Now I am inclined to think that no one would assert that he was a "pious" man who was not adorned with all moderation and virtue, or that a decorous [3509] man would utter such expressions as are contained in the unseemly [3510] iambics of Archilochus. And if nothing that is divine in itself is shown to belong either to the healing skill of Aesculapius or the prophetic power of Apollo, how could any one, even were I to grant that the facts are as alleged, reasonably worship them as pure divinities?--and especially when the prophetic spirit of Apollo, pure from any body of earth, secretly enters through the private parts the person of her who is called the priestess, as she is seated at the mouth of the Pythian cave! [3511] Whereas regarding Jesus and His power we have no such notion; for the body which was born of the Virgin was composed of human material, and capable of receiving human wounds and death.
[3509] kosmios.
[3510] hoi me semnoi.
[3511] hote dia tou Puthiou stomiou perikathezomene te kaloumene prophetidi pneuma dia ton gunaikeion hupeiserchetai to mantikon, ho 'Apollon, to katharon apo geinou somatos. Boherellus conjectures to mantikon tou 'Apollonos to katharon.
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