There is no ground, then, for representing the gods (by whom, as they say, that empire stood, though they are proved to have been conquered by the Greeks) as being enraged at the Trojan perjury.Neither, as others again plead in their defence, was it indignation at the adultery of Paris that caused them to withdraw their protection from Troy.For their habit is to be instigators and instructors in vice, not its avengers."The city of Rome," says Sallust, "was first built and inhabited, as I have heard, by the Trojans, who, flying their country, under the conduct of AEneas, wandered about without making any settlement."(3) If, then, the gods were of opinion that the adultery of Paris should be punished, it was chiefly the Romans, or at least the Romans also, who should have suffered; for the adultery was brought about by AEneas' mother.But how could they hate in Paris a crime which they made no objection to in their own sister Venus, who (not to mention any other instance) committed adultery with Anchises, and so became the mother of AEneas? Is it because in the one case Menelaus(4)was aggrieved, while in the other Vulcan(5) connived at the crime? For the gods, I fancy, are so little jealous of their wives, that they make no scruple of sharing them with men.But perhaps I may be suspected of turning the myths into ridicule, and not handling so weighty a subject with sufficient gravity.Well, then, let us say that AEneas is not the son of Venus.I am willing to admit it; but is Romulus any more the son of Mars? For why not the one as well as the other? Or is it lawful for gods to have intercourse with women, unlawful for men to have intercourse with goddesses? A hard, or rather an incredible condition, that what was allowed to Mars by the law of Venus, should not be allowed to Venus herself by her own law.However, both cases have the authority of Rome; for Caesar in modern times believed no less that he was descended from Venus,(6) than the ancient Romulus believed himself the son of Mars.
CHAP.4.-- OF VARRO'S OPINION, THAT IT ISUSEFUL FOR MEN TO FEIGN THEMSELVES THE OFFSPRING OF THE GODS.
Some one will say, But do you believe all this? Not I indeed.For even Varro, a very learned heathen, all but admits that these stories are false, though he does not boldly and confidently say so.But he maintains it is useful for states that brave men believe, though falsely, that they are descended from the gods; for that thus the human spirit, cherishing the belief of its divine descent, will both more boldly venture into great enterprises, and will carry them out more energetically, and will therefore by its very confidence secure more abundant success.You see how wide a field is opened to falsehood by this opinion of Varro's, which I have expressed as well as I could in my own words; and how comprehensible it is, that many of the religions and sacred legends should be feigned in a community in which it was judged profitable for the citizens that lies should be told even about the gods themselves CHAP.5.--THAT IT IS NOT CREDIBLE THAT THE GODS SHOULD HAVE PUNISHEDTHE ADULTERY
OF PARIS, SEEING THEY SHOWED NO INDIGNATION AT THE ADULTERY OF THEMOTHER OF
ROMULUS.
But whether Venus could bear AEneas to a human father Anchises, or Mars beget Romulus of the daughter of Numitor, we leave as unsettled questions.For our own Scriptures suggest the very similar question, whether the fallen angels had sexual intercourse with the daughters of men, by which the earth was at that time filled with giants, that is, with enormously large and strong men.At present, then, I will limit my discussion to this dilemma:
If that which their books relate about the mother of AEneas and the father of Romulus be true, how can the gods be displeased with men for adulteries which, when committed by themselves, excite no displeasure? If it is false, not even in this case can the gods be angry that men should really commit adulteries, which, even when falsely attributed to the gods, they delight in.Moreover, if the adultery of Mars be discredited, that Venus also may be freed from the imputation, then the mother of Romulus is left unshielded by the pretext of a divine seduction.For Sylvia was a vestal priestess, and the gods ought to avenge this sacrilege on the Romans with greater severity than Paris' adultery on the Trojans.For even the Romans themselves in primitive times used to go so far as to bury alive any vestal who was detected in adultery, while women unconsecrated, though they were punished, were never punished with death for that crime; and thus they more earnestly vindicated the purity of shrines they esteemed divine, than of the human bed.
CHAP.6.--THAT THE GODS EXACTED NO PENALTY FOR THE FRATRICIDAL ACT OFROMULUS.
