25. Did we say42134213 that Venus
was a courtezan, deified by a Cyprian king named Cinyras? Who
reported that the palladium was formed from the remains of
Pelops? Was it not you? Who that Mars was Spartanus? was it
not your writer Epicharmus? Who that he was born within the
confines of Thrace? was it not Sophocles the Athenian, with the assent
of all his spectators? Who that he was born in Arcadia?
was it not you? Who that he was kept a prisoner for thirteen
months?42144214 was it not the
son of the river Meles? Who said that dogs were sacrificed
to him by the Carians, asses by the Scythians? was it not Apollodorus
especially, along with the rest? Who that in wronging
another’s marriage couch, he was caught entangled in snares? was
it not your writings, your tragedies? Did we ever write that the
gods for hire endured slavery, as Hercules at Sardis42154215 for lust and wantonness; as the Delian
Apollo, who served Admetus, as Jove’s brother, who
served the Trojan Laomedon, whom the Pythian alsoserved, but
with his uncle; as Minerva, who gives light, and trims the lamps to
secret lovers? Is not he one of your poets, who represented Mars
and Venus as wounded by men’s hands? Is not Panyassis one
of you, who relates that father Dis and queenly Juno were wounded by
Hercules? Do not the writings of your Polemo say that
Pallas42164216 was
slain,42174217 covered with
her own blood, overwhelmed by Ornytus? Does not Sosibius declare
that Hercules himself was afflicted by the wound and pain he suffered
at the hands of Hipocoon’s children? Is it related at our
instance that Jupiter was committed to the grave in the island of
Crete? Do we say that the brothers,42184218 who were united in their cradle, were
buried in the territories of Sparta and Lacedæmon? Is the
author of our number, who is termed Patrocles the Thurian in the titles
of his writings, who relates that the tomb and remains of Saturn are
found42194219 in
Sicily? Is Plutarch of Chæronea42204220 esteemed one of us, who said that
Hercules was reduced to ashes on the top of Mount Œta, after his
loss of strength through epilepsy?