DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43363#0232
i4 PLUTARCH’S Treatife os
his foes, which have rendered him, as Plato expresies
it, a fit emblem of that God, who is the more imme-
diate patron of reason. Nor can we suppose it their
opinion, that the Sun like a new-born infant springs
up every day afreih out of the Lotus-plant. — ’Tis
true indeed, they do charaderise the rifing-fun in this
manner, but the reason is, that they may hereby ligni-
fy to us, that it is moijiure to which we owe the firit
kindling of this luminary. In like manner, the cruel
and bloody king of PerJia Ochusy who not only put to
death abundance of their people, but likewise Hew even
the himself, and afterwards served him up in a
banquet to his friends, is represented by them, by
a Jhvord: and by this name is he fiill to be found in
the catalogue of their kings—a name therefore, not lb
much regarding his person, as charaderising his bale
and cruel qualities, which were belt figured out by this
instrument of destrudion—If you will therefore in this
manner, O Clea, hear and entertain the dory of these
Gods, from those who know how to explain it con-
sidently with religion and philosophy, if you will sted-
dily persist in the observance of all those holy rites,
which the laws require of you, and are moreover fully
persuaded, that to form true notions of the divine na-
ture is more acceptable to them than any sacrifice
or mere external ad of worlhip can be, you will
by this means be entirely exempt from any danger
of falling into superstition, an evil no lets to be avoid-
ed than atheism itself.
t
his foes, which have rendered him, as Plato expresies
it, a fit emblem of that God, who is the more imme-
diate patron of reason. Nor can we suppose it their
opinion, that the Sun like a new-born infant springs
up every day afreih out of the Lotus-plant. — ’Tis
true indeed, they do charaderise the rifing-fun in this
manner, but the reason is, that they may hereby ligni-
fy to us, that it is moijiure to which we owe the firit
kindling of this luminary. In like manner, the cruel
and bloody king of PerJia Ochusy who not only put to
death abundance of their people, but likewise Hew even
the himself, and afterwards served him up in a
banquet to his friends, is represented by them, by
a Jhvord: and by this name is he fiill to be found in
the catalogue of their kings—a name therefore, not lb
much regarding his person, as charaderising his bale
and cruel qualities, which were belt figured out by this
instrument of destrudion—If you will therefore in this
manner, O Clea, hear and entertain the dory of these
Gods, from those who know how to explain it con-
sidently with religion and philosophy, if you will sted-
dily persist in the observance of all those holy rites,
which the laws require of you, and are moreover fully
persuaded, that to form true notions of the divine na-
ture is more acceptable to them than any sacrifice
or mere external ad of worlhip can be, you will
by this means be entirely exempt from any danger
of falling into superstition, an evil no lets to be avoid-
ed than atheism itself.
t