20. But let us agree, as you
wish, that there are both infernal regions and Manes, and that
some gods or other dwell in these by no means favourable to men, and
presiding over misfortunes; and what cause, what reason is there, that
black victims, even4859
| 4859
Lit., “and.” Immediately after, the
ms. is corrected in later writing
color-es (for -is)—“and the darkest
colours.” |
of the darkest hue, should be brought
to their
altars? Because
dark things suit
dark, and gloomy things
are pleasing to similar beings. What then? Do you not
see—that we, too, may joke with you stupidly, and just as you do
yourselves
4860
| 4860
Similiter. This is certainly a suspicious reading, but
Arnobius indulges occasionally in similar vague expressions. |
—that
the
flesh of the victims is not black,
4861
nor their
bones, teeth, fat,
the
bowels, with
4862
| 4862
Or, very probably, “the membranes with (i.e., enclosing) the
brains,” omenta cum cerebris. |
the
brains, and the soft marrow in the
bones? But the fleeces are
jet-black, and the bristles of the creatures are jet-black. Do
you, then,
sacrifice to the gods only
wool and little bristles torn
from the victims? Do you leave the
wretched creatures, despoiled
it may be, and shorn, to draw the
breath of
heaven, and
rest in
perfect
innocence upon their feeding-grounds? But if you think that those
things are pleasing to the infernal gods which are black and of a
gloomy colour, why do you not take care that all the other things which
it is customary to place upon their sacrifices should be black, and
smoked, and horrible in colour? Dye the
incense if it is offered,
the salted grits, and all the libations without exception. Into
the
milk,
oil,
blood, pour soot and ashes, that this may lose its
purple hue, that the others may become ghastly. But if you have
no scruple in introducing some things which are white and retain their
brightness, you yourselves do away with your own religious scruples and
reasonings, while you do not maintain any single and universal rule in
performing the sacred rites.
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