It is true that those words are found in Augustine's Index; but with reference to a place not in Augustine's fourth book of the City of God, where there is no such matter, save that nStageplaies are by Varro esteemed a part of divine worship, and that the Devils much delighted in them; but to a place of Lewis Vives his Commentary upon Augustine; where Augustine saith that othere is a Society of ungodly men, who live not after God but after man, following humane traditions and doctrines of Devils in the worship of false Gods and contempt of the true God: And Vives on him; pThere are learnings that Devils have delivered unto men, as Magic, Astronomic, and all kind of divination ⟨p. 213⟩except prophesy. qPlato writeth in Phaedrus (a Dialogue of his so entitled) that a Spirit or a Devil called Theuth invented letters, Arithmetic, Geometry, Astronomy, and Dice, and presented them to Thamus who was then King of Egypt. rAnd there is no doubt saith he, but that this wrangling and cavilling Logic proceeded from some devilish disposition: it loveth always to strive so against the truth, refusing to yield to any that shall speak to better purpose, and by falsehood rejoicing to overcome truth. Augustine's Index therefore deceived the Author of this Argument, and made him father that on Augustine which he no where saith, but another only on him, and that not as his own neither, but as the report of an other. It is a fable of Plato's, swhose works are full of such poetical fictions, though aiming ever at some moral matter. Among other of that kind he telleth a tale, and 1he telleth it as a tale, of one tTheuth a Damon, or a good spirit (for uso they esteemed them; in regard of their singular skill and knowledge giving that title unto them) xwho having invented divers Arts, of special use, as he deemed, to wit, of Numbering and Counting, and Geometry and Astronomy, dice also and tables, and the use of letters, came and presented his devices unto Thamus then King of Egypt: and when among other of his inventions yhe ⟨p. 214⟩12had highly commended the use of letters and writing as a singular means for the increase of wisdom and help of memory; Thamus made him answer, that it would rather prove zclean contrary, a means to make men more careless, while they trusted thereto, and so more forgetful then afore;
It is true that those words are found in Augustines Index; but with reference to a place not in Augustines fourth booke of the City of God, where there is no such matter, saue that nStageplaies are by Varro esteemed a part of diuine worship, and that the Deuills much delighted in them; but to a place of Lewis Viues his Commentarie vpon Augustine; where Augustine saith that othere is a Society of vngodly men, who liue not after God but after man, following humane traditions and doctrines of Deuills in the worship of false Gods and contempt of the true God: And Viues on him; pThere are learnings that Deuills haue deliuered vnto men, as Magicke, Astronomic, and all kinde of diuination ⟨p. 213⟩except prophesie. qPlato writeth in Phadrus (a Dialogue of his so intituled) that a Spirit or a Deuill called Theuth inuented letters, Arithmetick, Geometrie, Astronomie, and Dice, and praesented them to Thamus who was then King of Aegypt. rAnd there is no doubt saith he, but that this wrangling and cauilling Logicke proceeded from some deuilish disposition: it loueth alwaies to striue so against the truth, refusing to yeeld to any that shall speake to better purpose, and by falshood reioicing to ouercome truth. Augustines Index therefore deceiued the Authour of this Argument, and made him father that on Augustine which hee no where saith, but another onely on him, and that not as his owne neither, but as the report of an other. It is a fable of Platoes, swhose workes are full of such poeticall fictions, though aiming euer at some morall matter. Among other of that kinde he telleth a tale, and 1he telleth it as a tale, of one tTheuth a Damon, or a good spirit (for uso they esteemed them; in regard of their singular skill and knowledge giuing that title vnto them)
- nVarro non in rebus humanis, sed in rebu• divinis ludos s•enicos posuit, &c. Aug. decinit. Dei l. 4. c. 1.Varro non in rebus humanis, sed in rebu• diuinis ludos s•enicos posuit, &c. Aug. decinit. Dei l. 4. c. 1.
- oSocietas impiorū non secundum Deum, sed secundum hominem viventiū, & in ipso cultu falsae contemptaque vera divinitatis doctrinas hominum damonaemue sectā tium. Aug de civit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 9.Societas impiorū non secundum Deum, sed secundum hominem viuentiū, & in ipso cultu falsae contemptaque vera diuinitatis doctrinas hominum damonaemue sectā tium. Aug de ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 9.
- pVives ad Aug. ibid. Sunt discipli•• quas demons hominibus tradiderunt.Viues ad Aug. ibid. Sunt discipli•• quas damones hominibus tradiderunt.
- qPlato in Phad•o ••monem, cui erat nomen Theuth, inuenisse scribit literas, arith. geom. astron. aleam, &c.
- rDialectitam qu• que hanc contentiosam & p•rtinacem non dubium est ab ingenio diabolico esse profectā, quòd in verum contra niti semper, & in meli• dicenti nunquā cedar, & falso verum gaudet vincere. Vives ibid.Dialectitam qu• que hanc contentiosam & p•rtinacem non dubium est ab ingenio diabolico esse profectā, quòd in verum contra niti semper, & in meli• dicenti nunquā cedere, & falso verum gaudet vincere. Viues ibid.
- sUnde & Aristoteles dixit Plat•nis [Greek or Hebrew] Laert. Pla•one.
