30. I confess that, in reflecting on such monstrous stories in my own mind, I have long been accustomed to wonder that you dare to speak of those as atheists,1236    Lit., “to speak of any one as atheist…of those who,” etc. impious, sacrilegious, who either deny that there are any gods at all, or doubt their existence, or assert that they were men, and have been numbered among the gods for the sake of some power and good desert; since, if a true examination be made, it is fitting that none should be called by such names, more than yourselves, who, under the pretence of showing them reverence, heap up in so doing1237    So the ms. and edd., reading in eo, for which we should perhaps read in eos—“heap upon them.” more abuse and accusation, than if you had conceived the idea of doing this openly with avowed abuse. He who doubts the existence of the gods, or denies it altogether, although he may seem to adopt monstrous opinions from the audacity of his conjectures, yet refuses to credit what is obscure without insulting any one; and he who asserts that they were mortals, although he brings them down from the exalted place of inhabitants of heaven, yet heaps upon them other1238    Subsicivis laudibus. honours, since he supposes that they have been raised to the rank of the gods1239    Lit., “to the reward (meritum) of divinity.” for their services, and from admiration of their virtues

XXX. Jamdudum me fateor reputantem mecum in animo rerum hujuscemodi monstra, solitum esse mirari, audere vos dicere quemquam ex his atheum, irreligiosum, sacrilegum, qui deos esse omnino aut negent, aut dubitent; aut qui eos homines fuisse contendant, et potestatis alicujus et meriti causa deorum in numerum relatos: cum si verum fiat atque habeatur examen, nullos quam vos magis hujusmodi par sit appellationibus nuncupari, qui sub specie cultionis plus in eo ingeratis maledictionum et criminum, quam si aperte hoc facere confessis maledictionibus combibissetis? Deos esse qui dubitat, aut 1145B esse omnino qui negat, quamvis sequi sententias immanes opinionum videatur audacia, sine ullius tamen insectatione personae fidem rebus non accommodat involutis: et qui generis asseverat eos fuisse terreni, quamvis eos privet sublimitate coelitum, subsicivis tamen accumulat laudibus: siquidem illos 1146A divinitatis ad meritum beneficiis autumat, et virtutum admirationibus sublevatos.