Eusebius: Praeparatio Evangelica, Book 4

ΒΙΒΛΙΟΝ ΤΕΤΑΡΤΟΝ
Fourth Book

Having cleared away poetic myth (Book 1) and allegorical philosophy (Books 2–3), Eusebius now launches his critique against the third branch of Greek theology: civic and political religion (politikē theologia).

In this chapter, he sets the stage by summarizing what the pagans claim about their local cults, laws, and oracles, and then outlines the rationalist/naturalist critique—explaining how tricks, herbs, dark sanctuaries, ambiguous syntax, and clever psychology were used by unscrupulous men to fake divine omens.

^1.1 Τὸ τρίτον εἶδος τῆς πολυθέου πλάνης, ἀφ' ἧς δυνάμει καὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ τοῦ λυτρωτοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἠλευθερώθημεν, ἐν τῷ τετάρτῳ τούτῳ συγγράμματι τῆς Εὐαγγελικῆς Προπαρασκευῆς καιρὸς ἀπελέγξαι καλεῖ.	^1.1 "The third form of polytheistic error—from which, by the power and benevolence of our Redeemer and Savior, we have been set free—the opportunity now calls us to expose in this fourth book of the Preparation for the Gospel.
^1.2 ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ πᾶν τῆς θεολογίας αὐτῶν εἶδος εἰς τρία γενικώτερον διαιροῦσιν, εἴς τε τὸ μυθικὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ποιητῶν τετραγῳδημένον, καὶ εἰς τὸ φυσικὸν τὸ δὴ πρὸς τῶν φιλοσόφων ἐφευρημένον, εἴς τε τὸ πρὸς τῶν νόμων διεκδικούμενον ἐν ἑκάστῃ πόλει καὶ χώρᾳ πεφυλαγμένον, ταύτων δὲ μέρη δύο ἤδη πρότερον διὰ τῶν πρὸ τούτου συγγραμμάτων ἡμῖν ἐξήπλωται, τό τε ἱστορικὸν ὃ δὴ μυθικὸν ἀποκαλοῦσι, καὶ τὸ ἐπαναβεβηκὸς τοὺς μύθους, ὃ δὴ φυσικὸν ἢ θεωρητικὸν ἢ ὅπῃ ἄλλῃ χαίρουσι προσαγορεύοντες, καιρὸς ἂν εἴη τὸ τρίτον ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος διελθεῖν. τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ κατὰ πόλεις καὶ χώρας συνεστώς, πολιτικὸν αὐτοῖς προσαγορευόμενον· ὃ καὶ μάλιστα πρὸς τῶν νόμων διεκδικεῖται, ὡς ἂν παλαιὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ πάτριον καὶ τῆς τῶν θεολογουμένων δυνάμεως αὐτόθεν τὴν ἀρετὴν ὑποφαῖνον.	^1.2 For since they divide the whole species of their theology into three general heads—the mythical, which is dramatized by the poets; the physical, which is invented by the philosophers; and that which is vindicated by the laws and preserved in every city and country—two parts of these have already been laid out by us in our former writings: namely, the historical (which they call mythical) and that which ascends above the myths (which they take pleasure in calling physical, or theoretical, or by whatever other name they choose). It is time, therefore, to go through the third form at present. This is the system established in cities and countries, called by them civic (politikon), which is especially defended by the laws as being ancient and traditional, and as displaying by its very manifestations the virtue of the power of the gods being worshipped.
^1.3 διατεθρύληται γοῦν αὐτοῖς μαντεῖα καὶ χρησμοί, θεραπεῖαί τε καὶ ἀκέσεις παντοίων παθῶν, ἐπισκήψεις τε κατ' ἀσεβῶν· ὧν δὴ καὶ διὰ πείρας ἐλθεῖν φάσκοντες εὖ μάλα πεπείκασιν ἑαυτοὺς τὰ θεῖα τιμῶντας δίκαια πράττειν, ἡμᾶς δὲ τὰ μέγιστα ἀσεβεῖν, τὰς οὕτως ἐμφανεῖς καὶ εὐεργετικὰς δυνάμεις ἐν οὐδενὶ λόγῳ τιθεμένους, ἄντικρυς δὲ παρανομοῦντας, δέον σέβειν ἕκαστον τὰ πάτρια, μηδὲ κινεῖν τὰ ἀκίνητα, στοιχεῖν δὲ καὶ ἐφέπεσθαι τῇ τῶν προπατόρων εὐσεβείᾳ, μηδὲ πολυπραγμονεῖν ἔρωτι καινοτομίας. ταύτῃ γοῦν φασιν ἐπαξίως καὶ θάνατον ὑπὸ τῶν νόμων ὡρίσθαι τοῖς πλημμελοῦσι τὴν ζημίαν.	^1.3 At any rate, oracular seats and responses are celebrated among them, as well as healings and cures of all kinds of diseases, and divine visitations against the ungodly. Claiming to have personal experience of these things, they have thoroughly convinced themselves that in honoring divine beings they act justly, but that we commit the greatest impiety by taking no account of such manifest and beneficent powers, and directly breaking the law—when each person ought to revere ancestral traditions, not disturb things that should remain untouched, follow and adhere to the piety of our forefathers, and avoid meddling out of a passion for innovation. For this reason, they say, death has justly been fixed by the laws as the penalty for transgressors.
^1.4 τὸ μὲν οὖν πρῶτον ἱστορικόν τε ὂν καὶ μυθικὸν τῆς θεολογίας εἶδος ὅπῃ τις βούλεται ποιητῶν τιθέσθω, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ φιλοσόφων τὸ δεύτερον, διὰ τῆς τῶν μύθων φυσικωτέρας ἀλληγορίας ἀπηγγελμένον· τὸ δὲ τρίτον, ὃ καὶ πρὸς τῶν ἀρχόντων ὡς ἂν παλαιὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ πολιτικὸν τιμητέον τε καὶ φυλακτέον εἶναι νενομοθέτηται, μήτε τίς ποιητῶν, φασί, μήτε φιλοσόφων κινείτω, τοῖς δ’ ἐκ παλαιοῦ κρατήσασι θεσμοῖς ἔν τε ἀγροῖς καὶ πόλεσι μενέτω πᾶς στοιχῶν, νόμοις πατρίοις πειθόμενος.	^1.4 Now then, let the first form of theology—being historical and mythical—be assigned to the poets wherever one wishes, just as the second is assigned to the philosophers, being declared through a more physical allegory of the myths. But as for the third form—which has been enacted into law by rulers as ancient and political, to be honored and guarded—let no one among poets or philosophers disturb it, they say; but let everyone abide by the ancient laws in both countryside and cities, submitting to ancestral custom.
^1.5 πρὸς δὴ οὖν ταῦτα καιρὸς ἀποδοῦναι τὸν παρ' ἡμῖν λόγον, ἀπολογισμόν τε ὑποσχεῖν τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν εὐαγγελικῆς πραγματείας ἀντικηρυττούσης τοῖς εἰρημένοις, καὶ τοῖς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων νόμοις ἀντινομοθετούσης.	^1.5 It is time, therefore, to render our defense against these claims, and to offer an account of our Savior's gospel doctrine, which preaches in direct opposition to these statements and legislates contrary to the laws of all the gentiles.
^1.6 Ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὐ θεοὶ τὰ ἄψυχα ξόανα προφανὲς καὶ αὐτοῖς, ὅτι δ' οὐδὲ τὰ τῆς μυθικῆς αὐτῶν θεολογίας φέρει τινὰ σεμνὸν καὶ θεοπρεπῆ λόγον ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ δέδεικται συγγραμμάτι, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ καὶ τῷ τρίτῳ ὅτι μηδὲ τὰ τῆς φυσικωτέρας καὶ φιλοσόφου τῶν μύθων ἑρμηνείας ἀβίαστον αὐτοῖς περιέχει τὴν ἐξήγησιν.	^1.6 Now that lifeless wooden images are not gods is obvious even to them; and that the stories of their mythical theology convey no noble or divine meaning was shown in the first book; just as in the second and third books it was shown that the physical and philosophical interpretations of the myths offer no unforced explanation.
^1.7 τὸ δὴ τρίτον φέρε σκεψώμεθα, τί ποτε χρὴ νομίζειν τὰς ἐν τοῖς ξοάνοις ἐμφωλευούσας δυνάμεις, πότερα τὸν τρόπον ἀστείας καὶ ἀγαθὰς καὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς θείας, ἢ τούτων ἁπάντων τὰ ἐναντία.	^1.7 Come then, let us examine the third form: what must we think of the powers lurking inside the wooden images—whether they are noble, good, and truly divine in nature, or the exact opposite of all these?
^1.8 ἄλλος μὲν οὖν τάχα ἂν ἴσως τὸν περὶ τούτων ἐφοδεύων λόγον πλάνην εἶναι τὸ πᾶν καὶ γοήτων ἀνδρῶν τεχνάσματά τε καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίας ὑπεστήσατο, καθόλου περιγράφων τὴν δόξαν, ὡς μὴ ὅτι θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ πονηροῦ δαίμονος εἶναι νομίζειν τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ θρυλούμενα. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ποιήματα καὶ τὰς τῶν χρησμῶν συνθέσεις οὐκ ἀφυῶν ἀνδρῶν, εὖ μάλα δὲ πρὸς ἀπάτην ἐσκευωρημένων πλάσματα τυγχάνειν, μέσῳ καὶ ἀμφιβόλῳ συγκείμενα τρόπῳ, πρὸς ἑκάτερά τε τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκβάσεως προσδοκωμένων οὐκ ἀφυῶς ἐφαρμόζειν· τὰ δὲ τὸν πολὺν ἀπατῶντα διά τινων τερατειῶν θαύματα φυσικαῖς αἰτίαις ἀνῆφθαι.	^1.8 Now another investigator approaching this argument might perhaps have assumed that the whole thing was mere error, and the tricks and juggleries of sorcerers, completely sweeping away the popular opinion so as to think that these celebrated stories were the work neither of a god nor even of an evil daemon. For he might hold that the poems and the compositions of oracles were the fabrications of men not lacking in talent, but exceedingly well-equipped for deception—being composed in a middle and ambiguous manner, so as to fit cleverly with either outcome expected from the event—while the wonders that deceive the crowd through marvelous portents are connected to natural causes.
^1.9 πολλὰ γὰρ εἶναι εἴδη ῥιζῶν καὶ βοτανῶν καὶ φυτῶν καὶ καρπῶν καὶ λίθων, ξηρῶν τε ἄλλων καὶ ὑγρῶν παντοίας ὕλης δυνάμεων ἐν τῇ τῶν ὅλων φύσει, τὰ μὲν ἀποκρουστικὰ καί τινων ἀπελαστικά, τὰ δὲ συνάγειν πεφυκότα καὶ ἐφέλκεσθαι, τὰ δὲ διακρίνειν καὶ σκεδαννύναι πυκνοῦν τε καὶ στέλλειν δυνάμενα, ἕτερα δὲ χαλᾶν καὶ ὑγραίνειν καὶ ἀραιοῦν, σώζειν τε αὖ πάλιν ἄλλα καὶ ἕτερα κτείνειν, τρέπειν τε διόλου, καὶ τὸ παρὸν ἐναλλάττειν, καὶ τοτὲ μὲν τῇδε μεταποιεῖν, τοτὲ δὲ τῇδε, καὶ τὰ μὲν πρὸς πλείω χρόνον, τὰ δὲ πρὸς βραχὺν τοῦτο ποιεῖν, καὶ πάλιν τὰ μὲν εἰς πλῆθος, τὰ δὲ μέχρις ὀλίγων μόνον ἰσχύειν, καὶ τῶν μὲν τάδε ἡγεῖσθαι, τισὶ δὲ ἕτερα ἐπακολουθεῖν, συντρέχειν τε ἄλλα ἄλλοις καὶ συναύξειν καὶ συμφθείρεσθαι· ναὶ μὴν καὶ ὑγιείας εἶναι τινὰ ποιητικά, ἰατρικῆς οὐκ ἄπωθεν ἐπιστήμης, τὰ δὲ νοσοποιὰ τυγχάνειν καὶ δηλητήρια· ἤδη δὲ φυσικαῖς ἀνάγκαις συμβαίνειν τινά, καὶ τῇ σελήνῃ συναύξειν καὶ συμφθίνειν, ζῴων τε εἶναι καὶ φυτῶν καὶ ῥιζῶν ἀντιπαθείας μυρίας, καὶ πολλὰ θυμιαμάτων καρωτικῶν τε καὶ ὑπνωτικῶν, ἑτέρων δὲ φαντασίας ποιητικῶν· συναίρεσθαι δὲ οὐχ ἥκιστα καὶ τὰ χωρία καὶ τοὺς τόπους ἐν οἷς τελεῖται τὰ γιγνόμενα· ὄργανά τε εἶναι καὶ σκεύη πόρρωθεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιτηδείως τῇ τέχνῃ προηυτρεπισμένα· πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ συνεργοὺς τῆς μαγγανείας παραλαμβάνεσθαι ἔξωθεν, πολυπραγμονοῦντας τοὺς ἀφικνουμένους καὶ τὰς ἑκάστου χρείας καὶ ὧν ἧκέ τις δεησόμενος· πολλὰ δὲ καὶ τὰ ἄδυτα καὶ τοὺς τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀβάτους μυχοὺς τῶν ἱερῶν ἐντὸς ἀποκρύπτειν· καὶ τὸ σκότος δὲ οὐ μικρὰ συνεργεῖν τῇ κατ' αὐτοὺς ὑποθέσει· καὶ αὐτὴν δὲ οὐχ ἥκιστα τὴν προλαβοῦσαν ὑπόληψιν καὶ τὴν τῶν ὡς θεοῖς προσιόντων αὐτοῖς δεισιδαιμονίαν, τήν τε ἐκ προγόνων προκατασχοῦσαν ἐν αὐτοῖς δόξαν.	^1.9 For there are many kinds of roots, herbs, plants, fruits, and stones, and other dry and liquid properties of various matter in the nature of the universe—some repelling and driving things away, others naturally suited to attract and draw in, some able to separate and scatter, or to condense and compress; others relaxing, moistening, and thinning; some preserving, others killing; altering things completely, changing the present state, transforming it now this way, now that; some working for a longer time, others for a short duration; some effective upon a crowd, others only upon a few; some leading the way, others following behind; running together, growing together, and perishing together. Indeed, some are productive of health, not far removed from medical science, while others happen to be disease-producing and poisonous. Moreover, certain effects occur by natural necessity, growing and shrinking with the moon; and there are countless antipathies among animals, plants, and roots, as well as many incenses that cause stupor or sleep, and others that produce visions. Furthermore, the places and locations in which these rites are performed contribute not a little; tools and vessels are prepared beforehand from afar, expertly crafted for the art; many accomplices in trickery are enlisted from outside, prying into visitors and the needs of each person and what someone has come to request; and they conceal many secret shrines and recesses inside the temples, inaccessible to the crowd. Darkness also contributes no small part to their scheme, as does the preexisting assumption and superstition of those who approach them as gods, along with the ancestral opinion that has taken hold of them.
^1.10 προσκείσθω καὶ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν ἠλίθιον τῆς διανοίας, τό τε ἀδρανὲς τοῦ λογισμοῦ καὶ ἀβασάνιστον τοῦ πλήθους, καὶ ἔμπαλιν τὸ δεινὸν καὶ κακεντρεχὲς τῶν περὶ τὴν κακότεχνον ταύτην διατριβὴν τευταζόντων, τό τε τῶν γοήτων ἀπατηλὸν καὶ πανοῦργον τοῦ τρόπου, τοτὲ μὲν τὰ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἑκάστῳ προϋπισχνουμένων καὶ τὸ παρὸν ἐπὶ χρησταῖς ἐλπίσι θεραπευόντων, τοτὲ δὲ τοῦ μέλλοντος καταστοχαζομένων, καὶ εἰς ἄδηλον καταμαντευομένων, τήν τε διάνοιαν τῶν χρησμῶν ἀμφιβολίαις ῥημάτων καὶ ἀσαφείαις ἐπισκοτούντων, ὡς μή τινα συνιέναι τὸ χρησθέν, τῇ δὲ τοῦ λεχθέντος ἀδηλίᾳ τὸν ἔλεγχον ἐκφεύγειν.	^1.10 Add to this the stupidity of the minds of the masses, the weakness of reasoning and uncritical nature of the multitude, and on the other hand, the cleverness and malice of those who busy themselves with this evil art—the deceitful and crafty character of the sorcerers, who at one time promise what is pleasing to each person and attend to the present with good hopes, and at another time guess at the future, uttering omens into the unknown, and obscuring the meaning of the oracles with ambiguous words and obscurities so that no one understands what was uttered, escaping exposure through the uncertainty of what was said.
^1.11 πολλὰ δὲ συμβαίνειν καὶ ἄλλαις τισὶν ἀπάταις καὶ τερατείαις, συμπαραλαμβανομένων τοῖς γιγνομένοις ἐπῳδῶν δή τινων μετά τινος ἀσήμου καὶ βαρβαρικῆς ἐπιρρήσεως, ἵνα δὴ ὑπὸ τούτων σπουδάζεσθαι δοκῇ τὰ μηδ' ὁτιοῦν πρὸς αὐτῶν γιγνόμενα· μάλιστα δὲ τοὺς πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ παιδείας ὁρμᾶσθαι νομιζομένων ἐκπλήττειν αὐτῶν δὴ τῶν χρησμῶν τὰ ποιήματα, εὖ μὲν τῇ συνθέσει τῶν ῥημάτων κεκαλλωπισμένα, εὖ δὲ τῷ τῆς μεγαλοφωνίας ὄγκῳ τετυφωμένα, πολλῷ δὲ καὶ τῷ τῆς ἀνατάσεως κόμπῳ τῷ τε πεπλασμένῳ τύφῳ τῆς θεοφορίας ἐσχηματισμένα, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀμφιβόλου φωνῆς τὸν πάντα σχεδὸν ἀπατῶντα λεών.	^1.11 And many things occur through other deceits and portents, when certain incantations with obscure and barbaric recitations are brought in to assist what is happening, so that things that have nothing at all to do with them may seem to be produced by them. But above all, the poems of the oracles themselves astonish the majority of people—even those thought to have an education—being beautifully embellished with the composition of words, puffed up with the weight of grandiloquence, formatted with much boastfulness of expression and the feigned frenzy of divine inspiration, deceiving almost the entire populace through ambiguous speech."

Chapter 2

☜ ☞

^2.1 Ὅσα γοῦν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀμφιβολίαν ἐκπέφευγε τῶν χρησμῶν, οὐ κατὰ πρόγνωσιν τοῦ μέλλοντος, κατὰ δέ τινα στοχασμὸν ἐξενηνεγμένα, τούτων μυρία, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰ πάντα σχεδόν, ἥλω πολλάκις τῆς προρρήσεως ἀποπεπτωκότα, ἐναντίως ἢ κατὰ τὸ χρησθὲν τοῦ τῶν πραγμάτων τέλους τὴν ἔκβασιν ἀπειληφότος, εἰ μήποτ' ἄρα σπανίως ἕν ποτε ἐκ μυρίων συμβὰν κατά τινα φορὰν συντυχικήν, ἢ κατὰ τὴν στοχασθεῖσαν τοῦ μέλλοντος προσδοκίαν, τὸν χρησμὸν ἐπαληθεύειν ἐνομίσθη ποιεῖν.	^2.1 "Indeed, as for all those oracles that escaped ambiguity—which were uttered not through foresight of the future, but through mere guesswork—countless thousands of them, or rather almost all, were repeatedly caught falling short of their prediction, the outcome of events taking a turn directly contrary to what was prophesied, unless perhaps rarely one case in ten thousand, happening by some chance coincidence or according to a conjectured expectation of the future, was thought to make the oracle prove true.
^2.2 ὃ δὴ καὶ μάλιστα θρυλοῦντας ἂν ἴδοις καὶ στήλαις ἐγχαράττοντας καὶ πανταχόσε γῆς βοῶντας, ὅτι μέν, εἰ τύχοι, τοσοίδε τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀπεσφάλησαν, μηδαμῇ μηδενὸς ἐθέλοντας μνημονεύειν, ὅτι δὲ τῷδε ἀπὸ μυρίων συνέτυχέ τι τῶν χρησθέντων ἄνω καὶ κάτω περιφέροντας· ὡς εἴ τις καὶ ἐπὶ δύο λαγχάνουσιν ἀπὸ μυρίων, εἰ ἄρα ποτὲ εἰς ἅπαξ αὐτοὺς κατὰ τῶν αὐτῶν συμπεσεῖν ἔτυχε, θαυμάζοι ὡς κατὰ μαντείαν καὶ πρόγνωσιν ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀμφοτέροις συνέβη περιελθεῖν ἀριθμόν.	^2.2 And you would see them continually talking about this very thing, engraving it on pillars and shouting it throughout all the earth: if it so happened that such-and-such a number failed, they are unwilling to mention a single one, but if one thing out of ten thousand happened to match what was prophesied for someone, they parade it up and down! Just as if someone, when two people win a lottery out of ten thousand, if it should happen that once by chance they draw the same numbers, were to marvel as though by prophecy and foresight one and the same number happened to come to both.
^2.3 οὕτω γὰρ ἔχειν τὸ ἀπὸ μυρίων ἐπὶ μυρίοις χρησθέντων ἅπαξ ποτὲ συμβὰν κατὰ τύχην· ὃ καὶ συνιδόντα τὸν μηδὲν στερρὸν ἐν βάθει ψυχῆς κεκτημένον ὑπερεκπλήττεσθαι τὸ χρηστήριον, ᾧ πολὺ κρεῖττον ἦν τὸ μὴ ἀφραίνειν συλλογισαμένῳ ὅσοις ἄλλοις θανάτου γεγόνασιν αἴτιοι στάσεώς τε καὶ πολέμων οἱ δεδηλωμένοι, σκέψασθαί τε τῶν παλαιῶν τὰς ἱστορίας, καὶ συνιδεῖν ὡς οὐδὲ τὸ τηνικάδε ἀρετῆς τι θεῖον ἔργον ἐνεδείξαντο, ὁπηνίκα ἤνθει μὲν τὰ Ἑλληνικά, συνειστήκει δὲ τὰ πρὶν βοώμενα, νῦν δὲ μηκέτ’ ὄντα χρηστήρια, πάσης προνοίας καὶ σπουδῆς ἠξιωμένα πρὸς τῶν ἐπιχωρίων, τῶν δὴ πατρῴοις νόμοις τε καὶ μυστηρίοις σεβόντων τε αὐτὰ καὶ θεραπευόντων.	^2.3 For that is how it stands with an event out of ten thousand predictions happening once by chance; and seeing this, a man who possesses nothing solid in the depths of his soul is overwhelmingly astounded by the oracle! For him, it would have been far better not to be foolish, but to reason out how many others these so-called gods have caused death, sedition, and wars, and to examine the histories of the ancients, and to realize that even at that time they displayed no divine work of virtue—when Hellenic culture was flourishing and those once-boasted oracles were still established, which are now no more, though they were then deemed worthy of all care and devotion by the locals, who revered and served them according to ancestral laws and mysteries.
^2.4 καὶ τότε γοῦν μάλιστα τὸ μηδὲν δύνασθαι ἀπηλέγχθησαν ἐν ταῖς τῶν πολέμων συμφοραῖς, ἐν αἷς βοηθεῖν ἀδυνατοῦντες οἱ γενναῖοι θεσπιῳδοὶ δι’ ἀμφιβολίας τῶν χρησμῶν ἥλωσαν σοφισάμενοι τοὺς πρόσφυγας, ὥσπερ οὖν κατὰ τὸν δέοντα καιρὸν ἐπιδείξομεν, παριστῶντες ὅπως καὶ εἰς τὸν κατ’ ἀλλήλων πόλεμον τοὺς χρωμένους παρώξυνον, καὶ ὡς οὐδὲ περὶ σπουδαίων πραγμάτων τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ἐποιοῦντο, καὶ ὡς ἐπλάνων διὰ τῶν χρησμῶν παίζοντες τοὺς ἐρωτῶντας, καὶ ὡς τῷ τῆς ἀσαφείας σκότῳ τὴν σφῶν ἄγνοιαν ἀπεκρύπτοντο.	^2.4 Even then, at any rate, their utter powerlessness was exposed in the calamities of wars, wherein the noble chanter-prophets, being unable to help, were caught resorting to ambiguity in their oracles to trick those seeking refuge—just as we shall demonstrate at the proper time, showing how they provoked users into war against one another, how they made no answers concerning serious matters, how they deceived those asking questions by playing with them through oracles, and how they hid their own ignorance in the darkness of obscurity.
^2.5 σκέψαι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς πυθόμενος, ὡς καὶ ἀρρώστοις πολλάκις ῥῶσιν καὶ ζωὴν καὶ σωτηρίαν ὑποσχόμενοι, κἄπειτα πιστευθέντες ὡς δὴ θεοί, καὶ τῆς ἐνθέου ταύτης ἐμπορίας μεγάλους τοὺς μισθοὺς εἰσπραξάμενοι, οὐ μετὰ πλεῖστον οἵτινες ἦσαν ἐφωράθησαν, γόητες ἄνδρες, ἀλλ' οὐ θεοὶ διελεγχθέντες, οὐκ αἰσίας καταστροφῆς τοὺς ἠπατημένους διαλαβούσης.	^2.5 Consider for yourself, upon inquiry, how often they promised strength, life, and salvation to the sick, and then, having been believed as though they were truly gods and having collected huge fees for this 'god-inspired' trade, they were before long detected for who they really were—convicted as sorcerers, not gods, while an unfortunate end overtook those who had been deceived.
^2.6 τί δεῖ λέγειν, ὡς οὐδὲ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν συνοίκοις, τοῖς δὴ κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν πόλιν διατρίβουσιν, οἱ θαυμάσιοι μάντεις τὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν παρέσχον ἐπικουρίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ νοσοῦντας ἂν ἴδοις αὐτόσε καὶ ἀναπήρους καὶ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα λελωβημένους μυρίους; τί δή ποτε οὖν τοῖς μὲν ἔξω καὶ πόρρωθεν ἐξ ἀλλοδαπῆς ἀφικνουμένοις τὰς χρηστὰς ὑπέγραφον ἐλπίδας, οὐκέτι δὲ καὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ συνοίκοις, οἷς δὴ πρὸ πάντων ἐχρῆν, ὡς ἂν οἰκείοις φίλοις καὶ συμπολίταις, τὸ ἐκ τῆς τῶν θεῶν παρουσίας ἀγαθὸν παρέχειν, ἀλλ' ὅτι τοὺς μὲν ξένους ἀγνῶτας ὄντας τῆς ῥᾳδιουργίας ῥᾷον ἂν καὶ ἀπατήσαιεν, οὐκέτι δὲ τοὺς συνήθεις, ὡς ἂν τῆς τέχνης οὐκ ἀπείρους, συνίστορας δὲ ὄντας τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς τελουμένοις παιδιᾶς;	^2.6 What need is there to mention how these marvelous diviners failed to afford any aid even to their own neighbors—those living in the very same city—where you may see thousands of sick, crippled, and completely maimed bodies? Why on earth did they offer bright hopes to those coming from outside, far off in foreign lands, but no longer to their fellow residents, to whom above all others, as personal friends and fellow citizens, they ought to have provided the good flowing from the presence of the gods? Was it not because they could easily deceive strangers who were ignorant of their trickery, but could no longer fool their acquaintances, who were not unacquainted with the craft, but were co-knowers of the child's play involved in the rites?
^2.7 οὕτω δὲ τὸ πᾶν οὐ θεῖον, οὐδὲ ἀνθρωπίνης ἐπινοίας κρεῖττον ἦν· ὥστε κἀν ταῖς μεγίσταις συμφοραῖς, ταῖς δὴ ἄνωθεν ἐκ τοῦ παμβασιλέως θεοῦ κατὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐπαιωρουμέναις, αὐτοῖς ἀφιερώμασι καὶ ξοάνοις φθορὰν ἐσχάτην καὶ πτώσεις ἀθρόας τοὺς νεὼς αὐτῶν ὑπομεῖναι.	^2.7 Thus the whole thing was neither divine nor superior to human device; so that even in the greatest calamities—those hanging overhead from God, the Sovereign King, against the impious—their temples suffered ultimate destruction and sudden collapses along with the very votive offerings and wooden images.
^2.8 ποῦ γάρ σοι τὸ ἐν Δελφοῖς ἱερὸν παρὰ πᾶσιν Ἕλλησιν ἐξ αἰῶνος βεβοημένον; ποῦ ὁ Πύθιος; ὁ Κλάριος; ποῦ καὶ ὁ Δωδωναῖος; τὸ μέν γε Δελφικὸν χρηστήριον τρίτον ὑπὸ Θρᾳκῶν ἐμπρησθῆναι κατέχει λόγος, οὐδὲν τοῦ μαντείου εἰς τὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος γνῶσιν, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ τοῦ Πυθίου τὰ οἰκεῖα προφυλάξασθαι δεδυνημένου. ταὐτὸν δὲ παθεῖν καὶ τὸ ἐν Ῥώμῃ Καπιτώλιον ἱστορεῖται κατὰ τοὺς τῶν Πτολεμαίων χρόνους, καθ’ οὓς λέγεται καὶ τὸ τῆς Ἑστίας ἱερὸν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ἐμπρησμὸν ὑπομεῖναι· ἀμφὶ δὲ Ἰούλιον Καίσαρα τὸ μέγα τῶν Ἑλλήνων καὶ Ὀλυμπικὸν ἄγαλμα, τὸ ἐν αὐταῖς Ὀλυμπιάσι, κεραυνῷ πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ βληθὲν ἀναγράφουσι· καὶ ἄλλοτέ φασι τὸν νεὼν τοῦ Καπιτωλίου Διὸς ἐμπρησθῆναι· καὶ τό γε Πάνθεον ὑπὸ κεραυνοῦ διαφθαρῆναι, τό τε ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ὁμοίως καταφλεχθῆναι.	^2.8 For where, I ask you, is the shrine in Delphi that was shouted of by all the Greeks from age to age? Where is the Pythian oracle? The Clarian? Where is the Dodonaean? Report holds that the Delphic oracle was burned down three times by the Thracians, the oracle being able to contribute nothing toward knowledge of the future, nor even Pythian Apollo able to protect his own property! History records that the Capitol in Rome suffered the same fate during the times of the Ptolemies, at which time the temple of Vesta in Rome is also said to have suffered burning; and around the time of Julius Caesar, they record that the great Olympic statue of the Greeks—the one at the Olympics themselves—was struck by lightning sent by God; and they say that at another time the temple of Capitoline Jupiter was burned down; and that the Pantheon was destroyed by lightning, and the one in Alexandria was similarly burned up.
^2.9 καὶ τούτων παρ’ αὐτοῖς ᝨλλησιν ἀνάγραπτοι φέρονται μαρτυρίαι. μακρὸς δ’ ἂν εἴη λόγος, εἰ μέλλοι τις τὰ καθ’ ἕκαστον ἐξαριθμεῖσθαι, παριστάναι πειρώμενος ὅτι μηδὲ τοῖς οἰκείοις ἱεροῖς ἐπαμῦναι οἱ θαυμαστοὶ χρησμοδόται δυνατοὶ πεφώρανται· οἱ δὲ μηδὲ σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἐν συμφοραῖς γενόμενοι χρήσιμοι σχολῇ γ’ ἂν ποτε κἂν ἄλλοις ἐπαρκέσειαν.	^2.9 And recorded testimonies of these events are carried among the Greeks themselves. It would be a long story if one were to enumerate every single instance, attempting to demonstrate that these marvelous oracle-mongers were caught unable to defend even their own shrines; and those who proved useless even to themselves in times of calamity could hardly be of assistance to others!
^2.10 ἕν δέ τι προσθεὶς τοῖς εἰρημένοις μέγιστον ἂν εἴη καθεωρακὼς κεφάλαιον, ὡς ἤδη καὶ τῶν ἄγαν θεοφόρων, αὐτῶν δὴ τῶν μάλιστα ἱεροφαντῶν θεολόγων τε αὐτοῖς καὶ προφητῶν, πλείους οὐ μόνον πάλαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔναγχος καθ’ ἡμᾶς αὐτούς, ἐπὶ τῇ θεοσοφίᾳ ταύτῃ βοηθέντες, διὰ βασάνων αἰκίας ἐπὶ τῶν Ῥωμαϊκῶν δικαστηρίων τὴν πᾶσαν ἐξέφηναν πλάνην ἀνδρῶν ἀπάταις γίγνεσθαι, γοητείαν τετεχνασμένην τὸ πᾶν εἶναι ὁμολογήσαντες· οἵ γε καὶ τὸν πάντα τρόπον τῆς κατασκευῆς καὶ τὰς μεθόδους τῆς κακοτεχνίας ταῖς πρὸς αὐτῶν ἐν ὑπομνήμασιν ἀφεθείσαις φωναῖς ἐνεγράψαντο.	^2.10 If you add one thing to what has been said, you will have observed a paramount point: that even several of those who were excessively God-possessed—the very chief hierophants, theologians, and prophets among them, not only long ago, but recently in our own time, when brought before Roman tribunals on account of this 'theosophy'—under the agony of tortures exposed the entire deception as being the work of human trickery, confessing that the whole thing was engineered sorcery. Indeed, in the statements left behind by them in official records, they wrote down the whole manner of its construction and the methods of their evil craft.
^2.11 διὸ δὴ καὶ τὴν ἀξίαν τῆς ὀλεθρίου πλάνης δίκην ἐκτίσαντες πάντα λόγον ἀνεκάλυψαν, αὐτοῖς ἔργοις τὴν τῶν δηλουμένων ἀπόδειξιν πιστωσάμενοι. ὁποῖοι δὲ ἦσαν οὗτοι; μὴ δὴ νόμιζε τῶν ἀπερριμμένων καὶ ἀφανῶν τινάς· οἱ μέν γε αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς θαυμαστῆς ταύτης καὶ γενναίας φιλοσοφίας ὡρμῶντο, τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν τρίβωνα, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ὀφρῦν ἀνεσπακότων, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν τέλει τῆς Ἀντιοχέων ἡλίσκοντο πόλεως, οἱ δὴ μάλιστα καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς καθ’ ἡμῶν ὕβρεσιν ἐν τῷ καθ’ ἡμᾶς διωγμῷ λαμπρυνόμενοι· ἴσμεν δὲ καὶ τὸν φιλόσοφον ὁμοῦ καὶ προφήτην τὰ ὅμοια τοῖς εἰρημένοις κατὰ τὴν Μίλητον ὑπομείναντα.	^2.11 Wherefore, having paid the worthy penalty for their destructive error, they revealed the entire account, confirming by their very deeds the proof of what was exposed. And what sort of men were these? Do not think they were discarded or obscure persons! Some set out from this marvelous and noble philosophy itself—those wearing the tribon gown and raising their eyebrows in pretension—while others were arrested from among the magistrates of Antioch, the very ones who shone most in insults against us during the persecution in our time. And we know that the philosopher who was also a prophet underwent similar experiences at Miletus.
^2.12 Ταῦτα δή τις καὶ τούτων ἔτι πλείω συνάγων εἴποι ἂν μὴ θεοὺς εἶναι, μηδὲ μὴν δαίμονας, τοὺς τῶν κατὰ πόλεις χρηστηρίων αἰτίους, πλάνην δὲ καὶ ἀπάτην ἀνδρῶν γοήτων.	^2.12 Gathering these points and even more besides, one might say that there are neither gods nor even daemons responsible for the city oracles, but rather the error and deception of sorcerers.
^2.13 καὶ ἦσάν γε παρ’ αὐτοῖς Ἕλλησιν ὅλαι διὰ φιλοσοφίας διαπρεπεῖς αἱρέσεις ταύτης προισταμέναι τῆς δόξης, ὡς οἱ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀριστοτέλους καὶ πάντες οἱ καθεξῆς τοῦ Περιπάτου, Κυνικοί τε καὶ Ἐπικούρειοι, οὓς καὶ μάλιστα ἔγωγε ἐθαύμασα, ὅπως ἐν τοῖς Ἑλλήνων ἤθεσι τραφέντες ἐξέτι τε σπαργάνων, παῖς παρὰ πατρὸς θεοὺς εἶναι τοὺς δηλουμένους παρειληφότες, οὐ θατέρᾳ ληπτοὶ γεγόνασιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ κράτος καὶ τὰ βοώμενα χρηστήρια καὶ τὰ παρὰ πᾶσι μεταδιωκόμενα μαντεῖα οὐδὲν φέρειν ἀληθὲς ἀπήλεγξαν, ἀνωφελῆ τε εἶναι ἀπεφήναντο καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπιβλαβῆ τυγχάνειν.	^2.13 And indeed, among the Greeks themselves, there were whole philosophical sects distinguished for defending this view, such as the followers of Aristotle and all the Peripatetics in succession, as well as Cynics and Epicureans. I especially marvelled at these men: how, raised in Greek customs from their very swaddling clothes, having received from father to son the tradition that these were gods, they were not captured by the other side, but forcefully proved that both the famous oracular seats and the divinations pursued by all people conveyed no truth, declaring them to be useless and rather positively harmful.
^2.14 μυρίων δὲ ὄντων—καὶ διὰ πλειόνων τὴν τῶν μαντείων ἀνατροπὴν πεποιημένων, ἐξαρκεῖν ἔμοιγε μαρτυρίας χάριν τῶν εἰρημένων ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἡγοῦμαι καὶ μίαν ἑνὸς τούτων παράθεσιν ἀπαντῶσαν πρὸς τὰ Χρυσίππῳ περὶ εἱμαρμένης ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν μαντείων προρρήσεως κατασκευασθέντα. γράφει δ' οὖν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ συγγραφεύς, ἀπελέγχων ὅτι κακῶς ἐκ τῶν μαντείων σημειοῦται τὴν εἱμαρμένην, καὶ ὅτι ἐν τοῖς πλείστοις τὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων μαντεῖα διαψεύδονται, καὶ ὅτι σπανίως αὐτοῖς ἐκ συντυχίας ποτέ τινα συμβαίνει, ὅτι τε ἄχρηστος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπιβλαβὴς ἡ πρόρρησις. ἄκουε δ' οὖν ἅ φησι κατὰ λέξιν·	^2.14 Since there are thousands of them—and many who have effected the overthrow of oracles—I consider it sufficient for the sake of testimony on the present matter to cite a single passage from one of them, which meets the arguments constructed by Chrysippus regarding fate based on predictions from oracles. At any rate, the author writes to him, exposing how he wrongly infers fate from oracles, how in most cases the oracles of the Greeks lie, how only rarely by chance does something happen to match them, and how their prediction is useless and harmful. Listen, then, to what he says word for word:"

Chapter 3

☜ ☞

In this chapter, Eusebius quotes a Peripatetic argument (from Diogenianus) attacking Chrysippus and the Stoic defense of divination. First he criticizes Chrysippus's circular logic: Chrysippus uses the validity of divination to prove fate, while simultaneously assuming fate to prove divination. In verses 4l-6, he shows that most prophecies fail. A practitioner who succeeds only occasionally is driven by luck/chance, not systematic knowledge. Even if divination were accurate, it would be useless or harmful under strict determinism. If events are fated, knowing them in advance causes unnecessary anxiety without allowing anyone to avoid them (citing Oedipus and Paris/Alexander as examples). Eusebius concludes the chapter, noting that even pagan Greek philosophers (Aristotelians, Cynics, Epicureans) recognized the absurdity of oracles.

^3.1 Φέρει δὲ καὶ ἄλλην ἀπόδειξιν ἐν τῷ προειρημένῳ βιβλίῳ τοιαύτην τινά· «οὐ γὰρ ἂν τὰς τῶν μάντεων προρρήσεις ἀληθεῖς εἶναί φησιν, εἰ μὴ πάντα ὑπὸ τῆς εἱμαρμένης περιείχοντο·» ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ πολλῆς εὐηθείας μεστόν ἐστιν. ὡς γὰρ ἐναργοῦς ὄντος τοῦ πάσας ἀποβαίνειν τὰς τῶν καλουμένων μάντεων προρρήσεις, ἢ ὡς μᾶλλον ἂν ὑπό τινος τούτου συγχωρηθέντος, τοῦ πάντα γίνεσθαι καθ' εἱμαρμένην, καὶ οὐχὶ ὁμοίως ἂν ψευδοῦς ῥηθέντος καὶ αὐτοῦ· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸ ἐναντίον, λέγω δὲ τὸ μὴ πάντα ἀποβαίνειν τὰ προαγορευθέντα, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰ πλεῖστα αὐτῶν ἡ ἐνάργεια δείκνυσιν.	^3.1 In the aforementioned book he presents another demonstration of this sort: "For he says that the predictions of diviners would not be true unless all things were encompassed by fate." This itself is full of great foolishness. For it assumes as evident that all predictions of so-called diviners turn out true—or as though this premise, that all things happen according to fate, would readily be granted by anyone, rather than being pronounced equally false itself. For clear evidence shows the exact opposite: namely, that not all predicted events come to pass, but rather that most of them do not.
^3.2 οὕτω τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ἡμῖν Χρύσιππος κεκόμικε, δι' ἀλλήλων κατασκευάζων ἑκάτερα· τὸ μὲν γὰρ πάντα γίγνεσθαι καθ' εἱμαρμένην ἐκ τοῦ μαντικὴν εἶναι δεικνύναι βούλεται, τὸ δὲ εἶναι μαντικὴν οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως ἀποδεῖξαι δύναιτο, εἰ μὴ προλάβοι τὸ πάντα συμβαίνειν καθ' εἱμαρμένην.	^3.2 Thus Chrysippus has brought forward his proof, constructing each point by means of the other. For he wishes to show that all things happen according to fate from the fact that divination exists, yet he could not demonstrate that divination exists in any other way unless he were first to assume that all things occur according to fate.
^3.3 ποῖος δ' ἂν μοχθηρότερος τρόπος ἀποδείξεως τούτου γένοιτο; τὸ γὰρ ἀποβαίνειν τινὰ κατὰ τὴν ἐνάργειαν ὧν προλέγουσιν οἱ μάντεις, οὐ τοῦ μαντικὴν ἐπιστήμην εἶναι σημεῖον ἂν εἴη, ἀλλὰ τοῦ τυχικῶς συμπίπτειν ταῖς προαγορεύσεσι συμφώνους τὰς ἐκβάσεις· ὅπερ οὐδεμίαν ἡμῖν ἐπιστήμην ὑποδείκνυσιν.	^3.3 What worse method of proof could there be than this? For the fact that certain things predicted by diviners turn out true in actual experience is no sign that divination is a science (episteme), but rather that the outcomes happen by chance to accord with the predictions—which demonstrates no systematic science to us at all.
^3.4 οὐδὲ γὰρ τοξότην ἂν εἴποιμεν ἐπιστήμονα τὸν ἅπαξ ποτὲ τυχόντα τοῦ σκοποῦ, πολλάκις δὲ ἀποτυγχάνοντα, οὐδὲ ἰατρὸν τὸν ἀναιροῦντα τοὺς πλείους τῶν θεραπευομένων ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ, ἕνα δέ ποτε διασῶσαι δυνηθέντα· οὐδὲ ὅλως ἐπιστήμην λέγομεν τὴν μὴ πάντα ἢ τά γε πλεῖστα τῶν οἰκείων ἔργων κατορθοῦσαν.	^3.4 For we would not call an archer skilled who hits the mark once in a while but misses many times, nor a physician competent who kills the majority of those treated by him but manages to save one on occasion. Nor in general do we call anything a science that does not accomplish all, or at least the vast majority, of its proper works.
^3.5 ὅτι δὲ ἀποτυγχάνεται ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τοῖς καλουμένοις μάντεσιν ὁ πᾶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίος μάρτυς ἂν εἴη, καὶ οὗτοί γε αὐτοὶ οἱ τὴν μαντικὴν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι τέχνην, οὐχὶ διὰ ταύτης ἑαυτοῖς βοηθοῦντες ἐν ταῖς κατὰ τὸν βίον χρείαις, ἀλλὰ γνώμῃ τε ἰδίᾳ ποτὲ χρώμενοι καὶ συμβουλῇ καὶ συνεργείᾳ τῶν ἐν ἑκάστοις τῶν πραγμάτων ἐμπειρίαν κεκτῆσθαι νενομισμένων.	^3.5 That the so-called diviners fail for the most part, the whole life of mankind can witness—including those very people who profess the art of divination. They do not help themselves through this art in the practical needs of life, but instead rely on their own judgment, as well as the advice and cooperation of those considered to possess experience in each particular matter.
^3.6 ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τοῦ μὴ συνεστάναι τοῦτο, ὃ προειλήφαμεν καλεῖν μαντικήν, ἐν ἄλλοις ἀποδώσομεν πληρέστερον, παρατιθέμενοι τὰ Ἐπικούρῳ καὶ περὶ τούτου δοκοῦντα· νυνὶ δὲ τοσοῦτον τοῖς εἰρημένοις προσθήσομεν, ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν τὸ ἀληθεύειν ποτὲ τοὺς καλουμένους μάντεις ἐν ταῖς προαγορεύσεσιν οὐκ ἐπιστήμης, ἀλλὰ τυχικῆς αἰτίας ἔργον ἂν εἴη — οὐ γὰρ τὸ μηδεπώποτε τοῦ προκειμένου τυγχάνειν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ πάντοτε, μηδ’ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον, μηδ’ ἐξ ἐπιστήμης, ὅταν τις καί ποτε τυγχάνῃ, τύχης ἔργον καλεῖν προειλήφαμεν οἱ διειληφότες τὰς ὑφ’ ἕκαστον ὄνομα τεταγμένας ἐναργεῖς ἐννοίας ἑαυτῶν — ἔπειτα εἰ καὶ καθ’ ὑπόθεσιν ἦν ἀληθὲς τὸ δὴ τὴν μαντικὴν τῶν μελλόντων ἁπάντων εἶναι θεωρητικήν τε καὶ προαγορευτικὴν, τὸ μὲν πάντα καθ’ εἱμαρμένην εἶναι συνήγετο ἂν οὕτως, τὸ μέντοι χρειῶδες αὐτῆς καὶ βιωφελὲς οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἐδείκνυτο· διὸ καὶ μάλιστα δοκεῖ Χρύσιππος ὑμνεῖν τὴν μαντικήν.	^3.6 Now, concerning the fact that this practice which we have taken to calling divination has no real existence, we shall render a fuller account elsewhere, citing the views of Epicurus on the subject. But for now, we shall add only this much to what has been said: First, if so-called diviners ever happen to speak the truth in their predictions, this would be the work of chance rather than of science. For those of us who have clearly grasped the distinct concepts underlying each name do not call it the work of chance when someone never hits the mark, but rather when someone hits it not always, nor even for the most part, nor by science when they do hit it. Second, even if we were to grant for the sake of argument that divination really is capable of contemplating and foretelling all future events, the conclusion that all things exist by fate might follow in that way, but its practical usefulness and benefit to life could never be demonstrated—which is the very reason Chrysippus seems most of all to praise divination.
^3.7 τί γὰρ ὄφελος ἡμῖν ἦν προμανθάνειν τὰ πάντως ἐσόμενα δυσχερῆ, ἃ οὐδὲ προφυλάξασθαι δυνατὸν ἂν εἴη; τὰ γὰρ καθ’ εἱμαρμένην γινόμενα πῶς ἄν τις φυλάξασθαι δύναιτο; ὥστ’ οὐδὲν ὄφελος ἡμῖν τῆς μαντικῆς, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πρὸς κακοῦ τινος ἐγίνετο ἂν αὕτη, τὸ προλυπεῖσθαι μάτην παρέχουσα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐπὶ ταῖς προδηλουμέναις δυσχερείαις κατ’ ἀνάγκην ἐσομέναις.	^3.7 For what benefit would it be to us to learn beforehand painful events that will happen anyway, which it would be impossible even to guard against? How could anyone guard against things that happen according to fate? Thus divination is of no benefit to us; rather, it would even turn out to be harmful, causing people to grieve in vain beforehand over impending troubles that will occur by necessity.
^3.8 οὐ γὰρ τὴν ἴσην πάλιν εὐφροσύνην τις φήσει παρέχειν τὴν τῶν ἐσομένων ἀγαθῶν προαγόρευσιν, ἐπειδήπερ οὐχ οὕτως πέφυκεν ἄνθρωπος χαίρειν ἐπὶ τοῖς προσδοκωμένοις ἀγαθοῖς ὡς ἐπὶ τοῖς κακοῖς ἀνιᾶσθαι. ἄλλως τε καὶ ταῦτα μὲν οὐ πάνυ τι περὶ ἑαυτοὺς ἔσεσθαι πρὶν ἀκοῦσαι κατελπίζομεν· τὰ δ’ ἀγαθὰ μᾶλλον ἅπαντες, ὡς εἰπεῖν, προσδοκῶμεν, διὰ τὴν φυσικὴν οἰκείωσιν πρὸς αὐτά· οἱ μὲν γὰρ πολλοὶ καὶ μείζω τῶν δυνατῶν γενέσθαι κατηλπίκασιν.	^3.8 Nor will anyone say that the prediction of future good things offers an equal measure of gladness in return, since human nature is not inclined to rejoice over expected goods to the same degree that it is distressed by evils. Moreover, before hearing about evils, we do not expect them to happen to us at all; but as for good things, virtually all of us expect them due to our natural affinity for them—indeed, the majority of people hope for things even greater than what is possible.
^3.9 ἐξ οὗ συμβαίνει τὸ τὴν μὲν τῶν ἀγαθῶν προαγόρευσιν μὴ ἐπιτείνειν πάνυ τι τὴν χαρὰν, διὰ τὸ καὶ χωρὶς τῆς προαγορεύσεως ἔκαστον ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ τὰ κρείττω προσδοκᾶν, ἢ ἐπ’ ὀλίγον ἐπιτείνειν τῇ δοκούσῃ βεβαιότητι, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ μειοῦν τὴν χαρὰν, ὅταν ἐλάττω τῶν ἐλπισθέντων ἀκουσθῇ· τὴν δὲ τῶν κακῶν προαγόρευσιν, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἀπόστρεπτον αὐτῶν φύσει, καὶ διὰ τὸ παρ’ ἐλπίδας ἐνίοτε προλέγεσθαι, μεγάλως συνταράττειν.	^3.9 Consequently, the prediction of good things does not heighten our joy very much—because even without the prediction, everyone expects favorable outcomes on their own, or else it heightens it only slightly through a perceived certainty; frequently, it even diminishes joy when the report falls short of what was hoped for. On the other hand, the prediction of evil things causes great disturbance, both because evils are naturally repellent and because they are sometimes foretold contrary to expectation.
^3.10 ἀλλ’ ὅμως εἰ καὶ μὴ τοῦτο συνέβαινε, τό γε ἀχρεῖον ἔσεσθαι τὴν προαγόρευσιν παντί που δῆλον ἂν εἴη. εἰ γὰρ φήσει τις σωθήσεσθαι τὸ χρήσιμον τῆς μαντικῆς διὰ τὸ προλέγεσθαι τὸ πάντως ἐσόμενον δυσχερὲς εἰ μὴ φυλαξαίμεθα, οὐκέτι πάντα δείξει συμβησόμενα καθ’ εἱμαρμένην, ἐφ’ ἡμῖν ὄντος τοῦ φυλάξασθαί τε καὶ μὴ φυλάξασθαι.	^3.10 Nevertheless, even if this were not the case, that the prediction would be useless must be obvious to everyone. For if someone says that the utility of divination will be saved because a certainty of coming trouble is foretold unless we guard against it, he will no longer be able to show that all things happen according to fate, since it rests in our power to guard against it or not.
^3.11 εἰ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο κατηναγκάσθαι φήσει τις, ὡς εἰς πάντα τὰ ὄντα διατείνειν τὴν εἱμαρμένην, πάλιν τὸ τῆς μαντικῆς χρήσιμον ἀναιρεῖται· φυλαξόμεθα γὰρ εἰ καθείμαρται, καὶ οὐ φυλαξόμεθα δῆλον ὡς εἰ μὴ καθείμαρται φυλάξασθαι, κἂν πάντες οἱ μάντεις τὸ ἐσόμενον προαγορεύωσιν ἡμῖν.	^3.11 And if someone says that this too is constrained by necessity—so that fate extends to all existing things—the utility of divination is destroyed once again. For we shall guard against something if it is fated, and we shall clearly not guard against it if it is not fated to be guarded against, even if all the diviners foretell what will happen to us.
^3.12 τὸν γοῦν Οἰδίποδα καὶ τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν τοῦ Πριάμου καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Χρύσιππός φησι πολλὰ μηχανησαμένων τῶν γονέων ὥστε ἀποκτεῖναι, ἵνα τὸ ἀπ' αὐτῶν προρρηθὲν αὐτοῖς κακὸν φυλάξωνται, μὴ δυνηθῆναι.	^3.12 Thus Chrysippus himself says that Oedipus and Alexander (Paris), son of Priam, were unable to escape their fate, even though their parents devised many schemes to kill them in order to guard against the evil predicted for them.
^3.13 οὕτως οὐδὲν ὄφελος οὐδὲ αὐτοῖς τῆς τῶν κακῶν προαγορεύσεως φησιν εἶναι διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς εἱμαρμένης αἰτίαν. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν ἐκ περιουσίας εἰρήσθω, πρὸς τὸ μὴ μόνον ἀνυπόστατον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀχρεῖον τῆς μαντικῆς.	^3.13 So he says that even for them there was no benefit from the prediction of evils, owing to the cause originating from fate. Let this much be said as a surplus argument, to show that divination is not only without real foundation, but also useless.
^3.14 Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ φιλόσοφος. σύ γε μὴν παρὰ σαυτῷ σκέψαι πῶς Ἕλληνες ὄντες, καὶ τὴν Ἑλλήνων σύντροφον παιδείαν ἐκ νέας ἡλικίας κτησάμενοι, τά τε πάτρια περὶ θεῶν πάντων μᾶλλον διεγνωκότες, Ἀριστοτελικοὶ πάντες, Κυνικοί τε καὶ Ἐπικούρειοι, καὶ ὅσοι τούτοις ἐφρόνησαν τὰ παραπλήσια, τῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς Ἕλλησι βοωμένων μαντείων κατεγέλασαν.	^3.14 Thus far the philosopher [Diogenianus]. But consider for yourself how these men—being Greeks, having acquired Greek education from their youth, and knowing the ancestral traditions concerning the gods better than anyone—all Aristotelians, Cynics, and Epicureans, and whoever held views similar to them, laughed at the oracles acclaimed among the Greeks themselves.
^3.15 καὶ μὴν, εἴπερ ἦν ἀληθῆ τὰ θρυλούμενα περὶ τῆς τῶν χρηστηρίων παραδοξοποιίας, εἰκὸς ἦν καὶ τούσδε καταπλαγῆναι Ἕλληνας ὄντας, καὶ τὰ πάτρια ἀκριβῶς ἐξεπισταμένους, μηδέν τε τῶν γνωσθῆναι ἀξίων ἐν δευτέρῳ τιθεμένους.	^3.15 Indeed, if what is commonly reported about the miraculous works of the oracles were true, it would have been natural for these men as well to be awestruck, being Greeks themselves, knowing their ancestral traditions precisely, and placing nothing worthy of knowledge in second place.
^3.16 ταῦτα μὲν οὖν καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα συνάγειν εἰς ἀνασκευὴν τῆς περὶ τῶν χρηστηρίων ὑποθέσεως πλείστη τις ἦν περιουσία· ἀλλ' οὐ ταύτῃ μοι δοκεῖ τὸν παρόντα μεθοδεῦσαι λόγον, ἀλλ' ᾗπερ ὡρμήθημεν ἀρξάμενοι, ἀληθῆ λέγειν δόντες τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν προϊσταμένους, ὡς ἂν ἐκ τῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς ὁμολογουμένων, μαντεῖά τε εἶναι ἀληθῆ καὶ πυθόχρηστα θεοπρόπια τὰ δηλούμενα φασκόντων, τὴν ἀκριβῆ τῶν δηλουμένων ἔκφανσιν καταμάθωμεν.	^3.16 Now, there was a vast abundance of such arguments to gather for the refutation of the hypothesis concerning oracles; but it seems best to me not to conduct the present discourse in that way, but rather from the point where we began—granting that those who champion them speak the truth, so that from the very points agreed upon by them (who claim that the oracles are true and that the declarations are given by Apollo), we may come to understand the exact character of what is revealed.

Chapter 4

☜ ☞

Eusebius outlines the central theological purpose of his refutation of pagan religion and oracles. He argues that before the coming of Christ, all nations (both Greeks and barbarians) lived in spiritual blindness, led astray by deceitful, god-opposing demons, and bound to idol worship. The advent of Christ liberated humanity worldwide from this ancestral deception. Pagan temples and images were demolished, replaced across cities and villages with holy centers of true piety where pure, spiritual sacrifices (prayers offered with a clean, virtuous soul) are offered to the Creator. Eusebius concludes that abandoning ancestral superstitions was not an act of unreasoning folly, but a deliberate, rational choice to embrace true godliness and the superior light of Christian piety.

^4.1 Οἶμαι δὲ παντί τῳ εἶναι σαφὲς ὡς ὁ τῶν προκειμένων ἔλεγχος οὐ μικρόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέγιστον ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀναγκαιότατον περιέξει μέρος τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς ὑποθέσεως.

εἰ γὰρ οἱ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας πανταχῆ πάντες, Ἕλληνες καὶ βάρβαροι, δειχθεῖεν μὴ τὸν ἀληθῆ θεὸν ἐπεγνωκότες, ἀλλ’ ἤτοι τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα δοξάζοντες, ἢ ὑπό τινων μοχθηρῶν καὶ θεομάχων πνευμάτων δαιμόνων τε πονηρῶν καὶ ἀκαθάρτων τυφλῶν δίκην ὧδε κἀκεῖσε περιηγμένοι, καὶ βυθῷ κακίας πρὸς αὐτῶν καθειλκυσμένοι (καὶ τί γὰρ ἄλλ’ ἢ δαιμονῶντες;), πῶς οὐ μειζόνως ἂν ὀφθείη τὸ μέγα τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς οἰκονομίας μυστήριον, πάντας πανταχόθεν ἐκ τῆς πατροπαραδότου πλάνης τῆς τῶν δαιμόνων καταδυναστείας διὰ τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν φωνῆς ἀνακεκλημένους, καὶ τοὺς μέχρι ἐσχατιῶν γῆς οἰκοῦντας ἀνθρώπους τῆς ἐξ αἰῶνος κατασχούσης τὸν πάντα βίον ἀπάτης λελυτρωμένους, ὥστε ἐξ ἐκείνου καὶ εἰς δεῦρο λελύσθαι μὲν καὶ καθῃρῆσθαι αὐτοῖς ναοῖς καὶ ξοάνοις τὰ πεπαλαιωμένα τῆς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων πλάνης ἱδρύματα, ἱερὰ δὲ ὄντως σεμνὰ καὶ εὐσεβείας διδασκαλεῖα τῷ παμβασιλεῖ καὶ δημιουργῷ τῶν ὅλων ἐν μέσαις πόλεσί τε καὶ κώμαις δυνάμει καὶ ἀρετῇ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνὰ τὸν σύμπαντα κόσμον ἀνεγηγέρθαι, θυσίας τε τὰς θεοπρεπεῖς εὐχαῖς ὁσίων διαθέσει κεκαθαρμένῃ κακίας ἁπάσης, ἔν τε ἀπαθείᾳ ψυχῆς καὶ πάσης ἀρετῆς ἀναλήψει, κατὰ τὰ θεῖα καὶ σωτηριώδη παιδεύματα, ἐξ ἁπάντων ὅσαι ἡμέραι διηνεκῶς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐπιτελεῖσθαι, τὰς δὴ καὶ μόνας ἀρεστὰς οὔσας καὶ προσηνεῖς θυσίας τῷ ἐπὶ πάντων θεῷ;

^4.1 I suppose it is obvious to everyone that the refutation of the matters before us will comprise no small part, but indeed a very great and most essential part, of the defense of the Gospel.

For if all men everywhere prior to the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ—both Greeks and barbarians—were shown not to have known the true God, but were either worshipping things that do not exist as though they existed, or were led around this way and that like blind men by malicious and god-opposing spirits and evil, unclean demons, dragged down by them into an abyss of wickedness (for what else was it than being possessed by demons?), how could the great mystery of the Gospel dispensation fail to appear even more magnificent? Through the voice of our Savior, people from every quarter have been recalled from ancestral error and from the tyranny of demons; and human beings dwelling unto the ends of the earth have been redeemed from the delusion that held all human life in bondage from ancient times. Consequently, from that time down to the present, the ancient shrines of the error of all the Gentiles have been destroyed and cast down, together with their temples and carved images; while truly holy places and schools of piety dedicated to the All-King and Creator of all things have been erected in the very midst of cities and villages throughout the entire world by the power and virtue of our Savior. Moreover, godly sacrifices—offered through the prayers of holy men in a state purified from all evil, in tranquility of soul, and in the attainment of every virtue, according to divine and saving teachings—are continually performed every day by all the nations: sacrifices which are indeed the only ones pleasing and acceptable to the God over all.

^4.2 Τούτων δὲ οὕτως ἐχόντων, πῶς οὐκ ἂν εἴημεν ἐν ταὐτῷ δεδειχότες καὶ ὅτι μετὰ σώφρονος λογισμοῦ, οὐχὶ δὲ ἀλογίᾳ ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδόντες, ἀποστάται τῆς πατροπαραδότου γεγόναμεν δεισιδαιμονίας, κρίσει δικαίᾳ καὶ ἀληθεῖ τὸ κρεῖττον ἀγαπήσαντες, καὶ τῆς ἐνθέου καὶ ἀληθοῦς εὐσεβείας ἐρασταὶ γεγενημένοι;

Ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν ἅλις, ἁπτέον δὲ λοιπὸν τῶν προκειμένων.

^4.2 Such being the case, how could we fail to demonstrate at the same time that it was with sound reasoning, and not by surrendering ourselves to unreasoning folly, that we became apostates from ancestral superstition—having loved what is better by a just and true judgment, and having become devoted lovers of inspired and true piety?

But enough of these matters; it is time now to lay hold of the subjects set before us.

Chapter 5

☜ ☞

In the first two verses of this chapter, Eusebius outlines and critiques the pagan philosophical hierarchy of spiritual beings. Then Eusebius (vs 3) asserts that despite this sophisticated theoretical taxonomy, pagans in practice end up serving and enslaving themselves exclusively to malice and evil spirits. In the final verses, he contrasts this with Sacred Scripture, which recognizes only one unbegotten God and rejects the concept of "good demons."

^5.1 Οἱ μὲν δὴ τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν θεολογίαν ἐξηκριβωκότες, καθ’ ἕτερον παρὰ τοὺς προειρημένους ἡμῖν τρόπους, εἰς γένη τέτταρα πάντα τὸν λόγον διαιροῦντες, πρώτιστα πάντων τὸν πρῶτον ἀφορίσαντες θεόν, εἰδέναι φασὶ τοῦτον εἶναι τὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσι πρῶτόν τε ὄντα καὶ πάντων θεῶν πατέρα τε καὶ βασιλέα, μεθ’ ὃν γένος τὸ θεῶν ὑπάρχειν δεύτερον, ἑπόμενον δὲ τὸ δαιμόνων, τὸ δὲ ἡρώων τέταρτον· ἃ πάντα τῆς τοῦ κρείττονος ἰδέας μετασχόντα πῇ μὲν ἄγειν, πῇ δὲ ἄγεσθαι, καὶ φῶς ἅπαν προσαγορεύεσθαι τὸ τοιόνδε φωτὸς μετοχῇ· ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς τοῦ χείρονος οὐσίας τὸ κακὸν ἡγεῖσθαί φασι· τοῦτο δὲ εἶναι μοχθηρῶν δαιμόνων γένος, φίλῳ μὲν οὐδαμῶς χρώμενον τἀγαθῷ, δύναμίν γε μὴν ἐν τῇ τῶν ἐναντίων φύσει κεκτημένον πρώτην, καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς κρείττοσιν ὁ θεός· πᾶν δὲ τὸ τοιόνδε σκότος προσαγορεύεσθαι.	^5.1 Those who have examined Greek theology with precision—in a manner different from those methods previously discussed by us—divide their whole discourse into four classes. First of all, having defined the primary God, they state that He is the First over all things and the Father and King of all gods. After Him comes the second class of gods, followed next by that of demons, and fourthly by that of heroes. All these, because they participate in the nature of the higher realm, in some respects govern and in other respects are governed, and every such entity is designated as "light" by virtue of its participation in light. Furthermore, they say that evil rules over the realm of the inferior substance; and that this consists of the class of wicked demons, which by no means makes use of friendship with the Good, yet possesses sovereign power within the realm of opposing natures, just as God does among higher beings; and every such entity is designated as "darkness."
^5.2 Ταῦτα τοῦτον διαστειλάμενοι τὸν τρόπον θεοῖς μὲν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὸν ἄχρι σελήνης αἰθέρα φασὶν ὑποτετάχθαι· δαίμοσι δὲ τὰ περὶ σελήνην καὶ ἀέρα, ψυχαῖς δὲ τὰ περὶ γῆν καὶ ὑπόγεια. Τοιούτῳ δ’ ἀφορισμῷ κεχρημένοι πρῶτον ἁπάντων φασὶ τοὺς οὐρανίους δεῖν καὶ αἰθερίους θεοὺς θεραπεύειν· δεύτερον τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς δαίμονας· τρίτον τὰς τῶν ἡρώων ψυχάς, τέταρτον τοὺς φαύλους καὶ πονηροὺς ἀπομειλίσσεσθαι δαίμονας.	^5.2 Having drawn these distinctions in this manner, they state that heaven and the ether down to the moon are assigned to the gods; the regions around the moon and the air to the demons; and the regions around the earth and underground places to human souls. Making use of such a division, they say first of all that one ought to worship the heavenly and etheric gods; second, the good demons; third, the souls of heroes; and fourth, that one must propitiate the base and wicked demons.
^5.3 Ταῦτα δὲ λόγῳ διαιροῦντες ἔργῳ συγχέουσι τὰ πάντα, μόνας ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων πάντων τὰς πονηρὰς δυνάμεις θεραπεύοντες, καὶ ὅλοι ταύταις καταδουλούμενοι, ὡς ὁ λόγος προϊόν ἀπελέγξει. Πάρεστι γοῦν σοι τὰς διὰ τῶν ξοάνων ἐνεργούσας δυνάμεις ὁποίας χρῆν ἀποφαίνεσθαι σκοπεῖν, πότερα θεοὺς ἢ δαίμονας, καὶ εἴτε φαύλους εἴτε ἀγαθούς, ἐκ τῶν παρατεθησομένων.	^5.3 But while dividing these matters in theory, in practice they confuse everything, worshipping only the wicked powers instead of all those mentioned, and becoming entirely enslaved to them, as the forthcoming argument will demonstrate. At any rate, you may consider from what is about to be set forth what kind of powers operating through images ought to be declared—whether gods or demons, and whether base or good.
^5.4 Τὰ μὲν γὰρ παρ’ ἡμῖν θεῖα λόγια οὐδ’ ὅλως ἀγαθὸν οὐδένα ὀνομάζει δαίμονα, πάντας δὲ πονηροὺς εἶναι τοὺς τῆς λήξεως ταύτης καὶ δὴ καὶ τῆς προσηγορίας μετειληφότας, ὡς οὐδ’ ἕτερον θεὸν ἀληθῶς καὶ κυρίως πλὴν ἕνα τὸν πάντων αἴτιον· τὰς δὲ ἀστείας καὶ ἀγαθὰς δυνάμεις, ἅτε τὴν φύσιν γεννητὰς οὔσας καὶ πολλῷ τὸν ἀγέννητον καὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν ποιητὴν θεὸν ἀφυστερούσας, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ τῶν δαιμόνων μοχθηροῦ γένους ἀφωρισμένας, οὔτε θεοὺς οὔτε δαίμονας ἀποκαλεῖν ἀξιοῖ, μέσας δὲ οὔσας θεοῦ καὶ δαιμόνων εὐθυβόλῳ καὶ μέσῃ προσηγορίᾳ ἀγγέλους θεοῦ καὶ πνεύματα λειτουργικά, δυνάμεις τε θείας καὶ ἀρχαγγέλους, καί τισιν ἄλλαις ἐπωνυμίαις φερωνύμως τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτῶν ὀνομάζειν εἴωθε, τοὺς δὲ δαίμονας, εἰ δὴ καὶ τούτων ἡμᾶς προσήκει τὴν ἐτυμολογίαν ἐξειπεῖν, οὐχ ᾗπερ Ἕλλησι δοκεῖ παρὰ τὸ δαήμονας εἶναι καὶ ἐπιστήμονας, ἀλλ’ ἢ παρὰ τὸ δειμαίνειν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ φοβεῖσθαι καὶ ἐκφοβεῖσθαι, δαίμονάς τινας προσφυῶς ὀνομάζεσθαι.	^5.4 For the divine oracles among us name no demon as good at all, but hold that all who have received this lot and designation are evil, just as there is no other God truly and properly so called except the One who is the Cause of all things. As for the noble and good powers—inasmuch as they are created in nature and fall far short of God, who is unbegotten and their Creator, yet are strictly separated from the wicked class of demons—Scripture does not deem it right to call them either gods or demons. Rather, standing midway between God and demons, it customarily names them by an accurate and intermediate designation as "angels of God," "ministering spirits," "divine powers," and "archangels," along with other titles corresponding appropriately to their ministries. As for demons, if it is proper for us to express their etymology, they are fittingly named daimones not according to the opinion of the Greeks—as being named from daēmones ("knowing" and "knowledgeable")—but rather from deimainein, which means "to fear" and "to cause terror."
^5.5 Τάς γέ τοι θείας καὶ ἀγαθὰς δυνάμεις, ὥσπερ οὖν τοῦ τρόπου, οὑτωσὶ δὲ καὶ τῆς προσηγορίας τῆς δαιμονικῆς ἀλλοτρίας τυγχάνειν· ἐπεὶ καὶ πάντων ἂν εἴη παραλογώτατον τὰς μήτε τὴν προαίρεσιν μήτε τὴν ἐκ τοῦ τρόπου φύσιν ὁμοίας μιᾶς καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐπωνυμίας ἀξιοῦν.	^5.5 At any rate, the divine and good powers are as alien to the demonic designation as they are to that demonic character; for it would be the most irrational thing of all to deem those who are alike neither in moral purpose nor in disposition of character worthy of one and the same title.

Chapter 6

☜ ☞

In this chapter, Eusebius considers the nature of pagan oracles and their prophecies. To ensure he has an unbiased defense, he uses not his own arguments but the primary testimony of pagan authors themselves, such as Porphyry who wrote against Christianity.

^6.1 Φέρε οὖν ἐπισκεψώμεθα τίς ὁ κατ’ αὐτοὺς τῶν χρηστηρίων τρόπος, ὡς ἂν μάθωμεν ποίας χρὴ δυνάμεως αὐτοὺς ἀποφήνασθαι, καὶ εἴτε ὀρθῶς αὐτῶν ἀνεχωρήσαμεν εἴτε καὶ μή. εἰ δὲ μέλλοιμι παρ’ ἐμαυτοῦ τοὺς ἐλέγχους τῶν δηλουμένων προφέρειν, εὖ οἶδ’ ὅτι μηδ’ ἀνεπίληπτον παρέξω τοῖς φιλεγκλήμοσι τὸν λόγον. διόπερ αὐτὸς οὐδὲν οἴκοθεν εἰπὼν αὖθις ταῖς τῶν ἔξωθεν ἀποχρήσομαι μαρτυρίαις.	^6.1 Come then, let us examine what manner of oracle-giving exists among them, so that we may learn what kind of power we ought to declare them to possess, and whether we were right or not in withdrawing from them. But if I were to produce the refutations of these matters from my own resources, I know full well that I would render my argument not unassailable to fault-finders. Therefore, saying nothing of my own invention, I shall again make full use of testimonies from outside sources.
^6.2 Μυρίων δὲ ὄντων παρ’ Ἕλλησι λογογράφων τε καὶ φιλοσόφων, πρὸ πάντων ἐπιτήδειον εἰς τὰ προκείμενα ἐγκρίνω τὸν δαιμόνων φίλον αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον, ὃς δὴ καθ’ ἡμᾶς γεγονὼς ταῖς καθ’ ἡμῶν ἐλλαμπρύνεται ψευδηγορίαις. μάλιστα γὰρ φιλοσόφων οὗτος τῶν καθ’ ἡμᾶς δοκεῖ καὶ δαίμοσι καὶ οἷς φησι θεοῖς ὡμιληκέναι, ὑπέρ τε τούτων πρεσβεῦσαι, καὶ πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν ἀκριβέστερον διηρευνηκέναι.	^6.2 Though there are myriads of prose-writers and philosophers among the Greeks, I judge above all others suitable for the present subject that very friend of demons himself, who, having lived in our own time, prides himself on his false accusations against us. For of the philosophers in our day, he especially seems to have held converse with demons and with those whom he calls gods, to have acted as an advocate on their behalf, and to have investigated the matters concerning them with far greater precision.
^6.3 Οὗτος τοιγαροῦν ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραψε «Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας» συναγωγὴν ἐποιήσατο χρησμῶν τοῦ τε Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν θεῶν τε καὶ ἀγαθῶν δαιμόνων, οὓς μάλιστα ἐκλεξάμενος αὑτῷ ἡγήσατο ἱκανοὺς εἶναι εἴς τε ἀπόδειξιν τῆς τῶν θεολογουμένων ἀρετῆς εἴς τε προτροπὴν τῆς, ἧς αὐτῷ φίλον ὀνομάζειν, θεοσοφίας.	^6.3 He, therefore, in the work which he entitled On the Philosophy from Oracles, made a compilation of the oracles of Apollo and the other gods and good demons; having selected these as most authoritative for himself, he considered them sufficient both for demonstrating the virtue of divine doctrines and for encouraging that which he is pleased to call "theosophy."
^6.4 Ἐκ δὴ τούτων τοιγαροῦν τῶν ἐγκριθέντων καὶ μνήμης ἀξιωθέντων λογίων διακρῖναι καλὸν τοὺς χρησμολόγους, καὶ σκέψασθαι ποίας ποτὲ ὄντες τυγχάνουσι δυνάμεως. Πρῶτον δὲ θεασώμεθα ὅπως τῆς γραφῆς ὁ δηλωθεὶς ἀνὴρ ἀρχόμενος ἡμῖν ἀληθεύειν ἐπόμνυται λέγων οὕτως·	^6.4 It is fitting, therefore, from these very oracles that were approved and deemed worthy of record, to judge the oracle-mongers and to consider what kind of power they actually possess. But first let us observe how the man referred to, at the beginning of his writing, swears to us that he speaks the truth, saying as follows:

Chapter 7

☜ ☞

Eusebius presents Porphyry's introduction with his pledges and an instruction to keep these divine revelations secret from the masses.

^7.1 «Βέβαιος δὲ καὶ μόνιμος ὁ ἐντεῦθεν ὡς ἂν ἐκ μόνου βεβαίου τὰς ἐλπίδας τοῦ σωθῆναι ἀρυτόμενος, οἷς δὴ καὶ μεταδώσεις μηδὲν ὑφαιρούμενος. ἐπεὶ κἀγαθοὺς θεοὺς μαρτύρομαι ὡς οὐδὲν οὔτε προστέθεικα οὔτε ἀφεῖλον τῶν χρησθέντων νοημάτων, εἰ μή που λέξιν ἡμαρτημένην διώρθωσα, ἢ πρὸς τὸ σαφέστερον μεταβέβληκα, ἢ τὸ μέτρον ἐλλεῖπον ἀνεπλήρωσα, ἤ τι τῶν μὴ πρὸς τὴν πρόθεσιν συντεινόντων διέγραψα, τὸν δὲ νοῦν ἀκραιφνῆ τῶν ῥηθέντων διετήρησα, εὐλαβούμενος τὴν ἐκ τούτων ἀσέβειαν μᾶλλον ἢ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἱεροσυλίας τιμωρὸν ἑπομένην δίκην.

^7.1 "Firm and steadfast is he who draws his hopes of salvation from this source, as from the only firm ground; to such persons you shall impart these truths, holding nothing back. For I call the good gods to witness that I have added nothing and subtracted nothing from the sense of the oracles, except where I corrected a faulty expression, or changed it for greater clarity, or supplied a missing meter, or deleted something that did not contribute to the purpose. But I preserved the pure sense of what was spoken, dreading the impiety resulting from such alteration far more than the avenging justice that follows upon sacrilege.

^7.2 Ἕξει δὲ ἡ παροῦσα συναγωγὴ πολλῶν μὲν τῶν κατὰ φιλοσοφίαν δογμάτων ἀναγραφήν, ὡς οἱ θεοὶ τἀληθὲς ἔχειν ἐθέσπισαν· ἐπ’ ὀλίγον δὲ καὶ τῆς χρηστικῆς ἁψόμεθα πραγματείας, ἥτις πρός τε τὴν θεωρίαν ὀνήσει καὶ πρὸς τὴν ὅλην κάθαρσιν τοῦ βίου. ἣν δ’ ἔχει ὠφέλειαν ἡ συναγωγὴ μάλιστα εἴσονται ὅσοιπερ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὠδίνοντες ηὔξαντό ποτε τῆς ἐκ θεῶν ἐπιφανείας τυχόντες ἀνάπαυσιν λαβεῖν τῆς ἀπορίας διὰ τὴν τῶν λεγόντων ἀξιόπιστον διδασκαλίαν.»

Τοιούτοις χρησάμενος προοιμίοις μαρτύρεται καὶ προκαταγγέλλει μὴ εἰς πολλοὺς ἐκφῆναι τὰ λεχθησόμενα, λέγων οὕτως·

^7.2 The present collection will contain a record of many philosophical doctrines, according to what the gods declared to be the truth. To a small extent we shall also touch upon the practical art of oracles, which will profit both contemplation and the complete purification of life. What benefit this collection possesses will be known especially by those who, laboring in birth-pangs for the truth, have prayed that by obtaining a divine manifestation from the gods they might receive rest from their perplexity through the trustworthy teaching of the speakers."

Having used such prefaces, he calls witnesses and commands beforehand not to publish what is about to be said to the many, speaking as follows:

Chapter 8

☜ ☞

Porphyry explicitly commands his disciple to keep these oracular secrets. Eusebius highlights a blatant contradiction within Porphyry’s compilation.

^8.1 «Σὺ δ’ εἴπερ τι καὶ ταῦτα πειρῶ μὴ δημοσιεύειν, μηδ’ ἄχρι καὶ τῶν βεβήλων ῥίπτειν αὐτὰ δόξης ἕνεκα ἢ κέρδους ἤ τινος ἄλλης οὐκ εὐαγοῦς κολακείας. Κίνδυνος γὰρ οὐ σοὶ μόνον τὰς ἐντολὰς παραβαίνοντι ταύτας, ἀλλὰ κἀμοὶ ῥᾳδίως πιστεύσαντι τῷ στέγειν παρ’ ἑαυτῷ μὴ δυναμένῳ τὰς εὐποιίας. Δοτέον δὴ τοῖς τὸν βίον ἐνστησαμένοις πρὸς τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς σωτηρίαν.»	^8.1 "And do you, above all, try not to make these things public, nor to toss them even to the uninitiated for the sake of glory, or gain, or any other unholy flattery. For there is danger not only to you if you transgress these commands, but also to me who rashly trusted one who cannot keep benefactions hidden within himself. They must be imparted, therefore, only to those who have directed their life toward the salvation of the soul."
^8.2 Καὶ μεθ’ ἕτερα ἐπιλέγει· «Ταῦτά μοι ὡς ἀρρήτων ἀρρητότερα κρύπτειν· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ θεοὶ φανερῶς περὶ αὑτῶν ἐθέσπισαν, ἀλλὰ δι’ αἰνιγμάτων.»	^8.2 And after other matters he adds: "Hide these things as secrets more secret than unutterable mysteries; for not even the gods declared their oracles concerning themselves openly, but through riddles."
^8.3 Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τοιαῦτα ὁ λόγος ἀνετείνατο, φέρε λοιπὸν διὰ τῶν ἐνθέων καὶ πυθοχρήστων λογίων σκεψώμεθα ποδαπὰς εἶναι τὰς θεολογουμένας ἀφανεῖς δυνάμεις προσήκει λογίζεσθαι· γένοιτο γὰρ ἂν καὶ ἀνδρὸς ἔλεγχος ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων λόγων τε καὶ ἐπιτηδευμάτων.	^8.3 Since, therefore, his discourse has made such solemn declarations, come now, let us consider through these inspired and Pythian-uttered oracles what sort of invisible powers those being theology-described ought to be reckoned; for a man's refutation best comes from his own words and pursuits.
^8.4 Ὁ δὴ οὖν προδηλωθεὶς ἀνὴρ ἐν αὐτοῖς οἷς ἐπέγραψε «Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας» χρησμοὺς τίθησι τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, τὰς διὰ ζῴων θυσίας ἐργάζεσθαι παρακελευομένου, καὶ μὴ μόνοις δαίμοσι, μηδὲ μόναις ταῖς περιγείοις δυνάμεσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς αἰθερίοις καὶ οὐρανίοις ζῳοθυτεῖν.	^8.4 Now the aforementioned man, in those very writings which he entitled On the Philosophy from Oracles, sets forth oracles of Apollo commanding that sacrifices through living animals be performed, and instructing to sacrifice animals not only to demons, nor only to terrestrial powers, but also to the etheric and heavenly deities.
^8.5 Ἐν ἑτέροις δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς δαίμονας, ἀλλ’ οὐ θεοὺς εἶναι ὁμολογῶν ἅπαντας, οἷς Ἕλληνες τὰς δι’ αἱμάτων καὶ ζῴων ἀλόγων σφαγῆς ἐπετέλουν θυσίας, μὴ χρῆναι μηδ’ ὅσιον εἶναι θεοῖς ζῳοθυτεῖν φησίν.	^8.5 Yet in other writings, the same author—confessing that all those beings to whom the Greeks offered sacrifices through blood and the slaughter of irrational animals are demons, but not gods—asserts that it is neither necessary nor holy to offer animal sacrifices to the gods.
^8.6 Ἄκουε τοιγαροῦν τῶν πρώτων αὐτοῦ φωνῶν, δι’ ὧν τὰ περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας συνάγων, πῶς ὁ Ἀπόλλων χρῆναι θεραπεύειν τοὺς θεοὺς διδάσκει· ὃ καὶ παρατίθεται γράφων ὧδε·	^8.6 Listen, therefore, to his first utterances, through which, in compiling his material on the philosophy from oracles, he shows how Apollo teaches that one ought to worship the gods; which he also sets down, writing as follows:

Chapter 9

☜ ☞

Eusebius quotes Apollo's oracle (via Porphyry's Philosophy from Oracles), which categorizes gods into five distinct realms (terrestrial, subterranean, aerial, marine, celestial/etheric) and prescribes exact sacrificial rites for each.

^9.1 «Ἀκολούθως μετὰ τὰ ῥηθέντα περὶ εὐσεβείας, ἅ περὶ τῆς θεραπείας αὐτῶν ἔχρησαν ἀναγράφοιμεν ἄν, ὧν ἐκ μέρους κἀν τοῖς περὶ εὐσεβείας φθάσαντες παρατεθείκαμεν. ἔστι δὲ ὁ χρησμὸς τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος ἅμα καὶ διαίρεσιν τῆς τῶν θεῶν περιέχων τάξεως·	^9.1 "Following upon what has been said concerning piety, we should next record what they delivered by oracle regarding their own worship, parts of which we have already set forth in our discussion on piety. Now the oracle of Apollo contains at once a division of the order of the gods:
^9.2 Ἐργάζευ, φίλε, τήνδε θεόσδοτον ἐς τρίβον ἐλθών, μηδ’ ἐπιλήθεο τῶν μακάρων, θυσίας ἐναρίζων πῇ μὲν ἐπιχθονίοις, πῇ δ’ οὐρανίοις, ποτὲ δ’ αἴθρης αὐτοῖσιν βασιλεῦσι καὶ ἠέρος ὑγροπόροιο, ἠδὲ θαλασσαίοις καὶ ὑποχθονίοισιν ἅπασι· πάντα γὰρ ἐνδέδεται φύσεως μεστώμασι τῶνδε. ζῴων δ’ ὡς θέμις ἐστὶ τελευτῆσαι καθαγισμούς ἀείσω, δέλτοις δὲ χαράσσετε χρησμὸν ἐμεῖο· τοὺς μὲν ἐπιχθονίοις, τοὺς δ’ οὐρανίοισι θεοῖσι· φαιδρὰ μὲν οὐρανίοις, χθονίοις δ’ ἐναλίγκια χροιῇ. τῶν χθονίων διάειρε τριχῇ θυσίας ἐναρίζων, νερτερίων κατάθαπτε, καὶ εἰς βόθρον αἷμα ἴαλλε, χεῦ’ δὲ μέλι Νύμφας τε Διονύσοιό τε δῶρα. ὅσσοι δ’ ἀμφὶ γέην πωτώμενοι αἰὲν ἔασι, τοῖσδε φόνου πλήσας πάντῃ πυριπληθέα βωμόν ἐν πυρὶ βάλλε δέμας θύσας ζῴοιο ποτανοῦ, καὶ μέλι φυράσας Δηωΐῳ ἀλφίτῳ ἔνθευ, ἀτμούς τε λιβάνοιο καὶ οὐλοχύτας ἐπίβαλλε. εὖτε δὲ πὰρ ψαμάθοισιν ἴῃς, γλαυκὴν ἅλα χεύας, κὰκ κεφαλῆς θυσίαζε, καὶ εἰς βαθὺ κῦμα θαλάσσης ζῷον ὅλον προίαλλε. τελευτήσας τάδε πάντα, ἐς πλατὺν ἠερίων χορὸν ἔρχεο Οὐρανιώνων. ἀστραίοις δ’ ἤπειτα καὶ αἰθερίοις ἐπὶ πᾶσιν αἷμα μὲν ἐκ λαιμῶν κρουνώμασιν ἀμφὶ θυηλὰς λιμνάζειν, τὰ δὲ γυῖα θεοῖς ἐν δαιτὶ πονεῖσθαι· ἄκρα Ἠφαίστῳ δόμεναι, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ πάσασθαι, ἀτμοῖσιν λαροῖσιν ἐνιπλήσαντες ἅπαντα ἠέρα ῥευσταλέον· ἐπὶ δ’ εὐχὰς πέμπε θεοῖσιν.»	^9.2 'Enter upon this god-given path, my friend, and do not forget the blessed ones, offering sacrifices in one way to the terrestrial gods, in another to the heavenly, and at times to the kings of the ether itself and of the fluid air, as well as to all those of the sea and those beneath the earth; for all things are bound fast in the fulfillments of these gods' nature. I shall sing how it is lawful to complete the consecrations of living animals, and do you engrave my oracle upon tablets: offer some to the terrestrial, others to the heavenly gods—bright victims to the heavenly, but victims like in color to the earth-gods. Divide the sacrifices of the terrestrial gods threefold as you offer them: bury those for the nether gods, pour their blood into a pit, and pour out honey with the gifts of the Nymphs and of Dionysus. But for all those who ever hover around the earth, fill the altar everywhere full with fire, sacrifice the body of a winged creature and throw it into the fire; set in place honey mixed with Demeter's barley meal, and add the vapors of frankincense and barley groats. But when you go by the sea-sands, pour out gray sea-water, sacrifice over your head, and hurl the whole animal into the deep wave of the sea. Having completed all these things, pass to the broad choir of the heavenly ones. Then to all the astral and etheric gods, let blood from the throats stream around the sacrificial offerings, while the limbs are prepared for the gods in a feast: give the extremities to Hephaestus, but taste the rest yourselves, filling all the flowing air with savory vapors; and thereupon send up prayers to the gods.'
^9.3 Καὶ μετ’ ὀλίγα ἐπεξηγεῖται τὸν χρησμὸν ἑρμηνεύων ὧδε· «Αἱ δὲ θυσίαι ἔχουσι τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον κατὰ τὴν προρρηθεῖσαν διαίρεσιν τῶν θεῶν ἐκδεδομέναι. ὄντων γὰρ ὑποχθονίων καὶ ἐπιχθονίων θεῶν, καὶ τῶν μὲν ὑποχθονίων καὶ νερτερίων καλουμένων, τῶν δ’ ἐπιχθονίων καὶ χθονίων κληθέντων θεῶν, κοινῶς μὲν τούτοις ἱερεῖα τετράποδα μέλανα θύειν παρακελεύεται, περὶ δὲ τὸν τρόπον τῆς θυσίας ἐξαλλάττει· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἐπιχθονίοις σφάζειν ἐπὶ βωμῶν, τοῖς δ’ ὑποχθονίοις ἐπὶ βόθρων παρακελεύεται, καὶ μέντοι καὶ θάπτειν τούτοις θύσαντας τὰ σώματα.	^9.3 And after a few words he explains the oracle, interpreting it as follows: 'Now the sacrifices are rendered in this manner, according to the aforesaid division of the gods. For since there are subterranean and terrestrial gods—the former being called nether and subterranean, the latter termed terrestrial and earthly—it is commanded in common to sacrifice black quadruped victims to these; yet he makes a distinction regarding the manner of sacrifice: for he commands to slay victims on altars for the terrestrial gods, but in pits for the subterranean gods, and indeed for those who sacrifice to the latter to bury the bodies.
^9.4 Ὅτι γὰρ κοινὰ τούτων καὶ τὰ τετράποδα, αὐτὸς ἐρωτηθεὶς ἐπήγαγε· “Ξυνὰ πέλει χθονίων καὶ ὑποχθονίων τάδε μούνων, τετράποδα χθονίοις ἀρνῶν νεοπηγέα γυῖα.” Τοῖς δὲ ἀερίοις πτηνὰ θύειν παρακελεύεται ὁλοκαυτοῦντας καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἐπὶ τῶν βωμῶν περιάγοντας· τοῖς δὲ θαλασσίοις πτηνὰ μέν, ζῶντα δὲ ἀφιέναι εἰς τὰ κύματα, μέλανα τὴν χρόαν ὄντα. Φησὶ γάρ· “Τοῖς δὲ θεοῖς τὰ πετεινά, θαλασσαίοις δὲ κελαινά,”	^9.4 For that quadrupeds are common to these, he himself added when asked: "These belong in common to the terrestrial and subterranean gods alone—quadrupeds with the newly formed limbs of lambs." But to the aerial gods he commands to sacrifice winged creatures, burning them whole and carrying the blood around upon the altars; and to the sea-gods winged creatures also, but to release them alive into the waves, being black in color. For he says: "To the gods belong winged creatures, but to the sea-gods black ones,"
^9.5 πᾶσι μὲν λέγων τοῖς θεοῖς πλὴν τῶν χθονίων τὰ πετεινά, μόνοις δὲ τοῖς θαλασσίοις τὰ κελαινά, οὐκοῦν τοῖς ἄλλοις λευκά. Τοῖς δ’ οὐρανίοις καὶ αἰθερίοις τὰ ἄκρα τῶν ἱερείων λευκῶν ὄντων ἀφιεροῦν, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ μέρη ἐσθίειν· “Ἐκ μόνων γὰρ τούτων βρωτέον σοι, ἐκ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων μή.” Οὓς δὲ εἴρηκεν ἐν τῇ διαιρέσει οὐρανίους, τούτους οὓς ἐνταῦθα ἀστραίους.	^9.5 meaning winged creatures for all the gods except the terrestrial, but black ones for the sea-gods alone—and therefore white ones for the others. To the heavenly and etheric gods, one must consecrate the extremities of white sacrificial victims, and eat the remaining parts: "For from these alone may you eat, but from the others not." And those whom he called heavenly in the division, he here calls astral.
^9.6 Ἆρ’ οὖν δεήσει ἐξηγήσασθαι τῶν θυσιῶν τὰ σύμβολα τῷ εὐσυνέτῳ δῆλα; Τετράποδα μὲν γὰρ τοῖς χθονίοις καὶ χερσαῖα· τῷ γὰρ ὁμοίῳ χαίρει τὸ ὅμοιον. Χθόνιον δὲ τὸ πρόβατον καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Δήμητρι φίλον, καὶ ἐν οὐρανῷ τὴν ἔκφανσιν ἐκ τῆς γῆς τῶν καρπῶν μεθ’ ἡλίου λοχεύει. Μέλανα δέ· τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ γῆ φύσει σκοτεινή. Τρία δέ· τοῦ γὰρ σωματικοῦ καὶ γεώδους τὰ τρία σύμβολον.	^9.6 Will it then be necessary to explain the symbols of the sacrifices, which are clear to the intelligent? For quadrupeds and land-animals belong to the terrestrial gods, since like delights in like. And the sheep is terrestrial and on this account dear to Demeter, and in heaven it brings to birth the manifestation of the earth's fruits together with the sun. And they are black, for such is the nature of the dark earth. And they are three; for three is the symbol of the corporeal and earthly.
^9.7 Τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἐπιχθονίοις ἄνω ἐπὶ βωμῶν δεῖ θῦσαι· ἐπὶ γὰρ τῆς γῆς ἀναστρέφονται· τοῖς δ’ ὑποχθονίοις ἐν βόθρῳ καὶ ἐν ταφῇ, ἔνθα διατρίβουσι. Τὰ πτηνὰ δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ὅτι πάντα θεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀεικίνητον τῆς θαλάσσης, μέλαν δέ· διὸ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἱερεία πρόσφορα. Τοῖς δὲ ἀερίοις λευκά· πεφώτισται γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἀὴρ φύσεως ὢν διαφανοῦς. Οὐρανίοις δὲ καὶ αἰθερίοις τὰ ἐπὶ τῶν ζῴων κουφότερα, ἅπερ ἐστὶν ἄκρα, οἷς κοινωνεῖν τῆς θυσίας δεῖ. Δοτῆρες γὰρ οὗτοι ἀγαθῶν, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι τῶν κακῶν κωλυτῆρες.» Τοιαῦτα μὲν τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ θεοσόφου.	^9.7 To the terrestrial gods, then, one must sacrifice above upon altars, for they move upon the earth; but to the subterranean gods in a pit and in a burial place, where they abide. Winged creatures belong to the others because all things fly. For the water of the sea is ever-moving, and black; wherefore such sacrifices are suitable. To the aerial gods white victims belong, for the air is illuminated, being transparent by nature. To the heavenly and etheric gods belong the lighter parts of animals, which are the extremities, of which it is proper to partake in sacrifice. For these are givers of good things, whereas the others are averters of evil.' Such are the statements from the philosophy derived from oracles by this wonderful god-wise man."

Chapter 10

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In this chapter, Eusebius exposes the Neoplatonic self-contradiction. Sacrifices to evil spirits cannot be beneficial because they are evil. In contrast, Christians worship a supreme God who benefits His believers.

^10.1 Φέρε δὲ τοῦ αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐναντίας τούτοις φωνὰς συγκρίνωμεν, ἃς τέθειται ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραψε «Περὶ τῆς τῶν ἐμψύχων ἀποχῆς»· ἔνθα δὴ ὀρθῷ λογισμῷ κινούμενος πρῶτον ἁπάντων ὁμολογεῖ μὴ δεῖν τὸ καθόλου μηδὲν μήτε θυμιᾶν μήτε θύειν τῷ ἐπὶ πᾶσι θεῷ, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ταῖς μετ’ αὐτὸν θείαις καὶ οὐρανίαις δυνάμεσιν.	^10.1 Come now, let us compare the statements of the same author that contradict these, which he has set down in those writings entitled On Abstinence from Animal Food. There, moved by right reasoning, he admits first of all that one ought not to burn incense at all nor sacrifice anything to the God over all, nor even to the divine and heavenly powers that come after Him.
^10.2 Εἶτα δὲ ἐπεξιὼν τὰς τῶν πολλῶν ὑπολήψεις ἀνασκευάζει, μὴ χρῆναι φάσκων θεοὺς ὑπολαμβάνειν τοὺς ταῖς διὰ ζῴων θυσίαις χαίροντας. Εἶναι γάρ φησι πάντων ἀδικώτατον τὸ ζῳοθυτεῖν, καὶ ἀνόσιον καὶ μυσαρὸν καὶ βλαβερὸν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μηδὲ θεοῖς προσφιλές. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγων δῆλος ἂν εἴη τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θεὸν ἀπελέγχων· προστάττειν γὰρ ἀρτίως ἔφησε τὸν χρησμὸν μὴ μόνον τοῖς ὑποχθονίοις καὶ ἐπιχθονίοις θεοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἀερίοις οὐρανίοις τε καὶ αἰθερίοις ζῳοθυτεῖν.	^10.2 Then, proceeding further, he dismantles the assumptions of the multitude, saying that one ought not to consider as gods those who delight in animal sacrifices. For he says that animal sacrifice is of all things most unjust, impious, abominable, and harmful, and for this reason not even pleasing to gods. But in saying these things, he clearly convicts his own god; for he claimed just now that the oracle commands animal sacrifice not only to subterranean and terrestrial gods, but also to aerial, celestial, and etheric ones.
^10.3 Καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἀπόλλων τοιαῦτα· ὁ δὲ τὸν Θεόφραστον μαρτυρόμενος θεοῖς μὲν οὔ φησιν ἁρμόζειν τὴν διὰ ζῴων θυσίαν, δαίμοσι δὲ μόνοις· ὥστε κατὰ τὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ Θεοφράστου λόγον δαίμονα εἶναι, ἀλλ’ οὐ θεὸν τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας τοὺς παρὰ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι νενομισμένους θεοὺς, οἷς τὰς διὰ ζῴων θυσίας πανδημὶ πάντες ἄρχοντές τε καὶ ἀρχόμενοι κατά τε πόλεις καὶ χώρας ἐκτελοῦσι· τούτους γὰρ οὐκ ἄλλο τι τυγχάνειν ἡγεῖσθαι χρὴ κατὰ τοὺς εἰρημένους ἢ δαίμονας.	^10.3 Thus Apollo says one thing, while Porphyry, calling Theophrastus as his witness, says that animal sacrifice is not fitting for gods, but for demons alone. So according to his own argument and that of Theophrastus, Apollo is a demon and not a god—and indeed, so too are all those who are regarded as gods among all the nations, to whom all leaders and subjects alike, in public throughout cities and regions, perform animal sacrifices; for according to the aforementioned writers, one must consider these to be nothing other than demons.
^10.4 Εἰ δὲ ἀγαθοὺς εἶναί φασιν αὐτούς, καὶ πῶς, εἴπερ ἀνόσιος ἦν καὶ μυσαρὰ καὶ ἐπιβλαβὴς ἡ δι’ αἱμάτων θυσία, ἀγαθοὶ ἂν εἶεν οἱ τοῖς τοιοῖσδε χαίροντες; Εἰ δὲ καὶ μὴ μόναις ταῖς τοιαύταις δὴ θυσίαις, καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν δὲ ὠμότητος καὶ ἀπανθρωπίας φανεῖεν ἀνδροκτασίαις καὶ ἀνθρωποθυσίαις ἡδόμενοι, πῶς οὐκ ἄντικρυς εἶεν ἂν μιαιφόνοι, καὶ πάσης ὠμότητος καὶ ἀπανθρωπίας οἰκεῖοι, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ πονηροὶ δαίμονες;	^10.4 But if they say that these beings are good, how—if blood sacrifice was impious, abominable, and harmful—could those who delight in such things be good? And if they appear to take pleasure not only in such sacrifices, but in an excess of cruelty and inhumanity even in slayings of men and human sacrifices, how could they not be outright murderers, akin to every cruelty and savagery, and nothing other than evil demons?
^10.5 Τούτων δὲ ἡμῖν τὴν ἀπόδειξιν εἰληφότων οἶμαι τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐκ τῶν δηλουμένων ἀναχωρήσεως τὸ εὔλογον ἀποδεδόσθαι. Μὴ γὰρ εἶναι ὅσιον μηδ’ εὐσεβές, μὴ ὅτι τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ σεβασμίαν προσηγορίαν καὶ τὴν ἀνωτάτω τιμὴν ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ πνεύματα καταβάλλειν, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τοῦ παρ’ ἀνθρώποις τὴν βασίλειον ἐπικειμένου ἀξίαν λῃσταῖς καὶ τοιχωρύχοις περιτιθέναι.	^10.5 Since we have established proof of these matters, I consider that a reasonable justification has been given for our departure from the things described. For it is neither holy nor pious to bestow the venerable title of God and the supreme honor upon evil spirits—just as it would be improper to bestow the rank of an emperor among men upon bandits and burglars.
^10.6 Ὅθεν ἡμεῖς μόνον τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων σέβειν δεδιδαγμένοι θεόν, τιμᾶν τε κατὰ τὸ προσῆκον καὶ τὰς ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν θεοφιλεῖς τε καὶ μακαρίας δυνάμεις, οὐδὲν μὲν γεῶδες καὶ νεκρόν, οὐδὲ λύθρους καὶ αἵματα, οὐδέ τι τῆς φθαρτῆς καὶ ὑλικῆς οὐσίας ἐπαγόμεθα· νῷ δὲ πάσης κεκαθαρμένῳ κακίας καὶ σώματι τὸν ἐξ ἁγνείας καὶ σωφροσύνης κόσμον πάσης λαμπρότερον ὄντα στολῆς περιβεβλημένῳ, δόγμασί τε ὀρθοῖς καὶ θεοπρεπέσι, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις διαθέσει γνησίᾳ τὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν παραδοθεῖσαν εὐσέβειαν μέχρι καὶ θανάτου φυλάττειν εὐχόμεθα.	^10.6 Whence we, having been taught to worship only the God over all, and to honor in a fitting manner those divine and blessed powers around Him, bring forward nothing earthly or dead, nor gore and blood, nor anything of corruptible and material substance; but with a mind cleansed of all evil, and with a body clothed in the adornment of purity and self-control—which is brighter than any robe—and with sound and godly doctrines, and above all these with a sincere disposition, we pray to preserve unto death the piety handed down by our Savior.
^10.7 Ἀλλὰ γὰρ τούτων ἡμῖν προδιηρθρωμένων ὥρα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς ἀποδείξεις τῶν εἰρημένων χωρεῖν. Πρῶτα δὲ πάντων διελθεῖν εὔλογον δι’ ὧν ὁ προειρημένος συγγραφεὺς ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραψε «Περὶ τῆς τῶν ἐμψύχων ἀποχῆς» μὴ χρῆναί φησι μήτε τῷ ἐπὶ πάντων θεῷ μήτε ταῖς μετ’ αὐτὸν θείαις δυνάμεσι γεῶδες μηδὲν μήτε θυμιᾶν μήτε θύειν· ἀλλότρια γὰρ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἢ κατὰ τὴν πρέπουσαν εὐσέβειαν.	^10.7 But since we have set these preliminary matters in order, it is time to proceed to the proofs of what has been said. First of all, it is reasonable to recount those passages through which the aforementioned author, in those writings entitled On Abstinence from Animal Food, says that one must offer or sacrifice nothing earthly—neither as incense nor as sacrifice—to the God over all, nor to the divine powers after Him; for such things are foreign to proper piety.

Chapter 11

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This chapter asserts that no material offerings, incense, or even spoken words are fitting for the Supreme, Immaterial God. True worship consists of silent, pure contemplation and an elevated, impassive soul.

^11.1 «Θεῷ μὲν τῷ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, ὥς τις ἀνὴρ σοφὸς ἔφη, μηδὲν τῶν αἰσθητῶν μήτε θυμιῶντες μήτ’ ἐπονομάζοντες· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔνυλον ὃ μὴ τῷ ἀύλῳ εὐθύς ἐστιν ἀκάθαρτον. Διὸ οὐδὲ λόγος τούτῳ ὁ κατὰ φωνὴν οἰκεῖος, οὐδ’ ὁ ἔνδον, ὅταν πάθει ψυχῆς ᾖ μεμολυσμένος· διὰ δὲ σιγῆς καθαρᾶς καὶ τῶν περὶ αὐτοῦ καθαρῶν ἐννοιῶν θρησκεύομεν αὐτόν. Δεῖ ἄρα συναφθέντας καὶ ὁμοιωθέντας αὐτῷ τὴν αὑτῶν ἀναγωγὴν θυσίαν ἱερὰν προσάγειν τῷ θεῷ, τὴν αὐτὴν δὲ καὶ ὕμνον οὖσαν καὶ ἡμῶν σωτηρίαν. Ἐν ἀπαθείᾳ ἄρα τῆς ψυχῆς, τοῦ δὲ θεοῦ θεωρίᾳ ἡ θυσία αὕτη τελεῖται.»

^11.1 "To the God who is over all, as a certain wise man said, we must offer nothing sensory—neither burning incense nor naming Him by name; for there is nothing material that is not immediately impure to the Immaterial One. Wherefore not even spoken speech is proper to Him, nor yet inner speech when it is defiled by passion of soul; but through pure silence and pure thoughts concerning Him we worship Him. Having been united and made like unto Him, we must therefore bring our own elevation as a sacred sacrifice to God, which is at once both a hymn and our salvation. In the impassivity of the soul, then, and in the contemplation of God, this sacrifice is perfected."

Chapter 12

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In chapters 12 and 13, Eusebius notes that Apollonius of Tyana wrote in a similar way that offerings of material things do not please the Supreme One.

^12.1 «Τοῖς δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐκγόνοις, νοητοῖς δὲ θεοῖς, ἤδη καὶ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ λόγου ὑμνῳδίαν προσθετέον. Ἀπαρχὴ γὰρ ἑκάστῳ ὧν δέδωκεν ἡ θυσία, καὶ δι’ ὧν ἡμᾶς τρέφει καὶ εἰς τὸ εἶναι συνέχει τὴν οὐσίαν. Ὡς οὖν γεωργὸς δραγμάτων ἀπάρχεται καὶ τῶν ἀκροδρύων, οὕτως ἡμεῖς ἀπαρξώμεθα αὐτοῖς ἐννοιῶν τῶν περὶ αὐτῶν καλῶν, εὐχαριστοῦντες ὧν ἡμῖν δεδώκασι τὴν θεωρίαν, καὶ ὅτι ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς αὐτῶν θέας ἀληθινῶς τρέφουσι, συνόντες καὶ φαινόμενοι καὶ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ σωτηρίᾳ ἐπιλάμποντες.»

Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν οὗτος. Ἀδελφὰ δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ συγγενῆ περὶ τοῦ πρώτου καὶ μεγάλου θεοῦ ἐν τῷ Περὶ θυσιῶν ὁ παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς ᾀδόμενος αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ὁ Τυανεὺς Ἀπολλώνιος γράφειν τοιάδε λέγεται·

^12.1 "To His offspring, however—the intelligible gods—one must now add song from reason. For sacrifice to each is a first-fruit of what he has given, and through which he feeds us and sustains our essence in being. As a farmer, then, offers first-fruits of sheaves and fruit trees, so let us offer to them first-fruits of good thoughts concerning them, giving thanks for the contemplation they have granted us, and because through their vision they truly feed us, being present and manifest, and shining forth upon our salvation."

Such are the statements of this author. And similar and akin to them regarding the first and great God, that famous Apollonius of Tyana himself, celebrated among the masses, is said to write in his work On Sacrifices as follows:

Chapter 13

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^13.1 «Οὕτως τοίνυν μάλιστα ἄν τις, οἶμαι, τὴν προσήκουσαν ἐπιμέλειαν ποιοῖτο τοῦ θείου, τυγχάνοι τε αὐτόθεν ἵλεώ τε καὶ εὐμενοῦς αὐτοῦ παρ’ ὅντινα οὖν μόνος ἀνθρώπων, εἰ θεῷ μὲν, ὃν δὴ πρῶτον ἔφαμεν, ἑνί τε ὄντι κεχωρισμένῳ πάντων, μεθ’ ὃν γνωρίζεσθαι τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀναγκαῖον, μὴ θύοι τι τὴν ἀρχὴν, μήτε ἀνάπτοι πῦρ, μήτε καθόλου τι τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἐπονομάζοι· (δεῖται γὰρ οὐδενὸς οὐδὲ παρὰ τῶν κρειττόνων ἤπερ ἡμεῖς, οὐδ’ ἔστιν ὃ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀνίησι γῆ φυτὸν, ἢ τρέφει ζῷον, ἢ ἀὴρ, ᾧ μὴ πρόσεστί γέ τι μίασμα·) μόνῳ δὲ χρῷτο πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀεὶ τῷ κρείττονι λόγῳ, λέγω δὲ τῷ μὴ διὰ στόματος ἰόντι, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ καλλίστου τῶν ὄντων διὰ τοῦ καλλίστου τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν αἰτοίη τἀγαθά· νοῦς δέ ἐστιν οὗτος, ὀργάνου μὴ δεόμενος. Οὐκοῦν κατὰ ταῦτα οὐδαμῶς τῷ μεγάλῳ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων θεῷ θυτέον.»

Τούτων δὲ ὧδε ἐχόντων θέα δὴ λοιπὸν ὁποῖα περὶ τοῦ ζῳοθυτεῖν ὁ πρότερος ἱστορεῖ συγγραφεὺς, μάρτυρα τοῦ λόγου τὸν Θεόφραστον ἀνακαλούμενος·

^13.1 "In this way, then, I think one might best render proper care to the Divine, and obtain Him gracious and kindly directly from Himself beyond any other man, if to that God—whom we called the first, who is One and set apart from all, after whom the rest must be recognized—he should offer nothing material at all, nor kindle fire, nor name Him by any sensory term whatsoever. (For He stands in need of nothing even from beings higher than we are, nor is there any plant the earth yields, or animal it rears, or air, to which some pollution does not attach.) Rather, let him always use toward Him only that superior speech—I mean that which does not pass through the mouth—and ask for good things from the Fairest of beings through the fairest element within us; and this is the Mind, which requires no vocal organ. Therefore, according to these principles, one must by no means sacrifice to the great God over all."

These things being so, look next at what sort of things the former writer records concerning animal sacrifice, calling upon Theophrastus as a witness for his account:

Chapter 14

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Eusebius recounts how mankind slid from bloodless first-fruit offerings into slaughter after suffering war and famine.

^14.1 «Πόρρω δὲ τῶν περὶ τὰς θυσίας ἀπαρχῶν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προϊοῦσιν παρανομίας ἡ τῶν δεινοτάτων θυμάτων παράληψις ἐπεισήχθη ὠμότητος πλήρης, ὡς δοκεῖν τὰς πρόσθεν λεχθείσας καθ’ ἡμῶν ἀρὰς νῦν τέλος εἰληφέναι, σφαξάντων τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τοὺς βωμοὺς αἱμαξάντων, ἀφ’ οὗ λιμῶν τε καὶ πολέμων πειραθέντες αἱμάτων ἥψαντο. Τοιγαροῦν τὸ δαιμόνιον, ὥς φησιν ὁ Θεόφραστος, τούτων ἑκατέρων νεμεσῆσαν, ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν πρέπουσαν ἔοικε τιμωρίαν· καθὸ οἱ μὲν ἄθεοι γεγόνασι τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἱ δὲ κακόφρονες μᾶλλον ἢ κακόθεοι λεχθέντες ἂν ἐν δίκῃ, διὰ τὸ φαύλους καὶ μηδὲν ἡμῶν βελτίους ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν φύσιν εἶναι τοὺς θεούς. Οὕτως οἱ μὲν ἄθυτοι φαίνονται γενέσθαι τινές, οἱ δὲ κακόθυτοι καὶ παρανόμων ἁψάμενοι θυμάτων.»	^14.1 "As lawlessness advanced further among men beyond the offering of first-fruits in sacrifices, the adoption of the most dreadful victims was introduced, full of cruelty, so that the curses previously spoken against us now seemed to have reached fulfillment, when men slaughtered victims and stained the altars with blood, ever since they tasted blood after experiencing famines and wars. Therefore the Deity, as Theophrastus says, being indignant at both these things, seems to have inflicted the fitting punishment; wherefore some men have become atheists, while others would be rightly called ill-minded rather than god-fearing, because they consider the gods to be vile by nature and no better than ourselves. Thus some appear to have abandoned sacrifice altogether, while others offer evil sacrifices and touch unlawful victims."
^14.2 Πάλιν δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς προστίθησι καὶ ταῦτα· «Ὧν δὴ τοῦτον ἐχόντων τὸν τρόπον, εἰκότως ὁ Θεόφραστος ἀπαγορεύει μὴ θύειν τὰ ἔμψυχα τοὺς τῷ ὄντι εὐσεβεῖν ἐθέλοντας, χρώμενος καὶ τοιαύταις ἄλλαις αἰτίαις.»	^14.2 And again the same author adds these words: "Things being in this state, Theophrastus rightly forbids those who wish to be truly pious from sacrificing living creatures, employing also other such arguments as these."
^14.3 Καὶ ἐπιλέγει· «Καὶ μὴν θύειν δεῖ ἐκεῖνα ἃ θύοντες οὐδένα πημανοῦμεν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ὡς τὸ θῦμα ἀβλαβὲς εἶναι χρή πᾶσιν. Εἰ δέ λέγοι τις ὅτι οὐχ ἧττον τῶν καρπῶν καὶ τὰ ζῷα ἡμῖν εἰς χρῆσιν ὁ θεὸς δέδωκεν, ἀλλ' οὖν γε ἐπιθυομένων τῶν ζῴων φέρει τινὰ βλάβην αὐτοῖς, ἅτε τῆς ψυχῆς νοσφιζομένων. Οὐ θυτέον οὖν ταῦτα· ἡ γὰρ θυσία ὁσία τίς ἐστι κατὰ τὔνομα. Οὐδεὶς δ' ἔσθ' ὃς ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἀποδίδωσι χάριτας, κἂν καρποὺς λάβῃ, κἂν φυτὰ μὴ ἐθέλοντος. Πῶς γὰρ ὅσιον ἀδικουμένων τῶν ἀφαιρεθέντων; Εἰ δὲ οὐδὲ καρπῶν ὁ ἁψάμενος ἀλλοτρίων ὁσίως θύει, τά γε τούτων τιμιώτερα παντελῶς οὐχ ὅσιον ἀφαιρουμένους τινῶν θύειν· τὸ γὰρ δεινὸν οὕτω γίνεται μεῖζον, ἡ ψυχὴ δὲ πολλῷ τιμιώτερον τῶν ἐκ γῆς φυομένων, ἣν ἀφαιρεῖσθαι θύοντα ζῷα οὐ προσῆκεν.»	^14.3 And he adds: "Furthermore, we ought to sacrifice those things by sacrificing which we shall harm no one; for nothing ought to be so harmless to all as a sacrifice. But if someone should say that God has given us animals for our use no less than the fruits of the earth, yet at all events when animals are sacrificed it brings a certain harm to them, inasmuch as they are deprived of their life. Therefore these things must not be sacrificed; for sacrifice is something holy by its very name. But no one pays thanks out of what belongs to others, even if he takes fruits or plants without the owner's consent. For how can it be holy when those who are deprived suffer injustice? And if he who touches the fruits of others does not sacrifice holily, it is altogether unholy to sacrifice what is far more precious than these by depriving creatures of it; for the outrage thus becomes greater, and the soul is far more precious than the things that grow from the earth, which it is not fitting to strip away when sacrificing animals."
^14.4 Καὶ ἐπιλέγει· «Ἀφεκτέον ἄρα τῶν ζῴων ἐν ταῖς θυσίαις.» Καὶ πάλιν φησί· «Τὸ τοίνυν μήτ' ὅσιον μήτ' εὐδάπανον οὐ θυτέον.» Καὶ ἑξῆς φησιν·	^14.4 And he adds: "We must therefore abstain from animals in sacrifices." And again he says: "That, therefore, which is neither holy nor inexpensive ought not to be sacrificed." And next he says:
^14.5 «Ὥστε καὶ τῶν ζῴων εἰ ἀπαρκτέον, αὐτὰ θεοῖς τούτων τινὸς ἕνεκα θυτέον· καὶ γὰρ ἃ θύομεν, τούτων τινὸς ἕνεκα θύομεν. Ἆρ' οὖν τιμῆς ἡγήσαιτ' ἄν τις τυγχάνειν ἡμῶν ὁ θεός, ὅταν ἀδικοῦντες εὐθὺς διὰ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς φαινώμεθα, ἢ μᾶλλον ἀτιμίαν οἰήσαιτ' ἂν τὸ τοιοῦτο δρᾶν; Ἐν τῷδέ γε θύειν ἀναιροῦντες τὰ μηδὲν ἀδικοῦντα τῶν ζῴων ἀδικήσειν ὁμολογοῦμεν· ὥστε τιμῆς μὲν ἕνεκα οὐ θυτέον τῶν λοιπῶν ζῴων οὐδέν· οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν χάριν αὐτοῖς ἀποδιδόντας. Ὁ γὰρ τὴν δικαίαν ἀμοιβὴν τῆς εὐεργεσίας καὶ τῆς εὐποιίας τὸ ἀντάξιον ἀποδιδοὺς οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ κακῶς τινὰς δρᾶν ὀφείλει ταῦτα παρέχειν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ μᾶλλον ἀμείβεσθαι δόξει ἢ κἂν εἰ τὰ τοῦ πέλας ἀρπάσας τις στεφανοίη τινάς, ὡς χάριν ἀποδιδοὺς καὶ τιμήν.	^14.5 "So that if we are to offer first-fruits of animals, we must sacrifice them to gods for one of these reasons; for whatever we sacrifice, we sacrifice for one of these reasons. Would God then consider that He receives honor from us when we appear straightway acting unjustly through our first-fruits, or would He rather consider such an action a dishonor? In sacrificing by slaying innocent animals, we confess that we act unjustly; so that for the sake of honor none of the other animals should be sacrificed, nor indeed when rendering thanks to them for benefits. For he who renders a just return for a benefit and an equivalent for good treatment ought not to provide these from doing harm to anyone. For he will no more seem to make a return than if someone should rob his neighbor and crown certain persons, as though rendering thanks and honor.
^14.6 Ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ χρείας τινὸς ἕνεκα τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Ὁ γὰρ ἀδίκῳ πράξει τὸ παθεῖν εὖ θηρεύων ὕποπτός ἐστι μηδὲ εὖ παθὼν χάριν ἕξειν. Ὥστε οὐδὲ ἐλπιζομένης εὐεργεσίας θυτέον ἐστὶ τοῖς θεοῖς τὰ ζῷα. Καὶ γὰρ δὴ τῶν μὲν ἀνθρώπων λάθοι τις ἂν ἴσως τινὰ τοῦτο πράττων, τὸν δὲ θεὸν ἀμήχανον καὶ λαθεῖν. Εἰ τοίνυν θυτέον μὲν τούτων τινὸς ἕνεκα, οὐδενὸς δὲ τούτων χάριν αὐτὸ πρακτέον, δῆλον ὡς οὐ θυτέον ἐστὶ τὰ ζῷα τὸ παράπαν τοῖς θεοῖς.»	^14.6 Nor yet for the sake of some need of good things. For he who hunts to be treated well by an unjust deed is suspect of not being grateful even when he has received good treatment. So that not even in expectation of a benefit are animals to be sacrificed to the gods. For indeed someone might perhaps hide this from a man while doing it, but it is impossible to hide from God. If, therefore, we must sacrifice for one of these reasons, but it ought to be done for none of these reasons, it is clear that animals must not be sacrificed to the gods at all."
^14.7 Καὶ πάλιν ἐπιλέγει· «Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἥ τε φύσις καὶ πᾶσα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ τῆς ψυχῆς αἴσθησις δρωμένοις συνηρέσκετο, ταύρων δ’ ἀκράτοισι φόνοις οὐ δεύετο βωμός, ἀλλὰ μύσος τοῦτ’ ἔσκεν ἐν ἀνθρώποισι μέγιστον, θυμὸν ἀπορραίσαντας ἐέδμεναι ἤια γυῖα.» Καὶ μεθ’ ἕτερα·	^14.7 And again he adds: "For nature and all the perception of the human soul were pleased with what was done, and the altar was not drenched with the unmixed slaughter of bulls, but this was the greatest defilement among men—to tear out the soul and eat the goodly limbs." And after other matters:
^14.8 «Ὅταν γε νέος θεοὺς χαίρειν πολυτελείαις γνῷ, καὶ, ὥς φασι, ταῖς τῶν βοῶν καὶ ἄλλων ζῴων θοίναις, πότ’ ἂν ἑκὼν σωφρονήσειε; Πῶς δὲ κεχαρισμένα θύειν ἡγούμενος τοῖς θεοῖς ταῦτα οὐκ ἐξεῖναι ἀδικεῖν οἰήσεται αὐτῷ μέλλοντι διὰ τῶν θυσιῶν ἐξωνεῖσθαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν; Πεισθεὶς δὲ ὅτι τούτων χρείαν οὐκ ἔχουσιν οἱ θεοὶ, εἰς δὲ τὸ ἦθος ἀποβλέπουσι τῶν προσιόντων, μεγίστην θυσίαν λαμβάνοντες τὴν ὀρθὴν περὶ αὐτῶν τε καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων διάληψιν, πῶς οὐ σώφρων καὶ δίκαιος καὶ ὅσιος ἔσεται;	^14.8 "When a young man learns that the gods delight in extravagances and, as they say, in feasts of oxen and other animals, when would he ever willingly cultivate self-control? And believing that by sacrificing these things he offers what is pleasing to the gods, how will he not think he is permitted to act unjustly, intending through sacrifices to buy off his sin? But if he is persuaded that the gods have no need of these things, but look to the character of those who approach them, receiving as the greatest sacrifice a right conception concerning themselves and reality, how will he not be self-controlled, just, and holy?
^14.9 Θεοῖς δὲ ἀρίστη μὲν ἀπαρχὴ νοῦς καθαρὸς καὶ ψυχὴ ἀπαθής· οἰκεῖον δὲ καὶ τὸ μετρίων μὲν ἀπάρχεσθαι τῶν ἄλλων, μὴ παρέργως δὲ, ἀλλὰ σὺν πάσῃ προθυμίᾳ. Ἐοικέναι γὰρ δεῖ τὰς τιμὰς ταῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν προεδρίαις ὑπαναστάσεσί τε καὶ κατακλίσεσιν, οὐ συντάξεων δόσεσι.»	^14.9 To the gods the best first-fruit is a pure mind and an impassive soul; and it is also fitting to offer modest first-fruits of other things, not carelessly, but with all zeal. For honors ought to resemble the front seats, standing up, and seating accorded to good men, not the payment of tributes."
^14.10 Σαφῶς δὴ διὰ τούτων κατὰ τοὺς Ἕλληνας καὶ τοὺς τούτων φιλοσόφους ὡμολογήθη ὅτι οὐδὲν ἔμψυχον τυθείη ἂν εὐλόγως τοῖς θεοῖς· ἀνόσιον γὰρ καὶ ἄδικον καὶ ἐπιβλαβὲς εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα, οὐκ ἀλλότριόν τε μύσους. Οὐκ ἦν ἄρα θεὸς, οὐδέ τις ἀψευδὴς καὶ ἀγαθὸς δαίμων, ὁ τὰς δι’ αἱμάτων λοιβάς τε καὶ κνίσας μικρῷ πρόσθεν εἰσπραττόμενος χρησμῳδός· οὐδ’ ἐκεῖνοι πάντες οἷς ὁ χρησμὸς θύειν ζῷα παρεκελεύσατο. Πλάνον ἄρα καὶ ἀπατεῶνα καὶ πονηρὸν ἄντικρυς δαίμονα χρὴ φάναι τὸν καταψευσάμενον, καὶ θεοὺς τοὺς μὴ ὄντας ἀνειπόντα, καὶ προστάξαντα μὴ μόνον τοῖς χθονίοις καὶ καταχθονίοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς οὐρανίοις καὶ αἰθερίοις καὶ ἀστραίοις ζῳοθυτεῖν. Τίνας οὖν εἰ μὴ θεοὺς τοὺς εἰρημένους ἅπαντας προσήκοι ἂν ὑπολαμβάνειν αὐτὸς πάλιν ὁ συγγραφεὺς διηγήσεται διὰ τούτων·	^14.10 Clearly then through these words, according to the Greeks and their own philosophers, it has been admitted that no living creature could reasonably be sacrificed to the gods; for the thing is unholy, unjust, harmful, and not alien to defilement. The oracle-monger, then, who a short while ago demanded blood-libations and sacrificial fat, was no god, nor any truthful and good demon; nor were all those to whom the oracle commanded animal sacrifice. One must therefore declare the liar who falsely claimed to be a god, who proclaimed non-existent gods, and who commanded animal sacrifice not only to nether and subterranean beings, but also to celestial, etheric, and astral ones, to be a fraud, a deceiver, and an outright evil demon. Whom then, if not gods, it is fitting to consider all the aforesaid beings, the writer himself will again explain through the following words:

Chapter 15

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Citing Porphyry's De Abstinentia, Eusebius points out that those knowledgeable in divine matters admit that bloody sacrifices are never offered to true gods, but to spirits or demons, both good and bad. Eusebius argues that even those entities classified as "good demons" or chief gods (such as Kronos, Zeus, Hera, and Athena) prove themselves to be thoroughly evil. Prior to Christ's Gospel, humanity was gripped by demonic madness, sacrificing sons, daughters, and fellow citizens to appease bloodthirsty powers.

^15.1 «Οἶδε δὲ ὁ τῆς εὐσεβείας φροντίζων ὡς θεοῖς μὲν οὐ θύεται ἔμψυχον οὐδέν, δαίμοσιν δὲ, ἀλλ’ ἤτοι ἀγαθοῖς, ἢ καὶ φαύλοις· καὶ τίνων ἐστὶ τὸ θύειν τούτοις καὶ τῶν ἄχρι τινὸς αὐτῶν δεομένων.»	^15.1 "He who takes thought for piety knows that no living creature is sacrificed to gods, but to demons—and either to good ones, or even to base ones; and to which ones it belongs to sacrifice these things, and who among them stand in need of them up to a certain point."
^15.2 Καὶ αὖθις ἐξῆς φησιν· «Ὅτι δὲ οὐ θεοῖς, ἀλλὰ δαίμοσι τὰς θυσίας τὰς διὰ τῶν αἱμάτων προσῆγον οἱ τὰς ἐν τῷ παντὶ δυνάμεις καταμαθόντες, καὶ τοῦτο πεπίστωται παρ’ αὐτῶν τῶν θεολόγων· καὶ μὴν ὅτι τούτων οἱ μὲν κακοποιοί, οἱ δὲ ἀγαθοὶ οὐκ ἐνοχλήσουσιν ἡμῖν.»	^15.2 And again next he says: "And that they brought sacrifices of blood not to gods, but to demons, those who have thoroughly studied the powers in the universe have been convinced of this by the theologians themselves; and further, that some of these are evil-doers while others are good, they will not trouble us."
^15.3 Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ δεδηλωμένος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶν δαιμόνων μόνων ἔφησε τοὺς μὲν ἀγαθοὺς, τοὺς δὲ φαύλους εἶναι, φέρε πῶς ἴδωμεν ὅτι οὐδὲ ἀγαθοὶ δαίμονες, φαῦλοι δὲ οἱ νενομισμένοι αὐτῶν θεοὶ πάντες ἀλίσκονται; Λάβοις δ’ ἂν καὶ τούτου τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ὧδε.	^15.3 Such are the statements of the aforementioned writer. But since he said that among demons alone some are good and some are base, come, let us see how it is proved that there are no good demons at all, but that all their reputed gods are caught being evil! You may grasp the proof of this as follows.
^15.4 Τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὠφελεῖ, βλάπτει δὲ τὸ ἐναντίον. Εἰ δὲ φανεῖεν οἱ κατὰ πάντα τόπον ἀνηγορευμένοι εἴτε θεοὶ εἴτε δαίμονες, αὐτοὶ δὴ οἱ παρὰ πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς βεβοημένοι καὶ πρὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων προσκυνούμενοι, ὅ τε Κρόνος καὶ ὁ Ζεὺς, Ἥρα τε καὶ Ἀθηνᾶ καὶ οἱ παραπλήσιοι, αἵ τε ἀφανεῖς δυνάμεις καὶ οἱ δαίμονες οἱ διὰ τῶν ξοάνων ἐνεργοῦντες, οὐ μόνον ζῴων ἀλόγων σφαγαῖς καὶ θυσίαις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνδροκτασίαις καὶ ἀνθρωποθυσίαις χαίροντες, καὶ ταύτῃ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀθλίων ἀνθρώπων λυμαινόμενοι, τίνα χείρονα ταύτης βλάβην ἐπινοήσειας;	^15.4 That which is good benefits, while its opposite harms. If, then, those who are proclaimed everywhere as either gods or demons—those very ones who are celebrated among them all and worshipped by all the nations: Kronos and Zeus, Hera and Athena, and those like them, as well as the invisible powers and the demons working through wooden images—appear delighting not only in the slaughter and sacrifice of irrational animals, but also in slayings of men and human sacrifices, and thereby ruining the souls of wretched men, what worse harm could you devise than this?
^15.5 Εἰ γὰρ ἡ διὰ ζῴων ἀλόγων θυσία ἐπάρατος καὶ κακόθυτος πρὸς τῶν φιλοσόφων ἐλέχθη, μυσαρά τε καὶ ἄδικος καὶ ἀνόσιος καὶ οὐκ ἀβλαβὴς τοῖς θύουσι, καὶ διά γε ταῦτα πάντα θεῶν ἀναξία, τί χρὴ νομίζειν τὴν δι’ ἀνθρωποσφαγῆς; Ἢ παντὸς αὕτη γένοιτ’ ἂν ἀσεβεστάτη καὶ ἀνοσιωτάτη; Πῶς οὖν ἀγαθοῖς δαίμοσιν, οὐχὶ δὲ τοῖς παμμιάροις καὶ πανωλέθροις πνεύμασιν εἰκότως ἂν λεχθείη προσφιλής;	^15.5 For if sacrifice by means of irrational animals was called cursed and ill-omened by the philosophers—polluted, unjust, unholy, harmful to the sacrificers, and on account of all these things utterly unworthy of gods—what must one think of sacrifice by human slaughter? Would it not be of all things the most impious and unholy? How then could it reasonably be called pleasing to good demons, and not rather to all-polluted and all-destructive spirits?
^15.6 Φέρε οὖν ἐλέγξωμεν καὶ ἀποδείξωμεν ὁπόσον ἡ τῆς πολυθέου πλάνης λύμη τοῦ βίου τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸ τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν εὐαγγελικῆς διδασκαλίας ἐκράτει. Λελύσθαι γὰρ αὐτὴν καὶ καθῃρῆσθαι οὐκ ἄλλοτε ἢ κατὰ τοὺς Ἀδριανοῦ χρόνους, φωτὸς δίκην ἤδη διαλαμπούσης ἐπὶ πάντα τόπον τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίας.	^15.6 Come then, let us expose and demonstrate how great a blight of polytheistic error held sway over the life of men prior to our Savior’s evangelical teaching. For it was dissolved and abolished at no other time than during the times of Hadrian, when the teaching of Christ was already shining forth like light upon every place.
^15.7 Οἷς οὐχ ἡμεῖς, ἀλλ’ αὐτῶν πάλιν τῶν μὴ τὰ ἡμέτερα φρονούντων μαρτυρήσουσιν αἱ φωναὶ διαρρήδην, τῶν πρὸ τούτου χρόνων τοσαύτην κατηγοροῦσαι μοχθηρίαν ὥστε ἤδη τοὺς δεισιδαίμονας πέρα καὶ τῶν τῆς φύσεως ὅρων χωρεῖν, ὑπὸ τῶν ὀλεθρίων πνευμάτων ἐξοιστρουμένους καὶ δαιμονῶντας ἄντικρυς, ὡς καὶ τοῖς τῶν φιλτάτων αἵμασι καὶ ἄλλαις μυρίαις ἀνθρωποθυσίαις ἱλεοῦσθαι νομίζειν τὰς μιαιφόνος δυνάμεις.	^15.7 To these things not we, but once again the explicitly declared utterances of those who do not share our views will bear witness, charging the times prior to this with such great wickedness that the superstitious already went beyond even the boundaries of nature—driven mad by destructive spirits and outright demon-possessed—so as to believe they could appease the bloodthirsty powers even with the blood of their dearest ones and countless other human sacrifices.
^15.8 Καί τις πατὴρ τὸν μονογενῆ παῖδα καὶ μήτηρ τὴν ἀγαπητὴν θυγατέρα προσέθυσεν τῷ δαίμονι, καὶ κατέσφαττον οἱ φίλτατοι ὥς τι τῶν ἀλόγων καὶ ἀλλοτρίων θρεμμάτων τοὺς προσήκοντας, ἔθυόν τε τοῖς δὴ θεοῖς κατὰ πόλεις καὶ χώρας τοὺς συνοίκους καὶ πολίτας, τὴν φιλάνθρωπον καὶ συμπαθῆ φύσιν ἐπὶ τὸ ἀνηλεὲς καὶ ἀπάνθρωπον ἀκονήσαντες, καὶ τὸν μανιώδη καὶ δαιμονιακὸν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐπιδεικνύμενοι τρόπον.	^15.8 And a father sacrificed his only-begotten son, and a mother her beloved daughter to the demon; and the nearest kin slaughtered their own relatives like some irrational and foreign livestock, and sacrificed their housemates and fellow citizens to the gods throughout cities and countries—having sharpened their humane and sympathetic nature toward relentless cruelty, and displaying a disposition truly frantic and demonic.
^15.9 Εὕροις δ’ ἂν οὖν πᾶσαν ἐξετάζων Ἑλληνικήν τε καὶ βάρβαρον ἱστορίαν, ὅπως οἱ μὲν υἱεῖς, οἱ δὲ θυγατέρας, οἱ δὲ καὶ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τῶν δαιμόνων καθιέρουν θυσίαις. Ἐγὼ δέ σοι καὶ τούτων τὸν καὶ πρότερον παρίστημι μάρτυρα ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς, ἐν οἷς τὴν τῶν ἀλόγων θρεμμάτων θυσίαν ὡς ἀνοσίαν καὶ ἀδικωτάτην ἀπηγόρευσε, ταῦτα φάσκοντα πρὸς ῥῆμα·	^15.9 You would find, then, upon examining all Greek and barbarian history, how some consecrated their sons, others their daughters, and others even themselves to the demons in sacrifices. And I present to you as a witness of these matters the very writer mentioned earlier, in those same works in which he forbade the sacrifice of irrational livestock as unholy and most unjust, saying these very things word for word:

Chapter 16

In this chapter, Eusebius systematically marshals pagan historical, mythological, and philosophical sources (including Porphyry via De Abstinentia, Clement of Alexandria, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Diodorus Siculus, and Sanchuniathon) to demonstrate that classical religions frequently practiced human sacrifice and ritual prostitution.

He argues that the entities commanding such brutal acts (and sexual license) could not possibly be benevolent or divine beings, but were rather wicked, bloodthirsty demons. Ultimately, Eusebius highlights that it was human rulers and reformers (such as Amasis of Egypt, Diphilus of Cyprus, and Iphicrates) who abolished these barbaric customs, demonstrating that human morality proved superior to the cruel demands of the pagan gods.

^16.1 Καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ πλήρους οὔσης τῆς ἱστορίας λέγομεν, αὐτάρκη καὶ ταῦτα παραστῆσαι. ἐθύετο γὰρ καὶ ἐν Ῥόδῳ μηνὶ Πανήμῳ ἕκτῃ ἱσταμένου ἄνθρωπος τῷ Κρόνῳ. ὃ δὴ ἐπὶ πολὺ κρατῆσαν ἔθος μετεβλήθη· ἕνα γὰρ τῶν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ δημοσίᾳ κατακριθέντων μέχρι τῶν Κρονίων συνεῖχον, ἐνστάσης δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς προαγαγόντες τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἔξω πυλῶν ἀντικρὺ τοῦ Ἀριστοβούλης ἕδρους οἴνου ποτίσαντες ἔσφαττον.	^16.1 And that we do not say these things casually, but because the historical record is full of evidence, the following facts will suffice to demonstrate it. For in Rhodes, on the sixth day of the month Panemos, a human being used to be sacrificed to Kronos. This custom, which prevailed for a long time, was later modified; for they used to keep one of those who had been publicly condemned to death until the festival of the Kronia, and when the festival arrived, they led the man outside the gates opposite the shrine of Aristobule, gave him wine to drink, and slaughtered him.
^16.2 ἐν δὲ τῇ νῦν Σαλαμῖνι, πρότερον δὲ Κορωνείᾳ ὀνομαζομένῃ, μηνὶ κατὰ Κυπρίους Ἀφροδισίῳ, ἐθύετο ἄνθρωπος τῇ Ἀγραύλῳ τῇ Κέκροπος καὶ νύμφης Ἀγραυλίδος. καὶ διέμενε τὸ ἔθος ἄχρι τῶν Διομήδους χρόνων· εἶτα μετέβαλεν, ὥστε τῷ Διομήδει τὸν ἄνθρωπον θύεσθαι· ὑφ’ ἕνα δὲ περίβολον ὅ τε τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς νεὼς καὶ ὁ τῆς Ἀγραύλου καὶ Διομήδους. ὁ δὲ σφαγιαζόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν ἐφήβων ἀγόμενος τρὶς περιέθει τὸν βωμόν· ἔπειτα ὁ ἱερεὺς αὐτὸν λόγχῃ ἔπαιε κατὰ τοῦ στομάχου, καὶ οὕτως αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν νησθεῖσαν πυρὰν ὡλοκαύτιζον.	^16.2 In what is now Salamis, but was formerly called Coroneia, in the Cypriot month of Aphrodisios, a human being was sacrificed to Agraulos, the daughter of Cecrops and the nymph Agraulis. And this custom continued until the times of Diomedes; then it changed so that the human being was sacrificed to Diomedes. The temple of Athena, that of Agraulos, and that of Diomedes were under a single enclosure. The person to be slaughtered, led by the ephebes, ran around the altar three times; then the priest struck him with a spear in the stomach, and in this manner they burned him as a whole burnt offering upon the heaped-up pyre.
^16.3 τοῦτον δὲ τὸν θεσμὸν Δίφιλος ὁ τῆς Κύπρου βασιλεὺς κατέλυσε, κατὰ τοὺς Σελεύκου χρόνους τοῦ θεολόγου γενόμενος, τὸ ἔθος εἰς βουθυσίαν μεταστήσας. προσήκατο δὲ ὁ δαίμων ἀντ’ ἀνθρώπου τὸν βοῦν.	^16.3 Diphilus, king of Cyprus, abolished this custom around the time of Seleucus the Theologian, changing the custom to the sacrifice of an ox. Thus the demon accepted an ox in place of a human being.
^16.4 οὕτως ἰσάξιόν ἐστι τὸ δρώμενον. κατέλυσε δὲ καὶ ἐν Ἡλίου πόλει τῆς Αἰγύπτου τὸν τῆς ἀνθρωποκτονίας νόμον Ἄμωσις, ὡς μαρτυρεῖ Μανεθῶς ἐν τῷ Περὶ ἀρχαιασμοῦ καὶ εὐσεβείας. ἐθύοντο δὲ τῇ Ἥρᾳ, καὶ ἐδοκιμάζοντο καθάπερ οἱ ζητούμενοι καθαροὶ μόσχοι καὶ συσφραγιζόμενοι. ἐθύοντο δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας τρεῖς· ἀνθ’ ὧν κηρίνους ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Ἄμωσις τοὺς ἴσους ἐπιτίθεσθαι.	^16.4 Such was the equal value of the ritual! Amasis also abolished the law of human sacrifice in Heliopolis of Egypt, as Manetho bears witness in his work On Antiquity and Piety. They used to be sacrificed to Hera, and they were tested just like the pure calves that were sought out and sealed. Three were sacrificed per day; in place of them, Amasis commanded that an equal number of wax effigies be substituted.
^16.5 ἔθυον δὲ καὶ ἐν Χίῳ τῷ Ὠμαδίῳ Διονύσῳ ἄνθρωπον διασπῶντες, καὶ ἐν Τενέδῳ, ὥς φησιν Εὔελπις ὁ Καρύστιος· ἐπεὶ καὶ Λακεδαιμονίους φησὶν ὁ Ἀπολλόδωρος τῷ Ἄρει θύειν ἄνθρωπον.	^16.5 In Chios also, they used to sacrifice a human being by tearing him limb from limb to Dionysus Omadios ("Raw-Eater"), and in Tenedos as well, as Euelpis of Carystus says; since Apollodorus also says that the Lacedaemonians sacrificed a human being to Ares.
^16.6 Φοίνικες δὲ ἐν ταῖς μεγάλαις συμφοραῖς ἢ πολέμων, ἢ λοιμῶν, ἢ αὐχμῶν, ἔθυον τῶν φιλτάτων τινὰ ἐπιψηφίζοντες Κρόνῳ· καὶ πλήρης γε ἡ Φοινικικὴ ἱστορία τῶν θυσάντων, ἣν Σαυχουνιάθων μὲν τῇ Φοινίκων γλώττῃ συνέγραψε, Φίλων δὲ ὁ Βύβλιος εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα γλῶτταν δι’ ὀκτὼ βιβλίων ἡρμήνευσεν.	^16.6 Moreover, the Phoenicians, in times of great calamity—whether of war, pestilence, or drought—used to sacrifice one of their dearest loved ones to Kronos, selecting them by vote; and Phoenician history is full of those who sacrificed, which Sanchuniathon wrote in the language of the Phoenicians, and Philo of Byblos translated into the Greek language in eight books.
^16.7 Ἴστρος δὲ ἐν τῇ Συναγωγῇ τῶν Κρητικῶν θυσιῶν φησι τοὺς Κουρῆτας τὸ παλαιὸν τῷ Κρόνῳ θύειν παῖδας. καταλυθῆναι δὲ τὰς ἀνθρωποθυσίας σχεδὸν τὰς παρὰ πᾶσί φησι Πάλλας, ὁ ἄριστα περὶ τῶν τοῦ Μίθρα συναγαγὼν μυστηρίων ἐπὶ Ἀδριανοῦ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος. ἐθύετο γὰρ καὶ ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ τῇ κατὰ Συρίαν τῇ Ἀθηνᾷ κατ’ ἔτος παρθένος, νῦν δὲ ἔλαφος.	^16.7 Istrus, in his Collection of Cretan Sacrifices, says that in ancient times the Curetes sacrificed children to Kronos. Pallas—who compiled the best account of the mysteries of Mithras in the time of the Emperor Hadrian—says that human sacrifices were abolished almost everywhere. For in Syrian Laodicea, a maiden was sacrificed annually to Athena, but now a deer is sacrificed instead.
^16.8 καὶ μὴν καὶ οἱ ἐν Λιβύῃ Καρχηδόνιοι ἐποίουν τὴν θυσίαν, ἣν Ἰφικράτης ἔπαυσε. καὶ Δουμαθηνοὶ δὲ τῆς Ἀραβίας κατ’ ἔτος ἕκαστον ἔθυον παῖδα, ὃν ὑπὸ βωμὸν ἔθαπτον, ᾧ χρῶνται ὡς ξοάνῳ.	^16.8 Furthermore, the Carthaginians in Libya used to perform this sacrifice, which Iphicrates brought to an end. And the Dumateni of Arabia used to sacrifice a child every year, whom they buried under an altar, which they used as an idol.
^16.9 Φύλαρχος δὲ κοινῶς πάντας τοὺς ᝝λληνας, πρὶν ἐπὶ πολεμίους ἐξιέναι, ἀνθρωποκτονεῖν ἱστορεῖ. καὶ παρίημι Θρᾷκας καὶ Σκύθας, καὶ ὡς Ἀθηναῖοι τὴν Ἐρεχθέως καὶ Πραξιθέας θυγατέρα ἀνεῖλον. ἀλλ’ ἔτι γε νῦν τίς ἀγνοεῖ κατὰ τὴν Μεγάλην πόλιν τῇ τοῦ Λατιαρίου Διὸς ἑορτῇ σφαζόμενον ἄνθρωπον;	^16.9 Phylarchus records that all the Greeks in common used to slaughter a human being before marching out against enemies. I pass over the Thracians and the Scythians, and how the Athenians slew the daughter of Erechtheus and Praxithea. But even now, who does not know that in the Great City (Rome), at the festival of Jupiter Latiaris, a man is slaughtered?
^16.10 Καὶ πάλιν φησίν· «Ἀφ’ οὗ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν οὐκ ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ μόνον τοῖς Λυκαίοις, οὐδ’ ἐν Καρχηδόνι τῷ Κρόνῳ κοινῇ πάντες ἀνθρωποθυτοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ περίοδον, τῆς τοῦ νομίμου χάριν μνήμης, ἐμφύλιον ἀεὶ αἷμα ῥαίνουσι πρὸς τοὺς βωμούς.»	^16.10 And he says again: "From which time down to the present, not only in Arcadia at the Lycaea, nor in Carthage to Kronos, do they all publicly perform human sacrifices, but periodically, for the sake of remembering the custom, they continually sprinkle native blood upon the altars."
^16.11 Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐκ τῆς προδηλωθείσης κείσθω γραφῆς. ἐκ δὲ τοῦ πρώτου συγγράμματος τῆς Φίλωνος Φοινικικῆς ἱστορίας παραθήσομαι ταῦτα· «Ἔθος ἦν τοῖς παλαιοῖς ἐν ταῖς μεγάλαις συμφοραῖς τῶν κινδύνων ἀντὶ τῆς πάντων φθορᾶς τὸ ἠγαπημένον τῶν τέκνων τοὺς κρατοῦντας ἢ πόλεως ἢ ἔθνους εἰς σφαγὴν ἐπιδιδόναι λύτρον τοῖς τιμωροῖς δαίμοσι· κατεσφάττοντο δὲ οἱ διδόμενοι μυστικῶς. Κρόνος τοίνυν, ὃν οἱ Φοίνικες Ἢλ προσαγορεύουσι, βασιλεύων τῆς χώρας, καὶ ὕστερον μετὰ τὴν τοῦ βίου τελευτὴν εἰς τὸν τοῦ Κρόνου ἀστέρα καθιερωθείς, ἐξ ἐπιχωρίας νύμφης Ἀνωβρὲτ λεγομένης υἱὸν ἔχων μονογενῆ, ὃν διὰ τοῦτο Ἰεοὺδ ἐκάλουν, τοῦ μονογενοῦς οὕτως ἔτι καὶ νῦν καλουμένου παρὰ τοῖς Φοίνιξι, κινδύνων ἐκ πολέμου μεγίστων κατειληφότων τὴν χώραν, βασιλικῷ κοσμήσας σχήματι τὸν υἱόν, βωμόν τε κατασκευασάμενος κατέθυσε.»	^16.11 Let these statements, then, stand from the aforementioned writing. From the first book of Philo's Phoenician History, I will adduce the following: "It was a custom among the ancients, in great calamities of danger, for the rulers of a city or nation, to prevent total destruction, to offer up the most beloved of their children for slaughter as a ransom to the avenging demons; and those who were given were slaughtered mystically. Kronos, therefore, whom the Phoenicians call El, who was king of the country, and who was afterwards after his death consecrated into the star of Kronos, having an only-begotten son by a native nymph named Anobret—whom on this account they called Ieoud, the only-begotten being so called even now among the Phoenicians—when greatest dangers from war had encompassed the land, adorned his son in royal attire, prepared an altar, and sacrificed him."
^16.12 Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τοῦτον εἶχε τὸν τρόπον. εἰκότως ἄρα ὁ θαυμάσιος Κλήμης ἐν τῷ πρὸς Ἕλληνας Προτρεπτικῷ, αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα ἐπιμεμφόμενος, τοιάδε καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν πλάνην τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπολοφύρεται λέγων· «Φέρ’ οὖν δὴ καὶ τοῦτο προσθῶμεν, ὡς ἀπάνθρωποι καὶ μισάνθρωποι δαίμονες εἶεν ὑμῶν οἱ θεοί, καὶ οὐχὶ μόνον ἐπιχαίροντες τῇ φρενοβλαβείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πρὸς δὲ καὶ ἀνθρωποκτονίας ἀπολαύοντες· νυνὶ μὲν τὰς ἐν σταδίοις ἐνόπλους φιλονεικίας, νυνὶ δὲ τὰς ἐν πολέμοις ἀναρίθμους φιλοτιμίας ἀφορμὰς σφίσιν ἡδονῆς ποριζόμενοι, ὅπως ὅτι μάλιστα ἔχοιεν ἀνθρωπείων ἀνέδην ἐμφορεῖσθαι φόνων. ἤδη δὲ κατὰ πόλεις καὶ ἔθνη, οἱονεὶ λοιμοὶ ἐπισκήψαντες, σπονδὰς ἀπῄτησαν ἀνημέρους. Ἀριστομένης γοῦν ὁ Μεσσήνιος τῷ Ἰθωμήτῃ Διὶ τριακοσίους ἀπέσφαξε, τοσαύτας ὁμοῦ καὶ τοιαύτας καλλιερεῖν οἰόμενος ἑκατόμβας· ἐν οἷς καὶ Θεόπομπος ἦν ὁ Λακεδαιμονίων βασιλεύς, ἱερεῖον εὐγενές. Ταῦροι δὲ τὸ ἔθνος, οἱ περὶ τὴν Ταυρικὴν Χερρόνησον κατοικοῦντες, οὓς ἂν τῶν ξένων παρ’ αὐτοῖς ἕλωσι, τούτων δὴ τῶν κατὰ θάλατταν ἐπταικότων, αὐτίκα μάλα τῇ Ταυρικῇ καταθύουσιν Ἀρτέμιδι. ταύτας σου τὰς θυσίας Εὐριπίδης ἐπὶ σκηνῆς τραγῳδεῖ. Μόνιμος δὲ ἱστορεῖ ἐν τῇ τῶν Θαυμασίων Συναγωγῇ ἐν Πέλλῃ τῆς Θετταλίας Ἀχαιὸν ἄνθρωπον Πηλεῖ καὶ Χείρωνι καταθύεσθαι. Λυκτίους γάρ — Κρητῶν δὲ ἔθνος εἰσὶν οὗτοι — Ἀντικλείδης ἐν Νόστοις ἀποφαίνεται ἀνθρώπους ἀποσφάττειν τῷ Διί, καὶ Λεσβίους Διονύσῳ τὴν ὁμοίαν προσάγειν θυσίαν Δωσίδας λέγει. Φωκαεῖς δέ — οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτοὺς παραπέμψομαι — τούτους Πυθοκλῆς ἐν τρίτῳ Περὶ ὁμονοίας τῇ Ταυροπόλῳ Ἀρτέμιδι ἄνθρωπον ὁλοκαυτεῖν ἱστορεῖ. Ἐρεχθεὺς δὲ ὁ Ἀττικὸς καὶ Μάριος ὁ Ῥωμαῖος τὰς αὑτῶν ἐθυσάτην θυγατέρας· ὧν ὁ μὲν τῇ Φερρεφάττῃ, ὡς Δημάρατος ἐν πρώτῃ Τραγῳδουμένων, ὁ δὲ τοῖς ἀποτροπαίοις, ὁ Μάριος, ὡς Δωρόθεος ἐν τετάρτῃ Ἰταλικῶν ἱστορεῖ. φιλάνθρωποί γε ἐκ τούτων καταφαίνονται οἱ δαίμονες· πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἀνόσιοι ἀναλόγως οἱ δεισιδαίμονες, οἱ μὲν σωτῆρες εὐφημούμενοι, οἱ δὲ σωτηρίαν αἰτούμενοι παρὰ τῶν ἐπιβούλων σωτηρίας; καλλιερεῖν γοῦν τοπάζοντες αὐτοῖς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς λελήθασιν ἀποσφάττοντες ἀνθρώπους. οὐ γὰρ οὖν παρὰ τὸν τόπον ἱερεῖον γίνεται ὁ φόνος· οὐδ’ εἰ Ἀρτέμιδί τις καὶ Διὶ ἐν ἱερῷ δῆθεν χωρίῳ μᾶλλον ἢ ὀργῇ καὶ φιλαργυρίᾳ, ἄλλοις ὁμοίοις δαίμοσιν ἐπὶ βωμοῖς, ἢ ἐν ὁδοῖς ἀποσφάττοι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἱερὸν ἱερεῖον ἐπιφημίσας· ἀλλὰ φόνος ἐστὶ καὶ ἀνδροκτασία ἡ τοιαύτη θυσία.»	^16.12 These matters, then, were of this nature. Reasonably, therefore, the admirable Clement in his Protrepticus (Exhortation to the Greeks), censuring these very things, himself laments the delusion of humanity, saying: "Come then, let us add this also: that your gods are inhuman and misanthropic demons, not only rejoicing in the insanity of men, but further enjoying human slaughter—now procuring for themselves occasions of pleasure in armed rivalries in the stadiums, and now in the countless ambitions of war, so that they might have the fullest opportunity to gorge themselves freely on human bloodshed. And already, falling upon cities and nations like plagues, they demanded savage sacrifices. Aristomenes the Messenian, at any rate, slaughtered three hundred men to Zeus Ithometes, believing that he was offering so many and such fine hecatombs; among whom was Theopompus, king of the Lacedaemonians, a noble victim. And the Taurians by nation, who inhabit the Tauric Chersonese, whichever of the strangers they capture among them who have suffered shipwreck at sea, these they immediately sacrifice to Tauric Artemis. Euripides dramatizes these sacrifices of yours upon the stage. Monimus records in his Collection of Marvels that at Pella in Thessaly an Achaean man was sacrificed to Peleus and Chiron. For Anticleides in his Nostoi demonstrates that the Lyctians—these are a Cretan tribe—slaughter men to Zeus; and Dosiadas says that the Lesbians offer a similar sacrifice to Dionysus. And the Phocaeans—for I will not pass them by either—Pythocles in his third book On Concord records that these people burn a man as a whole burnt offering to Artemis Tauropolos. Erechtheus of Attica and Marius the Roman sacrificed their own daughters; the former to Pherephatta (Persephone), as Demaratus records in his first book On Tragedies, and the latter, Marius, to the averting deities, as Dorothea records in his fourth book On Italian History. The demons certainly appear benevolent from these actions! How, then, are the superstitious not correspondingly impious, praising them as saviors, yet asking salvation from those who plot against their safety? Supposing, at least, that they are offering acceptable sacrifices to them, they do not realize that they are slaughtering human beings. For murder does not become a sacrifice on account of the place; nor if someone slaughters a man to Artemis and Zeus in a supposedly sacred place rather than to anger and avarice—other similar demons—upon altars or on the roads, having designated him a holy victim; but such a sacrifice is murder and manslaughter."
^16.13 «Τί δὴ οὖν, ὦ σοφώτατοι τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων ἄνθρωποι, τὰ μὲν θηρία περιφεύγομεν τὰ ἀνήμερα, κἄν που περιτύχωμεν ἄρκτῳ ἢ λέοντι ἐκτρεπόμεθα, ὡς δ’ ὅτε τίς τε δράκοντα ἰδὼν παλίνορσος ἀπέστη οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃς, ὑπό τε τρόμος ἔλλαβε γυῖα, ἄψ τ’ ἀνεχώρησεν, δαίμονας δ’ ὀλεθρίους καὶ ἀλιτηρίους, ἐπιβούλους τε καὶ μισανθρώπους καὶ λυμεῶνας ὄντας προαισθόμενοι καὶ συνιέντες οὐκ ἐντρέπεσθε, οὐδὲ ἀποστρέφεσθε;»	^16.13 "Why then, O men, the wisest of other living creatures, do we flee from untamed wild beasts, and if anywhere we encounter a bear or a lion, we turn aside—'as when someone sees a serpent in the glens of a mountain and steps back, and trembling seizes his limbs, and he retreats back'—yet when you perceive and understand that demons are destructive, defiled, treacherous, misanthropic, and ruinous, you do not turn away nor recoil from them?"
^16.14 Τοσαῦτα καὶ ὁ Κλήμης. ἔχω δέ σοι καὶ ἄλλον παραστῆσαι μάρτυρα τῆς τῶν ἀθέων καὶ ἀπανθρώπων δαιμόνων μιαιφονίας, Διονύσιον τὸν Ἁλικαρνασσέα, ἄνδρα τῆς Ῥωμαϊκῆς ἱστορίας ἀκριβῆ τὴν γραφὴν ἅπασαν ἐκθέμενον. γράφει δ’ οὖν καὶ οὗτος τὸν Δία καὶ τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα αἰτῆσαί ποτε ἀνθρωποθυσίας, τοὺς δ’ αἰτηθέντας καρπῶν μὲν ἀπάντων καὶ βοσκημάτων τὸ λάχος ἀποθῦσαι τοῖς θεοῖς, ὅτι δὲ μὴ καὶ ἀνθρώπους ἔθυσαν παντοίαις περιστῆναι συμφοραῖς. οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον καὶ τοῦ συγγραφέως ἀκοῦσαι ὧδέ πῃ διεξιόντος·	^16.14 So far Clement. But I have yet another witness to present to you of the blood-guiltiness of these godless and inhuman demons: Dionysius of Halicarnassus, a man who set forth the entire record of Roman history with precision. He writes, at any rate, that Zeus and Apollo once demanded human sacrifices, and that those who were asked offered a portion of all crops and livestock to the gods, but because they did not also sacrifice human beings, they were encompassed by all kinds of calamities. And there is nothing like hearing the writer himself expounding it somewhat as follows:
^16.15 «Ὀλίγον δὲ κατέμεινεν ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ τῶν Ἀβοριγίνων προνοίᾳ. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τῆς οἰκοφθορίας ταῖς πόλεσιν ἐδόκει αὐχμῷ ἡ γῆ κακωθεῖσα ἄρξαι, ἡνίκα οὔτ’ ἐπὶ τοῖς δένδρεσι καρπὸς οὐδεὶς ὡραῖος διέμεινεν, ἀλλ’ ὠμοὶ κατέρρεον, οὔτε ὁπόσα σπερμάτων ἀνέντα βλαστοὺς ἀνθήσειεν ὡς στάχυος ἀκμὴν τοὺς κατὰ νόμον ἐξεπλήρου χρόνους, οὔτε πόα κτήνεσιν ἐφύετο διαρκής, τῶν τε ναμάτων τὰ μὲν οὐκέτι πίνεσθαι σπουδαῖα ἦν, τὰ δ’ ὑπελίμπανε θέρους, τὰ δ’ εἰς τέλος ἀπεσβέννυτο. ἀδελφὰ δὲ τούτοις ἐγίνετο περὶ προβάτων καὶ γυναικῶν γονάς· ἢ γὰρ ἐξημβλοῦτο τὰ ἔμβρυα, ἢ κατὰ τοὺς τόκους διεφθείρετο, ἔστιν ἃ καὶ τὰς φερούσας συνδιαλυμηνάμενα. εἰ δέ τι διαφύγοι τὸν ἐκ τῶν ὠδίνων κίνδυνον ἀνάπηρον, ἢ ἀτελές, ἢ διὰ ἄλλην τινὰ τύχην βλαφθέν, τρέφεσθαι χρηστὸν οὐκ ἦν· ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ ἄλλο πλῆθος τὸ ἐν ἀκμῇ μάλιστα ἐκακοῦτο νόσοις καὶ θανάτοις παρὰ τὰ εἰκότα συχνοῖς. μαντευομένοις δὲ αὐτοῖς τίνα θεῶν ἢ δαιμόνων παραβάντες τάδε πάσχουσι καὶ τί ποιήσασιν αὐτοῖς λωφῆσαι τὰ δεινὰ ἐλπίς, ὁ θεὸς ἀνεῖλεν ὅτι τυχόντες ὧν ἐβούλοντο οὐκ ἀπέδοσαν ἃ ηὔξαντο, ἀλλὰ προσοφείλουσι τὰ πλείστου ἄξια. οἱ γὰρ Πελασγοί, ἀφορίας αὐτοῖς γενομένης ἐν τῇ γῇ πάντων χρημάτων, ηὔξαντο τῷ Διὶ καὶ τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι καὶ τοῖς Καβείροις καταθύσειν δεκάτας τῶν προσγενησομένων ἁπάντων, τελεσθείσης δὲ τῆς εὐχῆς ἐξελόμενοι καρπῶν τε καὶ βοσκημάτων ἁπάντων τὸ λάχος ἀπέθυσαν τοῖς θεοῖς, ὡς δὴ κατὰ τούτων μόνων εὐξάμενοι. ταῦτα δὲ Μυρσίλος ὁ Λέσβιος ἱστόρηκεν ὀλίγου δεῖν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὀνόμασι γράφων οἷς ἐγὼ νῦν, πλὴν ὅσον οὐ Πελασγοὺς καλεῖ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ Τυρρηνούς· τὴν δ’ αἰτίαν ὀλίγον ὕστερον ἐρῶ.»	^16.15 "And only a little of the Aborigines remained in Italy by providence. First, then, the land, damaged by drought, seemed to initiate the destruction of the cities, when no fruit remained ripe upon the trees, but fell off green; nor did as many seeds as put forth shoots and blossomed complete their customary terms unto the full head of grain; nor did grass grow sufficient for the cattle; and of the springs, some were no longer good to drink, others failed in summer, and others were completely extinguished. And sibling events to these happened regarding the offspring of sheep and women; for either the embryos were aborted, or perished at birth, some even destroying those who bore them along with themselves. And if any escaped the danger of birth, crippled, or incomplete, or damaged through some other chance, it was not fit to be reared. Then also the rest of the population, especially those in their prime, was distressed by diseases and by unusually frequent deaths. When they consulted the oracle as to which of the gods or demons they had transgressed against to suffer these things, and what they could do to hope for relief from these terrible things, the god answered that having obtained what they wished, they had not rendered what they had vowed, but still owed the things of greatest value. For the Pelasgians, when a drought occurred in their land of all goods, had vowed to Zeus, Apollo, and the Cabiri that they would sacrifice tithes of all future increase; but when the vow was fulfilled, having set aside the portion of all crops and livestock, they sacrificed them to the gods, as if they had vowed concerning these alone. Myrsilus the Lesbian has recorded these things, writing in almost the same words as I do now, except that he does not call the people Pelasgians, but Tyrrhenians; and the cause I will explain a little later."
^16.16 «Ὡς δὲ ἀπενεχθέντα τὸν χρησμὸν ἔμαθον, οὐκ εἶχον τὰ λεγόμενα συμβαλεῖν. ἀμηχανοῦσι δὲ αὐτοῖς τῶν γεραιτέρων τις λέγει συμβαλὼν τὸ λόγιον, ὅτι τοῦ παντὸς ἡμαρτήκασιν, εἰ οἴονται τοὺς θεοὺς ἀδίκως αὐτοῖς ἐγκαλεῖν· χρημάτων μὲν γὰρ ἀποδεδόσθαι τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αὐτοῖς ἁπάσας ὀρθῶς τε καὶ σὺν δίκῃ, ἀνθρώπων δὲ γονῆς τὸ λάχος, χρῆμα παντὸς μάλιστα θεοῖς τιμιώτατον, ὀφείλεσθαι· εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ τούτων λάβοιεν τὴν δικαίαν μοῖραν, τέλος ἕξειν σφίσι τὸ λόγιον. τοῖς μὲν δὴ ὀρθῶς ἐδόκει λέγεσθαι ταῦτα, τοῖς δ’ ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς συγκεῖσθαι ὁ λόγος· εἰσηγησαμένου δέ τινος τὴν γνώμην τὸν θεὸν ἐπερέσθαι, εἰ αὐτῷ φίλον ἀνθρώπων δεκάτας ἀπολαμβάνειν, πέμπουσι τὸ δεύτερον θεοπρόπους, καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἀνεῖλεν οὕτω ποιεῖν.»	^16.16 "When they learned the oracle that was brought back, they were unable to comprehend what was said. As they were at a loss, one of the elders, having understood the oracle, said that they had erred entirely if they thought the gods accused them unjustly; for the first fruits of property had all been rendered to them rightly and with justice, but the portion of human offspring—a thing most precious of all to the gods—was still owed; and if they should receive the just share of these as well, the oracle would have its fulfillment. To some, these things seemed to be spoken rightly, but to others, the speech seemed to be composed out of a plot; but when someone introduced the opinion to inquire of the god whether it was pleasing to him to receive tithes of men, they sent sacred envoys a second time, and the god answered to do so."
^16.17 «ἐκ δὲ τούτου στάσις αὐτοὺς καταλαμβάνει περὶ τοῦ τρόπου τῆς δεκατεύσεως· καὶ ἐν ἀλλήλοις οἱ προεστηκότες τῶν πόλεων τότε πρῶτον ἐταράχθησαν, ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν πλῆθος δι’ ὑποψίας τοὺς ἐν τέλει ἐλάμβανεν. ἐγίνοντο δὲ οὐδενὶ κόσμῳ αἱ ἐπαναστάσεις, ἀλλ’, ὥσπερ εἰκός, οἴστρῳ καὶ θεοβλαβείᾳ ἀπελαυνομένων, καὶ πολλὰ ἐφέστια ὅλα ἐξηλείφθη μέρους αὐτῶν μεθισταμένου· οὐ γὰρ ἐδικαίουν οἱ προσήκοντες τοῖς ἐξιοῦσιν ἀπολείπεσθαι τῶν φιλτάτων καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐχθίστοις ὑπομένειν. πρῶτον μὲν δὴ οὗτοι μεταστάντες ἐξ Ἰταλίας εἴς τε τὴν Ἑλλάδα καὶ τῆς βαρβάρου πολλὴν ἐπλανήθησαν. μετὰ δὲ τοὺς πρώτους ἕτεροι τὸ αὐτὸ ἔπαθον, καὶ τοῦτο διετέλει γινόμενον ἐπὶ ἔτη. οὐ γὰρ ἀνίεσαν οἱ δυναστεύοντες ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι τῆς ἀνδρουμένης ἀεὶ νεότητος ἐξαιρούμενοι τὰς ἀπαρχάς, τοῖς τε θεοῖς τὰ δίκαια ὑπουργεῖν ἀξιοῦντες καὶ στασιασμοὺς ἐκ τῶν διαλαθόντων δεδιότες. ἦν δὲ πολὺ καὶ τὸ πρὸς ἔχθραν σὺν προφάσει εὐπρεπεῖ ἀπελαυνόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν διαφόρων· ὥστε πολλαὶ αἱ ἐπαναστάσεις ἐγίνοντο καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον γῆς τὸ Πελασγικὸν γένος διεφορήθη.»	^16.17 "From this, sedition seized them concerning the manner of tithing; and among one another, those presiding over the cities were then first disturbed, and afterwards the rest of the populace held those in authority under suspicion. And the uprisings occurred in no orderly fashion, but, as was natural, driven by frenzy and madness sent by God, many entire households were wiped out as a portion of them migrated; for the relatives did not deem it right to be left behind by their dearest ones who were departing, and to remain among their worst enemies. First, then, these migrated from Italy and wandered both into Greece and through much of the barbarian land. And after the first, others suffered the same thing, and this continued happening for years. For those ruling in the cities did not cease selecting the first fruits of the youth as they continually grew to manhood, claiming to render what was just to the gods and fearing seditions from those who escaped notice. And there was also much that was driven out due to enmity with a specious pretext by opponents; so that many were the uprisings, and the Pelasgian race was scattered over most of the earth."
^16.18 Καὶ μετὰ βραχέα φησίν· «Λέγουσι δὲ καὶ τὰς θυσίας ἐπιτελεῖν τῷ Κρόνῳ τοὺς παλαιούς, ὥσπερ ἐν Καρχηδόνι τέως ἡ πόλις διέμεινε καὶ παρὰ Κελτοῖς εἰς τόδε χρόνου γίνεται, καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις τισὶ τῶν προσεσπερίων ἐθνῶν ἀνδροφονοῦσιν, Ἡρακλέα δὲ παῦσαι τὸν νόμον τῆς θυσίας βουληθέντα τόν τε βωμὸν ἱδρύσασθαι τὸν ἐπὶ τῷ Σατορνίῳ καὶ κατάρξασθαι θυμάτων ἁγνῶν ἐπὶ καθαρῷ πυρὶ ἁγιζομένων, ἵνα δὲ μηδὲν ᾖ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δέους ἐνθύμιον, ὡς πατρίων ἠλογηκόσι θυσιῶν, διδάξαι τοὺς ἐπιχωρίους ἀπομειλιττομένους τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ μῆνιν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὓς συμποδίζοντες καὶ τῶν χειρῶν ἀκρατεῖς ποιοῦντες ἐρρίπτουν εἰς τὸ τοῦ Τιβέριος ῥεῖθρον, εἴδωλα ποιοῦντας ἀνδρείκελα, κεκοσμημένα τὸν αὐτὸν ἐκείνοις τρόπον, ἐμβάλλειν εἰς τὸν ποταμόν, ἵνα δὴ τὸ τῆς ὀττείας ὅ τι δή ποτε ἦν ἐν ταῖς ἀπάντων ψυχαῖς παραμένον ἐξαιρεθῇ, τῶν εἰκόνων τοῦ παλαιοῦ πάθους ἔτι σωζομένων. τοῦτο δὲ καὶ μέχρις ἐμοῦ διετέλουν Ῥωμαῖοι δρῶντες ἔτι μικρὸν ὕστερον ἐαρινῆς ἰσημερίας, ἐν μηνὶ Μαΐῳ ταῖς καλουμέναις εἰδοῖς, διχομήνιδα βουλόμενοι ταύτην εἶναι τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ προθύσαντες ἱερεῖα τὰ κατὰ τοὺς νόμους οἱ καλούμενοι ποντίφικες, ἱερέων οἱ διαφανέστατοι, καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς αἱ τὸ ἀθάνατον πῦρ διαφυλάττουσαι παρθένοι, στρατηγοί τε καὶ τῶν ἄλλων πολιτῶν οὓς παρεῖναι ταῖς ἱερουργίαις θέμις, εἴδωλα εἰς μορφὰς ἀνθρώπων εἰκασμένα, τριάκοντα τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἱερᾶς γεφύρας βάλλουσιν εἰς τὸ ῥεῦμα τοῦ Τιβέριος, Ἀργείους αὐτὰ καλοῦντες.»	^16.18 And shortly after, he says: "And they say that the ancients also performed sacrifices to Kronos, just as in Carthage as long as the city endured, and among the Celts down to this day it occurs, and among certain other Western nations they commit manslaughter; but Heracles, wishing to cease the custom of this sacrifice, both established the altar upon the Saturnian hill and initiated pure sacrifices consecrated upon clean fire, and so that there might be no fear in the minds of the men as having disregarded ancestral sacrifices, he taught the inhabitants, in appeasing the wrath of the god instead of human beings—whom they used to bind hand and foot and throw into the stream of the Tiber—making human-like effigies, adorned in the same manner as those men, to throw them into the river, so that whatever superstition remained in the souls of all might be removed, since the images of the ancient suffering were still preserved. And down to my time the Romans continued doing this a little after the spring equinox, in the month of May on the so-called Ides, wishing this day to be the middle of the month, on which, having first offered victims according to the laws, the so-called Pontiffs—the most distinguished of the priests—and with them the virgins who guard the immortal fire, and generals, and those of the other citizens whom it is lawful to be present at the sacred rites, throw effigies made in the likeness of men, thirty in number, from the sacred bridge into the current of the Tiber, calling them Argives."
^16.19 Τοσαῦτα μὲν δὴ ταῦτα. καὶ ὁ Διόδωρος δὲ τὰ ὅμοια τούτοις ἐν εἰκοστῇ βίβλῳ τῆς Ἱστορικῆς Βιβλιοθήκης ἱστορεῖ, μετὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ Μακεδόνος τελευτήν, ἐπὶ τοῦ πρώτου Πτολεμαίου, περὶ Καρχηδονίων ὑπὸ Ἀγαθοκλέους τοῦ Σικελίας τυράννου πολιορκουμένων, ταῦτα πρὸς λέξιν γράφων· «Ἠιτιῶντο δὲ καὶ τὸν Κρόνον αὐτοῖς ἐναντιοῦσθαι, καθ’ ὅσον ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν χρόνοις θύοντες τούτῳ τῷ θεῷ τῶν υἱῶν τοὺς κρατίστους, ὕστερον ὠνούμενοι λάθρα παῖδας, καὶ θρέψαντες ἔπεμπον ἐπὶ τὴν θυσίαν, καὶ ζητήσεως γενομένης εὑρέθησάν τινες τῶν καθιερουργημένων ὑποβολιμαῖοι γεγονότες. τούτων δὲ λαβόντες ἔννοιαν, καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους πρὸς τοῖς τείχεσιν ὁρῶντες στρατοπεδεύοντας, ἐδεισιδαιμόνουν ὡς καταλελυκότες τὰς πατρίους τῶν θεῶν τιμάς. διορθώσασθαι δὲ τὰς ἀγνοίας σπεύδοντες διακοσίους μὲν τῶν ἐπιφανεστάτων παίδων προκρίναντες ἔθυσαν δημοσίᾳ, ἄλλοι δ’ ἐν διαβολαῖς ὄντες ἑκουσίως ἑαυτοὺς ἔδοσαν, οὐκ ἐλάττους ὄντες τριακοσίων. ἦν δὲ παρ’ αὐτοῖς ἀνδριὰς Κρόνου χαλκοῦς, ἐκτετακὼς τὰς χεῖρας ὑπτίας ἐκτεταμένας ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ὥστε τὸν συντιθέντα τῶν παίδων ἀποκωλύεσθαι καὶ πίπτειν εἴς τι χάσμα πλῆρες πυρός.»	^16.19 Such are these matters. And Diodorus also records similar things to these in the twentieth book of his Historical Library, after the death of Alexander of Macedon, during the time of Ptolemy I, concerning the Carthaginians who were besieged by Agathocles, tyrant of Sicily, writing these words verbatim: "And they blamed Kronos for being opposed to them, insofar as in former times they used to sacrifice the best of their sons to this god, but later secretly buying children and rearing them, sent them to the sacrifice; and when an inquiry took place, some of those who had been consecrated were found to have been supposititious (substituted). Taking thought of these things, and seeing the enemy encamped near the walls, they were filled with superstitious dread, as having abolished the ancestral honors of the gods. Hastening to correct their errors, having selected two hundred of the most prominent children, they sacrificed them publicly; and others who were under accusation voluntarily gave themselves up, being not fewer than three hundred. And there was among them a bronze statue of Kronos, extending his hands palms-up, sloping toward the earth, so that the child placed upon them would roll off and fall into a certain chasm full of fire."
^16.20 Τοιαῦτα δὴ καὶ οὗτος διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἱστορίας παρέδωκεν. εἰκότως ἄρα καὶ ἡ παρ’ Ἑβραίοις γραφὴ καταμέμφεται τοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα ζηλώσασι τῶν ἐκ περιτομῆς, φάσκουσα· «καὶ ἔθυον τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν τοῖς δαιμονίοις· καὶ ἐφονοκτονήθη ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς αἵμασι, καὶ ἐμιάνθη ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτῶν.» ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἡγοῦμαι διὰ τούτων ἀπεληλέγχθαι σαφῶς δαιμονικήν τινα γεγονέναι τὴν παλαιτάτην καὶ πρώτην τῶν ξοάνων ἵδρυσιν, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν εἰδωλικὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν θεοποιίαν καὶ δαιμόνων οὐκ ἀγαθῶν, ἀλλὰ πάντων μοχθηροτάτων καὶ φαύλων· ὡς ἐπαληθεύειν τὸ φάσκον ἐν προφητείαις λόγιον· «πάντες οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν δαιμόνια·» τό τε ἀποστολικόν, δι’ οὗ φησιν ὅτι· «ἃ θύουσιν, δαιμονίοις καὶ οὐ θεῷ θύουσιν.»	^16.20 Such things did this writer also hand down through his own history. Reasonably, therefore, Scripture among the Hebrews censures those of the circumcision who emulated such things, saying: "And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons; and the land was defiled with blood, and was polluted with their works." Indeed, I consider that through these things it has been clearly proved that the most ancient and first erection of idols was of demonic origin, and the entire image-worship and deification of the nations belonged not to good demons, but to those who were most wicked and vile of all; so that the oracle speaking in the prophecies is verified: "All the gods of the nations are demons;" as well as the apostolic word, through which he says that: "The things which they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God."
^16.21 ἢ εἴ τί γε ἦν ἀγαθὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς, ὡς διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν μεταλαχεῖν προσηγορίας, εὐεργετικὸν ἂν ἦν καὶ πάντων σωτήριον, φίλον τε δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἀνθρώπων κηδεμονικόν. τοιοῦτον δὲ ὂν πῶς ἀνθρώπων ἔχαιρε σφαγαῖς; πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἀπεῖργε διὰ χρησμῶν τὸ ἀνθρώπειον γένος τοιαῦτα πράττειν; ἦ που χεῖρον ἦν καὶ φαυλότερον ἀνθρώπων, οἵ γε νόμων τιμωρίαις ἐξάντεις τοὺς μιαιφόνους κατέστησαν. οὐ γὰρ θεός τις ἦν, ἀλλ’ ἄνθρωπος, ὁ τῆς ἀνθρωποθυσίας τὴν χρόνιον καὶ μακρὰν παραλύσας νόσον.	^16.21 Or if there were anything good in them, so as on this account to share in the designation of "good," it would have been beneficent and the savior of all, a friend of justice and caring for human beings. Being of such a nature, how could it rejoice in human slaughter? How did it not restrain the human race through oracles from doing such things? Surely it was worse and viler than human beings, who at least established laws with punishments to restrain murderers! For it was not a god, but a human being, who dissolved the chronic and long-standing disease of human sacrifice.
^16.22 Ὅτι δὲ φαύλων ἦν καὶ πονηρῶν ταῦτα δαιμόνων εἴη ἄν σοι ἔτι μᾶλλον συμφανές, εἰ λογίσαιο τὰ τῆς ἐπιρρήτου καὶ ἀκολάστου πορνείας αὐτῶν τῆς ἐν Ἡλίου πόλει τῆς Φοινίκης εἰσέτι νῦν ἐπιτελούμενα καὶ παρὰ πλείστοις ἄλλοις ἀνθρώπων. μοιχείας γοῦν καὶ φθορὰς καὶ παρανόμους ἑτέρας μίξεις ἐπὶ τιμῇ θεῶν, ὥσπερ τι χρέος ὀφειλόμενον, χρῆναί φασιν ἐκτελεῖν, καὶ τῆς μοιχιδίου καὶ πορνικῆς πράξεως τοῖς θεοῖς ἀπάρχεσθαι, τῆς ἀκλεοῦς ταύτης καὶ ἀσέμνου ἐμπορίας, ὥσπερ τι χαριστήριον ἀγαθόν, τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτοῖς ἀνατιθέντας. ὅμοια γὰρ ταῦτα ταῖς ἀνθρωποθυσίαις.	^16.22 And that these things belonged to vile and evil demons would be still more evident to you if you should consider the practices of their infamous and licentious prostitution still performed even now in Heliopolis of Phoenicia, and among most other men. At any rate, they claim that adulteries, corruptions, and other unlawful unions must be performed in honor of the gods, as if a debt owed, and that one must offer the first-fruits of adulterous and harlotrous actions to the gods, dedicating the fruits of this inglorious and dishonorable trade to them as if some good thank-offering. For these things are similar to human sacrifices.
^16.23 εἰ δὴ οὖν οὐδὲ σώφρονος ἀνδρὸς οἰκεῖον τὸ χαίρειν φόνοις αἰσχρορρημοσύναις τε καὶ παρανόμοις γυναικῶν μίξεσιν, ἐπὶ μισθῷ τὴν ὥραν ἀπεμπολούσαις, πολλοῦ δεῖ φάναι θεῶν ἢ δαιμόνων εἶναι ἀγαθῶν τὸ ἀποδέχεσθαι τὰ τοιαῦτα. εἰ δὲ δὴ λέγοι τις φαύλων μὲν ὁμολογουμένως εἶναι ταῦτα δαιμόνων, πλὴν ἀλλ’ ἑτέρους εἶναι τοὺς ἀγαθούς, οὓς δὴ μάλιστα σέβειν αὐτοὺς οἷα σωτῆρας, πευστέον ποῦ ἄρα ἦσαν αὐτοῖς οἱ ἀγαθοὶ σωτῆρες, εἰ δὴ καὶ τούτους ἔσεβον, ὥστε μὴ τοὺς πονηροὺς τοιαῦτα δρῶντας κατὰ τῶν προσφύγων ἀπερύκειν, ποῦ δὲ οἱ ἀγαθοὶ δαίμονες, τοὺς βλαπτικοὺς μὴ ἀπελαύνειν καὶ τοῖς θεραπεύουσι συμμαχεῖν; τί δὲ καὶ περιεφρόνουν παρορῶντες τὸ λογικὸν καὶ θεοφιλὲς ἀνθρώπων γένος τῇ τῶν φαύλων δαιμόνων ὠμότητι κατατρυχόμενον, οὐχὶ δὲ ἄντικρυς τοῖς πᾶσι προεκήρυττον ἀμεταστρεπτὶ φεύγειν καὶ ἀποτρέπεσθαι πάντα θεὸν ὀνομαζόμενον ὡς οὐ θεόν, ἀλλὰ φαῦλον δαίμονα, ᾧ τὰ ὠμὰ καὶ ἀπάνθρωπα καὶ παράνομα καὶ αἰσχρὰ φίλα τυγχάνει;	^16.23 If, then, it is not even appropriate for a sensible man to rejoice in murders, obscene speech, and unlawful unions with women who sell their youth for hire, it is far from true to say that it belongs to good gods or demons to accept such things. But if someone should say that these things admittedly belong to vile demons, but that there are other good ones whom they especially revere as saviors, we must ask: Where then were their good saviors—if indeed they revered them as well—so as to prevent the evil ones doing such things against their suppliants? And where were the good demons to drive away the harmful ones and allied themselves with those who served them? Why did they disregard and overlook the rational and god-loving race of humanity being tormented by the cruelty of vile demons, instead of proclaiming outright to all to flee unswervingly and turn away from every so-called god as not a god, but a vile demon, to whom cruel, inhuman, unlawful, and shameful things are dear?
^16.24 καὶ εἴτε τις ἦν πάλαι πρότερον ἐν Ῥόδῳ νενομισμένος θεὸς χαίρων ἀνθρωποθυσίαις, τοῦτον ὁ ἀληθὴς θεός, εἴ τις ἦν ἄρα τὴν πρᾶξιν ἐπισχών, οὐ θεόν, ἀλλὰ φαῦλον ἡγεῖσθαι δαίμονα τοῖς πᾶσι προεκήρυξεν, εἴτε ἐν Σαλαμῖνι τῇ πρότερον Κορωνείᾳ ὀνομαζομένῃ, ἐν ᾗ ἐν μηνὶ κατὰ Κυπρίους Ἀφροδισίῳ ἐθύετο ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τοῦτον ὁ ἀληθὴς θεὸς ἀπέφηνεν ἂν ἀλιτήριον εἶναι δαίμονα, παύσας ὡς ἀσεβὲς καὶ ἀνόσιον τὸ γινόμενον;	^16.24 And whether there was long ago a god recognized in Rhodes who rejoiced in human sacrifices, the true God—if indeed there were one who checked the deed—would have proclaimed to all to consider him not a god, but a vile demon; or in Salamis, formerly called Coroneia, in which a man was sacrificed in the Cypriot month of Aphrodisios, would not the true God have revealed him to be an accursed demon, having stopped what was happening as impious and unholy?
^16.25 εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐν Ἡλίου πόλει τῆς Αἰγύπτου τὸν τῆς ἀνθρωποκτονίας νόμον Ἄμωσις ἔλυσε, πολὺ κρείττονα τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁ ἀληθὴς θεὸς ἐδίδαξεν ἂν γεγονέναι· οὐ γὰρ θεός, δαίμων δὲ πάλιν κἀκεῖνος ἦν ὁ κατάρχων τῆς ἀνθρωποκτονίας. οὐκ ἂν δὲ ὁ ἀληθὴς θεὸς καὶ τὸν τῆς Ἥρας δαίμονα οὐχὶ μιαρὸν ἡγεῖσθαι δεῖν ἐνομοθέτησεν, ᾧ τῆς ἡμέρας ἑκάστης τρεῖς ἀνθρώπους θύεσθαι παρέστησεν ἡ ἱστορία;	^16.25 And if in Heliopolis of Egypt Amasis dissolved the law of human sacrifice, the true God would have taught that the man (Amasis) had become far better than the god; for it was not a god, but a demon again who initiated the human slaughter. And would not the true God have legislated that the demon of Hera should be considered defiled, to whom history shows three men were sacrificed every day?
^16.26 τί δ’ ἂν γένοιτο δαιμονικώτερον ἀληθῶς τοῦ καλουμένου Ὠμαδίου Διονύσου, ᾧ φασιν ἐν Χίῳ ἄνθρωπον μελιστὶ διασπῶντας θύειν, ἢ τοῦ ἐν Τενέδῳ ὡσαύτως, ὃν καὶ αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς ἀνθρωποθυσίας ἱλάσκοντο; ἀπηγόρευσε δ’ ἂν ὁ ἀληθὴς θεὸς καὶ τῷ Ἄρει τῷ βροτολοιγῷ καὶ φιλοπολέμῳ δαίμονι θύειν ἄνθρωπον, ἐνομοθέτησε δ’ ἂν μήτε τῶν οἰκείων μήτε τῶν ἀλλοτρίων τὰ φίλτατα κατασφάττειν αὐτῷ.	^16.26 What, indeed, could be truly more demonic than the so-called Dionysus Omadios ("Raw-Eater"), to whom they say in Chios they sacrificed a man by tearing him limb from limb, or the one in Tenedos likewise, whom they placated through human sacrifice? The true God would have forbidden sacrificing a man to Ares, the bane of mortals and lover of war, and would have legislated neither to slaughter one's own dearest ones nor those of others to him.
^16.27 εἰ δὲ καὶ τῇ Ἀθηνᾷ κατ’ ἔτος παρθένος, ὥς φασιν, ἐθύετο ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ τῇ κατὰ Συρίαν, καὶ ταύτην εἰπεῖν πονηρὸν δαίμονα οὐκ ἂν ἐφυλάξατο ὁ ἀληθὴς θεός· ὡς καὶ τὸν ἐν Λιβύῃ τοῖς ὁμοίοις χαίροντα καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀραβίας, ᾧ καὶ αὐτῷ κατ’ ἔτος ἕκαστον ἔθυον παῖδα, ὃν καὶ ὑπὸ βωμὸν ἔθαπτον.	^16.27 And if in Syrian Laodicea a maiden was sacrificed annually to Athena, as they say, the true God would not have hesitated to call her an evil demon; as also the one in Libya who rejoiced in similar things, and the one in Arabia, to whom every year they sacrificed a child, whom they also buried under an altar.

Chapter 17

☜ ☞

Eusebius argues that the traditional pagan gods cannot be considered good or divine because they demanded human sacrifices, approved immoral acts, and failed to protect humanity from evil spirits. He contrasts this with the God of the Hebrews—revealed through Moses—who commanded the total destruction of idolatrous worship and prohibited any appeasement of evil demons. Eusebius highlights historical evidence (from authors like Porphyry and Phylarchus) showing that human sacrifice was practiced widespread across the Greco-Roman world until it was abolished around the time of Emperor Hadrian, coinciding with the rise and spread of the Gospel. He concludes that these "gods" were either evil demons themselves or non-existent, whereas the true God frees humanity from demonic bondage.

^17.1 Τούτους ἅπαντας, καὶ τούς γε αἰσχρορρημονοσύναις καὶ γυναικῶν παρανόμοις διαφθοραῖς τῇ τε ἄλλῃ τῇ προκατειλεγμένῃ μανίᾳ χαίροντας, προεφώνησεν ἂν ὁ ἀληθὴς καὶ ἀγαθὸς εἴτε θεὸς εἴτε καὶ δαίμων μηδαμῶς ἡγεῖσθαι θεούς. τοῦτο δὲ οὐδεὶς τῶν πώποτε ἢ μόνος ὁ παρ’ Ἑβραίοις τιμώμενος, ὡς ἂν μόνος καὶ ἀληθὴς θεός, πεποιηκὼς μνημονεύεται.	^17.1 Any true and good god—or even a good spirit—would have proclaimed that all these beings, who take delight in obscene language, unlawful seductions of women, and the rest of the aforementioned madness, should in no way be considered gods. Yet no one among those who ever lived is remembered to have done this, except only the One honored among the Hebrews, as being the only and true God.
^17.2 μόνος γὰρ οὗτος διὰ τοῦ προφήτου καὶ θεολόγου Μωυσέως προεκήρυξε τοῖς πᾶσι μὴ σέβειν ὡς ἀγαθοὺς δαίμονας τοὺς φαύλους, ἔμπαλιν δὲ ἀποτρέπεσθαι καὶ ἀπελαύνειν, ὡς ἂν πονηρὰ τυγχάνοντας πνεύματα· καὶ μὴν καὶ καθαιρεῖν αὐτῶν τούς τε νεὼς καὶ τὰς ἀνιέρους καὶ ἀτελέστους θρησκείας, καὶ πάμπαν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανίζειν τὴν ὡς περὶ θεῶν αὐτῶν μνήμην, καὶ τὴν ἀπονεμομένην αὐτοῖς τιμὴν ἐνομοθέτησεν. οὐδὲ γὰρ τοὺς φαύλους ἀπομειλίσσεσθαι ὅσιον ἦν τοὺς τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς μεμελημένους.	^17.2 For He alone, through the prophet and theologian Moses, proclaimed to all men not to worship evil spirits as though they were good spirits, but on the contrary to turn away from them and drive them out as being wicked spirits. Furthermore, He legislated that men should tear down their temples and their unholy, uninitiated rites, utterly erasing from among human beings even the memory of them as gods, along with the honor bestowed upon them. For it was not holy for those who care for good things to appease the wicked.
^17.3 εἴτε δὲ Φύλαρχος εἴτε καὶ ὁστισοῦν ἱστορεῖ πάντας τοὺς Ἕλληνας πρὶν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολέμους ἐξιέναι ἀνθρωποκτονεῖν, καὶ τοῦτον μάρτυρα τῆς Ἑλλήνων δαιμονικῆς ἐπιληψίας μὴ ὄκνει παραλαμβάνειν· μὴ παρίδῃς μηδὲ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Ἀφρικήν, τούς τε Θρᾷκας καὶ τοὺς Σκύθας τὰ ὅμοια πράττοντας, ταῖς αὐταῖς τῶν δαιμόνων ὑπῆχθαι μανίαις ἀποφαίνεσθαι· ὡς καὶ τοὺς Ἀθηναίους καὶ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Μεγάλην πόλιν, εἰ δὴ καὶ οὗτοι κατὰ τὰς τοῦ Μεγάλου Διὸς ἑορτὰς ἀνθρώπους ἔσφαζον.	^17.3 And whether Phylarchus or anyone else records that all the Greeks practiced human sacrifice before going out to war, do not hesitate to take him as a witness to the demonic possession of the Greeks. Nor should you overlook that those in Africa, as well as the Thracians and Scythians who practiced similar things, are shown to have been brought under the very same madness of the demons; just as were the Athenians and those in Megalopolis, if indeed they too slaughtered human beings during the festivals of Zeus the Great.
^17.4 ἀλλὰ γὰρ συναγαγὼν ὁμοῦ τὸν πάντων τῶν προειρημένων κατάλογον εὕροις ἂν σχεδὸν εἰπεῖν πᾶσαν τὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν θεοποιίαν τούτοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἀνθρωποκτόνοις πνεύμασι καὶ τοῖς πονηροῖς δαιμονίοις ἀνακειμένην. εἰ γὰρ ἐν Ῥόδῳ καὶ ἐν Σαλαμῖνι καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις νήσοις, ἔν τε Ἠλίου πόλει τῇ κατ’ Αἴγυπτον, ἔν τε Χίῳ καὶ Τενέδῳ καὶ Λακεδαίμονι καὶ Ἀρκαδίᾳ, Φοινίκῃ τε καὶ Λιβύῃ καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἅπασιν ἐν Συρίᾳ καὶ Ἀραβίᾳ, καὶ παρά γε τοῖς Πανέλλησιν καὶ ἔτι τούτων τοῖς κορυφαιατάτοις Ἀθηναίοις, κατά τε Καρχηδόνα καὶ τὴν Ἀφρικὴν καὶ παρὰ Θρᾳξὶ καὶ Σκύθαις ἀποδέδεικται τὰ τῆς δαιμονικῆς ἀνθρωποκτονίας κατὰ τοὺς παλαιοὺς χρόνους ἐπιτελούμενα, καὶ μέχρι τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν παρατείναντα· πῶς οὐκ εὐλόγως τοὺς πάντας εἴποις ἂν τότε τοῖς πονηροῖς δαίμοσι δεδουλῶσθαι, οὐ πρότερόν τε παῦλαν τῶν τοσούτων γενέσθαι τῷ βίῳ κακῶν ἢ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν καταλάμψαι διδασκαλίαν; ὅτι δὴ μέχρι τῶν Ἀδριανοῦ χρόνων διαμεῖναι ταῦτα, λελύσθαι δ’ ἐξ ἐκείνου παρέστησεν ὁ τῆς ἱστορίας λόγος. οὗτος δὲ μάλιστα ἦν ὁ χρόνος, καθ’ ὃν ἡ σωτήριος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἤκμαζε διδασκαλία.	^17.4 Indeed, if you bring together the entire catalogue of all the aforementioned cases, you will find, so to speak, that almost the whole system of deification among the nations was devoted to these very human-slaying spirits and evil demons. For if in Rhodes, Salamis, and the other islands; in Heliopolis in Egypt; in Chios, Tenedos, Lacedaemon, and Arcadia; in Phoenicia and Libya; and in addition to all these in Syria and Arabia; and among all the Greeks, and even among the most prominent of them, the Athenians; and in Carthage and Africa, and among the Thracians and Scythians, the practice of demonic human sacrifice in ancient times has been demonstrated, continuing down to the time of our Savior— how could you not reasonably say that everyone back then was enslaved to evil demons, and that no cessation of such great evils occurred in human life until the teaching of our Savior shone forth? For historical account has established that these practices persisted down to the times of Hadrian, but were abolished from that point forward. And this was precisely the time when the saving doctrine was flourishing for all humanity.
^17.5 καὶ μὴν οὐδὲ δυνατὸν αὐτοῖς εἰπεῖν ὡς τοῖς πονηροῖς δαίμοσιν [ἔθυον]· αὐτοῖς γὰρ μάλιστα τοῖς μεγίστοις θεοῖς ἡ ἱστορία τὰς ἀνθρωποθυσίας ἐδήλωσεν ἐπιτελεῖσθαι. θύεσθαι γὰρ ἔφησε τῇ Ἥρᾳ καὶ τῇ Ἀθηνᾷ Κρόνῳ τε καὶ Ἄρει καὶ Διονύσῳ, καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ ἐπὶ πάντων Διὶ καὶ τῷ Φοίβῳ, τῷ δὴ σεμνοτάτῳ πάντων καὶ σοφωτάτῳ Ἀπόλλωνι· τούτους δὲ καὶ οὐκ ἄλλους τοὺς μεγίστους θεοὺς ἀγαθοὺς καὶ σωτῆρας ἀναγορεύουσιν.	^17.5 Moreover, it is impossible for them to claim that [they were sacrificing only] to evil demons; for history has made clear that human sacrifices were performed to the very greatest gods themselves. For history reports that sacrifices were offered to Hera and Athena, to Cronus, Ares, and Dionysus, and to Zeus himself who is over all, and to Phoebus—the most revered and wisest of all, Apollo. Yet these, and no others, are the supreme gods whom they proclaim as good and saviors.
^17.6 αὐτοὶ δ’ ἄρα εἶεν ἂν οἱ πονηροὶ δαίμονες. εἰ γὰρ οἵδε τοιαύταις ἀνθρωποθυσίαις καὶ ἀνθρωποκτονίαις ἔχαιρον, πῶς οὐκ ἂν αὐτοὺς εἰκότως τῇ τῶν πονηρῶν πνευμάτων μιαιφονίᾳ καταριθμήσειας, εἴτε αὐτοὶ χαίρειν λέγοιντο τοῖς τοιούτοις εἴτε συγχωρεῖν καὶ περιορᾶν ἑτέροις γιγνόμενα;	^17.6 Therefore, they themselves must be the evil demons! For if they delighted in such human sacrifices and slaughters, how could you not reasonably reckon them among the bloodthirsty horde of evil spirits, whether they are said to rejoice in such things themselves or to permit and overlook them when done by others?
^17.7 τί γὰρ χρῆν ὅλως ἐπιτρέπειν ἀνθρώποις ἱλάσκεσθαι τὰ πονηρὰ πνεύματα; τί δὲ τοσοῦτον πλανᾶσθαι ὡς θεραπεύειν καὶ κολακεύειν τοὺς φαύλους; τί δὲ τοῖς πονηροῖς καταδουλοῦσθαι, δέον ἀγαθοὺς ὄντας καὶ θεοὺς πορρωτάτω τῆς ἀνθρώπων διατριβῆς πᾶν ὅ τι φαῦλον καὶ πονηρὸν δυνάμει κρείττονι καὶ θειοτέρᾳ ἀπελαύνειν;	^17.7 For why should they permit humans to appease evil spirits at all? Why be so deceived as to serve and flatter the base? Why be enslaved to evil, when, if they were truly good and divine, they ought to drive far away from human life everything base and evil by a superior and more divine power?
^17.8 ἦ πατὴρ μὲν ἀγαθὸς οὐκ ἂν ὑπὸ φαύλοις ἀνδράσι φθειρόμενον περιίδοι ἂν τὸν αὑτοῦ παῖδα, οὐδὲ τὸν οἰκέτην σώφρων δεσπότης ὑπὸ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἀγόμενον περιόψεται, οὐδέ γε πολέμου στρατηγός, τοὺς οἰκείους παρὸν διασώσασθαι, τοῖς πολεμίοις αἰχμαλώτους ἀνήσει, οὐδὲ ποιμὴν τὰ θρέμματα τοῖς λύκοις· θεοὶ δὲ ἄρα καὶ ἀγαθοὶ δαίμονες ὑπὸ τοῖς μοχθηροῖς καὶ φαύλοις ἀνήσουσι τὸ ἀνθρώπων γένος;	^17.8 Surely a good father would not stand by and watch his own child ruined by evil men; nor would a sensible master look on while his servant is led away by enemies; nor would a military general, when able to save his own people, abandon them as captives to the enemy; nor a shepherd his flock to the wolves. Shall gods then—and good spirits—abandon the human race to corrupt and base beings?
^17.9 καὶ οἱ τρισμύριοι φύλακες μερόπων ἀνθρώπων, οἱ δὴ ποιμένες καὶ σωτῆρες, βασιλεῖς τε καὶ πατέρες καὶ κύριοι, τοῖς ἐχθροῖς καὶ πολεμίοις καὶ ἀγρίοις θηρσὶν ἀνηλεῶς οὕτως καὶ ὠμῶς ἄγειν καὶ φέρειν τὰ φίλτατα παραδώσουσιν, οὐχὶ δὲ προπολεμήσουσιν ὑπερασπίζοντες τῶν προσφύγων, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐχθροὺς καὶ πονηροὺς δαίμονας τῆς ἀνθρώπων ἀγέλης μακρὰν ὥσπερ τινὰς ἀγρίους καὶ ὠμοβόρους θῆρας ἀποδιώξουσι, διδάξουσι δὲ πάντα ἄνθρωπον μυρίων θεῶν καὶ δαιμόνων ἀγαθῶν πλήθει προσῳκειωμένων ἐπιθαρσοῦντα, καὶ τοῖς οὐ μόνον κρείττοσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλείοσιν καὶ μεγίστοις θεοῖς καθωσιωμένον, σμικρὰ μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ μηδὲν ἐπιστρέφεσθαι τῆς τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων ἀσθενείας;	^17.9 And shall the thirty thousand guardians of mortal men—who are supposedly shepherds and saviors, kings, fathers, and lords—hand over their dearest ones so mercilessly and cruelly to be driven away and plundered by enemies, foes, and wild beasts? Will they not rather fight in front to shield their suppliants, driving far away the hostile and evil spirits from the human flock like wild, flesh-devouring beasts? And will they not teach every human being to take courage, being allied with a multitude of ten thousand good gods and spirits, and being devoted not only to superior, but to more numerous and supreme gods, so as to pay little or no attention to the weakness of evil demons?
^17.10 ὅτε δὲ τοῦτο μὴ ἔπραττον, συνήργουν δ’ ἔμπαλιν τοῖς πονηροῖς αὐτοί, διὰ τῶν χρησμῶν τὰς προδηλωθείσας ἀνιέντες ἀνθρωποθυσίας, χαίροντές τε αἰσχρορρημοσύναις ἀπάσαις καὶ ταῖς τούτων ἀκολούθοις πράξεσιν, ἔργῳ, φασί, δῆλον ὡς οὐδέν τι καὶ αὐτοὶ φαύλων δαιμόνων τὴν φύσιν διήλλαττον, μᾶλλον δὲ μιᾶς καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑπῆρχον προαιρέσεως καὶ γνώμης· καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον εἰπεῖν ὡς οὐδὲ ὅλως θεός τις ἦν, οὐδέ τις ἀγαθὸς δαίμων, ὁ πάλαι πρὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων κατὰ πόλεις τε καὶ χώρας προσκυνούμενος.	^17.10 When they failed to do this, but on the contrary cooperated with the evil spirits themselves—by prescribing through their oracles the aforementioned human sacrifices, and rejoicing in all kinds of obscene speech and the actions that follow them—they showed in practice, as the saying goes, that they differed in no way from the nature of base demons. Rather, they were of one and the same purpose and mind. And it is truer still to say that there was no god at all, nor any good spirit, among those worshipped long ago by all the nations in every city and country.
^17.11 πῶς γὰρ ἂν γένοιτό ποτε τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ φαῦλον φίλον, εἰ μὴ καὶ φωτὸς καὶ σκότους κρᾶσιν δύνασθαι μίαν φαίη τις ἂν γενέσθαι; πόσῳ δὲ κρείττων ὁ παρ’ ἀνθρώποις λογισμὸς τῶν νενομισμένων θεῶν, μηδὲ φαύλοις δαίμοσι χρῆναι θύειν παρακελευόμενος; λέγει δ’ οὖν ὁ πρόσθεν εἰρημένος συγγραφεύς, ἐν οἷς ἔφησε μὴ δεῖν ζῳοθυτεῖν, ὅτι μηδὲ φαύλοις δαίμοσι θυτέον, τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον·	^17.11 For how could what is base ever be friendly to what is good, unless someone were to claim that light and darkness can form a single mixture? How much superior, then, is human reasoning to the acknowledged gods, given that it commands us that one should not even sacrifice to evil demons! At any rate, the author mentioned earlier, in those passages where he stated that one must not sacrifice animals, says that one must not sacrifice even to evil demons, in the following manner:

Chapter 18

☜ ☞

Eusebius quotes the Neoplatonist philosopher Porphyry to show that even pagan philosophy recognizes that a wise and temperate person should abstain from blood sacrifices and divination. Porphyry explains that such rituals attract only material, evil spirits. The true philosopher, seeking to resemble God through detachment from worldly passions, has no need for animal inspection, oracles, or worldly gain.

^18.1 «Διὸ συνετὸς ἀνὴρ καὶ σώφρων εὐλαβηθήσεται τοιαύταις χρῆσθαι θυσίαις, δι’ ὧν ἐπισπάσεται πρὸς ἑαυτὸν τοὺς τοιούτους, σπουδάσει δὲ καθαίρειν τὴν ψυχὴν παντοίως· καθαρᾷ γὰρ ψυχῇ οὐκ ἐπιτίθενται, διὰ τὸ αὐτοῖς ἀνόμοιον. εἰ δὲ ταῖς πόλεσιν ἀναγκαῖον καὶ τούτους ἀπομειλίττεσθαι, οὐδὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς· ταύταις γὰρ καὶ πλοῦτος καὶ τὰ ἐκτὸς καὶ τὰ σωματικὰ ἀγαθὰ εἶναι νενόμισται, καὶ τὰ ἐναντία κακά, ὀλιγοστὸν δὲ ἐν αὐταῖς τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμελούμενον.»

Τούτοις ἑξῆς ἐπάγει λέγων·

^18.1 "Therefore, a prudent and temperate man will take care not to employ such sacrifices through which he will draw such beings to himself, but will instead zealously strive to purify his soul in every way; for they do not attack a pure soul, because it is unlike them. And if it is necessary for cities to appease even these spirits, that is nothing to us; for in cities, wealth, external goods, and physical benefits are considered goods, and their opposites bad, while that which takes care of the soul is found among them in only the smallest degree."

To these points he adds next, saying:

Chapter 19

☜ ☞

Eusebius uses Porphyry’s own principles as a weapon against pagan religion. He reasons that if sacrifices and divination attract evil spirits, then all ancient nations that engaged in animal and human sacrifice were enslaved to evil demons rather than true gods. Furthermore, while human reason (and Porphyry) forbids appeasing evil demons, Apollo’s own oracles commanded such sacrifices—proving that Apollo and the pagan gods are allies of evil spirits rather than wise or divine beings.

^19.1 «Ἡμεῖς δὲ κατὰ δύναμιν οὐ δεησόμεθα ὧν οὗτοι παρέχουσιν, ἀλλ’ ἔκ τε ψυχῆς ἔκ τε τῶν ἐκτὸς πᾶσαν σπουδὴν ποιούμεθα θεῷ μὲν καὶ τοῖς ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν ὁμοιοῦσθαι (ὃ γίνεται δι’ ἀπαθείας καὶ τῆς περὶ τῶν ὄντως ὄντων διηρθρωμένης διαλήψεως καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰ καὶ κατ’ αὐτὰ ζωῆς), πονηροῖς δὲ ἀνθρώποις καὶ δαίμοσι καὶ ὅλως παντὶ τῷ χαίροντι τῷ θνητῷ τε καὶ ὑλικῷ ἀνομοιοῦσθαι.	^19.1 "We, however, according to our ability, shall have no need of the things these spirits supply. Rather, with all our soul and through external means, we make every effort to become like God and those around Him—which comes about through freedom from passion (apatheia), through a well-articulated understanding of things that truly exist, and by living toward and according to those reality-centered truths—and to become unlike evil men, demons, and in short anyone who delights in what is mortal and material.
^19.2 Ὃν δὲ ἡμεῖς ὑπογράφομεν φιλόσοφον, ἀφεστάμενον τῶν ἐκτός, εἰκότως φαμὲν μὴ ἐνοχλήσειν δαίμοσι, μηδὲ μάντεων δεήσεσθαι, μηδὲ σπλάγχνων ζῴων. ὧν γὰρ ἕνεκα αἱ μαντεῖαι, τούτων οὗτος μεμελέτηκεν ἀφίστασθαι. οὔτε γὰρ εἰς γάμον καθίησιν, ἵνα περὶ γάμου τὸν μάντιν ἐνοχλήσῃ· οὐκ εἰς ἐμπορίαν, οὐ περὶ οἰκέτου, οὐ περὶ κλοπῆς καὶ τῆς ἄλλης παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δοξοκοπίας. περὶ ὧν δὲ ζητεῖ, μάντις μὲν οὐδείς, οὐδὲ σπλάγχνα ζῴων μηνύσει τὸ σαφές· αὐτὸς δὲ δι’ ἑαυτοῦ, ὡς λέγομεν, προσιὼν τῷ θεῷ, ὃς ἐν τοῖς ἀληθινοῖς αὐτοῦ σπλάγχνοις ἵδρυται, περὶ τοῦ αἰωνίου βίου λήψεται τὰς ὑποθήκας, ὅλος ἐκεῖ συρρεύσας.»	^19.2 The man whom we depict as a philosopher—one who stands detached from external things—we naturally say will not trouble demons, nor will he need diviners, nor the entrails of animals. For the very things for the sake of which divinations exist are those from which this man has practiced withdrawing. For he does not engage in marriage so as to bother a diviner about marriage; nor in commerce, nor concerning a servant, nor concerning theft and the rest of human vanity. And concerning the matters he does seek, no diviner and no animal entrails will reveal the clear truth. Rather, approaching God by himself, as we say—God who is established in his true inner depths—he will receive the instructions concerning eternal life, having flowed entirely there with his whole being."
^19.3 Σαφέστατα δὴ διὰ τούτων ὁ λόγος ἐξέφηνεν τίνων ἡγεῖσθαι χρὴ τὰ μαντεῖα καὶ τὰς διὰ θυτικῆς ἐρωτήσεις, τάς τε παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς θαυμαζομένας περὶ τῶν ἀδήλων προγνώσεις. ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα δοξοκοπίας ὀνομάσας ὡς ἂν ὑπὸ δαιμόνων πονηρῶν ἐνεργούμενα ἀποβάλλει.	^19.3 By these words, the argument has most clearly demonstrated what one should think of oracles, inquiries through sacrificial divination, and those predictions about obscure matters so admired by the multitude. For having named all these things 'vanity,' he rejects them as being operated by evil demons.
^19.4 τὸν γοῦν περὶ φαύλων δαιμόνων διεξιὼν λόγον, καὶ φάσκων τὸν συνετὸν ἄνδρα καὶ σώφρονα μή ποτε τούτοις ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδοῦναι, μηδ’ ἐπισπάσασθαι εἰς ἑαυτὸν διὰ τῶν θυσιῶν τοὺς τοιούτους, ἑξῆς ἐπισυνάπτει λέγων τὸν φιλόσοφον μηδὲ μαντείων δεήσεσθαι, μηδὲ σπλάγχνων ζῴων, καὶ τῶν παραπλησίων, ὡς ἂν τῆς δαιμονικῆς ὄντων κακοτεχνίας.	^19.4 At any rate, after delivering his discourse on base demons, and asserting that the prudent and temperate man should never surrender himself to them nor draw such beings to himself through sacrifices, he next connects this by stating that the philosopher will need neither oracles, nor animal entrails, nor similar practices, since they belong to demonic trickery.
^19.5 εἰ δὴ οὖν κατὰ ταῦτα εὐλαβητέον τῷ συνετῷ καὶ σώφρονι τοιαύταις χρῆσθαι θυσίαις, δι’ ὧν ἐπισπάσεται πρὸς ἑαυτὸν τοὺς δαίμονας—αὗται δ’ ἦσαν αἱ δι’ αἱμάτων ἐκχύσεως καὶ δι’ ἀλόγων ζῴων σφαγῆς—οὐδεὶς ἂν ἐνδίκως ῥηθείη σώφρων καὶ συνετὸς τῶν πάλαι ζῳοθυτούντων τοῖς δαίμοσι, καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον τῶν ἀνθρωποθυτούντων.	^19.5 If, therefore, according to these statements, the prudent and temperate man must take care not to use such sacrifices through which he will draw demons to himself—and these were precisely the sacrifices involving the shedding of blood and the slaughter of irrational animals—then no one among those who anciently offered animal sacrifices to demons could justly be called temperate and prudent, and much less those who offered human sacrifices.
^19.6 ἥλω δὲ τὰ πανταχοῦ πάντα σχεδὸν εἰπεῖν ἔθνη, πρόσθεν ἢ τὸν ἡμέτερον σωτῆρα εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἀναδειχθῆναι, τοὺς φαύλους ἱλεούμενα δαίμονας ταῖς κατὰ πάντα τόπον ἐπιτελουμέναις ἀνθρωποθυσίαις. οὐδεὶς ἄρα τούτων συνετὸς ἦν καὶ σώφρων.	^19.6 Yet virtually all nations everywhere were trapped, prior to the appearance of our Savior among human beings, in appeasing base demons through human sacrifices performed in every place. Therefore, none of them was prudent and temperate.
^19.7 ὁ μὲν οὖν κοινὸς καὶ ἀνθρώπινος λογισμὸς ἑπόμενος ὀρθῷ λόγῳ παντὶ τῷ συνετῷ καὶ σώφρονι διαρρήδην προκηρύττει μὴ χρῆσθαι θυσίαις ἐπὶ θεραπείᾳ τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων, σπουδάζειν δὲ καθαίρειν τὴν ψυχὴν παντοίως· καθαρᾷ γὰρ ψυχῇ οὐκ ἐπιτίθενται, διὰ τὸ αὐτοῖς ἀνόμοιον·	^19.7 Thus, common human reasoning, following right reason, explicitly proclaims to every prudent and temperate person not to use sacrifices for the service of evil demons, but to make every effort to purify the soul in every way; for they do not attack a pure soul, because it is unlike them.
^19.8 ὁ δὲ θεὸς αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἀπόλλων (πάλιν γὰρ ἀνθρώποις τοῦτον παραβλητέον, καὶ δεικτέον ὅσον τοῦ ὀρθοῦ λείπεται λογισμοῦ), προστάττει τῷ πονηρῷ δαίμονι θύειν, οὐκ ἄλλως ἢ δηλαδὴ φίλος ὢν αὐτῷ· κακῷ δὲ τὸ ὅμοιὸν φίλον. τούτου δὲ μάρτυς ὁ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραψε Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας, ὧδε ἱστορῶν πρὸς λέξιν·	^19.8 Yet their god Apollo—for again he must be compared to men, and shown how far he falls short of right reason—commands sacrifice to the evil demon, clearly for no other reason than that he is a friend to him; and like is friend to like. Of this, the very author previously quoted is witness in what he entitled On the Philosophy from Oracles, recording word for word as follows:

Chapter 20

☜ ☞

Eusebius quotes an oracle of Apollo from Porphyry's On the Philosophy from Oracles, in which Apollo instructs a prophet that before he can behold the divine, he must first offer ransom/appeasement (lutra) to an evil demon using libations, blood, and sacrifices. Eusebius then contrasts this demonic demand with natural human reason, which commands the purification of the soul rather than the feeding of evil spirits. He concludes that if a wise person avoids sacrificing to demons, an oracle that commands such sacrifices cannot be divine or good, and that anyone who laments the end of ancient human sacrifices is wrongly condemning the present age for abandoning demonic bondage.

^20.1 «Σπεύδοντος γοῦν τοῦ προφήτου αὐτοπτῆσαι τὸ θεῖον καὶ ἐπειγομένου, ὁ Ἀπόλλων ἀδύνατον ἔφη τὸ τοιοῦτον πρὶν λύτρα τῷ πονηρῷ δαίμονι δοῦναι. λέγει δὲ οὕτως· Λύτρα δίδου γαίης πατρίης οἰκήτορι σεμνῷ, πρῶτα χοάς, μετέπειτα πυρήν, ἠδ’ αἷμα κελαινὸν οἴνου παμμέλανός τε καὶ ὀίων λευκὰ ῥέεθρα. καὶ σαφέστερον εἶπε περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν· Οἶνον καὶ γάλα βάλλε καὶ ὕδατος ἀγλαὸν εἶδος, καὶ ξύλα καρπὸν ἔχοντα διογνήτων ἀκυλόντων· σπλάγχνα δὲ κατθέμενος λιπαροῖς ἅμα νάμασι σπένδε. μετὰ ποίας δὲ εὐχῆς, ἐρωτηθεὶς ἤρξατο μέν, οὐ μὴν ἐπλήρωσεν, οὕτως εἰπών· Δαῖμον ἀλιτρονόων ψυχῶν διάδημα λελογχώς, ἠερίων ὑπένερθε μυχῶν, χθονίων τ’ ἐφύπερθεν—»	^20.1 "At any rate, when the prophet was eager and pressing to behold the divine with his own eyes, Apollo declared that such a thing was impossible before giving ransom (lutra) to the evil demon. And he speaks thus: 'Give ransom to the august inhabitant of your native land, first libations, and next the pyre, and dark blood of pitch-black wine, along with white streams of sheep’s milk.' And he spoke more clearly concerning these same matters: 'Pour out wine and milk, and water's bright form, and wood bearing the fruit of divine-born acorns; and laying down the entrails, pour libations along with rich streams.' And when asked with what kind of prayer [this should be done], he began indeed, though he did not complete it, speaking thus: 'O demon who hast obtained as thy lot the crown of sinful souls, below the aerial recesses, yet above the earthly ones—'"
^20.2 Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ θαυμάσιος θεός, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ πολυπλανὲς δαιμόνιον· τὰ δὲ τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν λογισμοῦ τἀναντία, καθαίρειν τὴν ψυχήν, ἀλλὰ μὴ θυσίαις ἐπισπᾶσθαι τοὺς πονηροὺς δαίμονας, παρακελευόμενα· καθαρᾷ γὰρ ψυχῇ οὐκ ἐπιτίθενται διὰ τὸ αὐτοῖς ἀνόμοιον. εἰ δὲ δὴ συνετὸς εἶναι καὶ σώφρων ἀνὴρ ὀρθῶς ἐκρίθη ὁ εὐλαβὴς καὶ μὴ θύων δαίμοσιν, ὁ τοῖς πονηροῖς θύειν διὰ τοῦ χρησμοῦ παραινῶν τίς ἂν εὐλόγως καὶ ποδαπὸς νομισθείη, σοὶ καταλείπω σκοπεῖν.	^20.2 Such are the declarations of this wonderful god—or rather, of this deceitful demonic power! But the principles of natural reason command the exact opposite: to purify the soul, and not to draw evil demons to oneself through sacrifices; for they do not attack a pure soul, because it is unlike them. Now, if a prudent and temperate man has been rightly judged to be the one who takes care and does not sacrifice to demons, then who—and what kind of being—might he who urges sacrifice to evil spirits through his oracle reasonably be considered? I leave it to you to consider.
^20.3 ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ἀναδραμόντι προφανὲς ἔσται ποῖοί τινες ὑπῆρχον τὴν τοῦ τρόπου φύσιν οἱ ταῖς ἀνθρωποθυσίαις χαίροντες, ἢ οἱ τούτοις πᾶν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος πάλαι πρότερον καταδεδουλωμένοις. εἰ δὲ λέγοι τις μὴ φαῦλον εἶναι τὸν τῆς ἀνθρωποθυσίας τρόπον, ὀρθότατα δ’ ὑπὸ τῶν παλαιῶν τελεῖσθαι, ὥρα τοῖς νῦν καταμέμφεσθαι πᾶσιν, ὅτι μηδεὶς ὁμοίως τοῖς πατράσιν εὐσεβεῖ.	^20.3 From this, if one reflects back, it will be manifest what kind of character belonged to those who delighted in human sacrifices, or to those spirits who had previously enslaved the entire human race to them. But if anyone should claim that the practice of human sacrifice is not base, but was performed most correctly by the ancients, it is high time for him to blame everyone today because no one worships in the same manner as their fathers.

Chapter 21

☜ ☞

In this chapter, Eusebius argues that if modern humans rightly reject the brutal practice of human sacrifice, then ancient pagans—who appeased evil demons through such slaughter—were not truly wise. He asserts that the pagan gods were evil demons, and that Christ alone delivered humanity from this ancient spiritual slavery, offering true healing and freedom. By trusting in God through Christ, Christians no longer need demonic sacrifices, divination, or animal entrails, but instead offer a pure and virtuous life. Eusebius closes by noting that even the Neoplatonist philosopher Porphyry (in On Abstinence) conceded that evil spirits disguise themselves as good gods to deceive humanity, instigate sorcery, and trick even the wisest Greek poets and philosophers.

^21.1 Εἰ δ’ ἐμφρόνως οἱ καθ’ ἡμὰς τῆς ἀπηνοῦς καὶ ἀγρίας ὠμότητος τὴν ἀποστροφὴν ἐποιήσαντο, τῶν παλαιῶν οὐδεὶς ἦν ἄρα σοφὸς, τοὺς πονηροὺς δαίμονας ταῖς ἀνθρωποκτονίαις μειλισσόμενος. ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τυφλῷ, φασὶ, δῆλον ὡς οὔτε θεοὶ ἂν εἶεν οὔτε δαίμονες ἀγαθοὶ οἱ πάλαι πρὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων θεολογούμενοι, πορρωτάτω δὲ τοὐ ἀγαθοῦ ἐξῳκισμένοι.	^21.1 If, therefore, our contemporaries have wisely turned away from such cruel and savage barbarity, then none of the ancients was wise in appeasing evil demons through human slaughter. Indeed, as the saying goes, "it is clear even to a blind man" that those who were anciently regarded as gods by all the nations could be neither gods nor good demons, but were settled as far as possible from the Good.
^21.2 διὸ καὶ ἐνδίκως θεομάχοι τινὲς καὶ ἀσεβεῖς λεχθεῖεν ἂν, τὸν πάντα λυμηνάμενοι βίον, ὧν ἐξ αἰῶνος· οὐδεὶς ἢ μόνος ὁ σωτὴρ καὶ κύριος ἡμῶν ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦ θεοῦ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τὴν φυγὴν προεξένησεν, εὐαγγελιζόμενος ὁμοῦ πάντας Ἕλληνάς τε καὶ βαρβάρους θεραπείαν τῆς πατρικῆς νόσου, καὶ τῆς πικρὰς καὶ παλαιτάτης δουλείας ἐλευθερίαν· ἐφ’ ἣν σπεύδειν ὁ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς ἀποδείξεως παρορμᾷ λόγος, μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ τοῖς πᾶσιν εἰς ἐξάχουστον βοῶν «πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐπ’ ἐμὲ, οὗ ἕνεκεν ἔχρισέ με, εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς ἀπέσταλκέ με, κηρῦξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν, ἰάσασθαι τοὺς συντετριμμένους τὴν καρδίαν.» καὶ πάλιν «ἐξαγαγεῖν ἐκ δεσμῶν πεπεδημένους, καὶ ἐξ οἴκου φυλακῆς καθημένους ἐν σκότει.»	^21.2 Wherefore they might justly be called fighters against God and ungodly, having ruined the whole of human life. From time immemorial, no one—save only our Savior and Lord, the Christ of God—has provided a way of escape for all humanity, bringing the good news to all Greeks and barbarians alike of healing from their ancestral disease and freedom from a bitter and ancient slavery. Towards this freedom the message of gospel demonstration urges us to hasten, shouting with a great voice for all to hear: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me; he has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to heal the brokenhearted," and again: "to bring out those who are bound in chains, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison house."
^21.3 ταῦτα γὰρ ἄνωθεν ἐκ παλαιοῦ τὰ θεῖα ὡς ἀληθῶς παρ’ Ἑβραίοις ἐθέσπιζε λόγια, τὴν ἡμῶν τῶν πάλαι τυφλῶν τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ δαιμόνων πονηρῶν πολυπλόκοις δεσμοῖς πεπεδημένων ἀπολύτρωσιν εὐαγγελιζόμενα. ὅθεν εἰκότως τοὺς τῆς διανοίας ὀφθαλμοὺς πρὸς τοῦ σωτηρίου λόγου καταυγασθέντες, σώφρονές τε καὶ εὐλαβεῖς βεῖς καὶ συνετοὶ γενόμενοι, καὶ πάντων ἐλεύθεροι κακῶν, οὔτε θύσομεν οὔτε δουλεύσομεν τοῖς τῶν ἐθνῶν νενομισμένοις θεοῖς, οἳ δὴ καὶ ἡμῶν τὸ πρὶν κατετυράννουν· ἀχθέντες δὲ καὶ προσαχθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν διδασκαλίας τῷ μόνῳ καὶ ἀληθεῖ θεῷ, τῷ δὴ καὶ δεσπότῃ καὶ τροφεῖ, σωτῆρί τε καὶ εὐεργέτῃ, καὶ ἔτι ποιητῇ καὶ δημιουργῷ καὶ παμβασιλεῖ τῶν ὅλων, μόνον τοῦτον ἀληθῆ θεὸν ἡγησόμεθα, καὶ μόνῳ τὸ προσῆκον ἀπονεμοῦμεν σέβας, μόνον γεραίροντες καὶ μόνον αὐτὸν εὐσεβοῦντες, τες, οὐχ ᾗ τοῖς δαίμοσι φίλον, ἀλλ’ ᾗ τῷ πρὸς αὐτοῦ καταπεμφθέντι πάντων ἀνθρώπων σωτῆρι διὰ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς αὐτοῦ διδασκαλίας παραδέδοται.	^21.3 For these divine oracles among the Hebrews truly predicted these things from of old, proclaiming the good news of redemption for us whose souls were once blind and bound in the intricate chains of evil demons. Therefore, having naturally had the eyes of our understanding illuminated by the saving Word, and having become temperate, devout, intelligent, and set free from all evils, we shall neither sacrifice nor serve the customary gods of the nations, who indeed formerly tyrannized over us. But having been led and brought near by the teaching of our Savior to the only true God—who is indeed Master, Sustainer, Savior, Benefactor, and furthermore Creator, Craftsman, and King of all—we shall hold Him alone to be the true God, and to Him alone shall we render the fitting reverence, honoring Him alone and worshipping Him alone; not in the manner pleasing to demons, but as has been delivered by the Savior sent by Him for all humanity through His gospel teaching.
^21.4 ταύτῇ δὲ θεοσεβοῦντες διώξομεν καὶ ἀπελάσομεν ἑαυτῶν, πολλοῦ δεῖ φοβηθησόμεθα, τοὺς πονηροὺς δαίμονς μόνας δι’ ἁγνείας καὶ καθαροῦ τρόπου βίου τε σώφρονος καὶ παναρέτου, τοῦ δὴ πρὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν διωρισμένου . καθαρᾷ γὰρ μὴ δύνασθαι ψυχῇ πλησιάζειν διὰ τὸ ἀνόμοιον ὡμολόγηται ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ μαντείας καὶ χρησμῶν δεησόμεθα, οὐδὲ σπλάγχνα ζῴων διερευνήσομεν, οὐδέ τι τῶν διὰ δαιμονικῆς κινήσεως νήσεως ἐνεργουμένων πολυπραγμονήσομεν.	^21.4 Worshipping God in this way, we shall drive away and banish from ourselves the evil spirits—far from fearing them—solely through holiness, a pure way of life, and a temperate and all-virtuous character, precisely as defined by our Savior. For it is agreed that they cannot approach a pure soul on account of its unlikeness to them. Furthermore, we shall have no need of divinations or oracles, nor shall we inspect the entrails of animals, nor shall we busy ourselves with anything produced by demonic influence.
^21.5 ὧν γὰρ ἕνεκα ταῦτα τοῖς πολλοῖς σπουδάζεται, τούτων ἡμῖν ἀφίστασθαι μελετᾶν ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λόγος διεστείλατο, μόνων δὲ ἐκείνων ἐφίεσθαι προύτρεψε, περὶ ὧν ἀληθῶς μάντις μὲν οὐδεὶς οὐδὲ σπλάγχνα ζῴων μηνύσει τὸ σαφὲς, αὐτὸς δὲ μόνος ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος, ὁ ἐν τοῖς ἀληθινοῖς ἐνοικῶν σπλάγχνοις τῶν οἴων τε αὐτὸν δι’ ἄκραν ψυχῆς καθαρότητα ἔνδον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς χωρεῖν. περὶ ὧν φησί που έν τοῖς ἱεροῖς γράμμασιν «ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω, καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτῶν θεὸς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι λαός.»	^21.5 For the Christ’s word instructed us to practice abstaining from those things that are eagerly pursued by the multiude, and exhorted us to desire those things alone concerning which no prophet nor animal entrails will reveal the truth clearly, but only the Word of God Himself, who dwells in the true entrails (inward parts) of those who are capable—through utmost purity of soul—of receiving Him within themselves. Concerning these He says somewhere in the Sacred Writings: "I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
^21.6 Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ περὶ θυσιῶν τόπου ἀπελεγκτικὰ τῆς τῶν δαιμόνων μοχθηρίας. ἄκουε δ’ οἷα περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν αὖθις ὁ τῆς Περὶ τῶν ἐμψύχων ἀποχῆς συγγραφεὺς ἱστορεῖ, διαρρήδην ὁμολογῶν τοὺς πονηροὺς δαίμονας ἐν σχήμασι πλείοσιν ἐκτυπουμένοις, καὶ παντοίας μορφὰς χαρακτηρίζονιας, λανθάνειν καὶ ἐξαπατᾶν τοὺς πολλοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ἀγαθῶν γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑποδυόμενοι πρόσωπα καὶ προσεταιριζόμενοι τὰ πλήθη διὰ τοῦ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκκαίειν, τοὺς ἀνωτάτω θεοὺς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιφημίζεσθαι βούλονται. τοσοῦτόν τέ φησιν αὐτοὺς ἰσχῦσαι ὡς ἀπατῆσαι καὶ τοὺς σοφωτάτους τῶν Ἑλλήνων ποιητὰς καὶ φιλοσόφους, οὓς καὶ ὁμολογεῖ τῆς τοῦ πλήθους γεγονέναι διαστροφῆς αἰτίους· ὅτι τε ἐξ αὐτῶν πᾶσα γοητεία συνέστη, καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἀνθρώποις δι’ αὐτῶν προξενεῖται· ὅπως τε θεοὶ εἶναι βούλονται, δαίμονες ὄντες φαῦλοι· καὶ ὡς ἡ προεστῶσα αὐτῶν δύναμις δοκεῖ θεὸς εἶναι ὁ μέγιστος. ταῦτα δὲ ὁ Πορφύριος πάντα τοῦτον ἱστορεῖ ’τον τρόπον	^21.6 Such, then, are the arguments from the subject of sacrifices that expose the malice of demons. But hear now what the author of On Abstinence from Animal Food records concerning these same beings, explicitly acknowledging that evil demons, taking shape in various guises and assuming all kinds of forms, escape notice and deceive the majority of mankind. For, he says, donning the masks of good beings and winning over the multitudes by fanning the flames of human desires, they wish to be proclaimed as the supreme gods. He states that they have attained such power as to deceive even the wisest poets and philosophers among the Greeks, whom he acknowledges to have been the cause of the crowd's perversion; and that all sorcery is established from them, and whatever promotes human pleasure is provided through them; and how, being base spirits, they wish to be gods; and how the power presiding over them seems to be the supreme god. All these things Porphyry records in this manner.

Chapter 22

☜ ☞

In this chapter, Eusebius quotes extensively from the Neoplatonist philosopher Porphyry (from his On Abstinence from Animal Food, Book 2) to convict pagan theology out of its own authorities.

Porphyry describes how low-ranking, malevolent demons—governed by volatile, semi-material pneumatic bodies—disguise themselves as high, benevolent gods. Driven by pride and a desire for blood, fat, and sacrificial vapors to nourish their airy frames, these evil spirits inflame human passions (avarice, lust, ambition), instigate sorcery, and deceive both the general populace and elite Greek philosophers and poets. Eusebius uses Porphyry’s own words to demonstrate that the traditional gods of pagans are nothing more than wicked, bloodthirsty demons, and notes that the prince of these evil spirits (identified as Serapis or Hecate by Porphyry) is none other than Beelzebub in Sacred Scripture.

^22.1 «Ὅσαι δὲ ψυχαὶ τοῦ συνεχοῦς πνεύματος οὐ κρατοῦσιν, ἀλλ’ ὡς τὸ πολὺ καὶ κρατοῦνται, διὰ τοῦτο ἄγονταί τε καὶ φέρονται λίαν, ὅταν αἱ τοῦ πνεύματος ὀργαί τε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαι τὴν ὁρμὴν λάβωσιν· αὗται δὲ αἱ ψυχαὶ δαίμονες μὲν καὶ αὐταί, κακοεργοὶ δ’ ἂν εἰκότως λέγοιντο.	^22.1 [Porphyry writes]: "As many souls as do not control the attached pneumatic body (pneuma), but for the most part are actually controlled by it, are on this account driven and tossed about excessively whenever the passions and desires of the pneumatic body gain momentum. These souls are themselves indeed spirits (demons), and they might properly be called evil-working.
^22.2 καί εἰσιν οἱ σύμπαντες οὗτοί τε καὶ οἱ τῆς ἐναντίας δυνάμεως, ἀόρατοί τε καὶ τελείως ἀναίσθητοι αἰσθήσεσιν ἀνθρωπίναις· οὐ γὰρ στερεὸν σῶμα περιβέβληνται, οὐδὲ μορφὴν πάντες μίαν, ἀλλ’ ἐν σχήμασι πλείοσιν· ἐκτυπούμεναι δὲ καὶ χαρακτηρίζουσαι τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῶν αἱ μορφαὶ τοτὲ μὲν ἐπιφαίνονται, τοτὲ δὲ ἀφανεῖς εἰσιν· ἐνίοτε δὲ καὶ μεταβάλλουσι τὰς μορφὰς οἵ γε χείρους.	^22.2 And all of these—both these evil spirits and those of the opposing power—are invisible and completely imperceptible to human senses. For they are not clothed in a solid body, nor do they all possess a single form, but exist in multiple shapes. Their forms, which outline and characterize their pneumatic body, sometimes shine forth and become visible, and at other times are invisible; and occasionally those that are worse even change their shapes.
^22.3 τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα, ᾗ μέν ἐστι σωματικόν, παθητικόν ἐστι καὶ φθαρτόν· τῷ δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ψυχῶν οὕτως δεδέσθαι ὥστε τὸ εἶδος αὐτῶν διαμένειν πλείω χρόνον, οὐ μήν ἐστιν αἰώνιον· καὶ γὰρ ἀπορρεῖν αὐτοῦ τι συνεχῶς εἰκός ἐστι καὶ τρέπεσθαι.	^22.3 Now the pneumatic body, insofar as it is corporeal, is subject to passion and corruptible. Yet because it is so bound by the souls that its outward form endures for a considerable time, it is nevertheless not eternal; for it is reasonable to suppose that something is continually flowing away from it and undergoing change.
^22.4 ἐν συμμετρίᾳ μὲν οὖν τὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὡς καὶ τὰ σώματα τῶν φαινομένων, τῶν δὲ κακοποιῶν ἀσύμμετρα, οἳ πλέον τῷ παθητικῷ νέμοντες τὸν περίγειον τόπον οὐδὲν ὅ τι τῶν κακῶν οὐκ ἐπιχειροῦσι δρᾶν· βίαιον γὰρ ὅλως καὶ ὕπουλον ἔχοντες ἦθος, ἐστερημένον τε τῆς φυλακῆς τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος δαιμονίου, σφοδρὰς καὶ αἰφνιδίους, οἷον ἐνέδρας, ὡς τὸ πολὺ ποιοῦνται τὰς ἐμπτώσεις, πῇ μὲν λανθάνειν πειρώμενοι, πῇ δὲ βιαζόμενοι.»	^22.4 Accordingly, the bodies of the good spirits are in proper proportion, just as are the visible bodies of seen objects, whereas those of the evil-doers are disproportionate. Giving themselves over to a greater degree to the passive element, they occupy the sublunary region and refrain from no evil deed. Possessing a character that is altogether violent and treacherous, and destitute of the protection derived from the superior divine spirit, they make their assaults for the most part like sudden, fierce ambushes, trying in some cases to escape notice, and in others forcing their way."
^22.5 Καὶ ἑξῆς ἐπιλέγει· «Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ τὰ ὅμοια ποιοῦσι μεταστῆσαι ἡμᾶς ἐθέλοντες ἀπὸ τῆς ὀρθῆς ἐννοίας τῶν θεῶν καὶ ἐφ’ ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιστρέψαι· πᾶσι γὰρ τοῖς οὕτως ἀνομολόγως καὶ ἀκαταλλήλως γιγνομένοις αὐτοὶ χαίρουσι, καὶ ὥσπερ ὑποδύντες τὰ τῶν ἄλλων θεῶν πρόσωπα τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀβουλίας ἀπολαύουσι, προσεταιριζόμενοι τὰ πλήθη διὰ τοῦ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκκαίειν ἔρωσι καὶ πόθοις πλούτων καὶ δυναστειῶν καὶ ἡδονῶν, κενοδοξίας τε αὖ, ἐξ ὧν στάσεις καὶ πόλεμοι φύονται καὶ τὰ συγγενῆ τούτων.	^22.5 And next he adds: "They do these and similar things wishing to turn us away from the right conception of the gods and to convert us to themselves. For they delight in all things that take place thus wildly and incongruously; and, as it were, putting on the masks of the other gods, they take advantage of our folly to win over the multitudes, fanning the flames of human desires through love and longings for wealth, power, and pleasure, and vain ambition in turn—from which spring seditions, wars, and their kindred evils.
^22.6 τὸ δὲ πάντων δεινότατον, ἐπαναβαίνουσιν ἐκ τῶνδε, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια ἀναπείθουσι καὶ περὶ τῶν μεγίστων θεῶν, μέχρι τοῦ καὶ τὸν ἄριστον θεὸν τούτοις τοῖς ἐγκλήμασιν ὑπάγειν· ᾧ δὴ καὶ τεταράχθαι φασὶ πάντ’ ἄνω κάτω. πεπόνθασι δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἰδιῶται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ διατριβόντων οὐκ ὀλίγοι.	^22.6 And the most terrible thing of all: starting from these beginnings, they proceed further and persuade men to believe similar things even concerning the highest gods, extending so far as to subject even the best God to these accusations—by which means they say everything has been turned upside down. Nor have common people alone suffered this, but not a few of those who spend their lives in philosophy as well.
^22.7 ἡ δ’ αἰτία δι’ ἀλλήλων γέγονεν. καὶ γὰρ τῶν φιλοσοφούντων οἱ μὴ ἀποστάντες τῆς καινῆς φορᾶς εἰς τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς πλήθεσι συνέβησαν· καὶ πάλιν αὖ τὰ πλήθη σύμφωνα ταῖς αὐτῶν δόξαις παρὰ τῶν δοκούντων σοφῶν ἀκούοντα ἐπερρώσθη φρονεῖν ἐπὶ μᾶλλον περὶ τῶν θεῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα.	^22.7 The cause has been reciprocal. For those philosophers who did not stand apart from the popular drift came to the same conclusions as the crowds; and again, the multitudes, hearing things concerning the gods from those reputed to be wise that were in agreement with their own opinions, were all the more encouraged to think such things about the gods.
^22.8 τὸ μὲν γὰρ ποιητικὸν καὶ προσεξέκαυσε τὰς ὑπολήψεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῷ χρῆσθαι φράσει πρὸς ἔκπληξιν καὶ γοητείαν πεποιημένῃ, κήλησίν τε ἐμποιῆσαι καὶ πίστιν περὶ τῶν ἀδυνατωτάτων δυναμένῃ, δέον ἐμπέδως πεπεῖσθαι ὅτι οὔτε τὸ ἀγαθὸν βλάπτει ποτέ, οὔτε τὸ κακὸν ὠφελεῖ. οὐ γὰρ θερμότητος, ὥς φησι Πλάτων, τὸ ψύχειν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐναντίου, οὐδὲ ψυχρότητος τὸ θερμαίνειν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐναντίου, οὕτως οὐδὲ τοῦ δικαίου τὸ βλάπτειν.	^22.8 For the poetic art further inflamed the assumptions of men by using language designed for awe and enchantment, capable of producing fascination and belief concerning the most impossible things—whereas men ought to have been firmly persuaded that the Good never harms, nor does the Evil ever benefit. For, as Plato says, it is not the property of heat to cool, but of its opposite, nor of cold to heat, but of its opposite; so likewise it is not the property of the just to harm.
^22.9 δικαιότατον δὲ δήπου φύσει πάντων τὸ θεῖον, ἐπεὶ οὐδ’ ἂν ἦν θεῖον· οὐκοῦν ἀποτετμῆσθαι δεῖ ταύτην τὴν δύναμιν καὶ μοῖραν τῶν δαιμόνων τῶν ἀγαθοεργῶν. ἡ γὰρ βλάπτειν πεφυκυῖά τε καὶ βουλομένη ἐναντία τῇ ἀγαθοεργῷ· τὰ δ’ ἐναντία περὶ τὸ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἄν ποτε γένοιτο.»	^22.9 And surely the Divine is by nature the most just of all things, since otherwise it would not even be divine. Therefore, this destructive capacity and portion must be cut off from the good-working spirits. For that which is suited by nature and intent to harm is the opposite of that which does good; and opposites could never belong to the same entity."
^22.10 Καὶ αὖθις· «Διὰ μέντοι τῶν ἐναντίων καὶ ἡ πᾶσα γοητεία ἐπιτελεῖται· τούτους γὰρ μάλιστα καὶ τὸν προεστῶτα αὐτῶν ἐκτιμῶσιν οἱ τὰ κακὰ διὰ τῶν γοητειῶν διαπραττόμενοι.	^22.10 And again he says: "Through these opposing spirits, moreover, all sorcery is performed. For those who perpetrate evil deeds through sorceries especially honor these spirits and the power presiding over them.
^22.11 πλήρεις γάρ εἰσι πάσης φαντασίας καὶ ἀπατῆσαι ἱκανοὶ διὰ τῆς τερατουργίας. διὰ τούτων φίλτρα καὶ ἐρωτικὰ κατασκευάζουσιν οἱ κακοδαίμονες· πᾶσα γὰρ ἀκολασία καὶ πλούτων ἐλπὶς καὶ δόξης διὰ τούτων, καὶ μάλιστα ἡ ἀπάτη.	^22.11 For they are full of every delusion and fully capable of deceiving through wonder-working. Through them these ill-fated men construct love-philtres and erotic charms; for all licentiousness, expectation of riches, and glory come through them, and especially deception.
^22.12 τὸ γὰρ ψεῦδος τούτοις οἰκεῖον· βούλονται γὰρ εἶναι θεοὶ καὶ ἡ προεστῶσα αὐτῶν δύναμις δοκεῖν θεὸς εἶναι ὁ μέγιστος. οὗτοι οἱ χαίροντες λοιβῇ τε κνίσῃ τε, δι’ ὧν αὐτῶν τὸ πνευματικὸν καὶ σωματικὸν πιαίνεται· ζῇ γὰρ τοῦτο ἀτμοῖς καὶ ἀναθυμιάσεσι, ποικίλως διὰ τῶν ποικίλων, καὶ δυναμοῦται ταῖς ἐκ τῶν αἱμάτων καὶ σαρκῶν θυσίαις.»	^22.12 For falsehood is native to them. They wish to be gods, and the power presiding over them wishes to seem to be the supreme God. These are they who rejoice in libations and the steam of fat, by which their own spiritual and physical frame is nourished; for this lives on vapors and exhalations—variously through various means—and is invigorated by the sacrifices of blood and flesh."
^22.13 Διὰ δὴ τούτων ἀκηκόαμεν ὁμολογούντων ὅτι μὴ μόνον οἱ παρ’ Ἕλλησι ποιηταὶ προσεξέκαυσαν τὰς ὑπολήψεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰς περὶ τῶν φαύλων δαιμόνων ὡς περὶ θεῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν φιλοσοφία διατριβόντων οἱ περὶ θεοὺς δοκοῦντες σπουδαίως ἔχειν, οἳ καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐ θεούς, ἀλλὰ πονηροὺς δαίμονας περιέποντες τὰ πλήθη καὶ τοὺς δήμους εἰς τὴν ὁμοίαν πλάνην ἐξετραχήλισαν.	^22.13 [Eusebius comments]: By these words we have heard them confessing that not only did the poets among the Greeks inflame human assumptions regarding evil demons as though they were good gods, but also those among the philosophers who seemed to take theology seriously. They too, by cultivating not gods but evil demons, led the crowds and public assemblies headlong into similar error.
^22.14 ὡμολόγησε γοῦν σαφῶς ὁ λόγος ὡς ἄρα παρὰ τῶν δοκούντων σοφῶν ἀκούοντα περὶ θεῶν τὰ πλήθη σύμφωνα ταῖς αὐτῶν δόξαις ἐπερρώσθη φρονεῖν ἐπὶ μᾶλλον ὡς περὶ θεῶν περὶ τῶν μοχθηρῶν δαιμόνων. καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐξ ἡμῶν κατηγορεῖται, ἀλλ’ ὑπ’ αὐτῶν τῶν ἀκριβέστατα τὰ οἰκεῖα μᾶλλον ἢ ἡμεῖς εἰδότων.	^22.14 At any rate, the argument clearly conceded that the multitudes, hearing things about the gods from those reputed wise that agreed with their own notions, were all the more strengthened to think concerning base demons as though they were gods. And these accusations are not brought by us, but by those who know their own affairs far more accurately than we do.
^22.15 ὁ γέ τοι αὐτὸς συγγραφεὺς οὐ παρέργως ὁμιλήσας τῇ τοὺς πολλοὺς λανθανούσῃ δεισιδαιμονίᾳ φησὶ τοὺς πονηροὺς δαίμονας βούλεσθαι εἶναι θεοὺς καὶ ἀγαθῶν δόξαν ἔχειν παρὰ ἀνθρώποις· τίς τε προεστῶσα αὐτῶν δύναμις τυγχάνει ὁ αὐτὸς πάλιν διασαφήσει, τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων λέγων εἶναι τὸν Σάραπιν καὶ τὴν Ἑκάτην· ἡ δὲ θεία γραφὴ τὸν Βελζεβούλ. ἄκουε δ’ ὅπως καὶ περὶ τούτου γε γράφει ἐν τοῖς Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας.	^22.15 The same author, who was no casual observer of the superstition that eludes the majority of men, says that the evil demons wish to be gods and to enjoy among men the reputation of being good. Who their presiding power happens to be, the same author will clarify again, saying that the rulers of the evil demons are Serapis and Hecate—whom Divine Scripture calls Beelzebub. Hear, then, what he writes concerning this ruler in his work Philosophy from Oracles.

Chapter 23

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Continuing his citations from Porphyry (specifically from On Abstinence and Philosophy from Oracles), Eusebius exposes the nature and operations of the evil spirits revered in paganism.

Porphyry reveals that Serapis (identified with Pluto) and Hecate are the rulers of these malicious, sublunary demons. These spirits fill households and human bodies, attaching themselves to gluttony, blood, sacrifices, and impure desires. Porphyry notes that priests perform specific cleansing rites—striking straps, splashing animal blood, and making physical noises in the air—to drive them out so a god may approach. He even cites an oracle from Hecate herself, wherein she boasts of her triple-elemental nature (fire/aether, air, earth) and explicitly admits to driving a dark brood of "hounds" on the earth—which Porphyry confirms are none other than the evil demons. Eusebius concludes by emphasizing that the pagans' own theological authorities admit their "gods" are actually wicked, destructive spirits.

^23.1 «Τοὺς δὲ πονηροὺς δαίμονας οὐκ εἰκῇ ὑπὸ τὸν Σάραπιν ὑποπτεύομεν, οὐδ’ ἐκ τῶν συμβόλων μόνων ἀναπεισθέντες, ἀλλ’ ὅτι τὰ μειλίγματα καὶ τὰ τούτων ἀποτρόπαια πρὸς τὸν Πλούτωνα γίνεται, ὡς ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ἐδείκνυμεν. αὐτὸς δέ ἐστι τῷ Πλούτωνι ὁ θεός, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα δαιμόνων ἄρχων, καὶ σύμβολα διδοὺς πρὸς τὴν τούτων ἔλασιν.	^23.1 [Porphyry writes]: "It is not without reason or at random that we suspect evil demons to be subject to Serapis, nor are we persuaded of this from symbols alone; rather, it is because the propitiations and averting rites intended for these spirits are made to Pluto, as we demonstrated in the first book. For this god is identical with Pluto, and for this reason he is pre-eminently the ruler of demons, offering symbols to drive them away.
^23.2 οὗτος γοῦν καὶ τοῖς ἱκέταις ἐδήλωσεν ὡς πᾶσι ζῴοις ὁμοιούμενοι προσίασι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις· ὅθεν καὶ παρ’ Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ παρὰ Φοίνιξι καὶ ὅλως παρὰ τοῖς τὰ θεῖα σοφοῖς ἱμάντες ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἐπιρρήσσονται, καὶ ζῷα προσουδίζεται πρὸ τῆς θρησκείας τῶν θεῶν, ἐξελαυνόντων τῶν ἱερέων τούτους, διὰ τοῦ δοῦναι πνεῦμα, ἢ αἷμα ζῴων, καὶ διὰ τῆς τοῦ ἀέρος πληγῆς, ἵνα τούτων ἀπελθόντων παρουσία τοῦ θεοῦ γένηται. καὶ οἶκος δὲ πᾶς μεστὸς αὐτῶν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προκαθαίρουσι καὶ ἐκβάλλουσι τούτους, ὅταν θεὸν κατακαλῶσι.	^23.2 He at any rate revealed to his suppliants that they approach human beings by transforming themselves into the likeness of all kinds of animals. Hence among the Egyptians, the Phoenicians, and generally among those wise in divine matters, thongs are whipped in temples and animals are dashed to the ground before the worship of the gods; for the priests drive these spirits away by releasing breath (pneuma) or animal blood and by striking the air, so that when these demons have departed, the presence of the god may take place. Indeed, every house is full of them, which is why men purify beforehand and cast them out whenever they invoke a god.
^23.3 καὶ τὰ σώματα τοίνυν μεστὰ ἀπὸ τούτων· καὶ γὰρ μάλιστα ταῖς ποιαῖς τροφαῖς χαίρουσι. σιτουμένων γὰρ ἡμῶν προσίασι καὶ προσφαίνουσι τῷ σώματι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αἱ ἁγνεῖαι, οὐ διὰ τοὺς θεοὺς προηγουμένως, ἀλλ’ ἵν’ οὗτοι ἀποστῶσι. μάλιστα δὲ αἵματι χαίρουσι καὶ ταῖς ἀκαθαρσίαις, καὶ ἀπολαύουσι τούτων εἰσδύνοντες τοῖς χρωμένοις.	^23.3 Our bodies too are consequently full of them, for they delight above all in certain kinds of food. When we eat, they draw near and cling to the body; and for this reason purifications exist—not primarily on account of the gods, but so that these spirits may depart. They delight especially in blood and impurities, and they enjoy these by creeping into those who indulge in them.
^23.4 ὅλως γὰρ ἡ ἐπίτασις τῆς πρός τι ἐπιθυμίας καὶ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ὀρέξεως ὁρμὴ ἀλλαχόθεν οὐ σφοδρύνεται ἢ ἐκ τῆς τούτων παρουσίας· οἳ καὶ εἰς ἀσήμους φθόγγους καὶ φύσας ἀναγκάζουσι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐμπίπτειν διὰ τῆς συναπολαύσεως τῆς μετ’ αὐτῶν γιγνομένης.	^23.4 For in general, the intensity of any desire and the impetuous rush of the spirit of appetite are inflamed from no other source than from the presence of these demons. They also compel men to fall into unintelligible sounds and panting, through the shared gratification that occurs with them.
^23.5 ὅπου γὰρ πνεύματος πλείονος ὁλκὴ ἢ τῆς γαστρὸς ἐξ ἡδυπαθείας πεπληρωμένης, ἢ τῆς προθυμίας δι’ ἡδονῆς ἐπίτασιν ἐκφυσώσης καὶ πολὺ τὸ ἔξωθεν σπώσης, ἐκεῖ παρουσία τῶν τοιούτων πνευμάτων σοι δηλούσθω. ἄχρι τούτων τολμᾷ φύσις ἀνθρώπου εὑρίσκειν τὰς περὶ αὑτὴν συνεστώσας παγίδας· καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ὅταν εἰσκριθῇ, πολυπλασιάζεται τὸ πνεῦμα.»	^23.5 For wherever there is a drawing in of excessive breath, or a stomach filled through luxury, or an eager impulse puffing out through intensity of pleasure and drawing in much from without, there let the presence of such spirits be declared to you. To such lengths does human nature dare to go in discovering the traps set around itself! For indeed, whenever the god is admitted, the spirit (pneuma) is multiplied."
^23.6 Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων, ὧν φησιν ἄρχοντα εἶναι τὸν Σάραπιν. καὶ τὴν Ἑκάτην δὲ τούτων ἄρχειν ὁ αὐτὸς διδάσκει λέγων οὕτως· «Μήποτε οὗτοί εἰσιν ὧν ἄρχει ὁ Σάραπις, καὶ τούτων σύμβολον ὁ τρίκρανος κύων, τουτέστιν ὁ ἐν τοῖς τρισὶ στοιχείοις, ὕδατι, γῇ, ἀέρι, πονηρὸς δαίμων· οὓς καταπαύει ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἔχων ὑπὸ χεῖρα. ἄρχει δ’ αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ Ἑκάτη, ὡς συνέχουσα τὸ τρίστοιχον.» Καὶ πάλιν φησίν·	^23.6 [Eusebius comments]: These things, then, are said concerning the evil demons, whose ruler Porphyry claims is Serapis. The same author teaches that Hecate also rules over them, speaking as follows: [Porphyry writes]: "May it not be that these are the spirits over whom Serapis rules, and whose symbol is the three-headed dog—that is, the evil demon present in the three elements of water, earth, and air—whom the god holding power beneath his hand brings to rest? Hecate also rules over them, as holding together the triple-elemental domain." And again he says:
^23.7 «Ἕν ἔτι χρηστήριον παραθεὶς, ὅπερ αὐτὴ ἡ Ἑκάτη πεποίηται, καταπαύσω τὸν περὶ ταύτης λόγον· ‘Ἥδ’ ἐγώ εἰμι κόρη πολυφάσματος, οὐρανόφοιτος, ταυρῶπις, τρικάρηνος, ἀπηνής, χρυσοβέλεμνος, Φοίβη ἀπειρολεχής, φαεσίμβροτος Εἰλήθυια, τριστοίχου φύσεως συνθήματα τρισσὰ φέρουσα· αἰθέρα μὲν πυρόεσσιν ἐειδομένη εἰδώλοις, ἠέρα δ’ ἀργεννοῖσι τροχάσμασιν ἀμφικάθημαι· γαῖα δ’ ἐμῶν σκυλάκων δνοφερὸν γένος ἡνιοχεύει.’»	^23.7 "Setting forth one more oracle which Hecate herself produced, I shall bring to a close my discourse concerning her: 'Here am I, maiden of many shapes, sky-roaming, Bull-faced, three-headed, stern, with golden arrows, Chaste Phoebe, light-bringing Eileithyia to mortals, Bearing threefold tokens of a triple-elemental nature; In the aether I appear in fiery forms, In the air I sit upon bright, whirling paths, While earth directs the dark brood of my hounds.'"
^23.8 Οἷς ἐπιλέγει ὁ συγγραφεὺς σαφῶς τίνες οἱ σκύλακες, ὅτι οἱ πονηροὶ δαίμονες, περὶ ὧν ἄρτι πεπαύμεθα λέγοντες. τοσαῦτα μὲν δὴ καὶ ταῦτα. περὶ δὲ τοῦ δαίμονας εἶναι πονηροὺς ἀληθῶς, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲν ἀγαθὸν ἐπαγομένους, τοὺς παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς θεολογουμένους, φέρε ἔτι μᾶλλον διὰ πλειόνων κρατύνωμεν.	^23.8 To these words the author adds clearly who the 'hounds' are: namely, the evil demons of whom we have just ceased speaking. Such then are these matters. But concerning the fact that those who are treated as gods among the many are in truth evil demons who bring no good whatsoever, come, let us confirm this even further through additional proofs.

Eusebius of CaesareaPraeparatio EvangelicaBOOK 4

Eusebius of Caesarea
Praeparatio Evangelica
BOOK 4