daimon

Daimon, plural daimones, is a term from ancient Greek religion and philosophy referring to a divine power or spirit that can influence a person, place, or thing. Daimones are typically conceived as intermediate beings that stand between gods and humans; they are not gods themselves, but they may possess agency, personality, and authority over a limited domain. They can be benevolent, neutral, or malevolent, depending on context and relationship with humans.

In early Greek thought, individuals could have personal daimones, sometimes described as guiding spirits or inner voices. The most famous example is Socrates’ daimonion, a personal sign that advised him at critical moments. Daimones could also be associated with places (cultic daimones of temples or sacred sites) or families and occupations, and they were invoked in rites and invocations.

In philosophy, daimones were treated as a structured order of beings that mediates between the higher gods and humanity. Plato and later Platonists described daimones as guardian or intermediary powers; in Neoplatonism they lay among the intelligible hierarchies linking the One to the material world.

With the rise of Christianity, the Greek daimón term was often equated with demons; however, classical conceptions frequently allowed benevolent or protective roles. The linguistic root survives in the English "daemon" and "demon," and in modern usage the word can denote a guiding spirit in literature or a neutral or benevolent force. The term also survives in computer science as "daemon" for background processes, reflecting a neutral sense of an autonomous helper.