The open access publication of this book has been published with the support of the Swiss National Science Foundation.

This book reconstructs the genesis and development of daimonology in the Platonic tradition, analyzing the δαίμων as an intermediate figure between the human and the divine. The inquiry explores the notion of the daimonic in Plato’s dialogues as a complex and polysemic category, situated at the intersection of religion, metaphysics, and anthropology. Through an analysis of the figures of the guardian daimones, the soul-daimon of the Timaeus, the Socratic δαιμόνιον, and Eros as the “great daimon” of the Symposium, this volume examines the internal coherence of Plato’s thought on the daimonic, as well as its reception from the Old Academy to Middle Platonism, where it crystallized into a systematic daimonology that profoundly shaped later philosophy.

Questo libro ricostruisce la genesi e lo sviluppo della demonologia platonica, analizzando il δαίμων come figura intermedia tra umano e divino. L’indagine approfondisce la nozione di demonico nei dialoghi platonici come categoria complessa e polisemica, al crocevia tra religione, metafisica e antropologia. Attraverso le figure dei demoni custodi, del demone-anima del Timeo, del δαιμόνιον socratico e di Eros come “gran demone” del Simposio, il volume ricostruisce la coerenza interna del pensiero platonico sul demonico e ne segue la ricezione dall'Accademia antica al Medioplatonismo, dove si consolida in una demonologia sistematica destinata a influenzare la filosofia tardoantica.