Apollo, too, I hate, but I loathe Pan!" "We Romans are more catholic than you Hebrews," said Sergius, "more hospitable To different peoples' different gods. Our own Synod of native deities we have, But we make room for others than our own. From Greece we have adopted all her gods, And all the gods of Egypt and the East Are domiciled at Rome--all save your god, Jehovah, his pretensions overleap The bounds of even our hospitality, Who not on any terms of fellowship Will sit a fellow with his fellow-gods. Him sole except, it is our policy To entertain with wise indifference In brotherly equality all gods Of whatsoever nations of the earth. A temple at Rome have we, Pantheon called, So called as to this end expressly built That there no human god might lack a home. Such is our Roman way; your Hebrew way Is different; different races, different ways." Sergius so spoke as if concluding all With the last word of wisdom to be said; He paused, and Saul mused whether wise it were To answer, when thus Sergius further spoke: "I marked late, when 'Neapolis!' I said, 'Sychar!' saidst thou, in tone as if of scorn; 'Hateful,' thou also calledst Samarian soil-- Wherefore? if I may know." "'Sychar,'" said Saul, "Imports deceit, and there deceit abounds. From the Samaritans we Jews refrain; Corrupters they of the right ways of God. Across their soil we either shun to go, Or, going, hasten with unpausing feet." "Those also have their ways!" said Sergius; "Such humors of the blood thou wilt not cure. Worship Jehovah ye, it is your way, And let us Gentiles serve our several gods, Or serve them not, be atheists if we choose-- I, as thou knowest, an atheist choose to be-- Of comity and peace the sole safe rule. This therefore is the sum--I say it again-- Ways diverse worship men, or worship not, All as our natural bents may us incline. Keep your Jehovah, you, He is your God, Chosen, or feigned and fashioned to your mind-- Keep Him, but not impose your ethnic dream, Or guess, of deity on all mankind."