Athenian
Ath. The ancient laws of all men concerning the gods are two-fold: some of the gods whom we honor we see clearly i.e. the stars; cp. Plat. Laws 821b., but of others we set up statues as images, and we believe that when we worship these, lifeless though they be, the living gods beyond feel great good-will towards us and gratitude. So if any man has a father or a mother, or one of their fathers or mothers, in his house laid up bed-ridden with age, let him never suppose that, while he has such a figure as this upon his hearth, any statue could be more potent, if so be that its owner tends it duly and rightly.