The Divine Institutes: Book I. Of the False Worship of the Gods
by Lactantius
An examination of the old gods, and an argument from the poets themselves that God is one.
1. Preface.—Of what great value the knowledge of the truth is and always has beenChap. I.—Of religion and wisdomChap. II.—That there is a providence in the affairs of menChap. III.—Whether the universe is governed by the power of one God or of manyChap. IV.—That the one God was foretold even by the prophetsChap. V.—Of the testimonies of poets and philosophersChap. VI.—Of divine testimonies, and of the Sibyls and their predictionsChap. VII.—Concerning the testimonies of Apollo and the godsChap. VIII.—That God is without a body, nor does he need difference of sex for procreationChap. IX.—Of Hercules and his life and deathChap. X.—Of the life and actions of Æsculapius, Apollo, Neptune, Mars, Castor and Pollux, Mercury and BacchusChap. XI.—Of the origin, life, reign, name and death of Jupiter, and of Saturn and UranusChap. XII.—That the stoics transfer the figments of the poets to a philosophical systemChap. XIII.—How vain and trifling are the interpretations of the stoics respecting the gods, and in them concerning the origin of Jupiter, concerning Saturn and OpsChap. XIV.—What the sacred history of Euhemerus and Ennius teaches concerning the godsChap. XV.—How they who were men obtained the name of godsChap. XVI.—By what argument it is proved that those who are distinguished by a difference of sex cannot be godsChap. XVII.—Concerning the same opinion of the stoics, and concerning the hardships and disgraceful conduct of the godsChap. XVIII.—On the consecration of gods, on account of the benefits which they conferred upon menChap. XIX.—That it is impossible for any one to worship the true God together with false deitiesChap. XX.—Of the gods peculiar to the Romans, and their sacred ritesChap. XXI.—Of certain deities peculiar to barbarians, and their sacred rites; and in like manner concerning the RomansChap. XXII.—Who was the author of the vanities before described in Italy among the Romans, and who among other nationsChap. XXIII.—Of the ages of vain superstitions, and the times at which they commenced