502 THE OCT A VWS OF To us it isnot lawfuleitherto seeor to hear of homicide; and so much do we shrinkfrom human blood,thatwe do not use the bloodeven of eatableanimalsin our food. CHAPTER XXXI. Argument. — The chargeof our entertainmentsbeingpolluted with incest,which is objectedto Christians,is entirely opposedto allprobability,whileitis plain that Gentiles areactuallyguiltyof incest. The banquetsof Christians are not only modest,but temperate.In fact,incestuous lustisso unheardof,thatwithmany even themodest asso ciationof thesexesgivesrisetoa blush, " And of the incestuousbanqueting,the plottingof demons has falselydevisedan enormous fableagainstus,to stainthe gloryof ourmodesty,by the loathingexcitedby an outrageous infamy, thatbeforeinquiringintothetruthitmight turn men away from us by the terrorof an abominablecharge. It was thus your own Fronto acted in thisrespect: he did not pro duce testimony,as one who allegeda charge,but he scattered reproachesas a rhetorician.For these things have rather originatedfrom your own nations. Among the Persians,a promiscuousassociationbetween sonsand mothers isallowed. Marriageswith sistersarelegitimateamong theEgyptians and in Athens. Your recordsand your tragedies,which you both read and hear with pleasure,gloryin incests: thus alsoyou worship incestuousgods,who have intercoursewith mothers, with daughters,with sisters.With reason, therefore,is incestfrequentlydetected among you, and is continually permitted. Miserable men, you may even,withoutknowing it,rush into what is unlawful: sinceyou scatteryour lusts promiscuously,since you everywhere beget children,since you frequentlyexpose even those who are born at home to the mercy of others,it isinevitablethatyou must come back to your own children,and straytoyour own offspring.Thus you continuethe storyof incest,even althoughyou have no