[918]Ενθενδε εγενετο ἑκαστος των θεων, ειτε δ' αει ησαν παντες, ὁκοιοι δε τινες τα ειδεα, ουκ ηπιστεατο μεχρι ὁυ πρωην τε και χθες, ὡς ειπειν λογῳ. He attributes to Homer, and to Hesiod, the various names and distinctions of the Gods, and that endless polytheism which prevailed. [919]Ουτοι δε εισι, ὁι ποιησαντες θεογονιαν Ἑλλησι, και τοισι Θεοισι τας επωνυμιας δοντες, και τιμας τε και τεχνας διελοντες, και ειδεα αυτων σημῃναντες. This blindness in regard to their own theology, and to that of the countries, whence they borrowed, led them to misapply the terms, which they had received, and to make a God out of every title. But however they may have separated, and distinguished them under different personages, they are all plainly resolvable into one Deity, the Sun. The same is to be observed in the Gods of the Romans. This may in great measure be proved from the current accounts of their own writers; if we attend a little closely to what they say: but it will appear more manifest from those who had been in Egypt, and copied their accounts from that country. There are few characters, which at first sight appear more distinct than those of Apollo and Bacchus. Yet the department, which is generally appropriated to Apollo, as the Sun, I mean the conduct of the year, is by Virgil given to Bacchus, or Liber. He joins him with Ceres, and calls them both the bright luminaries of the world. [920]Vos, O, clarissima Mundi Lumina, labentem Cœlo qui ducitis annum, Liber, et alma Ceres. [921]Quidam ipsum solem, ipsum Apollinem, ipsum Dionysium eundem esse volunt. Hence we find that Bacchus is the Sun, or Apollo; though supposed generally to have been a very different personage. In reality they are all three the same; each of them the Sun. He was the ruling Deity of the world: [922]Ἡλιε παγγενετορ, παναιολε, χρυσεοφεγγες. He was in Thrace esteemed, and worshipped as Bacchus, or Liber. [923]In Thraciâ Solem Liberum haberi, quem illi Sebadium nuncupantes magnâ religione celebrant: eique Deo in colle [924]Zemisso ædes dicata est specie rotundâ. In short, all the Gods were one, as we learn from the same Orphic Poetry: [925]Ἑις Ζευς, ἑις Αϊδες, ἑις Ἡλιος, ἑις Διονυσος, Ἑις θεος εν παντεσσι. Some Deities changed with the season. [926]Ηελιον δε θερους, μετοπωρης δ' ἁβρον Ιαω.