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 1 1 |         Egyptians reckon among their gods even cats, and crocodiles,
 2 1 |              each man to worship the gods he prefers, in order that
 3 5 | preconception, are ignorantly called gods, says doubtingly:--~ "If
 4 5 |           For, as to these so-called gods, he neither saw any real
 5 6 |         recognises them as created: "gods, offspring of gods, of whom
 6 6 |         created: "gods, offspring of gods, of whom I am the Maker,
 7 8 |            the beginning two or more gods, they were either in one
 8 8 |             not be. For, if they are gods, they are not alike; but
 9 8 |         second god, or for the other gods? For he is not in the world,
10 10|              fictions, represent the gods as no better than men, our
11 13|           not acknowledging the same gods as the cities, be pleased
12 14|              and believe in the same gods as the cities, it is an
13 14|           for not admitting the same gods as they acknowledge, are
14 14|            themselves concerning the gods. The Athenians have set
15 14|             Athenians have set up as gods Celeus and Metanira: the
16 14|          themselves concerning their gods, why do they bring the charge
17 14|      sacrifice to the same beings as gods; and no wonder, when they
18 14|              look upon the brutes as gods, and shave themselves when
19 14|             all acknowledge the same gods.~
20 15|          stones, gold and silver, as gods, we are guilty of impiety.
21 15|           various forms of matter as gods, we should seem to be without
22 16|             I do not worship them as gods, knowing that the law of
23 16|             can I call those objects gods of which I know the makers
24 17|               XVII. THE NAMES OF THE GODS AND THEIR IMAGES ARE BUT
25 17|           concering the names of the gods, to show that they are of
26 17|              to those whom they call gods. Such, too, is the testimony
27 17|             the Greeks, and gave the gods their names, and assigned
28 17|               Representations of the gods, again, were not in use
29 17|             man. If, then, these are gods, why did they not exist
30 18|                           XVIII. THE GODS THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN CREATED,
31 18|              images, yet there exist gods in honour of whom they are
32 18|            are to be referred to the gods, and are in fact made to
33 18|              are in fact made to the gods; and that there is not any
34 18|           carefully to consider. The gods, as they affirm, were not
35 18|            Old Oceanus,~ The sire of gods, and Tethys;"~and Orpheus (
36 18|       especially in reference to the gods)--he, too, has fixed their
37 19|             THE POETS RESPECTING THE GODS.~ Such was the beginning
38 19|              existence both of their gods and of the universe. Now
39 19|           those say who treat of the gods, they do not exist. For,
40 19|            the constitution of these gods remain, who are not self-existent,
41 19|      originated? And in what are the gods superior to matter, since
42 20|        ABSURD REPRESENTATIONS OF THE GODS.~ If the absurdity of their
43 20|          confined to saying that the gods were created, and owed their
44 20|            Kore, and the rest, to be gods? Is it the descriptions
45 20|           from matter), they are not gods. How, then, I ask, can we
46 21|         IMPURE LOVES ASCRIBED TO THE GODS.~ But should it be said
47 21|             nor procreative seed, in gods. Let them, then, have fleshly
48 21|          when the "father of men and gods" mourns for his son,--~ "
49 21|             these, are lovers of the gods, or rather, live without
50 21|             abundance concerning the gods? Ouranos is mutilated; Kronos
51 21|        suffer? Nay, verily, they are gods, and desire cannot touch
52 21|               sage in council as the gods;~ Nor the neat-footed maiden
53 22|            any one say that they are gods? Friendship, according to
54 22|            allied to corruption, are gods? But to those who say that
55 22|           refer the fables to actual gods, do anything rather than
56 22|            defence they make for the gods, they confirm the things
57 23|            erect the statues are not gods? For it is not likely that
58 23|            shall we deem those to be gods who have produced the effects
59 23|         idols, and that they are not gods, to have recourse to some
60 23|           spoken, the descendants of gods, as they say--and surely
61 23|            to disbelieve the sons of gods, even though they speak
62 23|         concerning the origin of the gods themselves. Of Ge and Ouranos
63 23|           impossible to believe that gods beget and are brought forth,
64 23|        either to admit or teach that gods were begotten. And as regards
65 23|           there follow him a host of gods and demons," this does not
66 24|            God, and concerning these gods were not of opinion, some
67 25|            we say There is a race of gods, or yield to laws?"~The
68 26|               and lick them; but the gods that please the multitude,
69 28|                  XXVIII. THE HEATHEN GODS WERE SIMPLY MEN.~ But it
70 28|            learnt from them that the gods had been men. Herodotus
71 28|           very far indeed from being gods. However, in the times anterior
72 28|            otherwise; then Egypt had gods for its rulers, who dwelt
73 28|          Almost all the names of the gods came into Greece from Egypt."
74 28|    government, they esteemed them as gods together with their wives. "
75 28|            in their histories of the gods as of men, when he says, "
76 28|           being kings, were esteemed gods. That they were men, the
77 28|         ether, earth, sun, moon, are gods, regard the rest as mortal
78 28|              treatise concerning the gods. But Herodotus calls even
79 28|             to mention." If they are gods, they are also immortal;
80 29|            The mighty father both of gods and men~ Was filled with
81 29|         Either, therefore, they were gods and did not hanker after
82 29|              men, are looked upon as gods, when they imagine even
83 30|              the reputation of being gods, and the daughter of Derceto,
84 30|             if some should be called gods by their people on the ground
85 30|              and the poets about the gods are unworthy of credit,
86 30|            have got to be considered gods, and who have striven to
87 32|            as they tell of their own gods, of the incidents of whose
88 34|             and ascribe to their own gods, boasting of them as noble
89 34|             deeds, and worthy of the gods. These adulterers and paederasts