Book V - Snyder Bible

318
stain from all things for the honor of all, so that, being selfcondemned
by a just sentence before the day of judgment,
they should perish by a most wretched death through starvation.
Chapter XXVIII: Buttresses of Gentilism
But let us return to our purpose. What reason is there, yea,
rather, what madness possesses the minds of men, that they
worship and adore as a god, a man whom they not only know
to be disobedient, wicked, profaneI mean Jupiter
incestuous, a parricide, an adulterer, but even proclaim him
publicly as such in their songs in the theatres? Or if by means
of these deeds he has deserved to be a god, then also, when
they hear of any murderers, adulterers, parricides, incestuous
persons, they ought to worship them also as Elohim. But I
cannot understand why they venerate in him what they execrate
in others. Then Kefa answered: Since you say that you
cannot understand it, learn of me why they venerate wickedness
in him. In the first place, it is that, when they themselves
do like deeds, they may know that they shall be acceptable to
him, inasmuch as they have but imitated him in his wickedness.
In the second place, because the ancients have left these
things skillfully composed in their writings, and elegantly engrafted
in their verses. And now, by the aid of youthful education,
since the knowledge of these things adheres to their
tender and simple minds, it cannot without difficulty be torn
from them and cast away.
Chapter XXIX: Allegories
When Kefa had said this, Niceta answered: Do not suppose,
my master Kefa, but that the learned men of the Gentiles
have certain plausible arguments, by which they support
those things which seem to be blameworthy and disgraceful.
And this I state, not as wishing to confirm their error (for far
be it from me that such a thing should ever come into my
thought); but yet I know that there are amongst the more intelligent
of them certain defenses, by which they are accus-