Against Celsus 8.58

After this Celsus says something like this: “That in these things, even down to the least, there is someone to whom authority has been given, one may learn from what the Egyptians say: that the body of man is divided among thirty-six demons or certain ethereal gods, distributed into as many parts (others say many more), and each is appointed to take care of a different part of it. And they know the names of the demons in their native language, such as Chnoumen, Chnachoumen, Knat, Sikat, Biou, Erou, Erebiou, Ramanor, Reianoor, and all the others they name in their own tongue; and by invoking them they heal the ailments of the parts. What, then, prevents one from greeting these and the others, if one wishes, so as to be healthy rather than sick, and fortunate rather than unfortunate, and to be freed as far as possible from tortures and punishments?” By these words Celsus tries to bring down our soul to the demons, as having been allotted our bodies, and, declaring that each presides over a part of our body, wants us to believe in the demons he speaks of and to serve them, so that we may be healthy rather than sick and fortunate rather than unfortunate, and be freed as far as possible from tortures. He has so far condemned the undivided and undistracted honour paid to the God of the universe as not to believe that God alone, worshipped and magnificently honoured, is sufficient to give to the one who honours him, from his very worship, a power to prevent the demons' plotting against the holy man. For he has not seen how the name of Jesus, called upon by those who truly believe, has healed not a few of diseases and demon-possession and other misfortunes.