Chap. XXI.—Of the Worship of Other Gods and the True God, and of the Animals Which the Egyptians Worshipped.

But they, because they know not the object or the mode of worship, blindly and unconsciously fall into the contrary practice. Thus they adore their enemies, they appease with victims their robbers and murderers, and they place their own souls to be burned with the very incense on detestable altars. The wretched men are also angry, because others do not perish in like manner, with incredible blindness of minds. For what can they see who do not see the sun? As though, if they were gods, they would need the assistance of men against their despisers. Why, therefore, are they angry with us, if they have no power to effect anything? Unless it be that they destroy their gods, whose power they distrust, they are more irreligious than those who do not worship them at all. Cicero, in his Laws,1042    [Lib ii. cap. 10. A noble reference in this chapter to equality among men.]   enjoining men to approach with holiness to the sacrifices, says, “Let them put on piety, let them lay aside riches; if any one shall act otherwise, God Himself will be the avenger.” This is well spoken; for it is not right to despair about God, whom you worship on this account, because you think Him powerful. For how can He avenge the wrongs of His worshippers, if He is unable to avenge His own? I wish therefore to ask them to whom especially they think that they are doing a service in compelling them to sacrifice against their will, Is it to those whom they compel? But that is not a kindness which is done to one who refuses it. But we must consult their interests, even against their will, since they know not what is good. Why, then, do they so cruelly harass, torture, and weaken them, if they wish for their safety? or whence is piety so impious, that they either destroy in this wretched manner, or render useless, those whose welfare they wish to promote? Or do they do service to the gods? But that is not a sacrifice which is extorted from a person against his will. For unless it is offered spontaneously, and from the soul, it is a curse; when men sacrifice, compelled by proscription, by injuries, by prison, by tortures. If they are gods who are worshipped in this manner, if for this reason only, they ought not to be worshipped, because they wish to be worshipped in this manner: they are doubtless worthy of the detestation of men, since libations are made to them with tears, with groaning, and with blood flowing from all the limbs.  

But we, on the contrary, do not require that any one should be compelled, whether he is willing or unwilling, to worship our God, who is the God of all men; nor are we angry if any one does not worship Him. For we trust in the majesty of Him who has power to avenge contempt shown towards Himself, as also He has power to avenge the calamities and injuries inflicted on His servants. And therefore, when we suffer such impious things, we do not resist even in word; but we remit vengeance to God, not as they act who would have it appear that they are defenders of their gods, and rage without restraint against those who do not worship them. From which it may be understood how it is not good to worship their gods, since men ought to have been led to that which is good by good, and not by evil; but because this is evil, even its office is destitute of good. But they who destroy religious systems must be punished. Have we destroyed them in a worse manner than the nation of the Egyptians, who worship the most disgraceful figures of beasts and cattle, and adore as gods some things which it is even shameful to speak of? Have we done worse than those same who, when they say that they worship the gods, yet publicly and shamefully deride them?—for they even allow pantomimic1043    Mimos agi.   representations of them to be acted with laughter and pleasure. What kind of a religion is this, or how great must that majesty be considered, which is adored in temples and mocked in theatres? And they who have done these things do not suffer the vengeance of the injured deity, but even go away honoured and praised. Do we destroy them in a worse manner than certain philosophers, who say that there are no gods at all, but that all things are spontaneously produced, and that all things which are done happen by chance? Do we destroy them in a worse manner than the Epicureans, who admit the existence of gods, but deny that they regard anything, and say that they are neither angry nor are influenced by favour? By which words they plainly persuade men that they are not to be worshipped at all, inasmuch as they neither regard their worshippers, nor are angry with those who do not worship them. Moreover, when they argue against fears, they endeavour to effect nothing else than that no one should fear the gods. And yet these things are willingly heard by men, and discussed with impunity.  

CAPUT XXI. De cultu deorum et Dei veri; atque de bestiis quas coluerunt Aegyptii.

Isti autem, quia nesciunt, vel quid, vel quomodo sit colendum, caeci et imprudentes in contrarium cadunt. Adorant itaque hostes suos: latrones et interfectores suos victimis placant; et animas suas cum thure ipso cremandas aris detestabilibus imponunt. Irascuntur 0619A etiam miseri, quod non similes 0619A alii pereant, incredibili mentium caecitate. Quid enim videant, qui solem non vident? Quasi vero si dii essent, indigerent hominum auxilio, adversus contemptores suos. Quid ergo nobis irascuntur, si illi nihil possunt? nisi, quod ipsi deos suos destruunt, de quorum potestate diffidunt, magis irreligiosi quam qui omnino non colunt. Cicero in suis Legibus, cum caste ad sacrificia praeciperet accedere, «Pietatem, inquit, adhibento; opes amovento: qui secus facit, Deus ipse vindex erit. «Recte hoc quidem. Neque enim fas est desperare de Deo, quem ideo colas, quia potentem putes. Nam quomodo vindicare injuriam colentis se potest, si suam non potest? Libet igitur, ex his quaerere, cui potissimum praestare se putent, cogendo invitos 0619B ad sacrificium. Ipsisne, quos cogunt? at non est beneficium, quod ingeritur recusanti. Sed consulendum est etiam nolentibus, quando quid sit bonum, nesciunt. Cur ergo tam crudeliter vexant, cruciant, debilitant, si salvos volunt? aut unde pietas tam impia, ut eos miseris modis aut perdant, aut inutiles faciant, quibus velint esse consultum? An vero diis praestant? at non est sacrificium, quod exprimitur 0620A invito. Nisi enim sponte atque ex animo fiat, execratio est; cum homines proscriptione, injuriis, carcere, tormentis adacti faciunt. Si dii sunt isti, qui sic coluntur, vel propter hoc solum colendi non sunt, quod sic coli volunt; digni scilicet detestatione hominum, quibus cum lacrymis, cum gemitu, cum sanguine de membris omnibus fluente libatur.

At nos contra non expetimus, ut Deum nostrum, qui est omnium, velit, nolit, colat aliquis invitus; nec, si non coluerit, irascimur. Confidimus enim majestati ejus, qui tam contemptum sui possit ulcisci, quam etiam servorum suorum labores et injurias. Et ideo cum tam nefanda perpetimur, ne verbo quidem reluctamur: sed Deo remittimus ultionem; non ut ii faciunt, qui defensores deorum suorum videri 0620B volunt, et saeviunt efferate adversus non colentes. Ex quo intelligi datur, quam non sit bonum deos colere; quoniam bono potius adducendi homines ad bonum fuerant, non malo. Sed quia illud malum est, etiam officium ejus bono caret. At enim puniendi sunt qui destruunt religiones. Num pejus nos destruimus, quam natio Aegyptiorum, qui turpissimas bestiarum ac pecudum figuras colunt, 0620D 0621A quaedam etiam pudenda dictu tanquam deos adorant? Num pejus quam iidem ipsi? qui, cum deos colere se dicant, tamen eos publice turpiterque derident; de quibus etiam mimos agi cum risu et voluptate patiuntur. Qualis haec religio aut quanta majestas putanda, quae adoratur in templis, illuditur in theatris? Et qui haec fecerint non poenas violati numinis pendunt, sed honorati etiam laudatique discedunt. Num 0622A pejus nos destruimus, quam quidam philosophi, qui omnino nullos deos esse aiunt: sed omnia sua sponte esse nata, omnia fortuitu fieri quae geruntur? Num pejus quam Epicurei, qui esse quidem deos, sed curare quidquam negant; neque irasci eos, neque gratia commoveri? Quibus dictis utique persuadent, colendos omnino non esse; siquidem nec colentes respiciunt, neque non colentibus irascuntur. Praeterea 0623A cum contra metus 0633A disserunt, nihil aliud efficere conantur, quam ut nemo deos timeat. Et haec tamen ab hominibus et audiuntur libenter, et disseruntur impune.