A far more credible account of these gods is given, when it is said that they were men, and that to each one of them sacred rites and solemnities were instituted, according to his particular genius, manners, actions, circumstances; which rites and solemnities, by gradually creeping through the souls of men, which are like demons, and eager for things which yield them sport, were spread far and wide; the poets adorning them with lies, and false spirits seducing men to receive them.For it is far more likely that some youth, either impious himself, or afraid of being slain by an impious father, being desirous to reign, dethroned his father, than that (according to Varro's interpretation) Saturn was overthrown by his son Jupiter: for cause, which belongs to Jupiter, is before seed, which belongs to Saturn.For had this been so, Saturn would never have been before Jupiter, nor would he have been the father of Jupiter.For cause always precedes seed, and is never generated from seed.But when they seek to honor by natural interpretation most vain fables or deeds of men, even the acutest men are so perplexed that we are compelled to grieve for their folly also.
CHAP.19.--CONCERNING THE INTERPRETATIONS WHICH COMPOSE THE REASON OFTHE
WORSHIP OF SATURN.
They said, says Varro, that Saturn was wont to devour all that sprang from him, because seeds returned to the earth from whence they sprang.And when it is said that a lump of earth was put before Saturn to be devoured instead of Jupiter, it is signified, he says, that before the art of ploughing was discovered, seeds were buried in the earth by the hands of men.The earth itself, then, and not seeds, should have been called Saturn, because it in a manner devours what it has brought forth, when the seeds which have sprung from it return again into it.And what has Saturn's receiving of a lump of earth instead of Jupiter to do with this, that the seeds were covered in the soil by the hands of men? Was the seed kept from being devoured, like other things, by being covered with the soil? For what they say would imply that he who put on the soil took away the seed, as Jupiter is said to have been taken away when the lump of soil was offered to Saturn instead of him, and not rather that the soil, by covering the seed, only caused it to be devoured the more eagerly.
Then, in that way, Jupiter is the seed, and not the cause of the seed, as was said a little before.
But what shall men do who cannot find anything wise to say, because they are interpreting foolish things? Saturn has a pruning-knife.That, says Varro, is on account of agriculture.Certainly in Saturn's reign there as yet existed no agriculture, and therefore ?the former times of Saturn are spoken of, because, as the same Varro interprets the fables, the primeval men lived on those seeds which the earth produced spontaneously.Perhaps he received a pruning-knife when he had lost his sceptre; that he who had been a king, and lived at ease during the first part of his time, should become a laborious workman whilst his son occupied the throne.Then he says that boys were wont to be immolated to him by certain peoples, the Carthaginians for instance; and also that adults were immolated by some nations, for example the Gauls--because, of all seeds, the human race is the best.What need we say more concerning this most cruel vanity.
Let us rather attend to and hold by this, that these interpretations are not carried up to the true God,--a living, incorporeal, unchangeable nature, from whom a blessed life enduring for ever may be obtained,--but that they end in things which are corporeal, temporal, mutable, and mortal.And whereas it is said in the fables that Saturn castrated his father Coelus, this signifies, says Varro, that the divine seed belongs to Saturn, and not to Coelus; for this reason, as far as a reason can be discovered, namely, that in heaven(1) nothing is born from seed.But, lo! Saturn, if he is the son of Coelus, is the son of Jupiter.
For they affirm times without number, and that emphatically, that the heavens(2) are Jupiter.Thus those things which come not of the truth, do very often, without being impelled by any one, themselves overthrow one another.He says that Saturn was called <greek>kronos</greek>, which in the Greek tongue signifies a space of time,(3) because, without that, seed cannot be productive.These and many other things are said concerning Saturn, and they are all referred to seed.But Saturn surely, with all that great power, might have sufficed for seed.Why are other gods demanded for it, especially Liber and Libera, that is, Ceres?--concerning whom again, as far as seed is concerned, he says as many things as if he had said nothing concerning Saturn.
CHAP.20.--CONCERNING THE RITES OF ELEUSINIAN CERES.
Now among the rites of Ceres, those Eleusinian rites are much famed which were in the highest repute among the Athenians, of which Varro offers no interpretation except with respect to corn, which Ceres discovered, and with respect to Proserpine, whom Ceres lost, Orcus having carried her away.And this Proserpine herself, he says, signifies the fecundity of seeds.But as this fecundity departed at a certain season, whilst the earth wore an aspect of sorrow through the consequent sterility, there arose an opinion that the daughter of Ceres, that is, fecundity itself, who was called Proserpine, from proserpere (to creep forth, to spring), had been carried away by Orcus, and detained among the inhabitants of the nether world; which circumstance was celebrated with public mourning.But since the same fecundity again returned, there arose joy because Proserpine had been given back by Orcus, and thus these rites were instituted.Then Varro adds, that many things are taught in the mysteries of Ceres which only refer to the discovery of fruits CHAP.21.--CONCERNING THE SHAMEFULNESS OF THE RITES WHICH ARE CELEBRATEDIN
HONOR OF LIBER.