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to barbarians. And what I, for my part, have admired most of all, although countless nations have come to the city, for whom it is a great necessity to worship their ancestral gods according to their native customs, the city has not publicly come to emulate any of the foreign practices, a thing which has already happened to many, but even if some sacred rites have been introduced in accordance with oracles, it has adapted them to its own local customs, casting out all mythical trickery, 2.8.8 as in the case of the rites of the holy goddess. For the generals conduct sacrifices and games for her every year according to the laws of the Romans, and a Phrygian man and a Phrygian woman serve as her priests and these go about the city begging for the goddess, as is their custom, wearing images on their breasts and being played to by their followers with the melodies of the Mother and beating drums. 2.8.9 But of the native Romans no one goes through the city as a begging priest or played to by the flute, wearing an elaborate robe, nor does he celebrate the rites of the goddess with the Phrygian orgies by law or decree of the senate. So cautiously does the city regard customs concerning the gods that are not native and it shrinks from all empty pomp, 2.8.10 in which there is nothing of seemliness. And let no one suppose that I am ignorant that some of the Hellenic myths are useful to men, some demonstrating the works of nature [through grief], others composed for the sake of consolation for human misfortunes, others removing troubles of the soul and fears and purifying unhealthy opinions, and others invented for the sake of some other benefit. 2.8.11 But although I know these things, I am nonetheless cautiously disposed towards them, and I approve more of the theology of the Romans, considering that the benefits from the Hellenic myths are both small and unable to benefit many, 2.8.12 but only those who have examined for what purpose they are made. And those who have partaken of this philosophy are few; but the great and unphilosophical crowd is wont to take the stories about them for the worse and suffers one of two things: either it despises the gods as wallowing in great misfortune, or it abstains from none of the most shameful and lawless acts, seeing that they are attributed to the gods. 2.8.13 But let the consideration of these matters be left to those who practice only the theoretical part of philosophy, but of the polity established by Romulus I have deemed these points also to be worthy of record.» Such, then, were the views of the best of the philosophers and of the ancient and first leaders of the Roman dominion concerning the Hellenic theology, in no way admitting physical explanations in the myths about the gods, nor indeed the pompous-looking and sophistic trickeries. Since, however, we for our part have once set out for the refutation of these things, come, let us examine their interpretations and theories, to see what on earth that is venerable and god-befitting they bring to bear, using nothing from ourselves, but employing all their own words, so that from them we might learn again their own proper views.

3.pin.t C THESE THINGS THE THIRD BOOK OF THE EVANGELICAL PREPARATION CONTAINS

3.pin.1 a. Concerning the physical theology of the Hellenes b. Concerning the allegorized theology of the Egyptians c. That it is about the same things d. That they transferred the whole reference of their figurative theory only to the heavenly bodies that are visible, and to water and fire and the other parts of the cosmos e. That these things also were full of all condemnation f. That having reasonably withdrawn also from their more physical theory, we have preferred the one and true theology g. What kind of explanations the younger philosophers wove into the myths about the gods h. Concerning the ancient construction of wooden images i. Further concerning the allegorized theology of the Hellenes

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βαρβάροις. καὶ ὃ πάντων μάλιστα ἔγωγε τεθαύμακα, καίπερ μυρίων ὅσων εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπεληλυθότων ἐθνῶν, οἷς πολλὴ ἀνάγκη σέβειν τοὺς πατρίους θεοὺς τοῖς οἴκοθεν νομίμοις, οὐδενὸς εἰς ζῆλον ἐλήλυθεν τῶν ξενικῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἡ πόλις δημοσίᾳ, ὃ πολλοῖς ἤδη συνέβη παθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ τινα κατὰ χρησμοὺς ἐπεισῆκται ἱερά, τοῖς αὐτόθι αὐτὰ νομίμοις μεθήρμοσεν, ἅπασαν ἐκβαλοῦσα τερθρείαν μυθικήν, 2.8.8 ὥσπερ τὰ τῆς ἱερᾶς θεᾶς ἱερά. θυσίας μὲν γὰρ αὐτῇ καὶ ἀγῶνας ἄγουσιν ἀνὰ πᾶν ἔτος οἱ στρατηγοὶ κατὰ τοὺς Ῥωμαίων νόμους, ἱερᾶται δ' αὐτῆς ἀνὴρ Φρὺξ καὶ γυνὴ Φρυγία καὶ περιάγουσιν ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν οὗτοι μηναγυρτοῦντες, ὥσπερ αὐτοῖς ἔθος, τύπους τε περικείμενοι τοῖς στήθεσι καὶ καταυλούμενοι πρὸς τῶν ἑπομένων τὰ μητρῷα μέλη καὶ τύμπανα κροτοῦντες. 2.8.9 Ῥωμαίων δὲ τῶν αὐθιγενῶν οὔτε μηναγυρτῶν τις οὔτε καταυλούμενος πορεύεται διὰ τῆς πόλεως, ποικίλην ἐνδεδυμένος στολήν, οὔτε ὀργιάζει τὴν θεὸν τοῖς Φρυγίοις ὀργιασμοῖς κατὰ νόμον ἢ ψήφισμα βουλῆς. οὕτως εὐλαβῶς ἡ πόλις ἔχει πρὸς τὰ οὐκ ἐπιχώρια ἔθη περὶ θεῶν καὶ πάντα ὀττεύεται τῦφον, 2.8.10 οὗ μηδέν ἐστι τὸ εὐπρεπές. καὶ μηδεὶς ὑπολάβῃ με ἀγνοεῖν ὅτι τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν μύθων εἰσί τινες ἀνθρώποις χρήσιμοι, οἱ μὲν ἐπιδεικνύμενοι τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἔργα [διὰ λύπην], οἱ δὲ παραμυθίας ἕνεκα συγκείμενοι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων συμφορῶν, οἱ δὲ ταραχὰς ἐξαιρούμενοι ψυχῆς καὶ δείματα καὶ δόξας καθαιροῦντες οὐχ ὑγιεῖς, οἱ δὲ ἄλλης τινὸς ἕνεκα συμπλασθέντες ὠφελείας. 2.8.11 ἀλλὰ καίπερ ἐπιστάμενος ταῦτα οὐδενὸς χεῖρον ὅμως εὐλαβῶς διάκειμαι πρὸς αὐτούς, καὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων μᾶλλον ἀποδέχομαι θεολογίαν, ἐνθυμούμενος ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἐκ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν μύθων ἀγαθὰ μικρά τέ ἐστι καὶ οὐ πολλοὺς δυνάμενα 2.8.12 ὠφελεῖν, ἀλλὰ μόνον τοὺς ἐξητακότας ὧν ἕνεκα γίνεται. σπάνιοι δ' εἰσὶν οἱ μετειληφότες ταύτης τῆς φιλοσοφίας· ὁ δὲ πολὺς καὶ ἀφιλοσόφητος ὄχλος ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω λαμβάνειν φιλεῖ τοὺς περὶ αὐτῶν λόγους καὶ πάσχει θάτερον, ἢ καταφρονεῖ τῶν θεῶν ὡς ἐν πολλῇ κακοδαιμονίᾳ κυλινδουμένων ἢ τῶν αἰσχίστων τε καὶ παρανομωτάτων οὐδενὸς ἀπέχεται, θεοῖς ὁρῶν αὐτὰ προσκείμενα. 2.8.13 ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων τοῖς αὐτὸ μόνον τὸ θεωρητικὸν τῆς φιλοσοφίας μέρος ἀσκοῦσιν ἀφείσθω σκοπεῖν, τῆς δὲ ὑπὸ Ῥωμύλου κατασταθείσης πολιτείας καὶ τάδε ἡγησάμην ἱστορίας ἄξια.» Τὰ μὲν δὴ παραστάντα τοῖς κρατίστοις τῶν φιλοσόφων καὶ τοῖς παλαιοῖς καὶ πρώτοις τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας περὶ τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς θεολογίας τοιαῦτα ἦν, οὐδαμῶς φυσιολογίας ἐν τοῖς περὶ θεῶν μύθοις παραδεχόμενα οὐδέ γε τὰς σεμνοφανεῖς καὶ σοφιστικὰς τερθρείας. ἡμεῖς γε μὴν ἐπείπερ ἅπαξ ὡρμήθημεν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τούτων ἔλεγχον, φέρε τὰς ἑρμηνείας αὐτῶν καὶ θεωρίας, τί ποτε ἄρα σεμνὸν καὶ θεοπρεπὲς ἐπικομίζονται, συνίδωμεν, μηδὲν μὲν ἐξ ἡμῶν, πάντα δὲ ταῖς αὐτῶν φωναῖς συγχρώμενοι, ὡς ἂν παρ' αὐτῶν αὖθις τὰ αὐτῶν οἰκεῖα καταμάθοιμεν.

3.pin.t Γ ΤΑ∆Ε ΤΟ ΤΡΙΤΟΝ ΠΕΡΙΕΧΕΙ ΣΥΓΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΚΗΣ ΠΡΟΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗΣ

3.pin.1 αʹ. Περὶ τῆς Ἑλλήνων φυσικῆς θεολογίας βʹ. Περὶ τῆς Αἰγυπτίων ἀλληγορουμένης θεολογίας γʹ. Ὅτι περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν δʹ. Ὅτι τὴν πᾶσαν ἀναφορὰν τῆς τροπικῆς αὐτῶν θεωρίας ἐπὶ μόνα τὰ φαινόμενα κατ' οὐρανὸν ἄστρα ἐπί τε ὕδωρ καὶ πῦρ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ μέρη τοῦ κόσμου μετῆγον εʹ. Ὅτι καὶ ταῦτα πάσης ὑπῆρχε μεστὰ καταγνώσεως ʹ. Ὅτι καὶ τῆς φυσικωτέρας αὐτῶν περὶ θεωρίας εὐλόγως ἀναχωρήσαντες τὴν μόνην καὶ ἀληθῆ θεολογίαν προετιμήσαμεν ζʹ. Ὁποίας οἱ νεώτεροι τῶν φιλοσόφων τοῖς περὶ θεῶν μύθοις συνέπλεξαν αἰτιολογίας ηʹ. Περὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς τῶν ξοάνων κατασκευῆς θʹ. Ἔτι περὶ τῆς ἀλληγορουμένης Ἑλλήνων