2.250
Wherefore it deserves our inquiry what should be the occasion of
this unjust management, and of these scandals about the Deity. And truly
I suppose it to be derived from the imperfect knowledge the heathen legislators
had at first of the true nature of God; nor did they explain to the people
even so far as they did comprehend of it: nor did they compose the other
parts of their political settlements according to it, but omitted it as
a thing of very little consequence, and gave leave both to the poets to
introduce what gods they pleased, and those subject to all sorts of passions,
and to the orators to procure political decrees from the people for the
admission of such foreign gods as they thought proper. The painters also,
and statuaries of Greece, had herein great power, as each of them could
contrive a shape [proper for a god]; the one to be formed out of clay,
and the other by making a bare picture of such a one. But those workmen
that were principally admired, had the use of ivory and of gold as the
constant materials for their new statues [whereby it comes to pass that
some temples are quite deserted, while others are in great esteem, and
adorned with all the rites of all kinds of purification]. Besides this,
the first gods, who have long flourished in the honors done them, are now
grown old [while those that flourished after them are come in their room
as a second rank, that I may speak the most honorably of them I can]: nay,
certain other gods there are who are newly introduced, and newly worshipped
[as we, by way of digression, have said already, and yet have left their
places of worship desolate]; and for their temples, some of them are already
left desolate, and others are built anew, according to the pleasure of
men; whereas they ought to have their opinion about God, and that worship
which is due to him, always and immutably the same.
2.255
But now, this Apollonius Molo was one of these foolish and proud
men. However, nothing that I have said was unknown to those that were real
philosophers among the Greeks, nor were they unacquainted with those frigid
pretensions of allegories [which had been alleged for such things]; on
which account they justly despised them, but have still agreed with us
as to the true and becoming notions of God; whence it was that Plato would
not have political settlements admit to of any one of the other poets,
and dismisses even Homer himself, with a garland on his head, and with
ointment poured upon him, and this because he should not destroy the right
notions of God with his fables. Nay, Plato principally imitated our legislator
in this point, that he enjoined his citizens to have he main regard to
this precept, "That every one of them should learn their laws accurately."
He also ordained, that they should not admit of foreigners intermixing
with their own people at random; and provided that the commonwealth should
keep itself pure, and consist of such only as persevered in their own laws.
Apollonius Molo did no way consider this, when he made it one branch of
his accusation against us, that we do not admit of such as have different
notions about God, nor will we have fellowship with those that choose to
observe a way of living different from ourselves, yet is not this method
peculiar to us, but common to all other men; not among the ordinary Grecians
only, but among such of those Grecians as are of the greatest reputation
among them. Moreover, the Lacedemonians continued in their way of expelling
foreigners, and would not indeed give leave to their own people to travel
abroad, as suspecting that those two things would introduce a dissolution
of their own laws: and perhaps there may be some reason to blame the rigid
severity of the Lacedemonians, for they bestowed the privilege of their
city on no foreigners, nor indeed would give leave to them to stay among
them; whereas we, though we do not think fit to imitate other institutions,
yet do we willingly admit of those that desire to partake of ours, which,
I think, I may reckon to be a plain indication of our humanity, and at
the same time of our magnanimity also.
2.262
But I shall say no more of the Lacedemonians. As for the Athenians,
who glory in having made their city to be common to all men, what their
behavior was Apollonius did not know, while they punished those that did
but speak one word contrary to the laws about the gods, without any mercy;
for on what other account was it that Socrates was put to death by them?
For certainly he neither betrayed their city to its enemies, nor was he
guilty of any sacrilege with regard to any of their temples; but it was
on this account, that he swore certain new oaths note
and that he affirmed either in earnest, or, as some say, only in jest,
that a certain demon used to make signs to him [what he should not do].
For these reasons he was condemned to drink poison, and kill himself. His
accuser also complained that he corrupted the young men, by inducing them
to despise the political settlement and laws of their city: and thus was
Socrates, the citizen of Athens, punished. There was also Anaxagoras, who,
although he was of Clazomente, was within a few suffrages of being condemned
to die, because he said the sun, which the Athenians thought to be a god,
was a ball of fire. They also made this public proclamation," That
they would give a talent to any one who would kill Diagoras of Melos,"
because it was reported of him that he laughed at their mysteries. Protagoras
also, who was thought to have written somewhat that was not owned for truth
by the Athenians about the gods, had been seized upon, and put to death,
if he had not fled away immediately. Nor need we at all wonder that they
thus treated such considerable men, when they did not spare even women
also; for they very lately slew a certain priestess, because she was accused
by somebody that she initiated people into the worship of strange gods,
it having been forbidden so to do by one of their laws; and a capital punishment
had been decreed to such as introduced a strange god; it being manifest,
that they who make use of such a law do not believe those of other nations
to be really gods, otherwise they had not envied themselves the advantage
of more gods than they already had. And this was the happy administration
of the affairs of the Athenians! Now as to the Scythians, they take a pleasure
in killing men, and differ but little from brute beasts; yet do they think
it reasonable to have their institutions observed. They also slew Anacharsis,
a person greatly admired for his wisdom among the Greeks, when he returned
to them, because he appeared to come fraught with Grecian customs. One
may also find many to have been punished among the Persians, on the very
same account. And to be sure Apollonius was greatly pleased with the laws
of the Persians, and was an admirer of them, because the Greeks enjoyed
the advantage of their courage, and had the very same opinion about the
gods which they had. This last was exemplified in the temples which they
burnt, and their courage in coming, and almost entirely enslaving the Grecians.
However, Apollonius has imitated all the Persian institutions, and that
by his offering violence to other men's wives, and gelding his own sons.
Now, with us, it is a capital crime, if any one does thus abuse even a
brute beast; and as for us, neither hath the fear of our governors, nor
a desire of following what other nations have in so great esteem, been
able to withdraw us from our own laws; nor have we exerted our courage
in raising up wars to increase our wealth, but only for the observation
of our laws; and when we with patience bear other losses, yet when any
persons would compel us to break our laws, then it is that we choose to
go to war, though it be beyond our ability to pursue it, and bear the greatest
calamities to the last with much fortitude. And, indeed, what reason can
there be why we should desire to imitate the laws of other nations, while
we see they are not observed by their own legislators note
And why do not the Lacedemonians think of abolishing that form of their
government which suffers them not to associate with any others, as well
as their contempt of matrimony? And why do not the Eleans and Thebans abolish
that unnatural and impudent lust, which makes them lie with males? For
they will not show a sufficient sign of their repentance of what they of
old thought to be very excellent, and very advantageous in their practices,
unless they entirely avoid all such actions for the time to come: nay,
such things are inserted into the body of their laws, and had once such
a power among the Greeks, that they ascribed these sodomitical practices
to the gods themselves, as a part of their good character; and indeed it
was according to the same manner that the gods married their own sisters.
This the Greeks contrived as an apology for their own absurd and unnatural
pleasures.
