DAIMONES KHRYSEOI
Greek Name
Δαιμονες Χρυσεοι
Transliteration
Daimones Khryseoi
Latin Spelling
Daemones Chrysei
Translation
Golden Spirits
THE DAIMONES KHRYSEOI (Golden Daemones) were thirty thousand air-dwelling spirits who watched over mankind and rewarded the just with agricultural bounty. They were born as the virtuous Golden race of mankind in the time of Kronos (Cronus) and after their deaths were transformed into beneficient daimones. The Daimones Khryseoi (Golden Spirits) were superior to the Daimones Argeoi (Silver Spirits)--the former occupied the air while the latter dwelt within the earth.
The connection between agricultural bounty and justice can also to be found in the figure of Demeter Thesmophoros "the Law Bringer" and the Horai (Seasons) named Peace, Justice and Good Order.
PARENTS
Born or created from GAIA
ALTERNATE NAMES
Greek Name
Δαιμονες
Ἁγνοι
Επιχθονιοι
Transliteration
Daimones Hagnoi
Epikhthonioi
Latin Spelling
Daemones Hagni
Epichthonii
Translation
Pure Spirits
Above the Earth
CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES
Hesiod, Works & Days 109 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.)
:
"First of all the deathless gods who dwell on Olympos made a Golden (khryseoi) Race of mortal men
who lived in the time of Kronos (Cronus) when he was reigning in heaven. And they lived like gods without sorrow
of heart, remote and free from toil and grief: miserable age rested not on them; but with legs and arms never
failing they made merry with feasting beyond the reach of all evils. When they died, it was as though they were
overcome with sleep, and they had all good things; for the fruitful earth unforced bare them fruit abundantly
and without stint. They dwelt in ease and peace upon their lands with many good things, rich in flocks and loved
by the blessed gods.
But after earth had covered this generation--they are called Pure Spirits (daimones hagnoi) dwelling on
the earth (epikhthonioi), and are kindly, delivering from harm, and guardians of mortal men; for they
roam everywhere over the earth, clothed in mist and keep watch on judgements and cruel deeds, givers of wealth
[i.e. agricultural bounty]; for this royal right also they received."
Hesiod, Works & Days 238 ff :
"For those who practise violence and cruel deeds far-seeing Zeus, the son of Kronos (Cronus), ordains a
punishment. Often even a whole city suffers for a bad man who sins and devises presumptuous deeds, and [Zeus]
the son of Kronos lays great trouble upon the people, famine and plague together, so that the men perish away,
and their women do not bear children, and their houses become few, through the contriving of Zeus Olympios
(Olympian). And again, at another time, the son of Kronos either destroys their wide army, or their walls, or
else makes an end of their ships on the sea. You princes, mark well this punishment you also; for the deathless
gods are near among men and mark all those who oppress their fellows with crooked judgements, and reck not the
anger of the gods. For upon the bounteous earth Zeus has thrice ten thousand Spirits (daimones),
Watchers of mortal men, and these keep watch on judgements and deeds of wrong as they roam, clothed in mist, all
over the earth."
Plato, Laws 713a (trans. Lamb) (Greek philosopher C4th B.C.) :
"[Plato uses the myth of the Golden Age to describe an ideal state ruled by a philosopher-princes :] Long
ages before even cities existed . . . there existed in the time of Kronos (Cronus), it is said, a most
prosperous government and settlement . . . Well, then, tradition tells us how blissful was the life of men in
that age, furnished with everything in abundance, and of spontaneous growth. And the cause thereof is said to
have been this: Kronos was aware of the fact that no human being is capable of having irresponsible control of
all human affairs without becoming filled with pride and injustice; so, pondering this fact, he then appointed
as kings and rulers for our cities, not men, but beings of a race that was nobler and more divine, namely,
Daimones (Spirits). He acted just as we now do in the case of sheep and herds of tame animals: we do not set
oxen as rulers over oxen, or goats over goats, but we, who are of a nobler race, ourselves rule over them. In
like manner the god, in his love for humanity, set over us at that time the nobler race of Daimones who, with
much comfort to themselves and much to us, took charge of us and furnished peace and modesty and orderliness and
justice without stint, and thus made the tribes of men free from feud and happy. And even today this tale has a
truth to tell, namely, that wherever a State has a mortal, and no god, for ruler, there the people have no rest
from ills and toils; and it deems that we ought by every means to imitate the life of the age of Kronos, as
tradition paints it." [Cf. The Daimones of Hesiod's Works and Days above.]
Plato, Gorgias 523a ff :
"Sokrates (Socrates) : Now in the time of Kronos (Cronus) [i.e. in the Golden Age of Man] there was a law
concerning mankind, and it holds to this very day amongst the gods, that every man who has passed a just and
holy life departs after his decease to the Isles of the Blest (Nesoi Makaron), and dwells in all
happiness apart from ill."
Ovid, Metamorphoses 1. 113 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.)
:
"When Saturnus [Kronos (Cronus)] fell to dark Tartara and Jove [Zeus] reigned upon the earth, the Silver
Race (Proles Argentea) [of man] replaced the Gold, inferior, yet in worth above he tawny bronze. Then
Juppiter [Zeus] curtailed the pristine spring and led the year through winter, summer, autumn's varying days and
brief precarious spring in seasons four. Then first the blazing sky with torrid heat sweltered, and ice hung
frozen in the gale; then men sought shelter--shelter under caves and thickets and rough hurdles bound with bark;
then in long furrows first were set the seeds of grain and oxen groaned beneath the yoke."
SOURCES
GREEK
- Hesiod, Works and Days - Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.
- Plato, Gorgias - Greek Philosophy C4th B.C.
- Plato, Laws - Greek Philosophy C4th B.C.
ROMAN
- Ovid, Metamorphoses - Latin Epic C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.