Chap. xiv.—what the sacred history of euhemerus and ennius teaches concerning the gods.
Now, since the sacred history differs in some degree from those things which we have related, let us open those things which are contained in the true writings, that we may not, in accusing superstitions, appear to follow and approve of the follies of the poets. These are the words of
Ennius
: “Afterwards
Saturn
married
Ops
.
Titan
, who was older
than Saturn
, demands the kingdom for himself. Upon this their mother
Vesta
, and their sisters
Ceres
and Ops, advise Saturn not to give up the kingdom to his brother. Then Titan, who was inferior in person to Saturn, on that account, and because he saw that his mother and sisters were using their endeavours that Saturn might reign, yielded the kingdom to him. He therefore made an agreement with Saturn, that if any male children should be born to him, he would not bring them up. He did so for this purpose, that the kingdom might return to his own sons. Then, when a son was first born to Saturn, they slew him. Afterwards twins were born,
Jupiter
and
Juno
. Upon this they present
Juno
to the sight of Saturn, and secretly hide
Jupiter
, and give him to Vesta to be brought up, concealing him from Saturn. Ops also brings forth
Neptune
without the knowledge of Saturn, and secretly hides him. In the same manner Ops brings forth twins by a third birth,
Pluto
and
Glauca
. Pluto in Latin is
Dispater
; others call him
Orcus
. Upon this they show to Saturn the daughter Glauca, and conceal and hide the son Pluto. Then Glauca dies while yet young.” This is the lineage of
Jupiter
and his brothers,
as these things are written
, and the relationship is handed down to us after this manner from the sacred narrative. Also shortly afterwards he introduces these things: “Then Titan, when he learned that sons were born to Saturn, and secretly brought up, secretly takes with him his sons, who are called Titans, and seizes his brother Saturn and Ops, and encloses them within a wall, and places over them a guard.”
The truth of this history is taught by the
Erythræan Sibyl
, who speaks almost the same things, with a few discrepancies, which do not affect the subject-matter itself. Therefore
Jupiter
is freed from the charge of the greatest wickedness, according to which he is reported to have bound his father with fetters; for this was the deed of his uncle
Titan
, because he, contrary to his promise and oath, had brought up male children. The rest of the history is thus put together.
It is said
that
Jupiter
, when grown up, having heard that his father and mother had been surrounded with a guard and imprisoned, came with a great multitude of Cretans, and conquered
Titan
and his sons in an engagement, and rescued his parents from imprisonment, restored the kingdom to his father, and thus returned into Crete. Then, after these things,
they say
that an oracle was given to
Saturn
, bidding him to take heed lest his son should expel him from the kingdom; that he, for the sake of weakening the oracle and avoiding the danger, laid an ambush for
Jupiter
to kill him; that
Jupiter
, having learned the plot, claimed the kingdom for himself afresh, and banished Saturn; and that he, when he had been tossed over all lands, followed by armed men whom
Jupiter
had sent to seize or put him to death, scarcely found a place of concealment in Italy.