The Charge of Infanticide Retorted on the Heathen.

Chapter XV. ⁶⁸⁶ —The Charge of Infanticide Retorted on the Heathen.

Since we are on a par in respect of the gods, it follows that there is no difference between us on the point of sacrifice, or even of worship, ⁶⁸⁷ if I may be allowed to make good our comparison from another sort of evidence. We begin our religious service, or initiate our mysteries, with slaying an infant. As for you, since your own transactions in human blood and infanticide have faded from your memory, you shall be duly reminded of them in the proper place; we now postpone most of the instances, that we may not seem to be everywhere ⁶⁸⁸ handling the selfsame topics. Meanwhile, as I have said, the comparison between us does not fail in another point of view. For if we are infanticides in one sense, you also can hardly be deemed such in any other sense; because, although you are forbidden by the laws to slay new-born infants, it so happens that no laws are evaded with more impunity or greater safety, with the deliberate knowledge of the public, and the suffrages ⁶⁸⁹ of this entire age. ⁶⁹⁰ Yet there is no great difference between us, only you do not kill your infants in the way of a sacred rite, nor (as a service) to God. But then you make away with them in a more cruel manner, p. 124 because you expose them to the cold and hunger, and to wild beasts, or else you get rid of them by the slower death of drowning. If, however, there does occur any dissimilarity between us in this matter, ⁶⁹¹ you must not overlook the fact that it is your own dear children ⁶⁹² whose life you quench; and this will supplement, nay, abundantly aggravate, on your side of the question, whatever is defective in us on other grounds. Well, but we are said to sup off our impious sacrifice! Whilst we postpone to a more suitable place ⁶⁹³ whatever resemblance even to this practice is discoverable amongst yourselves, we are not far removed from you in voracity.  If in the one case there is unchastity, and in ours cruelty, we are still on the same footing (if I may so far admit our guilt ⁶⁹⁴ ) in nature, where cruelty is always found in concord with unchastity. But, after all, what do you less than we; or rather, what do you not do in excess of us?  I wonder whether it be a small matter to you ⁶⁹⁵ to pant for human entrails, because you devour full-grown men alive? Is it, forsooth, only a trifle to lick up human blood, when you draw out ⁶⁹⁶ the blood which was destined to live? Is it a light thing in your view to feed on an infant, when you consume one wholly before it is come to the birth? ⁶⁹⁷

Footnotes

123:686

Comp. The Apology, c. ix.

123:687

Sacri.

123:688

He refers in this passage to his Apology, especially c. ix.

123:689

Tabellis.

123:690

Unius ætatis. This Oehler explains by “per unam jam totam hanc ætatem.”

124:691

Genere.

124:692

Pignora, scil. amoris.

124:693

See Apology, c. ix.

124:694

Si forte.

124:695

Parum scilicet?

124:696

Elicitis.

124:697

Infantem totum præcocum.