Book VII.

1a. [Migne 6.27] Since it has been sufficiently shown, as far as there has been opportunity, how vain it is to form images, the course of our argument requires that we should next speak as briefly as possible, and without any periphrasis, about sacrifices, about the slaughter and immolation of victims, about pure wine, about incense, and about all the other things which are provided on such occasions.1525    Lit., “so great.”    Lit., “and to satiety.”    Lit., “in that part of years.” For with respect to this you have been in the habit of exciting against us the most violent ill-will, of calling us atheists, and inflicting upon us the punishment of death, even by savagely tearing us to pieces with wild beasts, on the ground that we pay very little respect1526    Lit., “the fumigation of verbenæ,” i.e., of boughs of the laurel, olive, or myrtle.    The ms. wants se, which was supplied by Stewechius.    Lit., “attribute least.” to the gods; which, indeed, we admit that we do, not from contempt or scorn of the divine,1527    The ms. omits ut.    i.e., not act impartially and benevolently, which may possibly be the meaning of contrariis agere, or, as Oehler suggests, “to assail men with contrary, i.e., injurious things.” All edd. read egere, except Oehler, who can see no meaning in it; but if translated, “to wish for contrary things,” it suits the next clause very well.    Lit., “divine spurning.” but because we think that such powers require nothing of the kind, and are not possessed by desires for such things.1528    Lit., “the uncertain things of that ambiguity.”    Lit., “whom passion touches, suffer.”    [When good old Dutch Boyens came to the pontificate as Hadrian VI., he was accounted a “barbarian” because he so little appreciated the art-treasures in the Vatican, on which Leo X. had lavished so much money and so much devotion. His pious spirit seemed oppressed to see so many heathen images in the Vatican: sunt idola ethnicorum was all he could say of them,—a most creditable anecdote of such a man in such times. See p. 504, n. 6, supra.]

[liber VI.] XXVII. Sed quoniam satis, ut res tulit, quam inaniter fiant simulacra, monstratum est: de sacrificiis deinceps, de caedibus atque immolationibus hostiarum, de mero, de thure, deque aliis omnibus, quae in parte ista confiunt, possit ordo quam paucis et sine ullis circumlocutionibus dicere. In hac enim consuestis parte, invidias nobis tumultuosissimas concitare, appellare nos atheos; et quod minime attribuamus diis, poenas etiam capitis belluarum crudelitatibus irrogare. Quod quidem nos fatemur non contemptu facere, atque aspernatione divina; sed quod existimemus, 1216B hujus potentias nominis nihil tale deposcere, neque rerum hujusmodi cupiditatibus attineri.