Book 1
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SOME of the philosophers, such as Diagoras the Melian, Theodorus the Cyrenean, and Euemerus the Tegeatan, did unanimously deny there were any Gods; and Callimachus the Cyrenean discovered his mind touching Euemerus in these Iambic verses, thus writing: To th’ ante-mural temple flock apace, Where he that long ago composed of brass According to Bentley, Panchaean Jove. See Diodorus, VI. Frag. 2; and Bentley’s note to Callimachus, Frag. 86. (G.) Great Jupiter, Thrasonic old bald pate, Now writes his impious books,—a boastful ass!
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meaning books which denote there are no Gods. Euripides the tragedian durst not openly declare his sentiment; the court of Areopagus terrified him. Yet he sufficiently manifested his thoughts by this method. He presented in his tragedy Sisyphus, the first and great patron of this opinion, and introduced himself as one agreeing with him: Disorder in those days did domineer, And brutal power kept the world in fear.
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Afterwards by the sanction of laws wickedness was suppressed; but by reason that laws could prohibit only public villanies, yet could not hinder many persons from acting secret impieties, some wise persons gave this advice, that we ought to blind truth with lying disguises, and to persuade men that there is a God: There’s an eternal God does hear and see And understand every impiety; Though it in dark recess or thought committed be.
