Pagina 795 de 1391

'For the life-giving daughters of Inachus the river of Argos;'

-let us have no more lies of that sort. Neither must we have

mothers under the influence of the poets scaring their children

with a bad version of these myths-telling how certain gods, as

they say, 'Go about by night in the likeness of so many strangers

and in divers forms;' but let them take heed lest they make

cowards of their children, and at the same time speak blasphemy

against the gods.

Heaven forbid, he said.

But although the gods are themselves unchangeable, still by

witchcraft and deception they may make us think that they appear

in various forms?

Perhaps, he replied.

Well, but can you imagine that God will be willing to lie,

whether in word or deed, or to put forth a phantom of himself?

I cannot say, he replied.

Do you not know, I said, that the true lie, if such an expression

may be allowed, is hated of gods and men?

What do you mean? he said.