Very many people believed in
the possibility of the thing itself; an indirect proof of this lies in
the fact that the most pious men believed that by prayer they could
obtain visions of good spirits. Savonarola's mind was filled with these
things; the Florentine Platonists speak of a mystic union with God; and
Marcellus Palingenius gives us to understand clearly enough that he had
to do with consecrated spirits. The same writer is convinced of the
existence of a whole hierarchy of bad demons, who have their seat from
the moon downwards, and are ever on the watch to do some mischief to
nature and human life. He even tells of his own personal acquaintance
with some of them, and as the scope of the present work does not allow
of a systematic exposition of the then prevalent belief in spirits, the
narrative of Palingenius may be given as one instance out of many.
At San Silvestro, on Soracte, he had been receiving instruction from a
pious hermit on the nothingness of earthly things and the worthlessness
of human life; and when the night drew near he set out on his way back
to home. On the road, in the full light of the moon, he was joined by
three men, one of whom called him by name, and asked him whence he
came. Palingenius made answer: 'From the wise man on the mountain.' 'O
fool,' replied the stranger, 'dost thou in truth believe that anyone on
earth is wise? Only higher beings (Divi) have wisdom, and such are we
three, although we wear the shapes of men.
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