Arnobius — Against the Nations 2.73
73.1. But is the cause of this kind turned against us alone? What of the Egyptian powers whose names are Serapis and Isis—did you not after the consuls Piso and Gabinius enroll them in the number of your gods? What of the Phrygian Mother, whose founder is said to be either Midas or Dardanus—did you not begin to know and know her and sanction her with memorable religion when Hannibal the Carthaginian was seizing Italian affairs and demanding the principate of lands?
2. Were not the rites of mother Ceres, not because they were unknown to you, adopted a little before, obtained so as to be called Greek, the surname itself testifying the very newness? Is it not contained in the letters of the learned that the Pompilian indigitamenta do not know Apollo's name? From which it appears and is clear that he also was unknown to you and afterward at some time began to be and to be known.
3. If then someone asks you why you took up the cult of those powers of whom we just made mention so late, it is certain you will answer: either because we did not know lately that they were in the number of the gods, or because now we have been admonished by seers, or because in hardest affairs we have been saved by their benefits and helps.
4. But if you will judge this to be said rightly by you, then from our side also judge that answer has been made by a like reason. Our religion has now been born: for now he has been sent and has come who would show it to us, who would lead into its truth, who as God would show what he is, who would call us away from conjectural things to his worship.
Latin
73.1. Sed causa in <nos>huiusmodi vertitur sola? Quid, vos Aegyptiaca numina, quibus Serapis atque Isis est nomen? non post Pisonem et Gabinium consules in numerum vestrorum rettulistis deorum? Quid, Phrygiam matrem, cuius esse conditor indicatur vel Midas vel Dardanus, non cum Hannibal Poenus res Italas raperet et terrarum exposceret principatum, et nosse et scire coepistis et memorabili religione sancire?
2. Sacra Cereris matris non quod vobis incognita essent, adscita paulo ante, obtentum est ut Graeca dicantur novitatem ipsam testificante cognomine? Non doctorum in litteris continetur, Apollinis nomen Pompiliana indigitamenta nescire? Ex quo apparet et liquidum est, et hunc vobis fuisse incognitum, post autem aliquando coepisse esse et notum.
3. Si quis igitur vos interroget, cur eorum numinum quorum modo fecimus mentionem tam sero susceperitis cultum, responsuros vos certum est: aut quia illos nuper deorum esse in numero nesciebamus, aut quia nunc sumus a vatibus moniti, aut quia in rebus asperrimis beneficiis eorum sumus auxiliisque servati.
4. Quodsi hoc a vobis recte existimabitis dici, et ex nostris partibus ratione consimili existimatote esse responsum. Religio nostra nunc nata est: nunc enim missus advenit qui eam nobis ostenderet, qui in eius induceret veritatem, qui deus monstraret quid sit, qui ad eius nos cultum ab rebus opinabilibus avocaret.