To Poseidon

​Of which of the Greek cities are the deeds not more glorious than here? Of which are they not more renowned, either by land or by sea? Of whom are the works and actions more illustrious? But indeed, the present is not a time for wars; wherefore not even the memory of such things would have been spoken in season, while the Greeks are holding festival and are of one mind in this most beautiful and most famous of festivals, which meets twice in two years into one, being doubled compared to the others and approaching, and anticipating the remaining ones and in turn catching them up, literally as in chariot races, if somehow it were possible for men to see the chariot of Poseidon being borne along, and while they are coming together to a common bowl and both pouring libations and sacrificing at the same time, and bringing embassies of spectators to Poseidon, Amphitrite, Palaemon, and Leucothea. It would therefore be well both to sing of and to speak of these things, and for you to pass your time in discourses about them. Now, the things concerning Poseidon himself have been spoken of and sung in a way, not blameably, as it seems to me; and I see that you also are so disposed. And indeed, by Zeus, concerning the city itself also, one might speak in the briefest terms. But I see that what remains for us is the discourse concerning the two deities, both the boy and his mother, whether we ought to call it a discourse or a myth. Which I fear and altogether dread, and I am at a loss as to how I must ever arrange it with you: whether, as it seems to the many and also seems good to Homer, we too should be persuaded of the sufferings of the gods, such as the bonds of Ares, the services of Apollo, and the throwings of Hephaestus into the sea, and likewise the griefs of Ino and certain flights; or whether it is neither holy nor pious to say this, especially when making a discourse about the gods, but we must banish this discourse not only outside the Isthmus and Peloponnese, but even outside the whole of Greece; and we must, if necessary, go to both seas and cleanse away Athamas, whoever he was, and his madness, whether it existed or was falsely rumored by those who perished most miserably, ​who composed each of these things for us. And Ino either never existed nor was ever born as the many say, or, if indeed she existed and was born, she had nothing to do with what happens here. And Leucothea was a goddess straight from the beginning, and did not start from where the many think. And even if she was ‘endowed with human speech,’ as he who said this declared, yet she was not mortal. And Homer has made even those who are gods like men, both speaking outright and conversing with men, both Athena and Hermes and Poseidon himself. And in addition to these things, it would perhaps be well for us and pleasing to the gods to speak and hear among one another, that Poseidon fell in love with Leucothea, and having fallen in love, held her with himself, in the same manner as Tyro daughter of Salmoneus, and Amymone, and any other beautiful woman, and hid her under the wave; and that her journeys from there to this place, if indeed we must accept these too, were not those of one fleeing in flight, but as of one going to the sea as to a bridal chamber; nor did she carry the boy, who was indeed from another bed, by snatching him away, but as a deposit, a plaything, and a gift to Poseidon. And both the truth itself and what is still even now said and done concerning them as concerning gods show that these things are in this way. For evil is neither in the gods, nor could it ever be; for these things have been banished to the place toward the earth; nor are there sufferings and misfortunes. So far would this be from being the beginning of immortality for anyone. For evil comes from evil, but the works of the gods are good. Otherwise it is in no way lawful for it to be. But if she was an unfortunate human, how then did she become a god, tell me? But if she was beloved of the gods, she would never have been unfortunate. And if she was not such from the beginning, she would not have become so afterwards—for if the gods are able to rid of evils, it is possible not even to permit evils to approach them; and indeed, if they are able to give good things in return for evils, also this...