2. Who are the true gods?
you say. To answer you in common and simple language, we do not
know;
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for how can
we know who those are whom we have never seen? We have been
accustomed to hear from you that an infinite number
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are gods, and are reckoned
among
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the
deities; but if these exist
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anywhere, and
are
true gods,
as Terentius
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believes, it
follows as a consequence, that they correspond to their name; that is,
that they are such as we all see that they should be,
and that they
are
worthy to be called by this name; nay, more,—to make an
end without many words,—
that they are such
as is the Lord
of the universe, and
the King
omnipotent Himself, whom we have
knowledge and understanding
enough
to speak of as the true God
when we are led to mention His name. For one god differs from
another in nothing as respects his divinity;
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nor can that which is one in kind be
less or more in its parts while its own qualities remain
unchanged.
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Now,
as this is certain, it follows that they should never have been
begotten, but should be immortal, seeking nothing from without, and not
drawing any earthly pleasures from the resources of
matter.
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On this Heraldus [most ignorantly] remarks, that it shows conclusively
how slight was the acquaintance with Christianity possessed by
Arnobius, when he could not say who were the true gods. [The
Edin. editor clears up the cases as follows:] This, however, is
to forget that Arnobius is not declaring his own opinions here, but
meeting his adversaries on their own ground. He knows who the
true God is—the source and fountain of all being, and framer of
the universe (ii. 2), and if there are any lesser powers called gods,
what their relation to Him must be (iii. 2, 3); but he does not know
any such gods himself, and is continually reminding the heathen that
they know these gods just as little. (Cf. the very next
sentence.)
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Lit., “as many as possible.”
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Lit., “in the series of.”
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Lit., “are.”
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i.e., M. Terentius Varro, mentioned in the last chapter.
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Lit., “in that in which he is a god.”
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Lit., “uniformity of quality being preserved.”