sickness, health, dearth, plenty, [1226]_Adstantes
hic jam nobis, spectantes, et arbitrantes_, &c. as
appears by those histories of Thucydides, Livius,
Dionysius Halicarnassus, with many others that are
full of their wonderful stratagems, and were therefore
by those Roman and Greek commonwealths adored and
worshipped for gods with prayers and sacrifices, &c.
[1227]In a word, Nihil magis quaerunt quam metum
et admirationem hominum; [1228]and as another
hath it, Dici non potest, quam impotenti ardore
in homines dominium, et Divinos cultus maligni spiritus
affectent. [1229]Tritemius in his book de septem
secundis, assigns names to such angels as are
governors of particular provinces, by what authority
I know not, and gives them several jurisdictions.
Asclepiades a Grecian, Rabbi Achiba the Jew, Abraham
Avenezra, and Rabbi Azariel, Arabians, (as I find them
cited by [1230]Cicogna) farther add, that they are
not our governors only, Sed ex eorum concordia
et discordia, boni et mali affectus promanant,
but as they agree, so do we and our princes, or disagree;
stand or fall. Juno was a bitter enemy to Troy,
Apollo a good friend, Jupiter indifferent, Aequa
Venus Teucris, Pallas iniqua fuit; some are for
us still, some against us, Premente Deo, fert Deus
alter opem. Religion, policy, public and private
quarrels, wars are procured by them, and they are [1231]delighted
perhaps to see men fight, as men are with cocks, bulls
and dogs, bears, &c., plagues, dearths depend on them,
our bene and male esse, and almost all
our other peculiar actions, (for as Anthony Rusea contends,
lib. 5, cap. 18, every man hath a good and
a bad angel attending on him in particular, all his
life long, which Jamblichus calls daemonem,)
preferments, losses, weddings, deaths, rewards and
punishments, and as [1232]Proclus will, all offices
whatsoever, alii genetricem, alii opificem potestatem
habent, &c. and several names they give them according
to their offices, as Lares, Indegites, Praestites,
&c. When the Arcades in that battle at Cheronae,
which was fought against King Philip for the liberty
of Greece, had deceitfully carried themselves, long
after, in the very same place, Diis Graeciae, ultoribus
(saith mine author) they were miserably slain by Metellus
the Roman: so likewise, in smaller matters, they
will have things fall out, as these boni and
mali genii favour or dislike us: Saturni
non conveniunt Jovialibus, &c. He that is
Saturninus shall never likely be preferred. [1233]That
base fellows are often advanced, undeserving Gnathoes,
and vicious parasites, whereas discreet, wise, virtuous
and worthy men are neglected and unrewarded; they
refer to those domineering spirits, or subordinate
Genii; as they are inclined, or favour men, so they
thrive, are ruled and overcome; for as [1234]Libanius
supposeth in our ordinary conflicts and contentions,
Genius Genio cedit et obtemperat, one genius