Primeira Apologia de Justino 53

1Mas aqueles que transmitem os mitos criados pelos poetas não apresentam prova alguma aos jovens que os aprendem; e passamos a demonstrar que foram proferidos sob influência dos demônios perversos, para enganar e desviar o gênero humano. Pois, tendo ouvido os profetas anunciar que o Cristo viria e que os ímpios entre os homens seriam castigados pelo fogo, apresentaram muitos a serem chamados filhos de Júpiter, pensando que assim poderiam incutir nos homens a ideia de que as coisas ditas acerca de Cristo eram apenas histórias maravilhosas, como as contadas pelos poetas.

1But those who hand down the myths which the poets have made, adduce no proof to the youths who learn them; and we proceed to demonstrate that they have been uttered by the influence of the wicked demons, to deceive and lead astray the human race. For having heard it proclaimed through the prophets that the Christ was to come, and that the ungodly among men were to be punished by fire, they put forward many to be called sons of Jupiter, under the impression that they would be able to produce in men the idea that the things which were said with regard to Christ were mere marvellous tales, like the things which were said by the poets.

2E essas coisas foram ditas tanto entre os gregos como entre todas as nações onde eles [os demônios] ouviram os profetas predizer que Cristo seria especialmente objeto de fé; mas tornaremos claro que, ao ouvir os profetas, não entenderam corretamente o que foi dito e imitaram as coisas ditas acerca de nosso Cristo, como homens que estão em erro.

2And these things were said both among the Greeks and among all nations where they [the demons] heard the prophets foretelling that Christ would specially be believed in; but that in hearing what was said by the prophets they did not accurately understand it, but imitated what was said of our Christ, like men who are in error, we will make plain.

3O profeta Moisés, então, era, como já dissemos, mais antigo que todos os escritores; e por ele, como também dissemos antes, foi assim predito: "Não faltará príncipe de Judá, nem legislador entre seus pés, até que venha aquele para quem está reservado; e ele será o desejo dos gentios, amarrando seu jumentinho à videira, lavando sua veste no sangue da uva." Quando os demônios ouviram essas palavras proféticas, disseram que Baco era filho de Júpiter, divulgaram que descobrira a videira, incluíram o vinho [ou o jumento] entre seus mistérios e ensinaram que, depois de ser despedaçado, ele subiu ao céu.

3The prophet Moses, then, Was, as we have already said, older than all writers; and by him, as we have also said before, it was thus predicted: "There shall not fail a prince from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until He come for whom it is reserved; and He shall be the desire of the Gentiles, binding His foal to the vine, washing His robe in the blood of the grape." The devils, accordingly, when they heard these prophetic words, said that Bacchus was the son of Jupiter, and gave out that he was the discoverer of the vine, and they number wine [or, the ass] among his mysteries; and they taught that, having been torn in pieces, he ascended into heaven.

4E porque a profecia de Moisés não havia indicado expressamente se aquele que viria era Filho de Deus nem se, montando o jumentinho, permaneceria na terra ou subiria ao céu, e porque o nome "jumentinho" podia significar tanto a cria de uma jumenta como a de uma égua, eles, sem saber se o predito traria a cria de uma jumenta ou de uma égua como sinal de sua vinda, nem se era Filho de Deus, como dissemos acima, ou de um homem, divulgaram que Belerofonte, homem nascido de homem, subira ao céu no cavalo Pégaso. E, quando ouviram o outro profeta Isaías dizer que ele nasceria de uma virgem e subiria ao céu por seus próprios meios, fingiram que se falava de Perseu.

4And because in the prophecy of Moses it had not been expressly intimated whether He who was to come was the Son of God, and whether He would, riding on the foal, remain on earth or ascend into heaven, and because the name of "foal" could mean either the foal of an ass or the foal of a horse, they, not knowing whether He who was foretold would bring the foal of an ass or of a horse as the sign of His coming, nor whether He was the Son of God, as we said above, or of man, gave out that Bellerophon, a man born of man, himself ascended to heaven on his horse Pegasus. And when they heard it said by the other prophet Isaiah, that He should be born of a virgin, and by His own means ascend into heaven, they pretended that Perseus was spoken of.

5E, ao saberem do que fora dito, como citado acima, nas profecias escritas anteriormente, "Forte como um gigante para percorrer seu caminho", disseram que Hércules era forte e viajara por toda a terra. E, quando souberam novamente que se havia predito que ele curaria toda doença e ressuscitaria os mortos, apresentaram Esculápio.

5And when they knew what was said, as has been cited above, in the prophecies written aforetime, "Strong as a giant to run his course," they said that Hercules was strong, and had journeyed over the whole earth. And when, again, they learned that it had been foretold that He should heal every sickness, and raise the dead, they produced Aesculapius.