Most of these offences have been already considered; but there remains the question of admonition and punishment of offences against the Gods.

Let the admonition be in the following terms:--No man who ever intentionally did or said anything impious, had a true belief in the existence of the Gods; but either he thought that there were no Gods, or that they did not care about men, or that they were easily appeased by sacrifices and prayers.

'What shall we say or do to such persons ?' My good sir, let us first hear the jests which they in their superiority will make upon us.
'What will they say ?' Probably something of this kind:--'Strangers you are right in thinking that some of us do not believe in the existence of the Gods; while others assert that they do not care for us, and others that they are propitiated by prayers and offerings.

But we want you to argue with us before you threaten; you should prove to us by reasonable evidence that there are Gods, and that they are too good to be bribed.
Poets, priests, prophets, rhetoricians, even the best of them, speak to us of atoning for evil, and not of avoiding it.

From legislators who profess to be gentle we ask for instruction, which may, at least, have the persuasive power of truth, if no other.' What have you to say?
'Well, there is no difficulty in proving the being of the Gods.