ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to show that Eusebius presents Porphyry’s Philosophia ex oraculis in a way that makes it appear anti-Christian. This is investigated by the topic of daemons because daemons are, on the one hand, seen as categorically evil by Christians, and, on the other hand, the term is flexibly used by the philosopher Porphyry. An analysis of fragments 307F., 314F. and 326F.–329F. Smith as well as Eusebius’ citation contexts allows to shed light on this discrepancy in the understanding of the term “daemon” and on the polemics of Christian writers and pagan philosophers. Hecht’s examination also includes a comparison with Porphyry’s writing De abstinentia in which the philosopher gives a broad daemonology. Furthermore, in the introduction to the Philosophia ex oraculis (303F. Smith) Porphyry introduces his text as a way of salvation. Therefore, it could appear to be an alternative to Christian salvation. It is unlikely, however, that the addressees of the Philosophia ex oraculis are the Christians. Rather, Porphyry appeals to a group of “initiated” (cf. 304F. Smith). The conclusion is that there is no evidence that Christianity was a main topic of the Philosophia ex oraculis.
