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Chapter
LXII.
Let us now see what follows. “Let us pass
on,” says he, “to another point. They cannot
tolerate temples, altars, or
images.4828
4828 [The temples here
meant are such as enshrined images.] | In this they
are like the Scythians, the nomadic tribes of Libya, the Seres who
worship no god, and some other of the most barbarous and impious
nations in the world. That the Persians hold the same notions is
shown by Herodotus in these words: ‘I know that among the
Persians it is considered unlawful to erect images, altars, or temples;
but they charge those with folly who do so, because, as I conjecture,
they do not, like the Greeks, suppose the gods to be of the nature of
men.’4829 Heraclitus
also says in one place: ‘Persons who address prayers to
these images act like those who speak to the walls, without knowing who
the gods or the heroes are.’ And what wiser lesson have
they to teach us than Heraclitus? He certainly plainly enough
implies that it is a foolish thing for a man to offer prayers to
images, whilst he knows not who the gods and heroes are. This is
the opinion of Heraclitus; but as for them, they go further, and
despise without exception all images. If they merely mean that
the stone, wood, brass, or gold which has been wrought by this or that
workman cannot be a god, they are ridiculous with their wisdom.
For who, unless he be utterly childish in his simplicity, can take
these for gods, and not for offerings consecrated to the service of the
gods, or images representing them? But if we are not to regard
these as representing the Divine Being, seeing that God has a different
form, as the Persians concur with them in saying, then let them take
care that they do not contradict themselves; for they say that God made
man His own image, and that He gave him a form like to Himself.
However, they will admit that these images, whether they are like or
not, are made and dedicated to the honour of certain beings. But
they will hold that the beings to whom they are dedicated are not gods,
but demons, and that a worshipper of God ought not to worship
demons.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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