of nights; and is unwilling to allow
it. But he is afterwards more complying; and seems to give it his sanction,
with this proviso, that chronological verity be not thereby impeached. _I
am of opinion_, says he, _that there was no foundation for the fable of
Jupiter's having made the night, on which he lay with Alcmena, longer than
others: at least this event put nothing in nature out of order; since the
day, which followed, was proportionably shorter, as Plautus [396]remarks._

Atque quanto nox fuisti longior hac proxima,
Tanto brevior dies ut fiat, faciam; ut aeque disparet,
Et dies e nocte accedat.

Were it not invidious, I could subjoin names to every article, which I have
alleged; and produce numberless instances to the same purpose.

It may be said, that I run counter to the opinions of all antiquity: that
all the fathers who treated of this subject, and many other learned men,
supposed the Gods of the heathen to have been deified mortals, who were
worshipped in the countries, where they died. It was the opinion of
Clemens, Eusebius, Cyril, Tertullian, Athenagoras, Epiphanius, Lactantius,
Arnobius, Julius Firmicus, and many others. What is more to the purpose, it
was the opinion of the heathen themselves; the very people, by whom these
gods were honoured: yet still it is a mistake. In respect to the fathers,
the whole of their argument turns upon this point, the concessions of the
Gentiles. The more early writers of the church were not making a strict
chronological inquiry: but were labouring to convert the heathen. They
therefore argue with them upon their own principles; and confute them from
their own testimony. The Romans had their Dii Immortales; the Greeks their
[Greek: Theoi Athanatoi]: yet acknowledged that they had been men; that
they died, and were buried. Cicero owns; [397]ab Euhemero et mortes, et
sepulturae demonstrantur deorum. It matters not whether the notion were
true; the fathers very fairly make use of it. They avail themselves of
these concessions; and prove from them the absurdity of the Gentile
worship, and the inconsistency of their opinions. Even Maximus Tyrius, the
Platonic, could not but smile, at being shewn in the same place the temple,
and tomb of the deity[398]; [Greek: hieron Theou, kai taphon Theou]. These
supposed places of sepulture were so numerous, that Clemens Alexandrinus
tells us, they were not to be counted. [399][Greek: Alla gar epionti moi
tous proskunoumenous humin