DEMON. — In Homer, the term *d.* denotes the nature of the god, his mode of operation, and his power, whereas *θeóς* (= god) refers to divinity in cult and myth.
The meaning later became broader: *d.* was used by some as a synonym for fate and, often, to indicate semi-divine beings, superior to man but inferior to the gods. Thus, for Hesiod, the heroes of the golden age are *d.*; they serve the gods and protect mortals. For Aeschylus, Darius is a *d.*, and for Euripides, Alcestis is one. Among philosophers, the *d.* was a force that watches over man from birth, guiding his will, inspiring him toward good and evil; for Socrates, it was also conscience. In cult, this name was given to minor deities, such as Mithras, the Sileni, etc. Popular religion accorded great importance to *d.*, seeing in them individual spirits at the lowest rank of the divine hierarchy—protectors or opponents of human activity, personifications of natural forces, and the ultimate source of illnesses. Malevolent *d.* (souls of the dead, spirits, and apparitions in Hades’ train) brought madness and death to those who beheld them.