n of the ignorance, rashness,
curiosity, and blind passions of man, who presumed to interrogate God, and
to oblige him to give answers upon every idle imagination and unjust
enterprise.

The others, who gave no real credit to any thing enjoined by the science
of augury, did not fail, however, to observe its trivial ceremonies
through policy, in order the better to subject the minds of the people to
themselves, and to reconcile them to their own purposes, by the assistance
of superstition: but by their contempt for auguries, and their inward
conviction of their falsity, they were led into a disbelief of the Divine
Providence, and to despise religion itself; conceiving it inseparable from
the numerous absurdities of this kind, which rendered it ridiculous, and
consequently unworthy a man of sense.

Both the one and the other behaved in this manner, because, having
mistaken the Creator, and abused the light of nature, which might have
taught them to know and to adore him, they were deservedly abandoned to
their own darkness, and to a reprobate mind; and, if we had not been
enlightened by the true religion, we, even at this day, should give
ourselves up to the same superstitions.

Of Oracles

No country was ever richer in, or more productive of oracles, than Greece.
I shall confine myself to those which were the most noted.

The oracle of Dodona, a city of the Molossians, in Epirus, was much
celebrated; where Jupiter gave answers either by vocal oaks,(82) or doves,
which had also their language, or by resounding basins of brass, or by the
mouths of priests and priestesses.

The oracle of Trophonius in Boeotia, though he was nothing more than a
hero, was in great reputation.(83) After many preliminary ceremonies, as
washing in the river, offering sacrifices, drinking a water called Lethe,
from its quality of making people forget every thing, the votaries went
down into his cave, by small ladders, through a very narrow passage. At
the bottom was another little cavern, the entrance of which was also
exceeding small. There they lay down upon the ground, with a certain
composition of honey in each hand, which they were indispensably obliged
to carry with them. Their feet were placed within the opening of the
little cave; which was no sooner done, than they perceived themselves
borne into it with great force and velocity. Futurity was there revealed
to them; but not to all in the same manner. Some saw, others heard,
wo