33. Your gods, it is
recorded, dine on celestial couches, and in golden chambers, drink, and
are at last soothed by the music of the lyre, and singing. You
fit them with ears not easily wearied;4248
| 4248
Lit., “most enduring.” |
and do not think it unseemly to
assign to the gods the
pleasures by which earthly bodies are supported,
and which are sought after by
ears enervated by the frivolity of an
unmanly spirit. Some of them are brought forward in the character
of
lovers, destroyers of
purity, to
commit shameful and degrading
deeds
not only with
women, but with men also. You take no care as to
what is said about matters of so much importance, nor do you check, by
any
fear of
chastisement at least, the recklessness of your
wanton
literature; others, through madness and frenzy, bereave themselves, and
by the
slaughter of their own relatives cover themselves with
blood,
just as though it were that of an
enemy. You wonder at these
loftily expressed impieties; and that which it was fitting should be
subjected to all punishments, you extol with
praise that spurs them on,
so as to
rouse their recklessness to greater vehemence. They
mourn over the
wounds of their bereavement, and with unseemly wailings
accuse the cruel fates; you are
astonished at the force of their
eloquence, carefully study
and commit to memory that which
should have been wholly put away from human society,
4249
| 4249
Coetu. The ms. and most edd.
read coalitu,—a word not occurring elsewhere; which
Gesner would explain, “put away that it may not be established
among men,” the sense being the same in either case. |
and are solicitous that it should not
perish through any forgetfulness. They are spoken of as being
wounded, maltreated, making
war upon each other with
hot and furious
contests; you
enjoy the description; and, to enable you to
defend so
great
daring in the writers, pretend that these things are allegories,
and contain the principles of natural science.
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