38.4953
If the
immortal gods cannot be
angry, says
my opponent, and their
nature is not agitated or
troubled by any passions, what do the histories, the annals mean, in
which we find it written
4954
| 4954
Lit., “in the writings of which we read.” |
that the gods, moved by some
annoyances, occasioned pestilences, sterility,
4955
failure of crops, and other
dangers, to
states and
nations; and that they again, being appeased and satisfied
by means of
4956
| 4956
Lit., “by satisfaction of.” |
sacrifices,
laid aside their burning
anger, and changed the
state of the atmosphere
and times into a happier one? What
is the meaning of the
earth’s roarings, the
earthquakes, which we have been told
occurred because the games had been celebrated carelessly, and their
nature and circumstances
had not been attended to, and yet, on
their being celebrated afresh, and repeated with assiduous care, the
terrors of the gods were stilled, and
they were recalled to care
and
friendship for men? How often, after that—in obedience
to the commands of the seers and the responses of the
diviners—
sacrifice has been offered, and certain gods have been
summoned from
nations dwelling beyond the
sea, and
shrines erected to
them, and certain images and statues set on loftier
pillars, have
fears
of impending
dangers been diverted, and the most troublesome
enemies
beaten, and the republic extended both by repeated joyous
victories,
and by gaining possession of several
provinces! Now, certainly
this would not happen if the gods
despised sacrifices, games, and other
acts of worship, and did not consider themselves honoured by expiratory
offerings. If, then, all the rage and indignation of the deities
are cooled when these things are offered, and
if those things
become favourable which seemed fraught with terrors, it is clear that
all these things are not done without the gods wishing them, and that
it is vain, and shows utter ignorance, to blame us for giving
them.
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