32. But all these things,
they say, are the fictions of poets, and games arranged for
pleasure. It is not credible, indeed, that men by no means
thoughtless, who sought to trace out the character of the remotest
antiquity, either did not4241
| 4241
Oberthür and Orelli omit non. |
insert in their poems the
fables which
survived in men’s minds
4242
and common conversation;
4243
| 4243
Lit., “placed in their ears.” |
or that they
would have assumed to themselves so great licence as to foolishly
feign
what was almost sheer madness, and might give them reason to be afraid
of the gods, and bring them into
danger with men. But let us
grant that the
poets are, as you say, the
inventors and
authors of
tales so disgraceful; you are not, however, even thus free from the
guilt of dishonouring the gods, who either are remiss in
punishing such
offences, or have not, by passing
laws, and by severity of punishments,
opposed such
indiscretion, and determined
4244
| 4244
Lit., “and it has not been established by
you,”—a very abrupt transition in the structure of the
sentence. |
that no man should henceforth say that
which tended to the dishonour,
4245
| 4245
Lit., “which was very near to disgrace.” |
or was unworthy of the
glory of the
gods.
4246
| 4246 So
the margin of Ursinus, followed by later edd., prefixing d
before the ms. -eorum. |
For
whoever allows the wrongdoer to
sin, strengthens his audacity; and it
is more insulting to
brand and mark any one with false
accusations,
than to bring forward and upbraid their real offences. For to be
called what you are, and what you feel yourself to be, is less
offensive, because
your resentment is checked by the evidence
supplied against you on privately reviewing your
life;
4247
| 4247
Lit., “has less bite, being weakened by the testimony of silent
reviewing,” recognitionis. |
but that
wounds very keenly which brands the innocent, and defames a man’s
honourable name and reputation.
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