35. Finally, if you think it right, returning to our inquiry, we ask this of you, whether you think that all stories about the gods,1262    The ms., first four edd., and Hild. read de his—“about these,” corrected in the others dîs or diis, as above. that is, without any exception,1263    Lit., “each.” have been written throughout with a double meaning and sense, and in a way1264    Pl. admitting of several interpretations; or that some parts of them are not ambiguous at all, while, on the contrary, others have many meanings, and are enveloped in the veil of allegory which has been thrown round them? For if the whole structure and arrangement of the narrative have been surrounded with a veil of allegory from beginning to end, explain to us, tell us, what we should put and substitute for each thing which every story says, and to what other things and meanings we should refer1265    Lit., “call.” each. For as, to take an example, you wish Jupiter to be said instead of the rain, Ceres for the earth, and for Libera1266    i.e., Proserpine. The readiness with which Arnobius breaks the form of the sentence should be noted. At first the gods represent physical phenomena, but immediately after natural events are put for the gods. In the ms. two copyists have been at work, the earlier giving Libero, which is rather out of place, and is accordingly corrected by the later, Libera followed by LB., Oberthür, Orelli, Hild., and Oehler. and father Dis the sinking and casting of seed into the earth, so you ought to say what we should understand for the bull, what for the wrath and anger of Ceres; what the word Brimo1267    The ms. reads primo. Cf. c. 20. means; what the anxious prayer of Jupiter; what the gods sent to make intercession for him, but not listened to; what the castrated ram; what the parts1268    Proles. of the castrated ram; what the satisfaction made with these; what the further dealings with his daughter, still more unseemly in their lustfulness; so, in the other story also, what the grove and flowers of Henna are; what the fire taken from Ætna, and the torches lit with it; what the travelling through the world with these; what the Attic country, the canton of Eleusin, the hut of Baubo, and her rustic hospitality; what the drought of cyceon1269    [κυκεὼν, a draught resembling caudle. See p. 499, note 10.]means, the refusal of it, the shaving and disclosure of the privy parts, the shameful charm of the sight, and the forgetfulness of her bereavement produced by such means. Now, if you point out what should be put in the place of all these, changing the one for the other,1270    Lit., “by change of things.” we shall admit your assertion; but if you can neither present another supposition in each case, nor appeal to1271    The ms. omits ad, supplied by Ursinus. the context as a whole, why do you make that obscure,1272    So all edd., except Hild. and Oehler, reading obscur-atisfor the ms. -itatibus. by means of fair-seeming allegories, which has been spoken plainly, and disclosed to the understanding of all?

XXXV. Denique si accommodum ducitis, etiam 1149C illud a vobis repetita interrogatione conquirimus, 1150A omnes de Diis fabulas existimetis, id est singulas totas ambifarias ac bilingues, et versipellibus esse scriptas modis; an alias earum partes nihil ambiguum dicere, alias vero multifidas atque allegorici tegminis superjectione velatas? Si enim ad finem a capite textus omnis expositionis et series obtensionibus allegoricis clausa sunt, edissertate, monstrate, quid pro rebus singulis, quas unaquaeque eloquitur fabula, supponere debeamus, et promere, quasque in res alias atque intelligentias vocare. Ut enim Jovem pro pluvia, Cererem, verbi causa, pro terra vultis audire, et pro Libera ac patre Dite submersionem seminis atque jactum: ita dicere vos convenit, quid pro tauro debeamus accipere, quid pro indignatione Cereris atque irae? quid sibi velit Brimo verbum, quid Jovis 1150B solliciti supplicatio? quid allegati coelites nec auditi? quid exectus aries? quid execti arietis proles? quid satisfactio his facta? quid quae rursus gesta sunt libidine obscoeniore cum filia? consimiliter et in altera fabula Enneae nemus, et flores quid sint? quid sumptus ignis ex Aetna, comprehensaeque isto faces? quid peragratio cum his orbis? quid Attica regio? quid eleusinius pagus? quid Baubonis tugurium atque hospitium rusticanum? quid cyceonis significet potio? quid adspernatio potionis? quid novatio et revelatio pudendorum? quid spectaculi flagitiosa dulcedo, et ex remediis talibus orbitatis oblivio comparata? Quod si pro his omnibus, quod oporteat subjici rerum immutatione monstratis, erit ut vobis assensum super tali asseveratione tribuamus: sin autem singula 1151A in singulis neque potestis supponere, nec alterum rerum vocare contextum: quid allegoriis obscuratis honestis id, quod simpliciter dictum est, et communem ad intelligentiam publicatum?