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against apion-第30章

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he 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
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