Chapter XV.228    Comp. The Apology, c. ix.—The Charge of Infanticide Retorted on the Heathen.

Since we are on a par in respect of the gods, it follows that there is no difference between us on the point of sacrifice, or even of worship,229    Sacri. if I may be allowed to make good our comparison from another sort of evidence. We begin our religious service, or initiate our mysteries, with slaying an infant. As for you, since your own transactions in human blood and infanticide have faded from your memory, you shall be duly reminded of them in the proper place; we now postpone most of the instances, that we may not seem to be everywhere230    He refers in this passage to his Apology, especially c. ix. handling the selfsame topics. Meanwhile, as I have said, the comparison between us does not fail in another point of view. For if we are infanticides in one sense, you also can hardly be deemed such in any other sense; because, although you are forbidden by the laws to slay new-born infants, it so happens that no laws are evaded with more impunity or greater safety, with the deliberate knowledge of the public, and the suffrages231    Tabellis. of this entire age.232    Unius ætatis. This Oehler explains by “per unam jam totam hanc ætatem.” Yet there is no great difference between us, only you do not kill your infants in the way of a sacred rite, nor (as a service) to God. But then you make away with them in a more cruel manner, because you expose them to the cold and hunger, and to wild beasts, or else you get rid of them by the slower death of drowning. If, however, there does occur any dissimilarity between us in this matter,233    Genere. you must not overlook the fact that it is your own dear children234    Pignora, scil. amoris. whose life you quench; and this will supplement, nay, abundantly aggravate, on your side of the question, whatever is defective in us on other grounds. Well, but we are said to sup off our impious sacrifice! Whilst we postpone to a more suitable place235    See Apology, c. ix. whatever resemblance even to this practice is discoverable amongst yourselves, we are not far removed from you in voracity.  If in the one case there is unchastity, and in ours cruelty, we are still on the same footing (if I may so far admit our guilt236    Si forte.) in nature, where cruelty is always found in concord with unchastity. But, after all, what do you less than we; or rather, what do you not do in excess of us?  I wonder whether it be a small matter to you237    Parum scilicet? to pant for human entrails, because you devour full-grown men alive? Is it, forsooth, only a trifle to lick up human blood, when you draw out238    Elicitis. the blood which was destined to live? Is it a light thing in your view to feed on an infant, when you consume one wholly before it is come to the birth?239    Infantem totum præcocum.

15. Plures Onocoetae penes vos deprehenduntur. Si in deis aequalitate concurrimus, sequitur, ut sacrificii vel sacri quoque inter nos diversitas nulla sit, ut ex alia specie comparationis satis fiat. Nos infanticidio litamus sive initiamus? Vos, si de memoria abierunt, quae caede hominis, quaeque infanticidiis transegisse, recognoscetis suo ordine; nunc enim differimus pleraque, ne cadem videamur ubique retractare. Interim, ut dixi, ex alia parte non deest adaequatio. Nam etsi nos aliter , amen non aliter vos quoque infanticidae, qui infantes editos enecantes legibus quidem prohibemini, sed nullae magis 0580B leges tam impune, tam secure sub omnium conscientiae unius ae . . . . . . . tabellis eluduntur. Sed nec eo distant, si vos non ritu sacri, neque deo necatis. Atquin in hoc asperius, quod frigore et fame, aut bestiis . . . . . . . . . . . tis, aut longiore in aquis morte demergitis. At et si quo . . . . . . . . dissimilius penes vos fit, eo addicite, quo vestra pignora ex. . . . . . . . . . s, et supplebitur. Imo superacervabitur in vobis quidquid. . . . . ratione defecerit. Sed de ea impietatis hostia dicimur. . . . . dum ita quoque in vobis recognoscitur, ubi opportunius positum est, non multo secernimur a vestra voracitate, si illa impudica est, nostra vero crudelis, conjungimur si forte natura, qua semper saevitia cum impudicitia concordat.