ANF06. Fathers of the Third Century: Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius the Great, Julius Africanus, Anatolius, and Minor Writers, Methodius, Arnobius

45. Judge fairly, and you are deserving of censure in this,⁴⁵⁵⁴

⁴⁵⁵⁴ Lit., “are in this part of censure.”
that in your common conversation you name Mars when you mean⁴⁵⁵⁵

⁴⁵⁵⁵ Lit., “for.”
fighting, Neptune when you mean the seas, Ceres when you mean bread, Minerva when you mean weaving,⁴⁵⁵⁶

⁴⁵⁵⁶ Lit., “the warp,” stamine.
Venus when you mean filthy lusts. For what reason is there, that, when things can be classed under their own names, they should be called by the names of the gods, and that such an insult should be offered to the deities as not even we men endure, if any one applies and turns our names to trifling objects? But language, you say, is contemptible, if defiled with such words.⁴⁵⁵⁷

⁴⁵⁵⁷ i.e., if things are spoken of under their proper names.
O modesty,⁴⁵⁵⁸

⁴⁵⁵⁸ The ms. reads ac unintelligibly.
worthy of praise! you blush to name bread and wine, and are not afraid to speak of Venus instead of carnal intercourse!
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