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L'Apologie d'Aristide

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Avec lui, ils adorent comme dieu un certain Hephaestus, un boiteux qui manie le marteau et la tenaille et qui forge peur gagner son pain. Il est donc nécessiteux? C’est pourquoi un boiteux qui a besoin des hommes ne peut être Dieu. Ensuite, ils adorent comme Dieu Hermès, qui est envieux, voleur, cupide, sorcier, estropié, interprète. Il ne peut donc être un Dieu. Ils disent qu’Asclepius est Dieu il est médecin, il prépare des médicaments et compose des emplâtres pour gagner son pain. Car il était nécessiteux. Ensuite, il fut foudroyé par Jupiter à cause du fils du Lacédémonien Tyndare et il mourut. Si Asclepius, quoique Dieu, a été foudroyé et n’a pu se secourir lui-même, comment viendrait-il en aide aux autres?

Arès, le guerrier ambitieux et voleur de troupeaux, est vénéré comme Dieu. Ensuite, commettant adultère avec Aphrodite, on dit qu’il fut lié par l’enfant Eros et par Hephaestus. Comment un Dieu peut-il convoiter, être guerrier, lié ou adultère?

Ils prétendent que Dionysus est Dieu, lui qui se livre à des orgies nocturnes et à l’ivrognerie, qui enlève les femmes d’autrui; il est devenu insensé et s’est enfui. Il fut ensuite tué par les Titans. Si donc Dionysus tué ne put se venir en aide, lui qui était insensé, ivrogne et fugitif, comment serait-il Dieu?

Ils disent qu’Héraclès étant ivre et fou, tua ses propres enfants, puis fut détruit par le feu et mourut. Comment un ivrogne, meurtrier d’enfants et brûlé serait-il Dieu? Comment viendrait-il en aide aux autres, lui qui n’a pu se secourir lui-même?

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The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher

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Along with him, too, they bring forward one Hephaistos as a god, and they say that he is lame and wields a hammer and tongs, working as a smith for his living.

Is he then badly off? But it cannot be admitted that a god should be a cripple, and besides be dependent on mankind.

Then they bring forward Hermes as a god, representing him to be lustful, and a thief, and covetous, and a magician (and maimed) and an interpreter of language. But it cannot be admitted that such an one is a god.

They also bring forward Asklepios as a god who is a doctor and prepares drugs and compounds plasters for the sake of a living. For he was badly off. And afterwards he was struck, they say, with a thunderbolt by Zeus on account of Tyndareos, son of Lacedaimon; and so was killed. Now if Asklepios in spite of his divinity could not help himself when struck by lightning, how will he come to the rescue of others?

Again Ares is represented as a god, fond of strife and given to jealousy, and a lover of animals and other such things. And at last while corrupting Aphrodite, he was bound by the youthful Eros and by Hephaistos. How then was he a god who was subject to desire, and a warrior, and a prisoner and an adulterer?

They allege that Dionysos also is a god who holds nightly revels and teaches drunkenness, and carries off the neighbours' wives, and goes mad and takes to flight. And at last he was put to death by the Titans. If then Dionysos could not save himself when he was being killed, and besides used to be mad, and drunk with wine, and a fugitive, how should he be a god?

They allege also that Herakles got drunk and went mad and cut the throats of his own children, then he was consumed by fire and so died. Now how should he be a god, who was drunk and a slayer of children and burned to death? or how will he come to the help of others, when he was unable to help himself?