Chapter 11.—Of the Opinion of the
Platonists, that the Souls of Men Become Demons When
Disembodied.
He
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says, indeed, that the souls of men
are demons, and that men become
Lares
if they are good,
Lemures
or
Larvæ
if they are bad, and
Manes
if
it is uncertain whether they de
serve well or ill. Who does
not see at a glance that this is a mere whirlpool sucking men to
moral destruction? For, however wicked men have been, if they
suppose they shall become Larvæ or divine Manes, they will become
the worse the more love they have for inflicting injury; for, as
the Larvæ are hurtful demons made out of wicked men, these men
must suppose that after death they will be invoked with sacrifices
and divine honors that they may inflict injuries. But this
question we must not pursue. He also states that the blessed are
called in Greek
εὐδαίμονες
, because they are
good souls, that is to say, good demons, confirming his opinion
that the souls of men are demons.
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Apuleius, not Plotinus.