5. But let it be
assumed that there are these gods, as you wish and believe, and are
persuaded; let them be called also by those names by which the common
people suppose that those meaner gods39303930 are known.39313931 Whence, however, have you learned
who make up the list of gods under these names?39323932 have any ever
become familiar and known to others with whose names you were
not acquainted?39333933 For
it cannot be easily known whether their numerous body is settled and
fixed in number; or whether their multitude cannot be summed up
and limited by the numbers of any computation. For let us suppose
that you do reverence to a thousand, or rather five thousand gods; but
in the universe it may perhaps be that there are a hundred thousand;
there may be even more than this,—nay, as we said a little
before, it may not be possible to compute the number of the gods, or
limit them by a definite number. Either, then, you are yourselves
impious who serve a few gods, but disregard the duties which you owe to
the rest;39343934 or if you
claim that your ignorance of the rest should be pardoned, you will
procure for us also a similar pardon, if in just the same way39353935 we refuse to
worship those of whose existence we are wholly
ignorant.