498 THE OCTAVIUS OF neitherblushednor feared,and thathe onlyrepentedthathe had notbeen one before. We, however,when we undertookto defend and protectsome sacrilegiousand incestuouspersons, and even parricides,did not think that these [sc.Christians] were tobe heard atall.Sometimes even,when we affectedto pitythem, we were more cruellyviolentagainstthem, so as to torturethem 1 when they confessed,thatthey might deny, to wit,thatthey might not perish; making use of a perverse inquisitionagainstthem, not to elicitthe truth,but to compel a falsehood.And ifany one,by reasonof greaterweakness, overcome with suffering,and conquered,shoulddeny that he was a Christian,we showed favourto him, as ifby forswear ing thatname he had at once atoned for allhisdeeds by that simpledenial. Do not you acknowledge thatwe feltand did the same asyou feeland do ? when, ifreasonand not the insti gationof a demon were to judge,theyshouldratherhave been pressednot to disavow themselvesChristians,but to confess themselvesguiltyof incests,of abominations,of sacred rites polluted,of infantsimmolated. For with theseand such as these stories,did those same demons fillup the earsof the ignorantagainstus,to the horrorof theirexecration. Nor yetwas itwonderful,sincethe common reportof men,2 which isalways fed by the scatteringof falsehoods,iswasted away when the truthisbrought to light. Thus thisisthe business of demons, for by them falserumours are both sown and cherished.Thence ariseswhat you say thatyou hear,tbat an ass'shead isesteemedamong us asa divinething. Who issuch a foolasto worshipthis? Who isso much more foolishas to believethatitisan objectof worship? unlessthat you even consecratewhole assesin your stables,togetherwith your Epona,8 and religiouslydevour4 thosesame asseswith Isis. Also you offerup and worship the heads of oxen and of wethers,and you dedicategods mingled alsoof a goat and a man, and gods with the facesof dogs and lions. Do you not adore and feed Apis the ox,with the Egyptians? And 1 " To urgethem" isthereadinginsometexts. 2 " Of allmen" isanotherreading. 3 Otherwise," Hippona." 4 Otherwise," devote,"andotherreadings.