But we have a few remarks to make, out of a larger number, in answer to
these statements of Celsus, that we may show the ingratitude towards his
Maker which is involved in his holding these false opinions.[813] For
Celsus, although a man, and “being in honour,”[814] does not possess
understanding, and therefore he did not compare himself with the birds
and the other irrational animals, which he regards as capable of
divining; but yielding to them the foremost place, he lowered himself,
and as far as he could the whole human race with him (as entertaining
lower and inferior views of God than the irrational animals), beneath
the Egyptians, who worship irrational animals as divinities. Let the
principal point of investigation, however, be this: whether there
actually is or not an art of divination, by means of birds and other
living things believed to have such power. For the arguments which tend
to establish either view are not to be despised. On the one hand, it is
pressed upon us not to admit such an art, lest the rational being should
abandon the divine oracles, and betake himself to birds; and on the
other, there is the energetic testimony of many, that numerous
individuals have been saved from the greatest dangers by putting their
trust in divination by birds. For the present, however, let it be
granted that an art of divination does exist, in order that I may in
this way show to those who are prejudiced on the subject, that if this
be admitted, the superiority of man over irrational animals, even over
those that are endowed with power of divination, is great, and beyond
all reach of comparison with the latter. We have then to say, that if
there was in them any divine nature capable of foretelling future
events, and so rich [in that knowledge] as out of its superabundance to
make them known to any man who wished to know them, it is manifest that
they would know what concerned themselves far sooner [than what
concerned others]; and had they possessed this knowledge, they would
have been upon their guard against flying to any particular place where
men had planted snares and nets to catch them, or where archers took aim
and shot at them in their flight. And especially, were eagles aware
beforehand of the designs formed against their young, either by serpents
crawling up to their nests and destroying them, or by men who take them
for their amusement, or for any other useful purpose or service, they
would not have placed their young in a spot where they were to be
attacked; and, in general, not one of these animals would have been
captured by men, because they were more divine and intelligent than
they.
Footnote 813:
τὴν ἀχάριστον ψευδοδοξίαν.
Footnote 814:
Ps. xlix. 12.