VII.—Of the Septizonium and the Stars.

Your want of intelligence deceives you concerning the circle of the zone, and perchance from that you find out that you must pray to Jupiter.  Saturn is told of there, but it is as a star, for he was driven forth by Jupiter, or let Jupiter be believed to be in the star.  He who controlled the constellations of the pole, and the sower of the soil; he who made war with the Trojans, he loved the beautiful Venus.  Or among the stars themselves Mars was caught with her by married jealousy:  he is called the youthful god.  Oh excessively foolish, to think that those who are born of Maia rule from the stars, or that they rule the entire nature of the world!  Subjected to wounds, and themselves living under the dominion of the fates, obscene, inquisitive, warriors of an impious life; and they made sons, equally mortal with themselves, and were all terrible, foolish, strong, in the sevenfold girdle.  If ye worship the stars, worship also the twelve signs of the zodiac, as well the ram, the bull, the twins, as the fierce lion; and finally, they go on into fishes,—cook them and you will prove them.  A law without law is your refuge:  what wishes to be, will prevail.  A woman desires to be wanton; she seeks to live without restraint.  Ye yourselves will be what ye wish for, and pray to as gods and goddesses.  Thus I worshipped while I went astray, and now I condemn it.