Chapter XV.--The Constellations and the Genii Very Indifferent Gods. The Roman Monopoly of Gods Unsatisfactory. Other Nations Require Deities Quite as Much.
It would be tedious to take a survey of all those, too, whom you have buried amongst the constellations, and audaciously minister to as gods. [1057] I suppose your Castors, and Perseus, and Erigona, [1058] have just the same claims for the honours of the sky as Jupiter's own big boy [1059] had. But why should we wonder? You have transferred to heaven even dogs, and scorpions, and crabs. I postpone all remarks [1060] concerning those whom you worship in your oracles. That this worship exists, is attested by him who pronounces the oracle. [1061] Why; you will have your gods to be spectators even of sadness, [1062] as is Viduus, who makes a widow of the soul, by parting it from the body, and whom you have condemned, by not permitting him to be enclosed within your city-walls; there is Cæculus also, to deprive the eyes of their perception; and Orbana, to bereave seed of its vital power; moreover, there is the goddess of death herself. To pass hastily by all others, [1063] you account as gods the sites of places or of the city; such are Father Janus (there being, moreover, the archer-goddess [1064] Jana [1065] ), and Septimontius of the seven hills.
Men sacrifice [1066] to the same Genii, whilst they have altars or temples in the same places; but to others besides, when they dwell in a strange place, or live in rented houses. [1067] I say nothing about Ascensus, who gets his name for his climbing propensity, and Clivicola, from her sloping (haunts); I pass silently by the deities called Forculus from doors, and Cardea from hinges, and Limentinus the god of thresholds, and whatever others are worshipped by your neighbours as tutelar deities of their street doors. [1068] There is nothing strange in this, since men have their respective gods in their brothels, their kitchens, and even in their prison. Heaven, therefore, is crowded with innumerable gods of its own, both these and others belonging to the Romans, which have distributed amongst them the functions of one's whole life, in such a way that there is no want of the other [1069] gods. Although, it is true, [1070] the gods which we have enumerated are reckoned as Roman peculiarly, and as not easily recognised abroad; yet how do all those functions and circumstances, over which men have willed their gods to preside, come about, [1071] in every part of the human race, and in every nation, where their guarantees [1072] are not only without an official recognition, but even any recognition at all?
[1057] Deis ministratis.
[1058] The constellation Virgo.
[1059] Jovis exoletus, Ganymede, or Aquarius.
[1060] He makes a similar postponement above, in c. vii., to The Apology, cc. xxii. xxiii.
[1061] Divini.
[1062] Et tristitiæ arbitros.
[1063] Transvolem.
[1064] Diva arquis.
[1065] Perhaps another form of Diana.
[1066] Faciunt = rhizousi.
[1067] This seems to be the meaning of an almost unintelligible sentence, which we subjoin: "Geniis eisdem illi faciunt qui in isdem locis aras vel ædes habent; præterea aliis qui in alieno loco aut mercedibus habitant." Oehler, who makes this text, supposes that in each clause the name of some god has dropped out.
[1068] Numinum janitorum.
[1069] Ceteris.
[1070] Immo cum.
[1071] Proveniunt.
[1072] Prædes.
Chapter XVI.--Inventors of Useful Arts Unworthy of Deification. They Would Be the First to Acknowledge a Creator. The Arts Changeable from Time to Time, and Some Become Obsolete.
Well, but [1073] certain men have discovered fruits and sundry necessaries of life, (and hence are worthy of deification). [1074] Now let me ask, when you call these persons "discoverers," do you not confess that what they discovered was already in existence? Why then do you not prefer to honour the Author, from whom the gifts really come, instead of converting the Author into mere discoverers? Previously he who made the discover, the inventor himself no doubt expressed his gratitude to the Author; no doubt, too, he felt that He was God, to whom really belonged the religious service, [1075] as the Creator (of the gift), by whom also both he who discovered and that which was discovered were alike created. The green fig of Africa nobody at Rome had heard of when Cato introduced it to the Senate, in order that he might show how near was that province of the enemy [1076] whose subjugation he was constantly urging. The cherry was first made common in Italy by Cn. Pompey, who imported it from Pontus. I might possibly have thought the earliest introducers of apples amongst the Romans deserving of the public honour [1077] of deification. This, however, would be as foolish a ground for making gods as even the invention of the useful arts. And yet if the skilful men [1078] of our own time be compared with these, how much more suitable would deification be to the later generation than to the former! For, tell me, have not all the extant inventions superseded antiquity, [1079] whilst daily experience goes on adding to the new stock? Those, therefore, whom you regard as divine because of their arts, you are really injuring by your very arts, and challenging (their divinity) by means of rival attainments, which cannot be surpassed. [1080]
[1073] Sedenim.
[1074] We insert this clause at Oehler's suggestion.
[1075] Ministerium.
[1076] The incident, which was closely connected with the third Punic war, is described pleasantly by Pliny, Hist. Nat. xv. 20.
[1077] Præconium.
[1078] Artifices.
[1079] "Antiquitas" is here opposed to "novitas," and therefore means "the arts of old times."
[1080] In æmulis. "In," in our author, often marks the instrument.