In divine things, the same order he preserved throughout, as far as concerns those things which are performed to the gods.For sacred things are performed by men in places and times.These four things I have mentioned he embraced in twelve books, allotting three to each.For he wrote the first three concerning men, the following three concerning places, the third three concerning times, and the fourth three concerning sacred rites,--showing who should perform, where they should perform, when they should perform, what they should perform, with most subtle distinction.But because it was necessary to say--and that especially was expected--to whom they should perform sacred rites, he wrote concerning the gods themselves the last three books; and these five times three made fifteen.But they are in all, as we have said, sixteen.For he put also at the beginning of these one distinct book, speaking by way of introduction of all which follows; which being finished, he proceeded to subdivide the first three in that five-fold distribution which pertain to men, making the first concerning high priests, the second concerning augurs, the third concerning the fifteen men presiding over the sacred ceremonies.(1) The second three he made concerning places, speaking in one of them concerning their chapels, in the second concerning their temples, and in the third concerning religious places.The next three which follow these, and pertain to times,--that is, to festival days,--he distributed so as to make one concerning holidays,the other concerning the circus games, and the third concerning scenic plays.Of the fourth three, pertaining to sacred things, he devoted one to consecrations, another to private, the last to public, sacred rites.In the three which remain, the gods themselves follow this pompous train, as it were, for whom all this culture has been expended.In the first book are the certain gods, in the second the uncertain, in the third, and last of all, the chief and select gods.
CHAP.4.--THAT FROM THE DISPUTATION OF VARRO, IT FOLLOWS THAT THE WORSHIPPERS OF THE GODS REGARD HUMAN THINGS AS MOREANCIENT THAN DIVINE THINGS.
In this whole series of most beautiful and most subtle distributions and distinctions, it will most easily appear evident from the things we have said already, and from what is to be said hereafter, to any man who is not, in the obstinacy of his heart, an enemy to himself, that it is vain to seek and to hope for, and even most impudent to wish for eternal life.For these institutions are either the work of men or of demons,--not of those whom they call good demons, but, to speak more plainly, of unclean, and, without controversy, malign spirits, who with wonderful slyness and secretness suggest to the thoughts of the impious, and sometimes openly present to their understandings, noxious opinions, by which the human mind grows more and more foolish, and becomes unable to adapt itself to and abide in the immutable and eternal truth, and seek tO confirm these opinions by every kind of fallacious attestation in their power.This very same Varro testifies that he wrote first concerning human things, but afterwards concerning divine things, because the states existed first, and afterward these things were instituted by them.But the true religion was not instituted by any earthly state, but plainly it established the celestial city.It, however, is inspired and taught by the true God, the giver of eternal life to His true worshippers.
