recording them into the ark, which he was about to enter together with his righteous father and holy brothers, engraved these wicked arts and profane devices on plates of various metals, which of course could not be spoiled by the flood of waters, and on very hard stones.

quae peracto diluuio eadem qua celauerat curiositate perquirens sacrilegiorum ac perpetuae nequitiae seminarium transmisit in posteros. hac itaque ratione illa uulgi opinio, qua credunt angelos uel maleficia uel diuersas artes hominibus tradidisse, in ueritate conpleta est. de illis ergo quemadmodum diximus filiis Seth et filiabus Cain nequiores filii procreati sunt,, qui fuerunt robustissimi uenatores, uioleatissimi ac traculentissimi uiri, qui pro inormitate corporum uel crudelitatis atque malitiae gigantes nuncupati sunt.

When the Flood was over, he searched them out with the same curiosity with which he had hidden them, and passed on to his descendants a seedbed of sacrileges and of perpetual wickedness. In this way, then, that popular opinion by which people believe that angels handed down to men either sorceries or various arts was fulfilled in truth. From those sons of Seth, then, as we have said, and the daughters of Cain, more wicked sons were born, who were very mighty hunters, very violent and very savage men, who because of the enormity of their bodies, or of their cruelty and wickedness, were called giants.