n to the gods. But
what was a passing thought with Plato serving only a poetical purpose was
taken seriously and systematised by Xenocrates.

It can hardly be said that Xenocrates has gained much recognition among
modern writers on the history of philosophy for his theory of demons. And
yet I cannot see that there was any other possible solution of the problem
which ancient popular belief set ancient philosophy, if, be it understood,
we hold fast by two hypotheses: the first, that the popular belief and
worship of the ancients was based throughout on a foundation of reality;
and second, that moral perfection is an essential factor in the conception
of God. The only inconsistency which we may perhaps bring home to
Xenocrates is that he retained certain of the popular names of the gods as
designations for gods in his sense; but this inconsistency was, as we
shall see, subsequently removed. In favour of this estimate of
Xenocrates's doctrine of demons may further be adduced that it actually
was the last word of ancient philosophy on the matter. The doctrine was
adopted by the Stoics, the Neo-Pythagoreans, and the Neo-Platonists. Only
the Epicureans went another way, but their doctrine died out before the
close of antiquity. And so the doctrine of demons became the ground on
which Jewish-Christian monotheism managed to come to terms with ancient
paganism, to conquer it in theory, as it were.

This implies, however, that the doctrine of demons, though it arose out of
an honest attempt to save popular belief philosophically, in reality
brings out its incompatibility with philosophy. The religion and worship
of the ancients could dispense with neither the higher nor the lower
conceptions of its gods. If the former were done away with, recognition,
however full, of the existence of the gods was no good; in the long run
the inference could not be avoided that they were immoral powers and so
ought not to be worshipped. This was the inference drawn by Christianity
in theory and enforced in practice, ultimately by main force.

Aristotle is among the philosophers who were prosecuted for impiety. When
the anti-Macedonian party came into power in Athens after the death of
Alexander, there broke out a persecution against his adherents, and this
was also directed against Aristotle. The basis of the charge against him
was that he had shown divine honour after his death to the tyrant Hermias,
whose guest he had been during a prolonged st