5H THE OCTAVIUS OF CHAPTER XXXVIII. ARGUMENT. — Moreover,the Christiansabstainfrom things connectedwith idolsacrifices,lestany one should think eitherthattheyyieldto demons,or thattheyare ashamed of theirreligion.They do not indeeddespiseallthecolour and scentof flowers,for theyareaccustomedto use tliem scatteredaboutlooselyand negligently,aswellas to entwine theirnecks with garlands; but to crown thehead of a corpsetlieythinksuperfluousand useless.Moreover,with the same tranquillitywithwhich they livetheybury their dead,waitingwitha verycertainhope thecrown of eternal felicity.Thereforetheirreligion,rejectingallthesupersti tionsof theGentiles,shouldbe adoptedas trueby allmen. " But thatwe despisethe leavingsof sacrifices,and the cups out of which libationshave been poured,is not a confession of fear,but an assertionof our true liberty.For although nothing which comes intoexistenceas an inviolablegiftof God is corrupted by any agency, yet we abstain,lestany should think eitherthat we are submitting to demons, to whom libationhas been made, or thatwe are ashamed of our religion.But who is he who doubtsof our indulgingour- selvesin spring flowers,when we gather both the rose of springand the lily,and whatever elseisof agreeablecolour and odouramong theflowers?For thesewe both usescattered looseand free,and we twineour neckswith them in garlands. Pardon us,forsooth,thatwe do not crown our heads ; we are accustomed to receivethe scentof a sweet flowerin our nos trils,not to inhaleitwith the back of our head or with our hair. Nor do we crown the dead. And in thisrespectI the more wonder at you, in the way in which you apply to a lifelessperson,or to one who does not feel,a torch; or a garland1to one who doesnot smell it,when eitheras blessed he doesnot want, or,being miserable,he has no pleasurein, 1 Theprobablereadinghereis," You applytoa lifelessperson,either ifhe hasfeeling,a torch; or,ifhe feelsnot,a garland."