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and of the theology of the Egyptians, 10. A refutation and overthrow of their forced interpretation, 11. That their own gods, by confirming through their own oracles the mythical narratives about the gods, are convicted of acting contrary to the philosophers, 12. That they also confirm the theories of the philosophers through oracles, allegorizing contrary to the myths about them, 13. That it is among the things impossible by nature for the parts of the cosmos or the divine powers to be drawn down by magical compulsions and to give responses through oracles to those who inquire, 14. That all such things are the work of daemonic energy. C Such, then, were the views held by the best of the philosophers and by the men of old, the first of the Roman empire, concerning the Greek theology, in no way admitting physical explanations in the myths concerning the gods, nor indeed the 3.pref.2 pretentious and sophistical trifles. But since we have once for all set out upon the refutation of these men, come let us consider their interpretations and theories, what venerable and god-befitting sense they introduce, saying nothing from ourselves, but using all their own words, so that from themselves again we may learn their venerable and secret doctrines. 3.pref.3 Innumerable others, then, of those who profess to be philosophers have bestowed much labour on these subjects, having devised various explanations of the same things, and each insisting that what occurred to him and what he thought was the truth; but for me it is sufficient to furnish the proofs from those who are most distinguished and known to all philosophers, and who have carried off no small renown for philosophy among the Greeks. 3.pref.4 Of these, take first and read the words of Plutarch of Chaeronea concerning the subjects before us, in which, speaking solemnly, he turns aside the myths to what he says are mystic theologies; which in fact he uncovers, saying that Dionysus is drunkenness, no longer the mortal man indicated by the history in the preceding treatise, and Hera the wedded life of man and wife; then, as if he had forgotten the interpretation, adding another story in succession, he calls Hera no longer as before, but the earth, and Leto forgetfulness and night; and again he says that Hera is the same as Leto; then in addition to these, Zeus is introduced by him 3.pref.5 allegorized as the aetherial power. And why should I anticipate these things, when it is possible to hear the man himself in this way, in what he entitled *On the Daedala at Plataea*, setting forth to the many what is hidden of the secret physical doctrine concerning the gods: 3.1.1

1. CONCERNING THE PHYSICAL THEOLOGY OF THE GREEKS

“That the ancient physical doctrine, then, both among Greeks and barbarians, was a physical discourse veiled in myths, for the most part hidden by means of riddles and suggestions, and a theology of mysteries, having things spoken that are more obscure to the many than the things kept silent, and the things kept silent more suspicious than the things spoken, is manifest from the Orphic poems and the Egyptian and Phrygian discourses; and especially the frantic rites connected with the initiations and the things done 3.1.2 symbolically in the sacred ceremonies show the mind of the ancients. For instance, that we may not travel far from the present subjects, they do not think nor deem it right for there to be any fellowship for Hera with Dionysus; and they are careful not to mix their sacred rites, and they say that the priestesses at Athens, when they meet each other, do not exchange greetings, nor is ivy ever brought into the sanctuary of Hera, not on account of the mythical and nonsensical jealousies, but because the goddess is nuptial and a leader of brides, and drunkenness is unseemly for brides and most unsuitable for weddings, as Plato says; for drinking unmixed wine causes disturbance both to souls and bodies, by which what is sown and conceived takes root badly, being unformed and wandering. Again,

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καὶ Αἰγυπτίων θεολογίας ιʹ. Ἔλεγχος δαὶ ἀνατροπὴ τῆς καὶ τούτων βεβιασμένης ἀποδόσεως ιαʹ. Ὅτι τὰς μυθικὰς περὶ θεῶν διηγήσεις αὐτοὶ διὰ τῶν οἰκείων χρησμῶν οἱ αὐτῶν θεοὶ κυροῦντες ἀπελέγχονται ἐναντία πράττοντες τοῖς φιλοσόφοις ιβʹ. Ὅτι καὶ τὰς τῶν φιλοσόφων θεωρίας βεβαιοῦσι διὰ τῶν χρησμῶν ἐναντίως τοῖς περὶ αὐτῶν μύθοις ἀλληγοροῦντες ιγʹ. Ὅτι τῶν ἀδυνάτων πέφυκεν τὰ μέρη τοῦ κόσμου ἢ τὰς θείας δυνάμεις γοητικαῖς ἀνάγκαις καθέλκεσθαι καὶ διὰ χρησμῶν τοῖς ἐρωτῶσι θεσπίζειν ιδʹ. Ὅτι δαιμονικῆς ἐνεργείας πάντα τὰ τοιάδε τυγχάνει Γ Τὰ μὲν 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 3.pref.2 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 σεμνὰ καὶ ἀπόρρητα καταμάθοιμεν. 3.pref.3 Μυρίοις μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλοις τῶν φιλοσοφεῖν ἐπαγγελλομένων πολὺς περὶ τούτων εἰσῆκται πόνος, διαφόρους τῶν αὐτῶν εὑρησιλογίας πεποιημένοις καὶ τὸ παραστὰν καὶ δόξαν ἑκάστῳ τοῦτ' εἶναι τὸ ἀληθὲς ἀπισχυριζομένοις· ἐμοὶ δὲ ἐξαρκεῖ τὰς ἀποδείξεις ἀπὸ τῶν μάλιστα διαφανῶν καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς φιλοσόφοις γνωρίμων κλέος τε οὐ μικρὸν φιλοσοφίας παρ' Ἕλλησιν ἀπενηνεγ3.pref.4 μένων παρασχεῖν. ὧν πρώτου λαβὼν ἀνάγνωθι τοῦ Χαιρωνέως Πλουτάρχου τὰς περὶ τῶν προκειμένων φωνάς, ἐν αἷς σεμνολογῶν παρατρέπει τοὺς μύθους ἐφ' ἅς φησιν εἶναι μυστηριώδεις θεολογίας· ἃς δὴ ἐκκαλύπτων τὸν μὲν ∆ιόνυσον τὴν μέθην εἶναί φησιν, οὐκέτι τὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ἱστορίας ἐν τῷ πρὸ τούτου συγγράμματι δεδηλωμένον θνητὸν ἄνδρα, τὴν δὲ Ἥραν τὴν γαμή λιον ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς συμβίωσιν· εἶθ', ὥσπερ ἐπιλελησμένος τῆς ἀποδόσεως, ἑτέραν ἑξῆς ἐπισυνάψας ἱστορίαν τὴν Ἥραν οὐκέτι ὡς τὸ πρότερον, ἀλλὰ τὴν γῆν ὀνομάζει, λήθην δὲ καὶ νύκτα τὴν Λητώ· καὶ πάλιν τὴν αὐτὴν τῇ Λητοῖ φησιν εἶναι τὴν Ἥραν· εἶτ' ἐπὶ τούτοις εἰσάγεται αὐτῷ ὁ Ζεὺς 3.pref.5 εἰς τὴν αἰθέριον δύναμιν ἀλληγορούμενος. καὶ τί με δεῖ ταῦτα προλαμβάνειν, αὐτοῦ παρὸν ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὧδέ πως ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραψεν Περὶ τῶν ἐν Πλαταιαῖς ∆αιδάλων τὰ λανθάνοντα τοὺς πολλοὺς τῆς ἀπορρήτου περὶ θεῶν φυσιολογίας ἐκφαίνοντος· 3.1.1

αʹ. ΠΕΡΙ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΦΥΣΙΚΗΣ ΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ «Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἡ παλαιὰ φυσιολογία καὶ παρ' Ἕλλησι καὶ βαρβάροις λόγος ἦν φυσικὸς ἐγκεκαλυμμένος μύθοις, τὰ πολλὰ δι' αἰνιγμάτων καὶ ὑπονοιῶν ἐπίκρυφος, καὶ μυστηριώδης θεολογία τά τε λαλούμενα τῶν σιγωμένων <ἀ>σαφέστερα τοῖς πολλοῖς ἔχοντα καὶ τὰ σιγώμενα τῶν λαλουμένων ὑποπτότερα, κατάδηλόν ἐστι τοῖς Ὀρφικοῖς ἔπεσι καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτιακοῖς καὶ Φρυγίοις λόγοις· μάλιστα δὲ οἱ περὶ τὰς τελετὰς ὀργιασμοὶ καὶ τὰ δρώμενα 3.1.2 συμβολικῶς ἐν ταῖς ἱερουργίαις τὴν τῶν παλαιῶν ἐμφαίνει διάνοιαν. οἷον, ἵνα μὴ μακρὰν τῶν ἐνεστηκότων λόγων βαδίζωμεν, οὐ νομίζουσιν οὐδὲ ἀξιοῦσι κοινωνίαν εἶναι πρὸς ∆ιόνυσον Ἥρᾳ· φυλάσσονται δὲ συμμιγνύναι τὰ ἱερὰ καὶ τὰς Ἀθήνησιν ἱερείας ἀπαντώσας φασὶν ἀλλήλαις μὴ προσαγορεύειν μηδὲ ὅλως κιττὸν εἰς τὸ τῆς Ἥρας εἰσκομίζεσθαι τέμενος, οὐ διὰ τὰς μυθικὰς καὶ φλυαρώδεις ζηλοτυπίας, ἀλλ' ὅτι γαμήλιος μὲν ἡ θεὸς καὶ νυμφαγωγός, ἀπρεπὲς δὲ τὸ μεθύειν νυμφίοις καὶ γάμοις ἀναρμοστότατον, ὥς φησιν ὁ Πλάτων· ἀκρατοποσία γὰρ ταραχὴν ἐμποιεῖ καὶ ψυχαῖς καὶ σώμασιν, ὑφ' ἧς ἄπλαστα καὶ πεπλανημένα ῥιζοῦται κακῶς τὰ σπειρόμενα καὶ κυϊσκόμενα. πάλιν