Gradun loppulause

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Graduni loppulause englanniksi, idea sama kuin kandin kanssa aiemmin.

 

Conclusions

In this master´s thesis I have carefully searched through Augustine´s work De divinatione daemonum (The Divination of Demons) and looked by the methods of historical research of images how Augustine sees the demons and their ability to foretell things. I have found interesting angles to the text which as itself hasn´t been the center of attention in much research.

Firstly, Augustine creates an image of enemies. Many things in his work point to this. It is good to remember that Christian texts typically have their own ideological agenda. If the writer thought that the text will be used in educational purposes, this agenda is even more compelling. This is also true with De divinatione daemonum, although it might seem quite subtle for the modern reader. Augustine starts to create the image of enemies already on the early stages of the text when he says that the demons are the gods of pagans. Otherness comes present here, the idea that pagans are “others” when put opposite to Christians. 

The image Augustine gives of the demons´ essence is very traditional in both Christian and non-Christian way of thinking. This comes to be because Augustine had fine rhetorical education before turning to Christianity. Demons were beings of air and they could be connected to fallen angels. How Augustine saw this connection differentiated a bit from the earlier apologetics. This was mostly because the Scripture was already well-established in Augustine´s days and he didn´t use those non-scriptural books which the former apologetics had used. In De divinatione daemonum only a few words indicate the connection between demons and fallen angels and theological background hasn´t been written out.

It is notable that Augustine leaves all the abilities of demons empty, because he doesn´t give direct examples of them. Instead he gives comparative examples from the human world. In this way he creates an image of demons´ abilities as almost ordinary features which you should neither worship nor fear. It is natural that Augustine gives most of his attention to the ability to divine since it is the main subject of the tractate. This, however, doesn´t diminish the value of the presentation of other abilities – or the lack of it – when we consider the image of demons. 

Augustine says that demons are liars and cheaters. He accuses them of deep moral decadence which in itself creates negative image. For example he passes on the idea that demons are eavesdroppers. On the other hand Augustine states that demons can also tell truths but not because of their own virtue. In general he seems to think that demons foretell a bit of this and that as opposed to Christian God. Augustine gives demon worshippers same features that demons have. He says that these worshippers are stupid or at least their intentions are addressed wrongly. This identifying also clarifies the line between “us” and “them” and helps to give birth to image of enemies.

It was predictable that Augustine would represent demons as evil and make up the image of enemies. Former research has concluded this from his other work as well as from other Christian writers and quite often Augustine brings it openly up himself. In this context De divinatione daemonum is interesting because Augustine is very subtle for some reason. However this discretion is to shake off toward the end when Augustine moves from the starts educating mood to almost authoritative sermon.

 The second finding is how Augustine mediated his message. He was an excellent writer and he used rhetorical equipment extremely well. He tends to use opposite pairings. This rhetorical apparatus is closely connected to first finding and it really enunciates the elements needed when creating an enemy image like the difference between you and your enemy. Augustine uses exempla although the anecdotes which are typical for the ancient literature are missing since the exempla are about ordinary daily life and not about persons. Besides the exempla describe things as phenomena which is probably because Augustine gets his inspiration from the allegories in Christian writings. To this inspiration can also be associated the fact that he uses a story-like structure both in the opening dialogue and in the actual tractate. 

The third thing is to whom the text is intended. It´s good to acknowledge that it was addressed to Christians especially to those fair brothers in the opening dialogue. Also the things Augustine presumes the reader to know for example about biblical stories seems to support the afore mentioned. In this the tractate is very different from the better-known De Civitate Dei (The City of God), which is clearly aimed for pagans and scholars. In De divination daemonum Augustine has put much effort to the text so that even those who were uneducated could understand it. However this doesn´t fully prove that it was meant for the uneducated. Writing lacks the references to myth and literature of the antiquity which is in line with what I have mentioned above. It must be remembered, though, that Augustine addresses some words straight to pagans in the end.

The second and third finding are very closely connected. Augustines rhetorical ambition seems to be giving something to all audiences, from highest to lowest people. Former research has come to a conclusion that Augustine was aware of his audience and wrote to their level and I agree with this. Good example of this are the carefully thought word choices. For instance Augustine uses word prudentibus, which doesn´t only mean wisdom through education but also common sense, about his readers.

The fourth theme is demythologization. Mathewes and Wiebe use this term differently in their respective studies. For the part of this study it could be said that if demythologization means that the true identity of the false pagan gods is revealed, demythologization exists in De divinatione daemonum. On the hand if it means that all the magical and supernatural assets are taken off from the demons, it doesn´t go along with the tractate.

In the end it can be concludes that in De divinatone daemonum Augustine creates an enemy image which states that demos are physically harmless but when it comes to their mental capacities, they are dangerous. Demons could divine but their divinations were in large part false.  

                                                             -Roona-