Kings therefore being slain, the ancient majesty Of thrones and haughty sceptres was laid low. The glorious symbol of the sovereign head, Trodden bloodstained beneath the people’s feet, Mourned its proud honour lost; for that is greedily Trampled down which before was too much feared. Thus to the very lees of anarchy The whole state was reduced, while each man grasped At lordship and dominion for himself. Then some among them taught how to create Magistrates, and established codes, that all Might learn to obey laws. For now mankind, Utterly wearied of a violent life, Lay languishing by reason of its feuds. Therefore the sooner of its own free will Did it submit to laws and stringent codes. For seeing that each, when anger prompted him, Strove more severely to avenge himself Than just laws now permit, for this cause men Grew tired of a life of violence. Thenceforward fear of punishment infects The enjoyment of life’s prizes: for the nets Of violence and wrong entangle all those Who inflict them, and most often they recoil On such as used them first: nor is it easy For him to pass a quiet and peaceful life, Whose deeds transgress the bonds of public peace. For though he should elude both gods and men, Yet he must needs mistrust whether his guilt Will remain veiled for ever, since ’tis said That many often by talking in their dreams, Or in delirious sickness have betrayed Their secrets, and revealed long-hidden crimes. Now what may be the cause that has spread wide The cult of deities over mighty nations, And filled cities with altars, and prescribed The observance of such sacred rites as now At solemn times and places are performed, Whence even now is implanted in men’s minds Religious awe, that over the whole earth Raises new temples to the gods, and prompts Worshippers to frequent them on feast-days-- Why this should be, ’tis easy to explain. For in those early times mortals would see With waking mind the glorious images Of deities and behold them in their sleep Of size yet more gigantic. To these then They would attribute sense, because they seemed To move their limbs and utter stately speech Worthy of their noble aspect and great powers. Also they deemed eternal life was theirs, Because their images continually Would reappear, and their form did not change, But most because they could not well conceive How beings who seemed gifted with such powers Could lightly be subdued by any force. And they believed that their felicity Must be beyond compare, since none of them Was ever troubled by the fear of death, Because moreover in sleep they beheld them Performing without effort many miracles. Again they saw how the orderings of heaven And the year’s varying seasons would return