XVIII.—Of Ammydates and the Great God.

We have already said many things of an abominable superstition, and yet we follow up the subject, lest we should be said to have passed anything over.  And the worshippers worshipped their Ammydates after their manner.  He was great to them when there was gold in the temple.  They placed their heads under his power, as if he were present.  It came to the highest point that Cæsar took away the gold.  The deity failed, or fled, or passed away into fire.  The author of this wickedness is manifest who formed this same god, and falsely prophesying seduces so many and so great men, and only was silent about Him who was accustomed to be divine.  For voices broke forth, as if with a changed mind, as if the wooden god were speaking into his ear.  Say now yourselves if they are not false deities?  From that prodigy how many has that prophet destroyed?  He forgot to prophesy who before was accustomed to prophesy; so those prodigies are feigned among those who are greedy of wine, whose damnable audacity feigns deities, for they were carried about, and such an image was dried up.  For both he himself is silent, and no one prophesies concerning him at all.  But ye wish to ruin yourselves.

XVIII.---DE AMMUDATE ET DEO MAGNO.

0215A Diximus jam multa de superstitione nefanda, Et tamen exsequimur, ne quid praeterisse dicamur. Ammudatemque suum cultores more colebant: Magnus erat illis, quando fuit aurum in aede. Mittebant capita sub numine quasi praesenti. Ventum est ad summum, ut Caesar tolleret aurum: Defecit numen, aut fugit, aut transit in ignem. Auctor hujus sceleris constat, qui formabat eumdem Tot viros et magnos seducit false prophetans; Et modo reticuit qui solebat esse divinus. Erumpebant enim voces, quasi mente mutata; Tanquam illi deus ligni loqueretur in aurem. Dicite nunc ipsi, si non sint numina falsa? Ex eo prodigio quot perdidit ille propheta? 0215B Oblitus est iste prophetare, qui ante solebat. Monstra adeo ista ficta sunt per vinivoraces; Audacia quorum damnabilis numina fingit. Gestabant enim, et aruit tale sigillum: Nam et ipse silet, nec ullus de illo prophetat Omnino, sed vos ipsos perdere vultis.