Josef Lossl: Demonology in Tatian’s Oratio ad Graecos: Jewish and Greek influences

In orat. 7.4-5 Tatian explains the existence of demons from “the transgression and folly” of “the firstborn”, whom men followed and declared a god because of his status as firstborn. Tatians account leaves much room for interpretation. However, considering the important role Tatian attaches to the “Barbarian” (i. e. biblical) Scriptures, it is probable that behind his account is an early Jewish tradition of the fall of the angels (cf. 2Enoch 29). Yet Tatian blends this tradition with Middle-Platonist explanations to such a degree that his demonology has been branded “one of the most complex” in early Christianity (Timotin). This paper aims to focus on particular aspects which show how Tatian puts together the Jewish (biblical) and Greek (mythological and philosophical) traditions in a (not always successful) attempt to produce a demonology that is consistent with his theology, cosmology and anthropology.