Sallustius - On the Gods (Taylor)

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1、SallustiusOntheGodsandtheWorldTranslatedbyThomasTaylorinhisSallust:OntheGodsandtheWorld(London:EdwardJefferyandPallMall,1793).Omittedherearehisfootnotes.Thisdocumentisinthepublicdomain.platonic-philosophy.orgChap.I.WhattheRequisitesarewhichanAuditorconcerningtheGodsoughttopossess:andofcommonCon

2、ceptions.Itisrequisitethatthosewhoarewillingtohearconcerningthegodsshouldhavebeenwellinformedfromtheirchildhood,andnotnourishedwithfoolishopinions.Itislikewisenecessarythattheyshouldbenaturallyprudentandgood,thattheymayreceive,andproperlyunderstand,thediscourseswhichtheyhear.Theknowledgelikewiseo

3、fcommonconceptionsisnecessary;butcommonconceptionsaresuchthingsasallmen,wheninterrogated,acknowledgetobeindubitablycertain;suchas,thateverygodisgood,withoutpassivity,andfreefromallmutation;foreverythingwhichischanged,iseitherchangedintosomethingbetterorintosomethingworse:andifintosomethingworse,i

4、twillbecomedepraved,butifintosomethingbetter,itmusthavebeenevilinthebeginning.Chap.II.ThataGodisimmutable,withoutGeneration,eternal,incorporeal,andhasnoSubsistenceinPlace.Andsucharetherequisitesforanauditorofthegods.Butthenecessarydiscoursesproceedasfollows:theessencesofthegodsareneithergenerated

5、;foreternalnaturesarewithoutgeneration;andthosebeingsareeternalwhopossessafirstpower,andarenaturallyvoidofpassivity.Noraretheiressencescomposedfrombodies;foreventhepowersofbodiesareincorporeal:noraretheycomprehendedinplace;forthisisthepropertyofbodies:noraretheyseparatedfromthefirstcause,orfromea

6、chother;inthesamemannerasintellectionsarenotseparatedfromintellect,norsciencesfromthesoul.1Chap.III.ConcerningFables,thatthesearedivine,andonwhatAccounttheyareso.Onwhataccountthentheancients,neglectingsuchdiscoursesasthese,employedfables,isaquestionnotunworthyourinvestigation.Andthisindeedisthefi

7、rstutilityarisingfromfables,thattheyexciteustoinquiry,anddonotsufferourcogitativepowertoremaininindolentrest.Itwillnotbedifficultthereforetoshowthatfablesaredivine,fromthosebywhomtheyareemployed:fortheyareusedbypoetsag