EXCERPTS BY STOB^EUS. 135 



rebellions of cities, famines, pestilences, tides of the ocean, 

 earthquakes. None of these things, Child ! happens 

 apart from the energy of those. But further in addition 

 to these things understand : for if they preside (a) over 

 them and we are also under the Seven, understandest thou 

 not that a certain energy of them attains (b) even to us as 

 their sons or by their means? 1 



Asclepius. What may be the form of the body to them, 

 O Father? 



Hermes. These then the Many call Demons; but that 

 of the demons is not any peculiar race, nor having different 

 bodies out of some peculiar matter, not being moved by 

 Soul as we are ; but they are energies of these thirty-six 

 Gods. Further, in addition to these things understand, O 

 Tat ! the energizing (c) of these, that also they sow upon 

 the Earth what they call Tanae, some indeed salutary but 

 others destructive. Moreover also Stars borne onward in 

 heaven they generate for themselves subministers (d), and 

 have servants and soldiers. But these, mingled with them, 

 are borne onward, raised aloft in the ether, filling up the 

 space of that, so that there should be no space on high void 

 of stars ; 2 arranging together (e) the Universe having a 

 proper Energy subordinate as to the Energy of the thirty- 

 six. From whom also about the countries destructions are 

 generated of the other living animals, and the multitude 

 of the live creatures devastating the fruits. But above 

 these is that called Bear (/) in the midst of the Zodiac, 

 composed of seven Stars, having another in opposition (g) 

 overhead. The Energy of this indeed is as if an axle, by 

 no means indeed either setting or rising, but remaining in 



(a) 7r;<rrTOt;<r/y. (6) QQatvtw. (c) svepynftoi. 



(d) ifTFoiht rtovpyovs. (e) ffv/xoffftovirres. (f) "Apxro;. 



(g) etrrfwyov. 



1 See as to the power and influence of the Stars and their Angels, 

 Poemandres, iii. 3, and notes there. 



2 This will be in anticipation of the modern theories, that the 

 fixed Stars are Suns with attendant satellites or luminaries, that the 

 shape of the heavens is spherical, and that celestial space is replete 

 with stellar matter. 



