17. Or if the things which we say are not so, declare, say yourselves—those effeminate and delicate men whom we see among you in the sacred rites of this deity—what business, what care, what concern have they there; and why do they like mourners wound their arms and1142    Lit., “with.” breasts, and act as those dolefully circumstanced? What mean the wreaths, what the violets, what the swathings, the coverings of soft wools? Why, finally, is the very pine, but a little before swaying to and fro among the shrubs, an utterly inert log, set up in the temple of the Mother of the gods next, like some propitious and very venerable deity? For either this is the cause which we have found in your writings and treatises, and in that case it is clear that you do not celebrate divine rites, but give a representation of sad events; or if there is any other reason which the darkness of the mystery has withheld from us, even it also must be involved in the infamy of some shameful deed. For who would believe that there is any honour in that which the worthless Galli begin, effeminate debauchees complete?

XVII. Aut si ea, quae dicimus, non sunt ita, vos edissertate, vos, dicite: evirati isti, mollesque, quos interesse vobiscum in istius numinis videmus sacris, quidnam istic habeant negotii, sollicitudinis, curae? et cur more lugentium caedant cum pectoribus lacertos, et fortunam imitentur in lamentabili constitutorum 1115A sorte? Quid coronae? quid violae? quid voluere mollium velamenta lanarum? Cur ad ultimum pinus ipsa paulo ante in dumis inertissimum nutans lignum, mox ut aliquod praesens atque augustissimum numen, deum matris constituatur in sedibus? Aut enim haec causa est, quam in vestris scriptis et commentariis invenimus: et manifestum est vos non divinas conficere caerimonias , sed imaginem tristium redintegrare gestorum: aut si alia ratio est, quam mysterii nobis abnegavit obscuritas, et ipsa quoque necesse est turpitudinis alicujus participetur infamia. Quis est enim, qui credat, honestatis aliquid in ea re esse, quam initiant viles Galli, effoeminati conficiant exoleti?