barlaam and ioasaph-第38章

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〃They　that　think　that　Fire　is　a　god　are　in　error。　　It　too　was　made　for　the　use　of　men。　　It　is　subject　to　their　lordship；　being　carried　about　from　place　to　place；　for　the　seething　and　roasting　of　all　manner　of　meats；　yea；　and　for　the　burning　of　dead　corpses。　Moreover；　it　perisheth　in　divers　ways；　when　it　is　quenched　by　mankind。　　Wherefore　Fire　cannot　be　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　the　breath　of　the　Winds　is　a　goddess　are　in　error。　　This；　as　is　evident；　is　subject　to　another；　and　hath　been　prepared　by　God；　for　the　sake　of　mankind；　for　the　carriage　of　ships；　and　the　conveyance　of　victuals；　and　for　other　uses　of　men；　it　riseth　and　falleth　according　to　the　ordinance　of　God。　Wherefore　it　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　the　breath　of　the　Winds　is　a　goddess；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　the　Sun　is　a　god　are　in　error。　　We　see　him　moving　and　turning　by　law；　and　passing　from　Sign　to　Sign；　setting　and　rising；　to　warm　herbs　and　trees　for　the　use　of　men；　sharing　power　with　the　other　stars；　being　much　less　than　the　heaven；　and　falling　into　eclipse　and　possessed　of　no　sovranty　of　his　own。　Wherefore　we　may　not　consider　that　the　Sun　is　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　the　Moon　is　a　goddess　are　in　error。　　We　behold　her　moving　and　turning　by　law；　and　passing　from　Sign　to　Sign；　setting　and　rising　for　the　use　of　men；　lesser　than　the　sun；　waxing　and　waning；　suffering　eclipse。　　Wherefore　we　do　not　consider　that　the　Moon　is　a　goddess；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　Man　is　a　god　are　in　error。　　We　see　man　moving　by　law；　growing　up；　and　waxing　old；　even　against　his　will。　Now　he　rejoiceth；　now　he　grieveth；　requiring　meat　and　drink　and　raiment。　　Besides　he　is　passionate；　envious；　lustful；　fickle；　and　full　of　failings：　and　he　perisheth　in　many　a　way；　by　the　elements；　by　wild　beasts；　and　by　the　death　that　ever　awaiteth　him。　　So　Man　cannot　be　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。　　Great　then　is　the　error　that　the　Chaldeans　have　erred　in　following　their　own　lusts；　for　they　worship　corruptible　elements　and　dead　images；　neither　do　they　perceive　that　they　are　making　gods　of　these。

〃Now　come　we　to　the　Greeks　that　we　may　see　whether　they　have　any　understanding　concerning　God。　　The　Greeks；　then；　professing　themselves　to　be　wise；　fell　into　greater　folly　than　the　Chaldeans；　alleging　the　existence　of　many　gods；　some　male；　others　female；　creators　of　all　passions　and　sins　of　every　kind。　Wherefore　the　Greeks；　O　king；　introduced　an　absurd；　foolish　and　ungodly　fashion　of　talk；　calling　them　gods　that　were　not；　according　to　their　own　evil　passions；　that；　having　these　gods　for　advocates　of　their　wickedness；　they　might　commit　adultery；　theft；　murder　and　all　manner　of　iniquity。　　For　if　their　gods　did　so；　how　should　they　not　themselves　do　the　like？　　Therefore　from　these　practices　of　error　it　came　to　pass　that　men　suffered　frequent　wars　and　slaughters　and　cruel　captivities。　　But　if　now　we　choose　to　pass　in　review　each　one　of　these　gods；　what　a　strange　sight　shalt　thou　see！

〃First　and　foremost　they　introduce　the　god　whom　they　call　Kronos；　and　to　him　they　sacrifice　their　own　children；　to　him　who　had　many　sons　by　Rhea；　and　in　a　fit　of　madness　ate　his　own　children。　　And　they　say　that　Zeus　cut　off　his　privy　parts；　and　cast　them　into　the　sea；　whence；　as　fable　telleth；　was　born　Aphrodite。　　So　Zeus　bound　his　own　father；　and　cast　him　into　Tartarus。　　Dost　thou　mark　the　delusion　and　lasciviousness　that　they　allege　against　their　gods？　　Is　it　possible　then　that　one　who　was　prisoner　and　mutilated　should　be　a　god？　　What　folly？　　What　man　in　his　senses　could　admit　it？

〃Next　they　introduce　Zeus；　who；　they　say；　became　king　of　the　gods；　and　would　take　the　shape　of　animals；　that　he　might　defile　mortal　women。　　They　show　him　transformed　into　a　bull；　for　Europa；　into　gold；　for　Danae；　into　a　swan；　for　Leda；　into　a　satyr；　for　Antiope；　and　into　a　thunder…bolt；　for　Semele。　　Then　of　these　were　born　many　children；　Dionysus；　Zethus；　Amphion；　Herakles；　Apollo；　Artemis；　Perseus；　Castor；　Helen；　Polydeukes；　Minos；　Rhadamanthos；　Sarpedon；　and　the　nine　daughters　whom　they　call　the　Muses。

〃In　like　manner　they　introduce　the　story　of　Ganymede。　　And　so　befel　it；　O　king；　that　men　imitated　all　these　things；　and　became　adulterers；　and　defilers　of　themselves　with　mankind；　and　doers　of　other　monstrous　deeds；　in　imitation　of　their　god。　　How　then　can　an　adulterer；　one　that　defileth　himself　by　unnatural　lust；　a　slayer　of　his　father　be　a　god？

〃With　Zeus　also　they　represent　one　Hephaestus　as　a　god；　and　him　lame；　holding　hammer　and　fire…tongs；　and　working　as　a　copper…　smith　for　hire。　　So　it　appeareth　that　he　is　needy。　　But　it　is　impossible　for　one　who　is　lame　and　wanteth　men's　aid　to　be　a　God。

〃After　him；　they　represent　as　a　god　Hermes；　a　lusty　fellow；　a　thief；　and　a　covetous；　a　sorcerer；　bowlegged；　and　an　interpreter　of　speech。　　It　is　impossible　for　such　an　one　to　be　a　God。

〃They　also　exhibit　Asklepius　as　god；　a　physician；　a　maker　of　medicines；　a　compounder　of　plasters　for　his　livelihood　（for　he　is　a　needy　wight）；　and　in　the　end；　they　say　that　he　was　struck　by　Zeus　with　a　thunder…bolt；　because　of　Tyndareus；　son　of　Lakedaemon；　and　thus　perished。　　Now　if　Asklepius；　though　a　god；　when　struck　by　a　thunder…bolt；　could　not　help　himself；　how　can　he　help　others？

〃Ares　is　represented　as　a　warlike　god；　emulous；　and　covetous　of　sheep　and　other　things。　　But　in　the　end　they　say　he　was　taken　in　adultery　with　Aphrodite　by　the　child　Eros　and　Hephaestus　and　was　bound　by　them。　　How　then　can　the　covetous；　the　warrior；　the　bondman　and　adulterer　be　a　god？

〃Dionysus　they　show　as　a　god；　who　leadeth　nightly　orgies；　and　teacheth　drunkenness；　and　carrieth　off　his　neighbours'　wives；　a　madman　and　an　exile；　finally　slain　by　the　Titans。　　If　then　Dionysus　was　slain　and　unable　to　help　himself；　nay；　further　was　a　madman；　a　drunkard；　and　vagabond；　how　could　he　be　a　god？

〃Herakles；　too；　is　represented　as　drunken　and　mad；　as　slaying　his　own　children；　then　consuming　with　fire　and　thus　dying。　　How　then　could　a　drunkard　and　slayer　of　his　own　children；　burnt　to　death　by　fire；　be　a　god？　　Or　how　can　he　help　others　who　could　not　help　himself？

〃Apollo　they　represent　as　an　emulous　god；　holding　bow　and　quiver；　and；　at　times；　harp　and　flute；　and　prophesying　to　men　for　pay。　Soothly　he　is　needy：　but　one　that　is　needy　and　emulous　and　a　minstrel　cannot　be　a　god。

〃Artemis；　his　sister；　they　represent　as　an　huntress；　with　bow　and　quiver；　ranging　the　mountains　alone；　with　her　hounds；　in　chase　of　stag　or　boar。　　How　can　such　an　one；　that　is　an　huntress　and　a　ranger　with　hounds；　be　a　goddess？

〃Of　Aphrodite；　adulteress　though　she　be；　they　say　that　she　is　herself　a　goddess。　　Once　she　had　for　leman　Ares；　once　Anchises；　once　Adonis；　whose　death　she　lamenteth；　seeking　her　lost　lover。　They　say　that　she　even　descended　into　Hades　to　ransom　Adonis　from　Persephone。　　Didst　thou；　O　king；　ever　see　madness　greater　than　this？　　They　represent　this　weeping　and　wailing　adulteress　as　a　goddess。

〃Adonis　they　show　as　an　hunter…god；　violently　killed　by　a　boar…　tusk；　and　unable　to　help　his　own　distress。　　How　then　shall　he　take　thought　for　mankind；　he　the　adulterer；　the　hunter　who　died　a　violent　death？

〃All　such　tales；　and　many　like　them；　and　many　wicked　tales　more　shameful　still；　have　the　Greeks　introduced；　O　king；　concerning　their　gods；　tales；　whereof　it　is　unlawful　to　speak；　or　even　to　have　them　in　remembrance。　　Hence　men；　taking　occasion　from　their　gods；　wrought　all　lawlessness；　lasciviousness　and　ungodliness；　polluting　earth　and　air　with　their　horrible　deeds。

〃But　the　Egyptians；　more　fatuous　and　foolish　than　they；　have　erred　worse　than　any　other　nation。　　They　were　not　satisfied　with　the　idols　worshipped　by　the　Chaldeans　and　Greeks；　but　further　introduced　as　gods　brute　beasts　of　land　and　water；　and　herbs　and　trees；　and　were　defiled　in　all　madness　and　lasciviousness　worse　than　all　people　upon　earth。　　From　the　beginning　they　worshipped　Isis；　which　had　for　her　brother　and　husband　that　Osiris　which　was　slain　by　his　brother　Typhon。　　And　for　this　reason　Isis　fled　with　Horus　her　son　to　Byblos　in　Syria；　seeking　Osiris　and　bitterly　wailing；　until　Horus　was　grown　up　and　killed　Typhon。　　Isis