The First Apology

From what has already been said, you can understand how the devils, copying Moses, claimed that Proserpine was the daughter of Jupiter and urged the people to set up an image of her under the name of Kore (Cora, meaning the maiden or daughter) at the spring-heads. For, as we wrote above, Moses said, “In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and unfurnished: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” In imitation of this account of the Spirit of God moving on the waters, they claimed that Proserpine (or Cora) was the daughter of Jupiter. Similarly, they craftily pretended that Minerva was the daughter of Jupiter, not through sexual union, but by knowing that God conceived and made the world by the Word, they say that Minerva is the first conception; which we find very absurd, presenting the form of the conception in a female form. In the same way, the actions of others who are called sons of Jupiter clearly show their falsehood.