[4113] Of this goddess, also, no other author makes mention but the germ may be perhaps found in Lucretius (ii. 1116-7), where nature is termed perfica, i.e., "perfecting," or making all things complete. [The learned translator forgets Tertullian, who introduces us to this name in the work Arnobius imitates throughout. See vol. iii. p. 140.]
[4114] i.e., in cubiculis præsto est virginalem scrobem effodientibus maritis.
[4115] The first five edd. read Mutunus. Cf. ch. 11. [I think it a mistake to make Mutubus = Priapus. Their horrible deformities are diverse, as I have noted in European collections of antiquities. The specialty of Mutunus is noted by our author, and is unspeakably abominable. All this illustrates, therefore, the Christian scruples about marriage-feasts, of which see vol. v. note 1, p. 435.]
[4116] Lit., the "fancies" or "imaginations" of false gods. Meursius proposed to transpose the whole of this sentence to the end of the chapter, which would give a more strictly logical arrangement; but it must be remembered that Arnobius allows himself much liberty in this respect.
[4117] Of these three deities no other mention is made.
[4118] The ms., LB., Hild., and Oehler read qui--"who brings;" the other edd., as above, quia.
[4119] So the ms. (cf. ch. 11), first five edd., Oberth., Hild., and Oehler; the other edd. read Nodutim Ter.
[4120] So the ms., both Roman edd., and Oehler; the other edd. reading Vibilia, except Hild., Viabilia.
[4121] The ms. reads nam--"for," followed by all edd. except Orelli, who reads jam as above, and Oehler, who reads etiam--"also."
8. Say, I pray you,--that Peta, Puta, Patella may graciously favour you,--if there were no [4122] bees at all on the earth then, or if we men were born without bones, like some worms, would there be no goddess Mellonia; [4123] or would Ossilago, who gives bones their solidity, be without a name of her own? I ask truly, and eagerly inquire whether you think that gods, or men, or bees, fruits, twigs, and the rest, are the more ancient in nature, time, long duration? No man will doubt that you say that the gods precede all things whatever by countless ages and generations. But if it is so, how, in the nature of things, can it be that, from things produced afterwards, they received those names which are earlier in point of time? or that the gods were charged with the care [4124] of those things which were not yet produced, and assigned to be of use to men? Or were the gods long without names; and was it only after things began to spring up, and be on the earth, that you thought it right that they should be called by these names [4125] and titles? And whence could you have known what name to give to each, since you were wholly ignorant of their existence; or that they possessed any fixed powers, seeing that you were equally unaware which of them had any power, and over what he should be placed to suit his divine might?
[4122] Orelli omits non, following Oberthür.
[4123] Both in this and the preceding chapter the ms. reads Melonia.
[4124] Lit., "obtained by lot the wardships."
[4125] Lit., "signs."
9. What then? you say; do you declare that these gods exist nowhere in the world, and have been created by unreal fancies? Not we alone, but truth itself, and reason, say so, and that common-sense in which all men share. For who there who believes that there are gods of gain, and that they preside over the getting of it, seeing that it springs very often from the basest employments, and is always at the expense of others? Who believes that Libentina, who that Burnus, [4126] is set over those lusts which wisdom bids us avoid, and which, in a thousand ways, vile and filthy wretches [4127] attempt and practise? Who that Limentinus and Lima have the care of thresholds, and do the duties of their keepers, when every day we see the thresholds of temples and private houses destroyed and overthrown, and that the infamous approaches to stews are not without them? Who believes that the Limi [4128] watch over obliquities? who that Saturnus presides over the sown crops? who that Montinus is the guardian of mountains; Murcia, [4129] of the slothful? Who, finally, would believe that Money is a goddess, whom your writings declare, as though she were the greatest deity, to give golden rings, [4130] the front seats at games and shows, honours in the greatest number, the dignity of the magistracy, and that which the indolent love most of all,--an undisturbed ease, by means of riches.
[4126] So the ms., both Roman edd., Hild., and Oehler; the others reading Liburnum, except Elm., who reads -am, while Meursius conjectured Liberum--"Bacchus."
[4127] Lit., "shameful impurity seeks after;" expetit read by Gelenius, Canterus, and Oberthür, for the unintelligible ms. reading expeditur, retained in both Roman edd.; the others reading experitur--"tries."
[4128] The ms. reads Lemons; Hild. and Oehler, Limones; the others, Limos, as above.
[4129] The ms., LB., Hild., and Oehler read Murcidam; the others, Murciam, as above.
[4130] i.e., equestrian rank.
10. But if you urge that bones, different kinds of honey, thresholds, and all the other things which we have either run over rapidly, or, to avoid prolixity, passed by altogether, have [4131] their own peculiar guardians, we may in like manner introduce a thousand other gods, who should care for and guard innumerable things. For why should a god have charge of honey only, and not of gourds, rape, cunila, cress, figs, beets, cabbages? Why should the bones alone have found protection, and not the nails, hair, and all the other things which are placed in the hidden parts and members of which we feel ashamed, and are exposed to very many accidents, and stand more in need of the care and attention of the gods? Or if you say that these parts, too, act under the care of their own tutelar deities, there will begin to be as many gods as there are things; nor will the cause be stated why the divine care does not protect all things, if you say that there are certain things over which the deities preside, and for which they care
[4131] The ms. reading is quid si haberet in sedibus suos, retained by the first five edd., with the change of -ret into -rent--"what if in their seats the bones had their own peculiar guardians;" Ursinus in the margin, followed by Hild. and Oehler, reads in se divos suos--"if for themselves the bones had gods as their own peculiar," etc.; the other edd. reading, as above, si habere insistitis suos.
11. What say you, O fathers of new religions, and powers? [4132] Do you cry out, and complain that these gods are dishonoured by us, and neglected with profane contempt, viz., Lateranus, the genius of hearths; Limentinus, who presides over thresholds; Pertunda, [4133] Perfica, Noduterensis: [4134] and do you say that things have sunk into ruin, and that the world itself has changed its laws and constitution, because we do not bow humbly in supplication to Mutunus [4135] and Tutunus? But now look and see, lest while you imagine such monstrous things, and form such conceptions, you may have offended the gods who most assuredly exist, if only there are any who are worthy to bear and hold that most exalted title; and it be for no other reason that those evils, of which you speak, rage, and increase by accessions every day. [4136] Why, then, some one of you will perhaps say, do you maintain [4137] that it is not true that these gods exist? And, when invoked by the diviners, do they obey the call, and come when summoned by their own names, and give answers which may be relied on, to those who consult them? We can show that what is said is false, either because in the whole matter there is the greatest room for distrust, or because we, every day, see many of their predictions either prove untrue or wrested with baffled expectation to suit the opposite issues.
[4132] i.e., deities. So LB. and Orelli, reading quid potestatum?--"what, O fathers of powers." The ms. gives qui--"what say you, O fathers of new religions, who cry out, and complain that gods of powers are indecently dishonoured by us, and neglected with impious contempt," etc. Heraldus emends thus: "...fathers of great religions and powers? Do you, then, cry out," etc. "Fathers," i.e., those who discovered, and introduced, unknown deities and forms of worship.
[4133] The ms. reads pertus quæ- (marked as spurious) dam; and, according to Hild., naeniam is written over the latter word.
[4134] So the ms. Cf. ch. 7 [note 10, p. 478, supra].
[4135] The ms. is here very corrupt and imperfect,--supplices hoc est uno procumbimus atque est utuno (Orelli omits ut-), emended by Gelenius, with most edd., supp. Mut-uno proc. atque Tutuno, as above; Elm. and LB. merely insert humi--"on the ground," after supp. [See p. 478, note 6, supra.]
[4136] Meursius is of opinion that some words have slipped out of the text here, and that some arguments had been introduced about augury and divination.
[4137] Contendis, not found in the ms.
12. But let them [4138] be true, as you maintain, yet will you have us also believe [4139] that Mellonia, for example, introduces herself into the entrails, or Limentinus, and that they set themselves to make known [4140] what you seek to learn? Did you ever see their face, their deportment, their countenance? or can even these be seen in lungs or livers? May it not happen, may it not come to pass, although you craftily conceal it, that the one should take the other's place, deluding, mocking, deceiving, and presenting the appearance of the deity invoked? If the magi, who are so much akin to [4141] soothsayers, relate that, in their incantations, pretended gods [4142] steal in frequently instead of those invoked; that some of these, moreover, are spirits of grosser substance, [4143] who pretend that they are gods, and delude the ignorant by their lies and deceit,--why [4144] should we not similarly believe that here, too, others substitute themselves for those who are not, that they may both strengthen your superstitious beliefs, and rejoice that victims are slain in sacrifice to them under names not their own?
[4138] i.e., the predictions.
[4139] Lit., "will you make the same belief."
[4140] Lit., "adapt themselves to the significations of the things which."
[4141] Lit., "brothers of."
[4142] i.e., demons.
[4143] Perhaps "abilities"--materiis.
[4144] The ms. reads cum--"with similar reason we may believe," instead of cur, as above.
13. Or, if you refuse to believe this on account of its novelty, [4145] how can you know whether there is not some one, who comes in place of all whom you invoke, and substituting himself in all parts of the world, [4146] shows to you what appear to be [4147] many gods and powers? Who is that one? some one will ask. We may perhaps, being instructed by truthful authors, be able to say; but, lest you should be unwilling to believe us, let my opponent ask the Egyptians, Persians, Indians, Chaldeans, Armenians, and all the others who have seen and become acquainted with these things in the more recondite arts. Then, indeed, you will learn who is the one God, or who the very many under Him are, who pretend to be gods, and make sport of men's ignorance.
Even now we are ashamed to come to the point at which not only boys, young and pert, but grave men also, cannot restrain their laughter, and men who have been hardened into a strict and stern humour. [4148] For while we have all heard it inculcated and taught by our teachers, that in declining the names of the gods there was no plural number, because the gods were individuals, and the ownership of each name could not be common to a great many; [4149] you in forgetfulness, and putting away the memory of your early lessons, both give to several gods the same names, and, although you are elsewhere more moderate as to their number, have multiplied them, again, by community of names; which subject, indeed, men of keen discernment and acute intellect have before now treated both in Latin and Greek. [4150] And that might have lessened our labour, [4151] if it were not that at the same time we see that some know nothing of these books; and, also, that the discussion which we have begun, compels us to bring forward something on these subjects, although it has been already laid hold of, and related by those writers.
[4145] Lit., "novelty of the thing."
[4146] Lit., "of places and divisions," i.e., places separated from each other.
[4147] Lit., "affords to you the appearance of."
[4148] Lit., "a severity of stern manner"--moris for the ms. mares.
[4149] Orelli here introduces the sentence, "For it cannot be," etc., with which this book is concluded in the ms. Cf. ch. 37, n. 4, infra.
[4150] There can be no doubt that Arnobius here refers to Clemens Alexandrinus (Logos Protreptikos pros Ellenas), and Cicero (de Nat. Deor.), from whom he borrows most freely in the following chapters, quoting them at times very closely. We shall not indicate particular references without some special reason, as it must be understood these references would be required with every statement. [Compare Clement, vol. ii. pp. 305-13, and Tertullian, vol. iii. p. 34.]