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WHAT IS GOD ?.
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Some of the philosophers, such as Diagoras the Melian, Theodorus the Cyrenean, and Euemerus the Tegeatan, did deny unanimously that there were any gods; and Callimachus the Cyrenean discovered his mind concerning Euemerus in these Iambic verses, thus writing:-- To th' ante-mural temple flock apace, Where he that long ago composed of brass Great Jupiter, Thrasonic old bald pate, Now scribbles impious books,--a boastful ass! meaning books which prove there are no gods.

Euripides the tragedian durst not openly declare his sentiment; the court of Areopagus terrified him.

Yet he sufficiently manifested his thoughts by this method.

He presented in his tragedy Sisyphus, the first and great patron of this opinion, and introduced himself as one agreeing with him:-- Disorder in those days did domineer, And brutal power kept the world in fear.
Afterwards by the sanction of laws wickedness was suppressed; but by reason that laws could prohibit only public villanies, yet could not hinder many persons from acting secret impieties, some wise persons gave this advice, that we ought to blind truth with lying disguises, and persuade men that there is a God:-- There's an eternal God does hear and see And understand every impiety; Though it in dark recess or thought committed be.
But this poetical fable ought to be rejected, he thought, along with Callimachus, who thus saith:-- If you believe a God, it must be meant That you conceive this God omnipotent.
But God cannot do everything; for, if it were so, then a God could make snow black, and the fire cold, and him that is in a posture of sitting to be upright, and so on the contrary.