Cicero: The Nature of the Gods
Translated by P.G. Walsh
Number of quotes: 10
Book ID: 61 Page: 3
Section: 4B
Take our subject as an example. Most philosophers have stated that gods exist, the most likely view to which almost all of us* are led by nature’s guidance. But Protagoras* expressed his doubts about it, and Diagoras of Melos and Theodorus* of Cyrene believed that gods do not exist at all.Pastor John notes: Note the absence of anger for their opinions, even though Cicero was himself an auger (14).
Quote ID: 1545
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 61 Page: 22/23
Section: 4B
If you were to ask me my view of the nature of the gods, I should perhaps have nothing to reply; but if you were to enquire whether I think their nature is such as you have just outlined, I would say that nothing seems to me less likely.58 ‘But before turning to the substance of your argument, I would first like to offer my reflections on you personally. I have often, I suppose, heard that friend of yours Lucius Crassus* assessing you as undoubtedly the most learned of all Roman Epicureans, and saying that few Greeks of the school were a match for you. But my awareness of his remarkable affection for you led me to imagine that he was exaggerating out of his goodwill for you. I hesitate to praise you to your face, but in my view your treatment of this obscure and difficult subject has been crystal-clear, not merely in ample exposition of your views, but also in elegance of expression more marked than is customary in your school.
Quote ID: 1546
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 61 Page: 50
Section: 4B
‘If we seek to compare our Roman ways with those of foreigners, we shall find that in other respects we merely match them or even fall below them, but that in religion, that is, in worship of the gods, we are much superior.
Quote ID: 1547
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 61 Page: 66
Section: 5D
Lowest of the five planets and nearest to the earth is the star of Venus, in Greek called Phosphoros (“light-bringing”), and in Latin when it precedes the sun, Lucifer, but Hesperus (“at evening”) when it follows behind.
Quote ID: 1548
Time Periods: 01
Book ID: 61 Page: 70
Section: 2C
What of Jupiter, a name deriving from “helpful father” (iuvans pater), and whom in the oblique cases we refer to as Jove, from the verb to help (iuvare)?
Quote ID: 1549
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 61 Page: 71
Section: 5D
The entire range and element of earth has been consecrated to father Dis; his name means rich (dives) like that of his Greek equivalent Pluto, because all things dissolve into the earth and spring up from it.The sun gets its name (sol) either because its great size is unique (solus) among the heavenly bodies, or because when it rises all the stars are hidden and it alone (solus) is visible;
Quote ID: 1550
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 61 Page: 73
Section: 2A4,4B
But those who scrupulously rehearsed and so to say studied afresh all the ritual involved in divine worship were called religious* (religiosi), a word which derives from the verb to review (relegere)—just as elegant people are so called because they make choices (elegantes ex eligendo), diligent people because they are attentive (ex diligendo diligentes), and intelligent people because of their understanding (ex intellegendo intellegentes). All these words contain the same force of “choosing” which is present in the adjective “religious”. So the word “superstitious” came to note something deficient and “religious” something praiseworthy.
Quote ID: 9168
Time Periods: 01
Book ID: 61 Page: 130
Section: 5D
What a hazardous procedure this is! Many names will pose problems for you: what can you make of Veiovis, or of Vulcan?* Mind you, bearing in mind that you think that Neptune gets his name from nando, swimming, there will be no name for which you cannot offer a derivation based on a single letter! You seem to me to be more at sea in this pursuit than is Neptune himself.Pastor John note: Ha!
Quote ID: 1551
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 61 Page: 146
Section: 4B
Following the discussion, we went our different ways. Cotta’s argument seemed to Velleius to be the more truthful, but in my eyes Balbus’ case seemed to come more closely to a semblance of the truth.*Pastor John’s note: = Who knows?
Quote ID: 1553
Time Periods: 0
Book ID: 61 Page: xxiv
Section: 3A1
The conduct of Roman religion was managed by the politicians. The senate was endowed with supreme authority in all matters religious. They delegated decisions to the four main priesthoods, the pontifices (the advisory board of priest who assisted the magistrates in their sacral functions), the augurs, the quindecimviri sacris faciundis (‘the fifteen men in charge of the ritual’ who were custodians of the Sibylline books), and the septemviri epulonum (the seven in charge of the feasts), but the individuals appointed to these offices were not a priestly caste, but men active in public affairs. Apart from the priest of Jupiter (flamen Dialis), who could not quit Rome for extended periods and whose political advancement was therefore restricted, sacral officials were usually magistrates or ex-magistrates.
Quote ID: 1544
Time Periods: 0
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