The Nature of Evil: Unraveling the Human and Demonic Origins of Cruelty

Evil has been a central theme in myths, legends, and religious doctrines throughout human history, shaping our understanding of morality and the forces that drive us toward darkness. While religions like Christianity have traditionally portrayed evil as an external, demonic force embodied by the Devil, human nature itself harbors a latent potential for cruelty that often rivals, or even exceeds, these supernatural embodiments. This exploration seeks to unravel the tangled relationship between human and demonic evil, tracing its origins in ancient mythology, religious teachings, and the complexities of human psychology. Through this lens, we confront the unsettling reality that evil is not merely a force inflicted upon us but something that exists within us, waiting to be unleashed.

The dichotomy of good versus evil has often been attributed to religious frameworks like Christianity, where good is personified by God, and evil by the Devil. But real-life situations complicate this dualistic worldview, blurring the lines between good and evil.

Human nature is complex, containing the potential for both good and evil. Ultimately, our choices define which side we lean toward. Disturbingly, many individuals actively choose to manifest evil. While demons represent an external source of maleficence, the evil that humans are capable of can, at times, surpass that of demons. This essay delves into the origins of these concepts of evil and their presence throughout history.

The curiosity of Pandora led her to open a box and release all the evils into the world. (Archivist / Adobe Stock)

Pandora's Box: The Unleashing of Evil

According to Christian theology, Eve is often seen as the first to introduce sin into the world by eating from the forbidden tree. Some interpretations even suggest she had a deeper involvement with the serpent. Yet, the notion of evil entering the world predates this story. In Greek mythology, Pandora, created from earth and water by the gods, was given a sealed box that she was warned not to open. However, driven by curiosity, Pandora opened the box, unleashing all the evils upon the world. By the time she closed it, only the spirit of hope, Elpis, remained trapped inside.

Similarly, in Christian eschatology, evil is represented by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. As each of the four seals is opened, these horsemen emerge, heralding the end of days. The first, Conquest, rides a white horse and is often associated with military conquest or even the Antichrist. War follows, wielding a sword, symbolizing mass bloodshed. Famine, the third rider, carries scales, indicating scarcity and imbalance. Finally, Death, the only horseman named outright, follows on a pale horse. Together, these riders represent the chaos and destruction that signal the world’s final judgment.

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Conquest is the first horseman who is described in the text as follows:

“Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”

Interpretations of this horseman associated with military conquests sometimes consider him to be the Antichrist or a representation of false prophets. Within the Bible, the second horseman is War, representing mass slaughter. He has a sword symbolizing the blood which will flow and he is described in the following manner:

“When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from Earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.”

Famine follows:

“When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; but do not damage the oil and the wine.”.

The last horseman is Death or the Grim Reaper about whom the Bible says:

“When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a pale horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him.”.

Out of all the horsemen of the Apocalypse, only Death is named in an explicit manner, and about all of them, as a group, the Biblical text affirms that:

“Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”

1796 painting "Death on a Pale Horse" artist depiction of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. (VortBot / Public Domain)

Demonic Origins of Evil

During the Middle Ages, people sought explanations for the overwhelming presence of evil. The Church filled this need by cataloging demons, ranking them by their power and influence. By the 13th century, one abbot claimed there were 1,758,176 demons, each pursuing humans relentlessly, much like water surrounds a person swimming in the sea. As time passed, the Church expanded this number to 7,405,926 demons. These demons were thought to have unique domains of influence and power within the infernal hierarchy. Demonologists created exhaustive manuals listing their names and abilities, which were sometimes used by witches and wizards to summon their help in exchange for souls.

However, evil is not exclusive to demons. In many cases, human cruelty far exceeds that of demons, leading to legends about humans so vile they become demonic themselves. These legends suggest that demons often seek out the most perverse humans to accomplish their nefarious plans.

Depiction of the Devil from 1591. (Public domain)

The Devil's Fascination with Human Evil

One intriguing tale suggests the Devil himself was impressed by human wickedness. Roman Polanski's 1999 film The Ninth Gate echoes this idea. In Hell, the Devil is said to have observed with awe the evils perpetrated by human souls that had become demons, marveling at how they exceeded the cruelty of those born as demons. To understand this phenomenon, the Devil incarnated as a human and lived several lifetimes, hoping to discover why humans were capable of such ingenuity in their evil acts.

According to the legend, the Devil’s absence from Hell was meant to be temporary, with a ritual in place to remind him of his true form if needed. While he did not complete his mission due to being urgently called back to Hell, he remained fascinated by the level of malevolence inherent in human nature, which seemed to surpass that of the purest demons.

People have throughout history attempted to explain the origins of demonic evil. (Bastetamon / Adobe Stock)

Human Evil Explained: The Psychopathology of Crime

Modern science has also sought to explain human evil. Adrian Raine, a psychopathologist at the University of Southern California, conducted studies revealing that many criminals suffer from a lack of neurons in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for empathy, guilt, and morality. Psychopaths with Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) display a lack of affection, deceitfulness, and irresponsibility, often stemming from these neurological deficiencies.

Raine’s research has led him to question whether criminals with such brain abnormalities can truly be held responsible for their actions. He suggests that early intervention in childhood might be the key to preventing the development of antisocial behaviors. However, his findings are not conclusive; not all psychopaths have brain deficiencies, and not all individuals with brain abnormalities become criminals.

The brazen bull was a Roman torture device where people would be locked inside a metal bull and a fire would be lit below it. (Stuart Yeates / CC BY-SA 2.0)

Torture: Humanity’s Invention of Cruelty

Throughout history, humans have invented grotesque methods of torture that reveal a disturbing capacity for cruelty. A legend tells of Saint Anthony writing a letter to the Devil, asking him to stop the spread of evil. The Devil allegedly replied that he had no time to involve himself in human affairs, suggesting that the true source of evil could be found in the Church’s actions during the Inquisition. Indeed, the Church’s role in orchestrating the deaths of countless innocents during this period exemplifies how institutions meant to embody mercy could become instruments of terror.

Among the most horrific methods of torture were the brazen bull, which roasted its victims alive, and the iron maiden, a spiked coffin that impaled its occupants. Torture was not merely an expression of cruelty but also a tool for control, used to extract confessions and instill fear.

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The brazen bull of the Romans was a large metallic bull whose belly opened to allow for one or more humans to be locked inside it. The fire then lit below the bull's belly made it hot and it slowly fried the man inside.

Meanwhile, the cradle of Judas implied sitting the condemned on a pyramid-shaped chair with a sharp top. The bindings made for every movement, no matter how small, to move the entire body to increase pain. The pain was unbearable because the sharp edge was stuck inside the anus or inside the vagina and, as the chair was not really washed, even in the case of an acquittal, the individual could die shortly after because of the infections resulted after applying the torture method.

Other convicts were locked inside cabinets in the form of a sarcophagus which had spikes on the interior. This was the iron maiden which, in the moment when it was locked, it would pierce the body of the convict with its spikes, killing him.

Other methods of torture included the wheel, which ensured a very slow death, the old method of flaying and impaling invented by the Turks. Witches and wizards were executed by placing a board on top of their horizontally bound bodies. On the board, very heavy boulders were placed, the condemned being able to hear their bones crushing before death. In the cases in which confessions were wanted, the chair with spikes was the most often used.

The use of the lethal injection is the ultimate expression of human evil. (felipecaparros / Adobe Stock)

Human Evil Evident in the Death Penalty

In the world there are no new things, only new people. There are still countries where the death penalty continues to be applied through various methods such as the lethal injection, hanging, shooting or the electric chair.

In the case of the first method, three substances (sodium thiopental, a barbituric which sedates the convict; pancuronium bromide which paralyzes the muscles and the lungs and blocks the breathing system and potassium chloride which causes cardiac arrest) are introduced, in turn, inside the body of the condemned in doses established in such a way that only a single one can cause death.

Studies performed in this regard have shown that, in the cases without a proper anesthesia, even though pancuronium bromide paralyzes the lungs and the muscles, it leaves the convict in a perfect state of lucidity. In this state, the convict goes through a state of suffocation intensified by injecting the potassium chloride. This latter substance irritates the walls of blood vessels and the individual passes through the sensation of burning alive.

Because of these terrible pains which it produces, pancuronium bromide has been forbidden when it comes to animal euthanasia. In the case of humans, it is still used because, with the individual being sedated, from the exterior perspective of those who are witnesses to the event, all that is observed is an individual who seems unconscious, who does not move and whose calm expression leaves the sensation of a slow descent into an eternal sleep.

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Why is such an awful and painful method of execution still used in the case of humans? On one side, because it induces fear, the fear of breaking the law and committing crimes legally punishable by death. From this perspective, it is a method of control and of making sure the laws are respected.

From an external perspective, the mental comfort of those who witness such an execution is taken into account. Many have no idea about the pain the convict experiences. They just see him tied up and sedated, having the impression of a calm death. Only a few are aware of the reality of the actual excruciating pain felt by the convict.

In fact, a painless method of execution implies quickly destroying the nerves that send the pain signals to the brain. This could be achieved by attaching explosives to a convict's head and detonating them. But for lawbreakers this would mean a fast painless death and for the witnesses to the execution it would imply a disturbing sight. So, no fear for potential lawbreakers to deter them and no moral comfort for those who witness the execution.

When it comes to myths and legends as relates to demons, these merely symbolize the latent evil that exists inside every human. As long as evil continues to exist in the world, these legends will attempt to offer up explanations, to help us understand the inexplicable potential for cruelty that exists in human nature.

Top image: Personification of demonic evil. Source: likozor / Adobe Stock

By Ancient Origins

References

Allen, H. W. 2008. Race, Class, and the Death Penalty: Capital Punishment in American History. State University of New York Press: Albany.

Andrews, W. 2013. Medieval Punishments: An Illustrated History of Torture. Skyhorse Publishing: New York.

Bethencourt, F. 2009. The Inquisition: A Global History, 1478 – 1834. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Burton Russell, J. 1992. The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in History. Cornell University Press: Ithaca.

Mayhew, E. 2021. The Four Horsemen. Quercus Publishing: London.

Neiman, S. 2015. Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative History of Philosophy. Princeton University Press: New Jersey.

Raine, A. 2014. Psychopathy: An Introduction to Biological Findings and Their Implications. New York University Press, New York.