BOOK I CH. XVI § 43. 135

Their religious system was the Zoroastrian dualism of the Iranian con- quering race, modified to suit the subject Turanian population. The serpent God of the latter was identified with Ahriman, who was then raised to an equality with Ormuzd, both being viewed as emanations from the absolute first principle, Zerwan-Akaran, ie. eternity. In course of time the Magian religion incorporated many polytheistic elements, as the worship of the Planets, of Mithras, and of Mylitta, also known as the Phrygian mother of the Gods. The religion of the Persians was pure Zoroastrianism and, as such, opposed to Magianism, as is shown in the overthrow of the Magi by Darius Hystaspes ; but it was confounded with the latter by Herodotus and other writers. See Lenormant Manual of Ancient History, tr. 1 21—47; Rawlinson’s Herodotus 1 Zssay 5, on the Religion of the Ancient Persians ; Hardwick, Christ and other Masters, Pt. 1v. Medo-Persia. C. speaks of their dislike to inclosing in temples the Gods quorum hic mundus omnis templum esset, Leg. 11 26; and of their skill in interpreting dreams, Div. 1 46,47. His younger contemporary Strabo (xv 3. 13) describes their manner of worship and tells us that they offered sacrifices to Heaven, the Sun (whom they called Mithras), the Moon, Aphro- dite, Fire, Earth, Winds and Water. On the Egyptian religion, see § 101, Juvenal Sat. xv, Herodotus 11 37—76 with Rawlinson’s notes and Appead. ch. 3, also Hardwick and Lenormant. veritatis ignoratione: causal ablative, cf. § 1.
B.c. Epicurean Exposition, xvi § 43—xx § 56.
Universal consent is a sufficient proof of the existence, blessedness and immortality of the Gods. Being such, they must be free from care and passion; and are therefore to be regarded with reverence, not with fear. Testimony and reason both assure us that they are formed like men, but their bodies are of far finer texture than ours. Their life is one of contemplation, not of action.
qui consideret—debeat: ‘ whoever (=if any one) should consider this would be bound to pay honour to Ep. and hold him asa God’. On the hypothetical use of gud with Subj. see Madv. § 367, who quotes Y. D 1 12 haec qui videat, nonne cogatur confiteri deos esse? (repeated almost in the same words § 44), also Draeg. § 493 and Roby § 1558. On the extravagant terms in which the Epicureans spoke of their founder see J’usc. I 48 quae quidem cogitans soleo saepe mirart nonnullorum insolentiam philosophorum, qui naturae cognitionem admirantur, ejusque inventori et principt gratias exultantes agunt eumque venerantur ut deum, liberatos enim se per eum dicunt gravissimis dominis, terrore sempiterno et diurno ae nocturno metu ; Fin. 1 14, 32, 71; In Pis. 59; Lucr. v 8 deus ille fuit, deus, inclute Memmi, | qui princeps vitae rationem invenit eam quae | nune appellatur sapientia; and 1r 15 nam simul ae ratio tua coepit vociferart | naturam
136 BOOK I CH. XVI § 43.
rerum, divina mente coorta, | diffugiunt animi terrores; Plut. adv. Colot. 17 (Metrodorus speaks of) ra ’Emtxovpou ws ddnOds Oeddarta dpyta; tb. Colotes kneels and adores Epicurus; Epic. himself writes to a disciple wéume ody arapyas juiv eis thy TOU iepov o@patos Oepareiav. His disciples kept sacred to his memory, not only his birthday, but the 20th day of every month, in accordance with the instructions in his will, Diog. L. x 18, #vn. 11 101, Zeller Stoves tr. p. 394.
primum esse deos: the 2nd point is given below, wt deos beatos et im- mortales putemus.
in animis impressisset: this is the usual construction, like insculpsit in mentibus just below, but we find dmprim. with Acc. in Ac. 11 58.
quae est enim gens: universal belief was alleged by the Stoics, no less than by the Epicureans, as the strongest proof of the existence of the Gods, see II 5, 12, Seneca Ep. 117 6 multum dare solemus praesumptiont omnium hominum : apud nos argumentum veritatis est aliquid omnibus videri; tan- quam deos esse inter alia sie colligimus, quod omnibus de dis opinio insita est, nec ulla gens usquam est adeo eatra leges moresque projecta, ut non aliquos deos credat; and so of the immortality of the soul. It is often urged by C. as in Leg. 1 24 nulla gens neque tam mansueta, neque tam fera, quae non, etiamst ignoret qualem habere deum deceat, tamen habendum sciat; Tuse.1 3 multi de dis prava sentiunt ; id enim vitioso more effict solet ; omnes tamen esse vim et naturam divinam arbitrantur...omni autem in re consensio om- nium gentium lex naturae putanda est; and by Plut. adv. Colot. 1125 p, The same argument is employed in defence of divination Div. I 11, and met in the following book (11 39) by a reference to the universality of the desire for pleasure as the chief good, guasi vero quicquam sit tam valde quam nihil sapere vulgare! Cf. the objections in W. D. 1 62, 11 11. Aristotle con: stantly appeals to the common belief in confirmation of his own reasonings : the justification is given Lth. Lud. 16 kpatiorov pev mavras avOperous ai- veoOat cvvoporoyorvrtas Tois pnOnoopevors, ef O€ jx, TPOTOY yé TLVa TarTAS, OTE peraSiBaCopevor Tomnmovow" €xeL yap EkaogTOS oikeiloy TL Tpos THY dAnOecar’... €x yap Tav anOads pev Aeyouevar, od capes dé, mporotaw ~orat Kai TO capds, peTadapBavovow det TA yrwpipwrepa Tov eiwOdTaV eyet Oat TVYyKEXULEVOS. See on the general subject Hamilton’s Reid Supplementary Dissertation A (On the philosophy of common sense) esp. § vi (Chronological series of testimo- nies), H. Spencer First Principles p. 4 foll. (who grants the universality of religious ideas), and the very fair and able discussion in Jellett’s Eyicacy of Prayer p. 70 foll. and App. on General Consent. The analogous ecclesiasti- cal doctrine formularized by Vincent of Lerins in the words quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est, or in the more sounding phrase of Augustine securus judicat orbis terrarum, is of far more doubtful value, as it refers not to the primitive instincts of mankind, but to abstract dogmas, received on authority, and often very little understood by those who professed to hold them.
mpodrnwev: ef. Zeller Stotcs tr. p. 403, Hirzel p. 118 foll., Philodemus