The First Apology

And when we also say that the Word, who is the first-born of God, was produced without sexual union, and that He, Jesus Christ, our Teacher, was crucified, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven, we propose nothing different from what you believe about those you regard as sons of Jupiter. For you know how many sons your esteemed writers attributed to Jupiter: Mercury, the interpreting word and teacher of all; Æsculapius, who, although he was a great physician, was struck by a thunderbolt and thus ascended to heaven; and Bacchus too, after he was torn limb from limb, and Hercules, when he committed himself to the flames to escape his toils; and the sons of Leda, the Dioscuri; and Perseus, son of Danae; and Bellerophon, who, although born from mortals, rose to heaven on the horse Pegasus.

For what shall I say of Ariadne, and those like her, who have been declared to be set among the stars? And what of the emperors who die among you, whom you deem worthy of deification, and for whom you present someone who swears he has seen the burning Caesar rise to heaven from the funeral pyre? And what kind of deeds are recorded of each of these reputed sons of Jupiter, it is unnecessary to tell to those who already know.

This shall only be said, that they are written for the advantage and encouragement of young scholars, for all consider it honorable to imitate the gods.

But may such thoughts concerning the gods be far from any well-conditioned soul, like the belief that Jupiter himself, the governor and creator of all things, was both a parricide and the son of a parricide, and that, overcome by the love of base and shameful pleasures, he approached Ganymede and the many women he violated, and that his sons did similar actions.

But, as we said earlier, wicked devils committed these acts. And we have learned that only those who have lived near to God in holiness and virtue are deified; and we believe that those who live wickedly and do not repent are punished in everlasting fire.