# "I am legion for we are many" origin **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [October 29, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193 "2003-10-29T07:39:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Short](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Short](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/1 "2003-10-29T07:39:16Z")
Does anyone know the origin of the quote “I am Legion for we are many” or some variation of it? I am aware of an appearance on the BBC program Red Dwarf (episode: Legion), but suspect another origin. Any help? ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/2 "2003-10-29T07:42:26Z")
The Bible. I believe a man who was possessed by spirits said that to Jesus (or one of the disciples? I am ashamed at how long it’s been since I read the Bible). “I am Legion for we are many.” The name of the spirit that inhabited the man. Or rather, a lot of spirits. A more reputable Bible scholar will be along shortly to be more specific, I am sure. ---
**Author:** ![CadburyAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@CadburyAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CadburyAngel)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/3 "2003-10-29T07:49:11Z")
Whoa, I’m not the most reputable one in here, am I? Matthew 8:28 has the story, but Mark 5:9 has the story and the quote. And he asked him, “What is thy name?” And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. ---
**Author:** ![Short](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Short](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/4 "2003-10-29T08:19:23Z")
The bible… ahh yes, that obscure text. 😉 Many Thanks. -Short ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/5 "2003-10-29T10:43:50Z")
It was a clever name, given that the locals of that time and place would have been familiar with the Roman _legion_, a unit of six thousand soldiers total when at full strength. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/6 "2003-10-29T10:47:34Z")
IIRC, this line was used in _The Exorcist_ too. ---
**Author:** ![mallocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f4b2a3/32.png) [@mallocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mallocks)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/7 "2003-10-29T10:50:53Z")
and I think it was in _Thief Of Time_ by Terry Pratchett aswell. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/8 "2003-10-29T11:04:56Z")
And it was in an old TV miniseries (written by Christopher Isherwood) called [“Frankenstein: The True Story.”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070074/) (Pretty cool and somewhat odd interpretation of the story, with _tons_ of great guest stars.) It’s what the “monster” says after reading the Bible, because he realizes that he’s been made out of “many” people. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/9 "2003-10-29T11:06:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mallocks \* > \*\*and I think it was in _Thief Of Time_ by Terry Pratchett aswell. \*\* In an indirect way yes. The Lady LeJean, who was an “auditor”, who have no concept of “I”. What one knows the others also know. When LeJean inhabited the human body, she took the name LeJean to indicate that the Auditors were indeed many. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/10 "2003-10-29T17:09:21Z")
The full quote in MATTHEW: THE DIRECTOR’S CUT is “I am legion, for we are many… but my friends call me Bud.” ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/11 "2003-10-29T17:45:23Z")
Didn’t this passage also inspire John Milton’s name for the capital of Hell in “Paradise Lost”? “A solemn council was held At Pandaemonium, the high capital Of Satan and his peers.” From the Greek pan daimon (or the Latin daemonium) - all demons. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/12 "2003-10-29T22:07:57Z")
I once knew a fellow named “Legion”, and I always wondered if he was named after that verse - and whether his parents understood that verses meaning. Are there any other people named Legion? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/13 "2003-10-29T22:24:01Z")
The Social Security Death Index, 1962-present, has seven people with the first name Legion. The 1930 U.S. census found 13 people with that first name. My favorite is Legion C. Fonkes. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/14 "2003-10-30T07:36:31Z")
The head bad guy in the (rather odd) Nintendo 64 game Shadow Man was also named Legion, and used the “for we are many” quote. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobersnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Scoobersnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobersnax)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/15 "2022-01-03T14:02:49Z")
I don’t know that this is relevant at all but I once had a conversation with the exact Legion that was in the Bible oh, it asked me to join the darkness serve the devil, I turned it down it was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced in my entire life God bless you all ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-legion-for-we-are-many-origin/210193/16 "2022-01-03T14:09:56Z")
Closed on January 3, 2022, 2:09pm UTC