The Devil by Dostoyevsky

I am always intrigued by depictions of the devil in literature.  There's a chapter in The Brother's Karamozov in which Ivan Karamovoz meets the devil. This devil is not described as satanic, but more a mischievous spirit who's sole delight is in tormenting poor Ivan. He does a marvelous job.

Some paraphrased quotes from Ivan's personal devil:

“You know, last year I had such a dreadful attack of rheumatism.”

Ivan: “What, a devil with rheumatism?”

“Why not? When I assume human form, I accept the consequences. Satan sum et nihil humanum a me alienum puto.”

“In matters of faith, material proof is pretty useless. The world beyond and material proof, what a joke! And then, when you come to think of it, even when you have proved the existance of the devil, why would it follow that god exists too? I want to join an idealist society. I'll lead the opposition in it. I'll say I am a realist, but not a materialist, lol!”

When Ivan demands with fury “Does god exist or not?” the devil's answer is hilariously typical narccissism. “Je pense, donc je suis, that is something I know for certain. As for the rest, all those worlds, god, satan himself, I'm not sure if all that exists independently or is merely a subjective emanation of myself.”

"Fate, in it's infinite confusion, thrust me into this role, that of 'negator'. I'm far too nice by nature to criticize, and I said this, but no one really cared. Some one has to be the one to refuse to play by the rules, I was told, lest the whole of creation become one uninterrupted hossanah. In life, faith must be tested in the crucible of doubt, etc... I'm not responsible for this bullshit. I didn't create it, I'm just the scapegoat that gets cast out and makes life possible. It's almost funny. When I demand annihilation, I am refused. 'No,' they say, 'you have to live. Without you, nothing would ever happen, and we have to have happenings. People must suffer, because suffering is life.' But what about me? I suffer, and go on living. I am the x in an indeterminate equation. I am a phantom who has lost the beginning and the end and has forgotten his name."

"I keep daydreaming. I love imagining things. Don't laugh, it's why I love to be here on earth: It makes me superstitious. I adopt all of your habits. I'm fond of going to the public baths: I love to steam myself with your merchants and priests. My fondest wish is to incarnate once and for all into a two hundred pound merchant's wife and to go to church, light a candle, and offer up a prayer with simple-hearted faith. I would be the end of my torments."