36. If we sought to subvert the belief in your gods in so many ways, by so many arguments, no one would doubt that, mad with rage and fury, you would demand for us the stake, the beasts, and swords, with the other kinds of torture by which you usually appease your thirst in its intense craving for our blood. But while you yourselves put away almost the whole race of deities with a pretence of cleverness and wisdom, you do not hesitate to assert that, because of us, men suffer ill at the hands of the gods;791    Lit., “for the sake of our name, men’s affairs are made harassing.” although, indeed, if it is true that they anywhere exist, and burn with anger and792    Lit., “with flames of,” etc. rage, there can be no better reason for their showing anger against you,793    The ms., according to Crusius, reads nos—“us.” than that you deny their existence, and say that they are not found in any part of the universe.

XXXVI. Si totidem nos modis, totidemque sententiis deorum vestrorum subrueremus fidem, nulli esset dubium, quin ira et rabie concitati, ignes, feras, et gladios, atque alia postularetis suppliciorum in nos genera, quibus sitim soletis vestram nostri sanguinis appetitione proluere. Cum vero per vos ipsos prope omnis gens numinum sub ostentatione tollatur ingeniorum atque doctrinae, audetis intendere 0988B nostri nominis causa res humanas ab diis premi: cum quidem, si verum est esse illos uspiam, atque incalescere irarum flammis, nihil habeant justius, propter quod in vos saeviant, quam quod eos negatis subsistere, neque una esse in parte naturae.