The Faust Legend

Almost every renowned man of antiquity in the middle ages -was bolieved to be attended by a spiritus faruiliaris, and not a few were suspected of being in direct league with the devil. Probably the oldest legend of which the Faust legend is a continuous thread is that of Sknon Magus, mentioned in the history of the apostles. According to Justin, he was a native of Gitton, a village in Samaria. He was, no doubt, a man of great intellectual powers. He was the father of the school of the Gnostics. It is also reported of him that he could make himself invisible, he could pass through flames unharined, could transpose matter, make gold and exorqise demons - in fact, he laid claim to all these powers and bis name lived in the mouths of the people as a sort of Demiurg through many centuries until some other miracle working personality took his place at' the popular fireside. Unasual accomplishments, great erndition, were attributed to the supernatural influence, and the genera] disposition to snperstitiouB assumption was strengthened on the one hand by dogmatic afflrmation oa the part of the church of the existence of a personal satan, with his numerous household, and, on the other hand, by incorporating the magie arts among the practical sciences, of which astrology and alchemy ocoupiedno meau part. -