5. But let it be
assumed that there are these gods, as you wish and believe, and are
persuaded; let them be called also by those names by which the common
people suppose that those meaner gods3930
| 3930 So
all edd., reading populares, except Hild. and Oehler, who
receive the conj. of Rigaltius,
populatim—“among all nations;” the
ms. reading popularem. |
are known.
3931
| 3931
Censeri, i.e., “written in the list of gods.” |
Whence, however, have you
learned
who make up the list
of gods under these names?
3932
| 3932
Otherwise, “how many make up the list of this name.” |
have any ever
become familiar and known
to others with whose names you were
not acquainted?
3933
| 3933
So Orelli, receiving the emendation of Barth, incogniti
nomine, for the ms. in
cognitione, -one being an abbreviation for
nomine. Examples of such deities are the Novensiles,
Consentes, etc., cc. 38–41. |
For
it cannot be easily known whether their numerous body is settled and
fixed in number; or whether their multitude cannot be summed up
and limited by the numbers of any computation. For let us suppose
that you do
reverence to a
thousand, or rather five
thousand gods; but
in the universe it may perhaps be that there are a
hundred thousand;
there may be even more than this,—nay, as we said a little
before, it may not be possible to compute the number of the gods, or
limit them by a definite number. Either, then, you are yourselves
impious who serve a few gods, but disregard the
duties which you owe to
the
rest;
3934
| 3934
Lit., “who, except a few gods, do not engage in the services of
the rest.” |
or if you
claim that your ignorance of the rest should be pardoned, you will
procure for us also a similar pardon, if in just the same way
3935
| 3935
Orelli would explain pro parte consimili as equivalent to pro
uno vero Deo—“for the one true God.” |
we refuse to
worship those of whose existence we are wholly
ignorant.
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