Page:Barlaam and Josaphat. English lives of Buddha.djvu/163

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LẎF OF SAẎNT BALLAM.
25

ſayd I am Balaam whyche haue not put the kynges ſone in ony errour / but I haue broughte hym out of errour/ and thenne the mayſter ſayd to hym / right noble and mearuyllous men haue worſhypped our goddes/ how dareſt thou thenne adreſſe the ageynſt them/ and he anſwered/ they of caldee/ of egypte/ and of grece haue erryd and ſayden that the creatures were goddes/ & the chaldees ſuppoſeden that the elementes had ben goddes whiche were created to the prouffyte of men / and the grekes ſuppoſed that curſyd men and tyrauntes had be goddes/ as ſaturne/ whom they ſayd ete his ſone/ and Iubyter whiche as they ſay gheldyd his fader & threwe his membrys in to the ſee/ wherof grewe venus/ and Iubyter to be kynge of the other goddes/ by cauſe he tranſformed ofte hym ſelf in lykeneſſe of a beeſt/ for to accomplyſſhe his aduoultrye/ and alſo they ſaye that venus is goddeſſe of aduoultrye/ and ſomtyme mars is hyr huſbond/ and ſomtyme adonydes/ The egypcyens worſhyppe the beeſtys/ that is to wete a ſheep/ a calfe/ a ſwyne/ or ſuche other/ and the cryſten men worſhyppe the ſone of the ryght hyghe kynge/ that deſcended fro heuen and toke nature humayne /

And thenne nachor beganne clerelye to def-

fende

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