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after whom it is necessary that the rest be known, let no one sacrifice to the First Principle, nor light a fire, nor at all name anything of the things of sense; for he needs nothing, not even from beings better than we are; nor is there anything that the earth sends forth as a plant, or nourishes as an animal, or the air, to which there is not some defilement, but one should always use toward him only the better reason, I mean that which does not proceed through the mouth, and from the fairest of beings ask for good things through the fairest of what is in us; and this is the mind, needing no instrument. Therefore, according to these things, we must in no way sacrifice to the great God who is over all.” These things being so, see now what the former writer relates about sacrificing animals, calling upon Theophrastus as a witness for his argument: 15. THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL AND HARMFUL AND UNHOLY TO SACRIFICE

ANIMALS TO THE GODS AND THAT IT IS SUBJECT TO CURSES “When the lawlessness of men had advanced far beyond the first-fruits of sacrifices, the adoption of the most dreadful victims was introduced, full of cruelty, so that the curses spoken against us previously seemed now to have reached their fulfillment, when men slaughtered and bloodied the altars, after they, having experienced famines and wars, partook of blood. Therefore the divine power, as Theophrastus says, being indignant at both of these, seems to have inflicted the fitting punishment; wherefore some men have become atheists, and others would justly be called evil-minded rather than evil-godded, because they consider the nature of the gods to be base and no better than our own. Thus some appear to have become non-sacrificers, and others evil-sacrificers, who have partaken of unlawful victims.” 4.14.2 Again the same author adds these things also: “Since these things are of this nature, Theophrastus rightly forbids those who truly wish to be pious from sacrificing living beings, using also other reasons of this kind.” 4.14.3 And he adds: “And indeed one must sacrifice those things which by sacrificing we will harm no one; for nothing must be so harmless to all as the victim. But if someone should say that God has given animals for our use no less than the fruits, yet still, when animals are sacrificed, it brings some harm to them, since they are deprived of their soul. Therefore these must not be sacrificed; for sacrifice is something holy according to its name; but no one is holy who gives thanks from what belongs to others, even if he takes fruits or plants from an unwilling owner. For how can it be holy when those from whom things are taken are wronged? But if not even he who takes the fruits of others sacrifices holily, it is altogether not holy to sacrifice by taking away from some what is more precious than these; for thus the dreadful thing becomes greater, and the soul is much more precious than the things that grow from the earth, which it is not proper to take away by sacrificing animals.” 4.14.4 And he adds: “Therefore one must abstain from animals in sacrifices.” And again he says: “Therefore that which is neither holy nor inexpensive must not be sacrificed.” And next: 4.14.5 “So if animals are to be offered as first-fruits to the gods, they must be sacrificed for some one of these reasons; for what we sacrifice, we sacrifice for some one of these reasons. Would anyone then, or a god, think he was receiving an honor, when we are seen to be doing wrong right from the first-offering, or would he rather think that to do such a thing is a dishonor? For in sacrificing we admit that we will be doing wrong by destroying animals that do no wrong; so, for the sake of honor, none of the other animals should be sacrificed. Nor indeed to give them thanks for benefits; for he who pays the just requital for a benefit and the equivalent for a good deed ought not to provide these things by doing evil to some. For he will seem to be making a return no more than if someone, having seized his neighbor’s property, 4.14.6 were to crown some people, as if giving thanks and honor. But not even for the sake of obtaining some good things. For he who hunts for receiving good by an unjust act is suspected of not being grateful even when he has received good. So not even in hope of a benefit should animals be sacrificed to the gods. For indeed one might escape the notice of men

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μεθ' ὃν γνωρίζεσθαι τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀναγκαῖον, μὴ θύοι τι τὴν ἀρχὴν μήτε ἀνάπτοι πῦρ μήτε καθόλου τι τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἐπονομάζοι δεῖται γὰρ οὐδενὸς οὐδὲ παρὰ τῶν κρειττόνων ἤπερ ἡμεῖς· οὐδ' ἔστιν ὃ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀνίησι γῆ φυτὸν ἢ τρέφει ζῷον ἢ ἀήρ, ᾧ μὴ πρόσεστί γέ τι μίασμα, μόνῳ δὲ χρῷτο πρὸς αὐτὸν αἰεὶ τῷ κρείττονι λόγῳ, λέγω δὲ τῷ μὴ διὰ στόματος ἰόντι, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ καλλίστου τῶν ὄντων διὰ τοῦ καλλίστου τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν αἰτοίη τὰ ἀγαθά· νοῦς δέ ἐστιν οὗτος, ὀργάνου μὴ δεόμενος. οὐκοῦν κατὰ ταῦτα οὐδαμῶς τῷ μεγάλῳ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων θεῷ θυτέον.» Τούτων δὲ ὧδε ἐχόντων θέα δὴ λοιπόν, ὁποῖα περὶ τοῦ ζῳοθυτεῖν ὁ πρότερος ἱστορεῖ συγγραφεύς, μάρτυρα τοῦ λόγου τὸν Θεόφραστον ἀνακαλούμενος· ιεʹ. ΟΤΙ ΠΑΡΑΝΟΜΟΝ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΒΛΑΒΕΡΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΟΣΙΟΝ ΤΟ ΘΥΕΙΝ

ΖΩΙΑ ΘΕΟΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΟΤΙ ΚΑΤΑΡΑΙΣ ΥΠΟΒΕΒΛΗΜΕΝΟΝ «Πόρρω δὲ τῶν περὶ τὰς θυσίας ἀπαρχῶν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προϊουσῶν παρανομίας ἡ τῶν δεινοτάτων θυμάτων παράληψις ἐπεισήχθη ὠμότητος πλήρης, ὡς δοκεῖν τὰς πρόσθεν λεχθείσας καθ' ἡμῶν ἀρὰς νῦν τέλος εἰληφέναι, σφαξάντων τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τοὺς βωμοὺς αἱμαξάντων, ἀφ' οὗ λιμῶν τε καὶ πολέμων πειραθέντες αἱμάτων ἥψαντο. τοιγαροῦν τὸ δαιμόνιον, ὥς φησιν ὁ Θεόφραστος, τούτων ἑκατέρων νεμεσῆσαν ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν πρέπουσαν ἔοικεν τιμωρίαν· καθὸ οἱ μὲν ἄθεοι γεγόνασι τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἱ δὲ κακόφρονες μᾶλλον ἢ κακόθεοι λεχθέντες ἂν ἐν δίκῃ, διὰ τὸ φαύλους καὶ μηδὲν ἡμῶν βελτίους ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν φύσιν εἶναι τοὺς θεούς. οὕτως οἱ μὲν ἄθυτοι φαίνονται γενέσθαι τινές, οἱ δὲ κακόθυτοι καὶ παρανόμων ἁψάμενοι θυμάτων.» 4.14.2 Πάλιν δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς προστίθησιν καὶ ταῦτα· «Ὧν δὴ τοῦτον ἐχόντων τὸν τρόπον εἰκότως ὁ Θεόφραστος ἀπαγορεύει μὴ θύειν τὰ ἔμψυχα τοὺς τῷ ὄντι εὐσεβεῖν ἐθέλοντας, χρώμενος καὶ τοιαύταις ἄλλαις αἰτίαις.» 4.14.3 Καὶ ἐπιλέγει· «Καὶ μὴν θύειν δεῖ ἐκεῖνα ἃ θύοντες οὐδένα πημανοῦμεν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὡς τὸ θῦμα ἀβλαβὲς εἶναι χρὴ πᾶσιν. εἰ δὲ λέγοι τις ὅτι οὐχ ἧττον τῶν καρπῶν καὶ τὰ ζῷα ἡμῖν εἰς χρῆσιν ὁ θεὸς δέδωκεν, ἀλλ' οὖν γε ἐπιθυομένων τῶν ζῴων φέρει τινὰ βλάβην αὐτοῖς, ἅτε τῆς ψυχῆς νοσφιζομένων. οὐ θυτέον οὖν ταῦτα· ἡ γὰρ θυσία ὁσία τίς ἐστιν κατὰ τοὔνομα· ὅσιος δ' οὐδεὶς ὃς ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἀποδίδωσι χάριτας, κἂν καρποὺς λάβῃ κἂν φυτὰ μὴ ἐθέλοντος. πῶς γὰρ ὅσιον ἀδικουμένων τῶν ἀφαιρεθέντων; εἰ δὲ οὐδὲ καρπῶν ὁ ἁψάμενος ἀλλοτρίων ὁσίως θύει, τά γε τούτων τιμιώτερα παντελῶς οὐχ ὅσιον ἀφαιρουμένους τινῶν θύειν· τὸ γὰρ δεινὸν οὕτω γίνεται μεῖζον, ἡ ψυχὴ δὲ πολλῷ τιμιώτερον τῶν ἐκ γῆς φυομένων, ἣν ἀφαιρεῖσθαι θύοντα ζῷα οὐ προσῆκεν.» 4.14.4 Καὶ ἐπιλέγει· «Ἀφεκτέον ἄρα τῶν ζῴων ἐν ταῖς θυσίαις.» Καὶ πάλιν φησίν· «Τὸ τοίνυν μήθ' ὅσιον μήτ' εὐδάπανον οὐ θυτέον.» Καὶ ἑξῆς· 4.14.5 «Ὥστε καὶ τῶν ζῴων, εἰ ἀπαρκτέον αὐτὰ θεοῖς, τούτων τινὸς ἕνεκα θυτέον· καὶ γὰρ ἃ θύομεν, τούτων τινὸς ἕνεκα θύομεν. ἆρ' οὖν τιμῆς ἡγήσαιτ' ἄν τις τυγχάνειν ἡμῶν ἢ θεός, ὅταν ἀδικοῦντες εὐθὺς διὰ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς φαινώ μεθα, ἢ μᾶλλον ἀτιμίαν οἰήσαιτ' ἂν τὸ τοιοῦτο δρᾶν; ἐν τῷ δέ γε θύειν ἀναιροῦντες τὰ μηδὲν ἀδικοῦντα τῶν ζῴων ἀδικήσειν ὁμολογοῦμεν· ὥστε τιμῆς μὲν ἕνεκα οὐ θυτέον τῶν λοιπῶν ζῴων οὐδέν. οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν χάριν αὐτοῖς ἀποδιδόντας· ὁ γὰρ τὴν δικαίαν ἀμοιβὴν τῆς εὐεργεσίας καὶ τῆς εὐποιίας τὸ ἀντάξιον ἀποδιδοὺς οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ κακῶς τινας δρᾶν ὀφείλει ταῦτα παρέχειν. οὐδὲν γὰρ μᾶλλον ἀμείβεσθαι δόξει ἢ κἂν εἰ τὰ τοῦ πέλας ἁρπάσας 4.14.6 τις στεφανοίη τινάς, ὡς χάριν ἀποδιδοὺς καὶ τιμήν. ἀλλ' οὐδὲ χάριν τινὸς ἕνεκα τῶν ἀγαθῶν. ὁ γὰρ ἀδίκῳ πράξει τὸ παθεῖν εὖ θηρεύων ὕποπτός ἐστι μηδὲ εὖ παθὼν χάριν ἕξειν. ὥστ' οὐδὲ ἐλπιζομένης εὐεργεσίας θυτέον ἐστὶ τοῖς θεοῖς ζῷα. καὶ γὰρ δὴ τῶν μὲν ἀνθρώπων λάθοι τις ἂν