Traduction
Masquer
Gegen die Heiden (BKV)
Nr. 9
Wie also, sagt ihr, diese Götter sollen euerm Urtheile zufolge nirgend wo seyn, sondern sind durch falsche Meinungen angenommen. Dieß behaupten nicht wir allein, sondern die Wahrheit selbst und die Vernunft, wie auch jener in allen Sterblichen befindliche Gemeinsinn: denn wer glaubt, es seyen Gewinnst spendende Götter und sie stünden dem Erwerb des Gewinnstes vor, da dieser zumeist aus schmählichen Veranlassungen kommt und immer mit Anderer Schaden besteht? Wer glaubt, Limentinus, Lima behüte und bewache die Schwellen, die Thüren? da wir täglich sehen, wie Tempel und Privathäuser eingerissen werden und einstürzen; da ohne diese der schändliche Gang in die Bordelle nicht stattfindet. Wer glaubt, die Limi seyen die Aufseher der Krümmungen? Saturn der Vorstand der Saaten? Montinus der Berge? Murcia der Trägheit? Wer endlich mag glauben, es gäbe eine Göttin Pecunia, welche, gleichsam die mächtigste Gottheit, wie euere Schriften aussagen, goldene Fingerringe, die ersten Plätze bei den Spielen und im S. 122 Theater, hohe Ehrenstufen und Amtswürden und, was die Faulheit am meisten liebt, sichere Gemächlichkeit durch Reichthum verleihen soll.
Traduction
Masquer
The Seven Books of Arnobius Against the Heathen
9.
What then? you say; do you declare that these gods exist nowhere in the world, and have been created by unreal fancies? Not we alone, but truth itself, and reason, say so, and that common-sense in which all men share. For who there who believes that there are gods of gain, and that they preside over the getting of it, seeing that it springs very often from the basest employments, and is always at the expense of others? Who believes that Libentina, who that Burnus, 1 is set over those lusts which wisdom bids us avoid, and which, in a thousand ways, vile and filthy wretches 2 attempt and practise? Who that Limentinus and Lima have the care of thresholds, and do the duties of their keepers, when every day we see the thresholds of temples and private houses destroyed and overthrown, and that the infamous approaches to stews are not without them? Who believes that the Limi 3 watch over obliquities? who that Saturnus presides over the sown crops? who that Montinus is the guardian of mountains; Murcia, 4 of the slothful? Who, finally, would believe that Money is a goddess, whom your writings declare, as though she were the greatest deity, to give golden rings, 5 the front seats at games and shows, honours in the greatest number, the dignity of the magistracy, and that which the indolent love most of all,--an undisturbed ease, by means of riches.
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So the ms., both Roman edd., Hild., and Oehler; the others reading Liburnum, except Elm., who reads -am, while Meursius conjectured Liberum--"Bacchus." ↩
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Lit., "shameful impurity seeks after;" expetit read by Gelenius, Canterus, and Oberthür, for the unintelligible ms. reading expeditur, retained in both Roman edd.; the others reading experitur--"tries." ↩
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The ms. reads Lemons; Hild. and Oehler, Limones; the others, Limos, as above. ↩
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The ms., LB., Hild., and Oehler read Murcidam; the others, Murciam, as above. ↩
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i.e., equestrian rank. ↩