Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/424

 fall in his Pimander, and Homer under the name of Ararus, in his verses; and Plutarch in his speech of usury, signifieth, that Empedocles knew that the fall of the devils was after this manner: the devils also themselves often confess their fall: they therefore being cast forth into this valley of misery, some that are nigh to us wander up and down in this obscure air, others inhabit lakes, rivers and seas, others the earth, and terrifie earthly things, and invade those who dig Wells and Metals, cause the gapings of the earth, strike together the foundation of mountains, and vex not only men, but also other creatures; some being content with laughter and delusion only, do contrive rather to weary men, then to hurt them, some heightning themselves to the length of a Giants body, and again shrinking themselves up to the smallness of the Pigmies, and changing themselves into divers forms, do disturb men with vain fear: others study lies and blasphemies, as we read of one in the third book of Kings, saying, I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets of Achab: but the worst sort of devils are those, who lay wait and overthrow passengers in their journeys, and rejoyce in wars and effusion of blood, and afflict men with most cruell stripes: we read of such in Matthew, for fear of whom no man durst pass that way; moreover the scripture reckoneth up nocturnall, diurnall, and meridionall devils, and describeth other spirits of wickedness by divers names, as we read in Esay of Satyrs, Scrichowls, Syrenes, storks, Owls; and in the Psalms of Aspes, Basiliskes, Lions, Dragons; and in the Gospel we read of Scorpions and Mammon and the prince of this world and rulers of darkness, of all which Beelzebub is the prince, whom Scripture calleth the prince of wickedness. Porphyrie saith, their prince is Serapis, who is also called Pluto by the Greeks, and also Cerberus is chief amongst them, that three-headed dog: viz. Because he is conversant in three elements, air, water, and earth, a most pernicious devill; whence also Proserpina, who can do very much in these three elements, is their Princess, which she testifies of her self in her answers, in these verses.