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　be　old；　and　to　　　have　beards　accordingly；　that　some　are　set　to　trades；　that　one　　　god　is　a　smith；　and　another　goddess　is　a　weaver；　that　one　god　　　is　a　warrior；　and　fights　with　men；　that　some　of　them　are　　　harpers；　or　delight　in　archery；　and　besides；　that　mutual　　　seditions　arise　among　them；　and　that　they　quarrel　about　men；　　　and　this　so　far；　that　they　not　only　lay　hands　upon　one　　　another；　but　that　they　are　wounded　by　men；　and　lament；　and　　　take　on　for　such　their　afflictions。　But　what　is　the　grossest　of　　　all　in　point　of　lasciviousness；　are　those　unbounded　lusts　　　ascribed　to　almost　all　of　them；　and　their　amours；　which　how　　　can　it　be　other　than　a　most　absurd　supposal；　especially　when　　　it　reaches　to　the　male　gods；　and　to　the　female　goddesses　　　also？　Moreover；　the　chief　of　all　their　gods；　and　their　first　　　father　himself；　overlooks　those　goddesses　whom　he　hath　　　deluded　and　begotten　with　child；　and　suffers　them　to　be　kept　　　in　prison；　or　drowned　in　the　sea。　He　is　also　so　bound　up　by　　　fate；　that　he　cannot　save　his　own　offspring；　nor　can　he　bear　　　their　deaths　without　shedding　of　tears。　These　are　fine　things　　　indeed！　as　are　the　rest　that　follow。　Adulteries　truly　are　so　　　impudently　looked　on　in　heaven　by　the　gods；　that　some　of　　　them　have　confessed　they　envied　those　that　were　found　in　the　　　very　act。　And　why　should　they　not　do　so；　when　the　eldest　of　　　them；　who　is　their　king　also；　hath　not　been　able　to　restrain　　　himself　in　the　violence　of　his　lust；　from　lying　with　his　wife；　so　　　long　as　they　might　get　into　their　bedchamber？　Now　some　of　　　the　gods　are　servants　to　men；　and　will　sometimes　be　builders　　　for　a　reward；　and　sometimes　will　be　shepherds；　while　others　　　of　them；　like　malefactors；　are　bound　in　a　prison　of　brass。　And　　　what　sober　person　is　there　who　would　not　be　provoked　at　　　such　stories；　and　rebuke　those　that　forged　them；　and　　　condemn　the　great　silliness　of　those　that　admit　them　for　　　true？　Nay；　others　there　are　that　have　advanced　a　certain　　　timorousness　and　fear；　as　also　madness　and　fraud；　and　any　　　other　of　the　vilest　passions；　into　the　nature　and　form　of　gods；　　　and　have　persuaded　whole　cities　to　offer　sacrifices　to　the　　　better　sort　of　them；　on　which　account　they　have　been　　　absolutely　forced　to　esteem　some　gods　as　the　givers　of　good　　　things；　and　to　call　others　of　them　averters　of　evil。　They　also　　　endeavor　to　move　them；　as　they　would　the　vilest　of　men；　by　　　gifts　and　presents；　as　looking　for　nothing　else　than　to　receive　　　some　great　mischief　from　them；　unless　they　pay　them　such　　　wages。　　　　　　36。　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。　　　　　　37。　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。　　　　　　38。　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　（26）　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