Book VIII

Concerning the two schools of philosophers, that is, the Italic and Ionic, and their founders.

Of the Socratic philosophy.

Concerning Plato, the chief among the disciples of Socrates, and his threefold division of
philosophy.

That it is especially with the Platonists that we must carry on our disputations on matters of
theology, their opinions being preferable to those of all other philosophers.

Concerning the meaning of the Platonists in that part of philosophy called physical.

How much the Platonists are to be held as excelling other philosophers in logic, i.e. rational
philosophy.

That the Platonists hold the first rank in moral philosophy also.

Concerning that philosophy which has come nearest to the Christian faith.

That the excellency of the Christian religion is above all the science of philosophers.

How Plato has been able to approach so nearly to Christian knowledge.

That even the Platonists, though they say these things concerning the one true God, nevertheless thought that sacred rites were to be performed in honour of many gods.

Concerning the opinion of Plato, according to which he defined the gods as beings entirely
good and the friends of virtue.

That the demons are not better than men because of their aerial bodies, or on account of
their superior place of abode.

What Apuleius the Platonist thought concerning the manners and actions of demons.

Whether it is proper that men should worship those spirits from whose vices it is necessary
that they be freed.

What kind of religion that is which teaches that men ought to employ the advocacy of demons
in order to be recommended to the favour of the good gods.

Of the impiety of the magic art, which is dependent on the assistance of malign spirits.

Whether we are to believe that the good gods are more willing to have intercourse with
demons than with men.

That we must, notwithstanding the opinion of Apuleius, reject the worship of demons.

What Hermes Trismegistus thought concerning idolatry, and from what source he knew that
the superstitions of Egypt were to be abolished.

How Hermes openly confessed the error of his forefathers, the coming destruction of which
he nevertheless bewailed.

Concerning those things which may be common to the holy angels and to men.

That all the religion of the pagans has reference to dead men.

Concerning the nature of the honour which the Christians pay to their martyrs.